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American Land Seller Podcast
Welcome to The American Land Seller, the podcast dedicated to landowners, buyers, and investors seeking expert insights into the evolving land market. Hosted by Koby Rickertsen, an Accredited Land Consultant and Multi-State Land Broker with High Point Land Company, this show dives deep into market trends, investment strategies, and real-world experiences in farm, ranch, and recreational land sales.
Each episode features industry professionals, seasoned investors, and landowners sharing their expertise on topics such as:
✅ Land market trends and valuation strategies
✅ 1031 exchanges and tax implications
✅ Seller financing and creative deal structures
✅ Conservation easements and government programs
✅ Navigating legal and zoning challenges
✅ Building generational wealth through land ownership
Whether you're a first-time land buyer, a seasoned investor, or a landowner looking to sell, The American Land Seller provides the knowledge and tools you need to succeed in today’s competitive land market.
American Land Seller Podcast
#39 - Financing Farmland: What Mac America Can Do That Banks Can’t
The path to land ownership is filled with financial hurdles—but what if the real problem isn't the price of land, but how you're trying to finance it?
In this episode of The American Land Seller, we’re joined by Roger Wiese, an agricultural lending specialist with MAC America Ag Financing, who lays out a smarter, more accessible way to fund farmland, ranches, and rural properties. Based in Nebraska’s cattle country, Roger brings a relationship-first approach that flips the traditional bank model on its head.
MAC America operates without the overhead and red tape of brick-and-mortar banks. Instead, their team works directly with Farmer Mac, FSA, and private capital pools to deliver long-term, fixed-rate solutions—often with no prepayment penalties and less friction for the borrower.
In this episode, Roger unpacks:
• Why updating your balance sheet quarterly puts you ahead when the right property hits the market
• How beginning farmers can tap into government-backed financing
• Why refinancing with MAC America can give producers a 30-year runway
• How early preparation helps you strike when opportunity knocks
• What most buyers regret—and how to avoid the same mistake
Roger also shares the emotional side of lending: families discovering financing options they never knew existed, and what happens when someone finally picks up the phone and realizes they can afford the land they’ve dreamed about.
📞 Connect with Roger directly: 402-340-3086 or rwiese@aglandfinance.com
🌐 Learn more at: https://www.aglandfinance.com
Whether you're buying your first 80 acres or refinancing 8,000, this conversation will change the way you think about land financing.
Today on the American Land Seller, we're pulling back the curtain on a process every land buyer should understand how agriculture land loans really work and how to get an edge when it comes to financing.
Speaker 1:Joining me is Roger Wiese, a long-time Nebraska leader and now a key member of the lending team at MAC America, a company specializing in long-term fixed-rate financing for farmers, ranchers and land investors across the country. Roger spent decades building systems and leading organizations in the public health world. Now he brings that same level of structure and strategy to agriculture lending At Mac America. He helps clients navigate the loan process from start to finish, offering access to funding sources that most banks can't touch, including Farmer Mac, fsa and private capital pools. In this episode, roger walks us through the step-by-step process of securing a land loan, how Mac America structures deals differently than traditional banks, and what we all need to know to help get our loans approved and funded faster. If you've ever hit a financing wall with a traditional lender or just want to understand what's really possible outside the box of conventional ag lending, roger's insight is going to be invaluable.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the American Land Seller podcast with your host, coby Rickardson. Coby is an accredited land consultant and multi-state land broker with High Point Land Company. Join us each week as we explore all things land. We bring you fresh insights and expert guests on sales, marketing, regulations, economics and so much more. Visit wwwamericanlandsellercom and find us on one of your favorite podcast platforms.
Speaker 3:Okay, Kobe and our special guests, let's get started.
Speaker 1:Hey everybody, Welcome back to the American Landseller Podcast. Super excited today to have Roger Wiese from Mac America Ag Financing. Roger, how are you on this Friday?
Speaker 4:Kobe, I'm living the dream.
Speaker 3:Everything is good you are.
Speaker 4:Hey would be living the dream a little better if we got a little bit more water. Everybody wants more water, that's for sure. If we got a little bit more water. Everybody wants more water, that's for sure. But you know, we certainly are experiencing at least some nice weather, some good weather for planting, and did not have an overly rough winter for cattle or anything. So yeah, everything's looking pretty good so far. Just need some moisture in the ground.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely a little bit of drought going on in our part of the country here in Nebraska. Roger, you're from O'Neill, nebraska. Tell people a little bit about your part of the state of Nebraska. I'm from kind of south central. You're from kind of the northern part, so what's going on in O'Neill?
Speaker 4:Well, you know, as far as around O'Neill, we're kind of in a unique area, I guess in the state of Nebraska, just shy of the South Dakota border, about a couple stone throws at 30, 35 miles. There, kind of coming up Coby from where you know, maybe going down by Albion and such like that, where it seems like we kind of split, where a certain portion of the land up here tends to be crop land and such, but then boom, all of a sudden you just kind of start to switch to the cattle and pasture land and stuff like that. So it's really kind of a unique area. It's really kind of a unique area.
Speaker 4:I grew up, born and raised around Lindsay, nebraska, born in the old Newman Grove Hospital so which no longer is necessarily there, and born on a farm just south of Lindsay, south and west just a smidgen, and then also raised around Columbus area and such like that. So yeah, just a little bit different. Everything there around the Lindsay, cornley, humphrey area is all farmland for the most part and stuff, and so this is a little bit different. Moved up here about almost 25 years ago now when I married my beautiful bride. 25 years ago now when I married my beautiful bride and we have eight children, and her family are farmers and ranchers around the Page area. Page, nebraska, just a little bit 18 miles east of O'Neill, so this is kind of where we've settled and yeah, so, irish capital of Nebraska, and here we are.
Speaker 1:That's what I've heard. It's the Irish capital of Nebraska. I've been to O'Neill quite a few times in my years. Beautiful part of the country up there. Now I haven't been up there for a while. I used to have a very successful tomato greenhouse. Is that still in operation up there, kind of right outside of town?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I guess, to my understanding, probably not in full operation. It kind of went through different management and different owners, I believe, here and there off and on and on. So right now I believe they're looking for a little bit more transition to try to make it more active and more developed and such like that, but my understanding is it's definitely not in full operation. There may be segments of it are, but it's a big building and I know when it was operating it was pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, years ago I had the opportunity back when I was in full swing to take a tour of that and that was pretty amazing.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah. Yeah really neat operation. How those work yeah.
Speaker 1:Roger, so let's start getting into. I wanted to have you on today to talk just a little bit about. I know, if you listen to the media, talk to the news. Of course the sky is falling, the world's coming to an end. That's the way everybody perceives everything. I've made my point. I wrote an article for the Realtors Land Institute recently, a blog post and an article for the Terra Firma magazine, kind of about maybe the world isn't quite as bad as we thought it was. You know, from going to the land conference, talking to the land sellers around the country, my takeaway from those guys is maybe they're going to have just as good a year, if not a better year, than they had last year is kind of what they're looking at. Um, what are you seeing as you're dealing with your clients around the Midwest? Cause you don't work just in Nebraska, correct? You work all over, kind of, in the Midwest area.
Speaker 1:Um is the sky falling? Is the world coming to an end or are we just kind of at a maybe, a you know plateau where we're maybe taking a break? And you know the world, you know like land prices aren't continually going crazy and up and up and up. Yeah, what are you seeing from your chair?
Speaker 4:I think from the optimist's standpoint of view or something like that, looking at things in a positive notion, the world is never falling. It's just there's some rainy days and there's some sunny days. I suppose when you look back at things over and over and over. I'll kind of regress just a little bit to Warren Buffett. Just had his large annual and so shareholders meeting excuse me, in Omaha there beginning of May and I did not attend this year, but I listened to a lot of them and I know Warren isn't really big into as far as agricultural investments and such like that, but they do have Berkshire Hathaway real estate and such and I know they do not only residential but they expand a little bit more with that. But anyway, just listening to Warren, one of the things I know when he was saying and he's been an investor a long time and it seems like every three, five years of something, some major event, whether it's nature or whether it's political or whether it's economic, there will always be the sky is falling. You know, from his standpoint he just really looks at that. As you know, those are always opportunities and there's always going to be growth. As an example, when he refers as the stock market. It's going to continue to grow. It's going to continue to grow. It's going to continue to grow. The US economy is strong.
Speaker 4:I think that, from what I see and I would say from those that just hold a very positive viewpoint, I would say from those that just hold a very positive viewpoint probably coming out of the early 2000s with COVID and such like that, I think, may have just really thrown a lot of things in an upheaval here and there. I think it led to a lot of that mind uncertainty. You know where are things going, what's next? But there's still a lot of positives that are flowing, and whether that be opportunities for for land sales that may be in close proximity to somebody, or you know example would be looking at the cattle industry right now.
Speaker 4:Where things are going, I'm not certain. A lot of people predicted that, maybe five, seven years ago. Maybe they did, I don't know, but you know things are looking good in that regard. So I always want to take the positive standpoint that I'm just not certain that the sky is falling anymore now than when it did 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago or et cetera. So that's probably the stance that I take and I think the media and other folks may say the sky is falling. I think if you go to the coffee shop and you talk with folks, you know if you and I were to sit down and have coffee with some farmers and ranchers, they have questions, but I think there's still a lot of good vibes that they have about the year and such like that.
Speaker 1:Well, I think there's no doubt, if you're a producer, that so yeah, well, I think there's no doubt, if you're a producer, that you know there's not a whole lot of you know daylight between where commodity pricing is and where your input costs are, and so that's you know, and this is another year of that, and so without a lot of relief there, I think there's a lot of guys that aren't super cheery about it. But the guys that I, you know, like, I think, the guys that I know, and the guys that I talk to on a regular basis, they kind of build that into their business model, knowing that that's kind of the seven to eight years you know business structure is that they have ups and downs and and they kind of you know that's why they don't, um, spend all their money in the good times, because they have to cycle that back around to when the market returns to a little bit more modest market.
Speaker 4:And I'd say that's a very good point. And you mentioned input costs. Quite honestly, aren't input costs right now pretty much just affecting everybody? I mean, whether you're a producer and it's your own business, you have to include those input costs and over the last four years you've seen them increase dramatically. I know, just even thinking from a non-business standpoint, having four or five vehicles around the house with the kids and stuff and wanting to change oil on them at home, as an example, I mean I think doing it myself it costs double, if not more than double, than it did just five years ago, and I think that's really hard for people to grasp and understand. And if there's anything that kind of would lend me to believe that for business purposes as well, but quite honestly, even just for family living, right, they all still have the regular increases in pricing of just daily living, like everybody else has, and the inputs I think are just overall. It can be a struggle for a lot of folks trying to blend that in. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Coming at them from everywhere. It is yeah Well, hey, let's take a quick break, um, and we will be right back. The American Land Seller Podcast is brought to you in part by landhubcom. Join us today and experience the expertise of Land Hub's land marketing professionals, whether you're buying or selling, let us show you the way in the ever-evolving world of land transactions. Visit landhubcom and discover what the future of land marketing looks like. Landhubcom where your land journey begins. All right, we are back here with Roger Wiese with Mac America Ag Financing today, and you can find all kinds of fun stuff about Mac America Ag Financing at aglandfinancecom. Correct, roger? Am I correct in that?
Speaker 4:That is correct, and I believe the website is getting upgraded a little bit here pretty soon, if not already.
Speaker 1:So yeah, please you guys' home base is not Mars or anything, it's like right here in Nebraska.
Speaker 4:Is that correct? That's right, we're a little unique because we're Mac America is not necessarily in a brick and mortar building. So we're like, for instance, I'm an independent finance advisor, an officer with that, but I work out of my home. Or, as you, kobe, we're going to work a lot on the four wheels on the road right, so you know your main office may have that windshield in front of you, so to speak. So that's nice. So, yes, I'm out of my home office and vehicle and our president, steve McGuire, basically, is the same, so kind of doesn't function a whole lot different than myself, I guess.
Speaker 4:For the most part he is out of the David City area and Justin Grotelushin, the vice president there, is out of the Duncan Nebraska area. So home office throughout Nebraska, I guess. So home office throughout Nebraska, I guess. But we also have some independent agents scattered around throughout the Midwest, up to Indiana, illinois, even Montana, but we are all, I guess, licensed, certified, however you want to say it, to be able to go in all the states. So I'll have clients in a number of states, not just Nebraska. So that's a nice aspect. I kind of like it. I really like to learn about those other areas, you know Missouri and Colorado and stuff like that because you just get so ingrained to kind of knowing what it's like here in Nebraska. But it's really interesting to know what logistics other producers are facing in other areas.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I think it's interesting you talk about that. I just went to a conference last week in Colorado and as I was going down there, I have a client down in like down in the Ordway Sugar City Colorado area went down and drove around, spent a couple hours down there with him looking around and we drove down a stretch of highway in the Colorado where on one side was enormous cattle facility this feeding facility and on the other side of the highway is a bunch of marijuana grow buildings, you know, like greenhouses, and I thought to myself for the first time in probably a long time the cattle side was probably worth way more than the marijuana grow side was more than the marijuana grows, you know the world may be coming back to Jesus, whether we
Speaker 1:like it or not, but so, anyway, let's talk just a little bit about how does someone, like someone's, looking at buying some land. Roger, what do we need to start considering? Right, so I've got cow-calf operation. We need some more pasture ground, whether because of the weather or because we're growing. We're looking at some land Before we come to you or when we're coming to you. What do we need to get together as far as, maybe, financials? Maybe what are you going to be looking at when qualifying us? And then, maybe what kind of things about the land are you going to be looking at as far as values and things like that? Let's kind of go through that process.
Speaker 4:Okay, yeah, a little bit. You know, one of the things we'd like to start folks on is first kind of going through our Express application, and I'll get into that a little bit. But the Express application is, well, it's what it is. It's an Express application thinking of it being pretty fast, pretty quick, with a very quick turnaround within 24 to 48 hours, lots of times, with loan applications up to $5 million or so, and we'll get. We'll get some producers that are maybe just touching, getting their feet in the water, some, some younger folks or middle aged folks or, or you know, really looking at expanding an operation and such like that. Just say, to start off, one of the very first things we're going to look at is, you know, number one we're not going to look at the land or anything that the individual has, but we really want to be able to get a few things addressed, and that's personally I like to really involve myself with the client and what their goals are, what their business plan goals are Currently. What are they doing, what would they like to be doing? What would they like to be reaching for, whether they have 50 cow-calf pair right now, 50 head, or they're looking at expanding to 100, or maybe they're just looking at they've been renting pasture land, they want to look at purchasing pasture land or whatever that may be. But to be able to get to that point and to really be able to have what would be like your finances, your debt to asset ratio and stuff in order, so I think a lot of that really just kind of revolves around the balance sheet right For most anybody. You know your checkbook and your assets and debt. So being able to really have an adequate balance sheet that is, relatively speaking, up to date, that is caught up.
Speaker 4:Some producers that I've been working with recently they may bring me a balance sheet and say, well, yep, we've had that caught up for the. That's almost 18 months ago or so and then all of a sudden which is fine but then you're going through a certain logistics of the balance sheet and it may not include that they just sold X equipment or they have recently acquired and put up a couple of grain storage bins or whatever it might be. So what do they truly have on their balance sheet? And trying to keep it up to date, an up-to-date balance sheet, updated every three to six months at least, just making sure that you're taking that snapshot picture of it so that you know what is on your balance sheet and if anything is out of order, if it needs to be updated or not, and then to have them so they're available.
Speaker 4:It's always nice to be able to have them available electronic copy, so that can be either yourself, kobe you could just say, roger, here you go, I'm going to email it to you or maybe somebody else has that balance sheet that you may be working with, whether that be a finance institution or whatever it may be, but to be able to have access to that balance sheet and have it yourself, I think is very important.
Speaker 4:Of course we'll take hard copies, but it's nice to always have those to where they can either be emailed or we can send a secure file and it can be put in that drop box.
Speaker 4:You know that's that's kind of the secure system now, so that can be uploaded on our end but be able to talk with the individual about the balance sheet and just make sure everything is updated. For the most part, I mean that's that's one of the areas that I that, I believe, is is a great starting point and I think you talked about, you know, kind of maybe even a first time producer or somebody getting their feet wet and stuff like that. I also guess I would encourage you know, to never underestimate looking at FSA loans through the USDA and even how those can complement an existing loan or an additional loan like through Mac America, with what we can do fixed loan, whether it be 20 years, 30 years or whatever with with uh uh, an agency like Mac America and see how those can compliment um, compliment the producer and uh uh yeah just kind of be able to balance that out a little bit, Um, and to see what your option let me interrupt you just once, right there.
Speaker 1:Let's say, like somebody listened to this, your option. Let me interrupt you just once, right there. Let's say, like somebody listened to this might not understand what that fsa is like. Just, can you just just take 30 seconds or something and just kind of, or a minute and kind of explain like fsa for you know, like that's, that's a government agency that help you know that is an asset to or or I don't know, the government agency being an asset is kind of an oxymoron, but it can be an asset to somebody that maybe is a first-time farmer or you know, or correct. You know in the sense of maybe a low-interest rider or an addition to a loan or a portion of a loan or a portion alone, correct?
Speaker 4:Sure, yeah, so I guess, without having kind of those notes in front of me, without butchering it too much. So if you're looking at like an FSA loan through, roll through the USDA United States Department of Agriculture there and they'll have offices throughout the United States. Right, and the unique thing about the FSA loans is they can run off of, or mainly will run off of, some county-specific data, specific data. So being able to like, as an example, you can already own some land, some ag land, but yet you're I think most are with all the agencies a restriction may be that you're not able to own more than 30% of what you're wanting to purchase. So if you're wanting to purchase let's say, for numbers sake, you know 100 acres, the individual may only be able to own up to 30 or 29%, you know 29 acres or something like that, and then there'll be other qualifications that apply.
Speaker 4:But there's really some unique features with that and a lot of it is involved around what that particular agency, that FSA office, can help somebody out with their down payment.
Speaker 4:They do have a very low down payment if they offer that and go through that. I think it's like maybe a 5% that gets financed in as a down payment so that can be attractive for some individuals as they're looking at that. But it's just a government option through the USDA and obviously they're going to be able to work with a producer, a beginning producer, coming in. That can really help catapult to get them started. There will be some limits as to how much money that they may be able to access and I'd like to say I know what that limit is via every state if that's national or not as a set limit, but that may vary between some of the offices. So I don't want to speak too much on that because the FSA offices, I do believe, run a little bit different in accordance. So it may not be a lot you know the $300,000, $500,000, how that goes but it's a good kickstart to be able to allow folks to be able to get started and I know they also have land-based or operational loans with that as well.
Speaker 4:So, yeah, FSA is a good way to look too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think one of the things that we're big advocates for just like today, roger, where I don't know everything about loans, that's why I have Roger Wiese right Is because I want to marry my clients with you so that you can take care of that aspect of helping them find that money.
Speaker 1:You know, we want to marry, you know, like, when we get you involved, then you can bring in that person in that FSA office that can help them through that process. You know, as we, you know, I also know most of those guys in the FSA offices that can. You know, that can help them through it. But again, it's, it's just another tool to help somebody achieve their goal.
Speaker 4:And.
Speaker 1:I like what you said in there about what we need to identify what their goal is first Like what are they? Trying to accomplish.
Speaker 4:Yeah, absolutely. The first part of this relationship with a client is, of course, it's important to know the balance sheet, but I really want to know the individual. I want to know what they are looking at as a family base too. What is their goals going into their purchase or their seeking of loans? You know what are they wanting to ultimately look at and do? Because I want to be able to put them in position to where they are getting the best value for what they are seeking and put them in position to where, yes, they can look at other resources that help complement what we can provide, and to be able to give them the tools to be able to make the best value decision for their operation and their business, because farming or ranching, it's a business model, you know, that's all there is to it, and to be able to look at what you want to do, what your goals will be and how those can best align with any financing available is very important.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I just like I said, I a lot of what you're, what you're talking about there. It's, it's. You know, it's really tough sometimes to to tell people, hey, you know, like this is the stuff that we have to have, but that's, that's honest to God, that's, it's like you, just like you said, it's part of being a business owner.
Speaker 4:I am that stuff.
Speaker 1:You have to have that stuff as a business owner, you know. You know you have to have the, the um, the tools, um, to operate a successful business. It's it's just part of the deal. And so, and so being able to, I really like when and you know, just to recap, we were right up against a break here. But just to recap what you were talking about in there, roger, is like I thought it was interesting when you said, even to the point of updating your balance sheet every three months. You know, like, I think that you know, historically we've always been kind of taught once a year, make sure we sit down and update our balance sheet. I think it's interesting that you're you're encouraging people to do that up to like every three months. That's kind of unique.
Speaker 4:I think it just offers somebody to be prepared because when a purchase of land comes available whether it's in close proximity or it's contiguous adjoining land or whatever your self in order and your documents in order and that balance sheet, as accurate as can be, is only going to expedite the producer's process to be able to move forward.
Speaker 4:And it really kind of the other aspect that I like about it is it keeps yourself in tune. You know, the more you update, that quick hit update I guess it's kind of like I see it just like doing the maintenance right. If you keep the maintenance on your equipment updated, hopefully you're reducing your breakdowns in the field and everything else. And it's just an important aspect that finance maintenance is just such a valuable um uh, it can be just a very valuable self-driven thing that that can help you align with opportunities. But it also, I think, can also help you keep a peace of mind, uh, with where you might be as a producer, where you might be, uh, spending your dollars on and what you can conserve or what you need to be able to spend dollars on to be able to advance your production year and stuff. I just think it keeps you more in tune.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I think it's very smart. It's very Ferris Bueller-esque of you, right Like life moves very pretty fast. You got to be prepared.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:My dad was always very like. My dad taught my brother and I that that's, that's just a part of business. You take your books, you take your balance sheet. You go once every other month or once every quarter at the very most. You go sit down with your lender and you go through what you're doing, what you're up to, and that way, if you had to buy new trucks or buy whatever, it was never a very long conversation.
Speaker 1:You knew from the look on their face the last time you went and talked to them about what you're doing, whether you were going to be able to do it or not. So, you really didn't even, and you kind of told them what you were planning on doing in that conversation anyway.
Speaker 4:And it doesn't need to be that scary. I've just worked with two clients this last week. One has been a producer for a long time and another was. They were just getting their feet wet and both of them the one that was a producer for a long time had some apprehension of, oh, balance sheet. It kind of seems scary to them, but when I spent the time and just worked with them and went through what are the nuts and bolts that can be on their balance sheet and can be readily available and such like that, it's really not as scary as it seems, especially when you have a good um Excel spreadsheet or whatever it might be.
Speaker 4:Um, the other individual, the family, her and her husband that are, um, kind of just getting their feet wet and such um, you know they've never really put together a balance sheet, so they were just kind of getting involved in some things and, um, I think when people hear the word maybe they think it's a little bit scarier than what it is, and I guess it's really probably no scarier than just taking a look at some. You know your checkbook. You want to balance that out. You want to know what deposits are coming in. You want to know what expenses are going out and just kind of keeping that in order a little bit. It offers a peace of mind and it's not as scary as it seems, and we're here to make that process a lot simpler and a lot more effective for people so that they can go through these things and have their figures and their finances available when they need them and want them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that's very smart. And again, like, what you want in your world is you want kind of stuff that is preparing people to. Maybe you're not ready to make that decision today or you're not finding the piece of property today that you need, but that may come very quickly. Business you know when somebody decides to sell a quarter or sell. You know sell something when they make up their mind. From the time they do it to the time they want it gone. Usually isn't an amount of years, it's usually you know, it's usually we're done with it and it happens fairly quickly.
Speaker 1:So let's take a quick break, Roger, and we will be right back be right.
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Speaker 1:All right, we are back with Roger Wiese with MAC America Ag Financing and once again, you can find these guys online at aglandfinancecom. That's aglandfinancecom. And Roger, if it's okay with you, we're going to put your contact information in the show notes so that you can go check that out, get a hold of you.
Speaker 4:Absolutely Yep. Include my email and phone number. You bet Yep.
Speaker 1:We'll spam the heck out of you so you can have all kinds of people calling you. My assumption is I don't think on your website, if I remember right, I don't think they have all your individual agents or your mortgage officers with their locations on there as of this time.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I don't believe that's on there right now. No.
Speaker 1:So people will have to get a hold of you to find your partners in crime at the different parts of the country where they're at. You bet they can get a hold of you and you can get the ball rolling. I would assume you bet. Yep, all right, let's talk about MAC America Not a whole lot of folks out there specializing in agricultural land. As far as financing goes, I know you guys work directly with Farmer Mac. Is that correct? Yes, yeah, yeah, that is correct. Farmer Mac, is that correct?
Speaker 4:Yes, yeah, yeah that is correct, farmer Mac, we'll work directly with them and then some other lending institutions that work with us to help back our loans and such like that. So some local and et cetera.
Speaker 1:So yeah, but your, your job is essentially like you are you qualify people, you, you are the. You know, you're the financing arm for people that are looking to finance ground, and it can be any. You know. No houses, right, no real structures, unless it has to do with um production and agriculture, correct, so sure you can have rain bins and and shops and things, but we're not looking for residential properties.
Speaker 4:Yes, yeah, yeah, for the most part, yes, it's all. It's all gotta be ag related or an ag component. So, um, when somebody looks at calling me for any type of ag finance services, you know it may be anything from looking at purchasing some land or, recently, I guess, probably, yeah, probably, yeah, I'd definitely say an increase in looking at options and alternatives to refinancing. Some folks looking at maybe they are currently on a five-year or 10-year note and they would like to look at some options for refinancing and going a little bit longer term, up to 30 years, which is something that we specialize 30-year fixed and be able to look at providing a little more operational or a little bit more liquid capital into their pockets that they can use for operational uses or whatever that may be. So that's something that can be a really good thing. I know we've been able to solve some big pictures for some folks that are just looking at turning the tides a little bit and wanting a little bit more liquid capital into their pockets. So that's been good. Liquid capital into their pockets, so that's been good. Some of the things that we can specialize with even up to the 30-year no origination fee, also no prepay penalties and such like that. So that's nice, try to work with people on that.
Speaker 4:Again, it probably goes back to the biggest thing that at least that I look at is oh sure, I like to be able to say a lot of the special things that we have through Mac America, a lot of the tools and the things that kind of can make us different. But I like to focus on one of the biggest things that I believe can really make us different and that is Kobe. That's getting back to establishing the relationship with the individual. Getting back to establishing the relationship with the individual, before I ever want to get into what MAC can do or what we can provide, I really want to know from an advisor standpoint here, I want to know the client, I want to know what they're looking at doing, I want to know what they have. So I really try to develop and I think all of our finance advisors in America look at really trying to focus on that relationship with that individual and to let or family, and let that go beyond just being able to secure a loan or being able to secure financing.
Speaker 4:We put all of our clients into our database and when we see the opportunity that refinancing may come down the road to be able to work in line with their goals, their business goals, whether that be interest rates or dropping at a particular percentage difference of what they were looking at, or whatever it might be. We like to touch base with our clients continually. I reach out to my clients continually, a number of times a year, and make sure you know are things looking the way they want? Are they progressing in the way that they want? And if they're looking at a certain change, we'll reach back out to them. You don't have to come to us. A client doesn't have to come back to us to see well, would it be a good time to refinance? We're ahead of the game in reaching back out to our clients. And again, to me that's the relationship. Without being able to know your clients and specialize in that, it's difficult to be able to say that you're really providing the service that you want.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, and that's, I think, the important part about it. Like, developing those relationships is important, and I think that you guys do that very, very well, um, and are just a great tool in the industry, and so, um, we, we appreciate you. I know that. So, roger, um, you've been doing this for a little bit. Um, what's one of the more crazy things, like you know, that you've seen, trying to get something, something sold? Uh, what's one of the more crazy uh uh closings that you've gone through?
Speaker 4:Oh, uh, crazy closing, um huh, that's, that's kind of a good one. I, I'm, I don't really have too many of those those questions. As far as the crazy ones, um, you know, I I uh just uh been trying I guess one of the more recent ones and just looking at is, um uh, when there's been a, a few families that have been looking at, and and I say families I always like to say just the families and not just the producer, because I know this it is a family. If anybody is in the for ag production business, it is a family business when you are in it. Period.
Speaker 4:I don't know it any other way to be honest with you. But I think it's just kind of looking at that. But I think it's just kind of looking at that how they can really look at expanding. Some folks have just thought, oh, they'd love to be able to purchase the land. I guess that's contiguous to them, so to speak, because their dad was looking at that and maybe their father has passed in this case and they were looking at that land. Their father was looking at that land for the last 50 years. If that ever comes available, we'd like to be able to get that.
Speaker 4:And looking at things now in times of probably a little uncertainty with some folks and you say crazy I don't know how crazy it is it's probably more heartfelt in this case that they just didn't a year ago, didn't think it was ever an opportunity. They could never even get to it because they just couldn't see the picture. Well, what once you go through a little bit and work with the family and get to know them and really get to know what their business model is going to want, if that pasture land that's contiguous to them is really going to suit their needs and how that will all work with them and what they can do with the row crop land, the acres that are with it and such like that, and just to be able to work with them from that standpoint. Look at their debt to asset ratio and what maybe assets do they have, or maybe not producing as much income for them anymore, or to be able to, that are not a productive part of their business that's the best way to say it. What assets that they had that were not a productive part of their business as much, because it was something that they really weren't looking at, they just have. They just looked at well, we have these assets, we have this, we have that, we have this equipment. But is it, was it better to be able to? Maybe in this case it was to be able to sell some of the equipment and look at leasing or renting because of that aspect of their operation and really be able to piece things together and redo their balance sheet. And then it was like, all of a sudden, you could just see their eyes and it's nice to not just look at the eyes from the producer In this case it was the husband but the family, his spouse and his older children.
Speaker 4:Like we can make this happen, you know, through the interaction of working with them over a number of weeks, months, whatever that may be, to be able to spend time with them and really see that this can really happen.
Speaker 4:We can do this. Four months ago, five months ago, we didn't think there was any way and so, yeah, I don't know if that's a crazy aspect or not, but in a way it is, because I've been there personally thinking, oh, I might not ever be able to do that, but, you know, with the right people in the life of my wife and I, being able to really spend some time and have people that have offered that care and concern and work with us, it's like, you know, when that light bulb goes off, that you can make something happen and you can go forth with your business plan for the next five, 10 years, whatever you think it might be, your family business plan. I tell you it's really neat to be involved with that, and I guess that's what I throw out there as probably, if anything, it's that's. That's just kind of the crazy part, I guess. However, you want to say it, but it's a neat thing to be involved in and see how that works.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I always said that when I first got involved in real estate, I sold houses and the first time you sit down with a first home buyer at a closing table and you like watch the process, go through the process with them from the time from educating them on how they can buy a home till handing them the keys to their first home, it's an addiction that you know and I think it doesn't change any from you know, helping people through that process of getting that perfect piece of property that fits just right in with their operation.
Speaker 1:It's a similar feeling where you can help somebody, not just make it work, but it fits just perfect. So I totally understand where you're coming from there. Yeah, you, if you could just look into the, you know, look out at the audience and tell people, you know that that first time buyer or whatever out there, if you could just give them one piece of advice today before we take off, um, that they could take away, what would that piece of advice be like? One thing that we talked about today that they, that they, they should take away from today.
Speaker 4:You bet, do do not, you know, do not be afraid to, to reach out and and to ask um, if, if you have a, a thought, or oh, I would really, why can't we do this would really, why can't we do this? Is this a possibility to reach out to myself or somebody else? Whatever, I'm just going to say, be able to reach out and talk to somebody that may be able to help walk them through some possibilities, to be able to take their information right, take their thoughts, their viewpoints, what they see, their dream of the possibilities. Because I believe, if you, I truly believe, if you, if you just hold that in and you're not seeking, seeking out the folks that can offer any of that support or that help, you just may not see the picture very clear and do not be afraid to reach out and ask. You know it just helps you. Put those logistical answers in front of you so that you can, so that a family, a producer can make the best decisions that they can and I see from time to time, probably too many people.
Speaker 4:Oh, we wanted to ask you six months ago or after that farm and home show, when we talked with you and we had that great conversation over a cup of coffee and some rolls. That was awesome, and I don't know why my husband and I we talked at home for for the last nine months and and you know, and so finally we just said there's his business card, let's give him a call, and it's don't hesitate. Don't hesitate to call 10, 20 times, well before that time period, because I think that's what helps paint a clearer picture. And so that's probably my biggest advice before anything else, because to me that's the first step in anything.
Speaker 1:So Well, you know, if you ask a question, the answer might be no, but if you don't ask a question, the answer is always no. The answer is always no yeah, I mean. Yeah, that is an important, that is important to remember.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's, it sounds, it sounds very simple, but you know truth of it and I'm sure, kobe, in your industry you get the same thing. You know, but it truly is. And then I have to look back on it myself. You know I have to take those words and put it back on me too, because there's times, with other things, you know, I may not ask or whatever. You know Great examples, maybe when your kids are going off to college oh, I don't want to ask, I don't want to ask the advisor that or something, when your kids may be going off and it's like I wish I would have asked that, you know, six months ago when they were starting.
Speaker 4:It's like, wow, you know, would, would we have known? You know? So, yeah, just just do not, just do not hesitate, because that that's also how the, that's also how you, how we work through a relationship, um, and, and that allows us to foster a relationship back and forth together, um, uh, to be able to leave yourself vulnerable, to ask those questions and and and see, see what we come up with, because lots of times a good answer can be found. Sure, you know so.
Speaker 1:How do folks get a hold of you, Roger?
Speaker 4:You can reach me via my cell phone number 402-340-3086. 3, 4 0, 3 0, 8, 6. Or email is our. We see W I E S E at ag land financecom. And um, yeah, there you go. So, uh, best way is I just just give me a call or a text Um yep, 4 0, 2, 3, 4 0, 3, 0, 8, 6.
Speaker 1:And we will put uh your information in our show notes so that people can get a hold of you if they need you. Man, Appreciate your time today. Roger Wiese, with MAC America, Ag Financing.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, sir, for your time, and we will see you all down the road, and we will see you all down the road as we wrap up another episode of the American Land Seller Podcast. Thank you for joining us. Visit wwwamericanlandsellercom and find us on one of your favorite podcast platforms. If you would be so kind and you enjoyed today's insights, please like, subscribe, rate, follow and review us on whatever app you are listening or watching on. Connect with us on social media for updates. Until next week, kobe wishes you success in your land endeavors. God bless you and have a great week.
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