Selling your farm in Pennsylvania or Maryland

If you own a farm in Central PA right now, your phone is probably ringing. Developers, data-center buyers, agents. My advice is the same thing I’d tell my own family: don’t sign anything until you’ve seen every option side by side.

I’m Collin Boyer, an agent with Real of Pennsylvania, working farm and land deals across Pennsylvania and Maryland. I also build homes, build or place manufactured homes, and develop and subdivide land. That means I can show you options most agents can’t, like keeping the farm and splitting off a lot, or putting a home on part of it for family.

I’ll lay out your options and the real numbers. Then it’s your call. Call or text me at 717-991-5085.

Your options

  • List it. The open market reaches farmers, neighbors, lifestyle buyers and investors.

  • Sell it directly to me. A straightforward sale with no showings and a closing date you choose.

  • Preserve it. You sell the development rights and keep the farm. You can still farm it, pass it down or sell it.

  • Sell to a developer. A builder or data-center buyer pays for future use, usually with conditions.

  • Split off a lot or subdivide. Sell a building lot or two and keep the rest. I can help plan it and build on it.

The farmer who said no to a data center

In January 2026, Lancaster Farming reported on Mervin Raudabaugh, an 86-year-old farmer in Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County. Data-center developers came after his two farms with a big offer.

He said no and preserved the land instead, with the township adding its own incentive on top of the state easement.

His words: “These people have hounded the living daylights out of me.”

Was he wrong? No. Is his choice right for you? That depends on what you want: money, legacy, timing, family. That’s the conversation I’ll have with you.

How farmland preservation works

  • You sell the development rights, not the farm. The state and county buy a permanent easement, and you keep ownership (PA Department of Agriculture).

  • You can still farm it, pass it down or sell it. The easement stays with the land.

  • Payment is based on an appraisal of your farm’s development rights, and some townships add incentives.

  • Pennsylvania has preserved more farms than any other state (PDA). Maryland’s state program is MALPF, and its recent rounds have been tighter after budget cuts (MALPF annual report).

What a developer deal can look like

  • Rezoning can make or break it. Dauphin County’s Dauphin Highlands golf course sold to a data-center developer after rezoning (CPBJ).

  • Neighbors can appeal. The Pax-1 project in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, faces a zoning appeal in court (PoliticsPA/Center Square, Sept 25, 2026).

  • Rules can change mid-deal. Frederick County, MD extended its data-center moratorium to July 1, 2027 (WYPR, Sept 15, 2026).

Big headline offers usually come with big conditions.

Ask these questions about any big offer

  1. Is it contingent on rezoning, power or water? Who does that work, and how long can it take?

  2. How long is the study period? Can they extend it?

  3. How much is the deposit, and when does it become non-refundable?

  4. Who pays Clean & Green rollback (PA) or the agricultural transfer tax (MD)?

  5. Can you keep farming during the contract? Who pays the taxes meanwhile?

  6. What happens if the deal dies in year two?

  7. Is this a contract to buy, or only an option?

Send me the offer and I’ll go through it with you line by line, no charge.

Taxes and costs to know

  • Clean & Green (PA). A sale alone doesn’t trigger rollback if the land stays in a qualifying use. A change of use can mean up to 7 years of tax savings back, plus 6% simple interest (7 Pa. Code §137b.89). Split-offs have their own rules.

  • PA transfer tax. 1% state plus a local share, usually about 1%. Some family farm transfers can be exempt. Ask your attorney (PA Revenue).

  • MD agricultural transfer tax. 5% on 20+ acres leaving farm-use assessment, plus a 25% surcharge. Some counties add more (Md. Tax-Prop. §13-303).

  • Capital gains. Talk to a CPA before you sign. It can change which option nets you the most.

What your farm is worth

Every farm is different. Soils, tillable acres, buildings, frontage, water, location and Clean & Green or preservation status all move the number. I walk the farm, pull real comps nearby, and explain what drives your price.

How I sell a farm

  1. Walk the farm with you. Buildings, fields, fences, lanes, water.

  2. Pull real comps.

  3. Break down what you have. Tillable acres, woods, buildings, frontage, Clean & Green or preservation status.

  4. Market it where farm buyers look. MLS, land and farm sites, video, and outreach to neighbors and local farmers.

  5. Run every offer through the questions above, and negotiate.

If I’m the one buying, I’m buying for myself, not acting as your agent, and I’ll tell you that in writing before you sign anything.

Areas I serve

I work all of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Most of my work is in Central PA: Cumberland, Dauphin, York, Lancaster, Adams, Franklin, Perry and Lebanon counties. I also work across the state, from Western PA to the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos and Northeast PA. In Maryland, I cover Frederick, Carroll, Washington, Harford, Baltimore County and Cecil.

Farm selling FAQ

Should I take a data-center or developer offer on my farm?

Maybe. First check what the offer depends on: rezoning, power and water, how long the study period runs, and whether the deposit is refundable. Compare it with listing, preservation and a direct sale before you sign.

How does farmland preservation pay in Pennsylvania?

You’re paid for the development rights, based on an appraisal of your farm. The amount depends on the farm and the county, and some townships add incentives.

Can I sell a preserved farm?

Yes. You keep ownership, and you can sell it or pass it down. The easement stays with the land.

Can I keep the farm and just sell a lot?

Often, yes, depending on zoning, perc and any preservation easement. I develop and subdivide land and build homes, so I can help you plan a split-off and build on it.

Does selling my farm trigger Clean & Green rollback taxes?

Not by itself. If the land stays in a qualifying farm or forest use, the sale alone doesn’t trigger rollback. Changing the use does: up to 7 years of tax savings plus 6% simple interest.

What is Maryland’s agricultural land transfer tax?

It applies when farmland leaves agricultural-use assessment: 5% for 20 or more acres, 4% under 20 acres, and 3% under 20 acres with improvements, plus a 25% surcharge. Some counties add their own tax.