# Cabela's Touts Recreation Property Sales



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Cabela's Touts Recreation Property Sales

SIDNEY, Neb. - To the surprise of many real estate experts, the sale of recreational properties in the United States remains strong despite significant downturns in the national housing market. "It's all about perspective," said David Nelson, Manager of Cabela's Trophy Properties LLC, a recreational property listing service offered by the outdoor experts at Cabela's. "Decisions to invest in commercial and residential property are usually based on profit potential. That's why a declining market scares off buyers and creates panic among sellers. But we are seeing continued strong demand for recreational land by those who are interested in ensuring a place for their outdoor pursuits."

The independent brokers affiliated with Cabela's Trophy Properties are witnessing consistent growth in the sale of recreational properties, especially large tracts with multi-million dollar price tags. And this has been happening while housing market sales are slumping by double digits. So, does this mean recreational land buyers are recession-proof? Quite possibly, says Nelson. "The decision to buy hunting and fishing land is an emotional one. Buyers don't buy recreational property expecting to make money on their investment, so they don't fret over rising interest rates and sags in the real estate market. Instead, their return-on-investment is based solely upon enjoyment of the land."

Cabela's has solid evidence to support this theory. Launched in February, 2004, Cabela's Trophy Properties has grown from a simple idea into the world's largest purely recreational listing service in less than three years. Today, Cabela's Trophy Properties features more than $730 million in real estate listings in 27 states, two Canadian provinces and Belize.

Trophy Properties was created in response to repeated comments from customers frustrated with the lack of a national hunting and fishing property listing service similar to the MLS system for residential properties. Cabela's already offered everything the outdoorsman or woman needed to succeed in the field, so why not make the field itself more accessible?

"Landowners, sportsmen and investors appreciate our service. We developed a one-stop-shop in response to our customer's desire for a searchable internet database of quality recreational properties for sale," said Gregg Severinson, Director of Cabela's Outdoor Adventures and Trophy Properties. "Recreational real estate brokers are excited to have an opportunity to participate in our program. They all want to be part of the Cabela's team." So much, in fact, that Trophy Properties has awarded exclusive recreational real estate marketing territories to brokers in 63% of its 247 U.S. Territories, many within the past six months even as the residential market has been cooling.

With a goal of making the purchase or sale of fine sporting properties easier, Cabela's started with one local real estate broker in 2004. Today, Trophy Properties boasts a network of 106 participating brokers and real estate associates who offer the finest ranches, hunting lands, mountain cabins, oceanfront properties and recreational businesses for sale.

"The credibility gained through our association with the Cabela's brand helps us in our negotiations on land acquisitions, land listings, planning board presentations and virtually every aspect of our business," said Dan Christmas, president of Christmas & Associates Inc. in Camden, N.Y. "This creates a huge marketing advantage over our competition and a greater level of respect and credibility than we could ever have enjoyed on our own."

Following their 45-year-old field-testing tradition, Cabela's ensures participating brokers meet certain criteria, going so far as to interview each one at the company's world headquarters in Sidney, Neb. Customers benefit by getting all the finest sporting properties gathered together in one easy to search location, plus they have the security of knowing they can trust Cabela's to offer only the best.

"Cabela's is the champion of the outdoor industry," said Aaron Graham, former NFL player and broker/owner of Premier Outdoor Properties Inc. of Gretna, Neb. "My clients and customers benefit from Cabela's national network of avid outdoor realtors".

Bryce Engel, Senior Vice President & Chief Brokerage Operations Officer for TDAmeritrade, is a customer of Graham's. "Aaron and Cabela's Trophy Properties had a tremendous selection of options in the area I was interested. I thought it would be hard to choose, but in the end we found absolutely the perfect one. I had always dreamed of owning my own hunting property and it has turned out to be one of the best investments I have ever made."


----------



## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

The other week I got a flyer for land auction sales for NE MN from Cabela's :lame:


----------

