Multi-Parcel Auctions: The Secret Weapon for Land Sellers

For many Auctioneers and Land Owners - You don't know, what you don't know.

Next year will be my 30th year of conducting Multi Par Auctions across Tennessee and Kentucky.

Years ago my dad saw a problem, time and time again, when the auctioneer allowed one bidder to regroup an entire farm and purchase it as a whole. Yes, the land sold, but the competition ended far too soon.

Instead of letting each bidder pursue the piece they valued most, the regrouping shut down the energy in the room. The seller lost the chance to see the farm’s true market value emerge through competitive bidding across tracts and combinations.

Selling land is never one-size-fits-all. Every acre has its own value depending on soil quality, road frontage, development potential, or even just how it lays. That’s why when it comes to maximizing results for landowners, multi-parcel auctions are one of the most powerful tools available.

What Is a Multi-Parcel Auction?

A multi-parcel auction allows a property to be offered in multiple tracts or combinations, rather than as one large piece. Buyers can bid on individual tracts, combinations of tracts, or the entire property. In the end, the property sells in the way that produces the highest total return for the seller.

Instead of forcing the market to choose “all or nothing,” this method opens the door to more buyers and more competition.

Why Does It Work So Well?

1. More Buyers, More Competition – A farmer who only wants 40 acres can compete right alongside a developer who wants the entire 200. By breaking the property into tracts, you make it affordable and attractive to a wider pool of buyers.

2. Buyers Set Their Own Value – Some buyers value road frontage more, others want crop land, and others want wooded acreage. A multi-parcel auction lets each bidder chase what’s most valuable to them—driving up the total price.

3. Flexibility Creates Momentum – As bids come in for different tracts and combinations, competition builds. That energy is what creates record-breaking sales.

   
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Real Examples of Success

• Farmland in Kentucky – A 300-acre farm near Cadiz, KY offered as 13 tracts. Local farmers, investors, and out-of-state buyers all competed. When the final gavel fell, the farm sold for nearly 20% more than the appraisal—because buyers could buy exactly what they wanted.
  

• Development Land in Tennessee – 50 acres on the edge of Springfield,TN offered in 5 tracts and combinations. A builder bought two tracts, a neighbor bought one, and an investor took the rest. The seller walked away with more money than any single buyer was willing to pay for the whole parcel.
  

• Family Estate Property – Siblings inherited a large property that seemed too big to market. By splitting it into tracts, the auction created competition between farmers and neighbors, ensuring every acre brought full value.

  
  

Why Sellers Lose Money Without It

Auctioneers who don’t understand or don’t offer multi-parcel bidding often leave money on the table. Selling one big tract limits the buyer pool. Selling tracts separately may ignore the premium a buyer is willing to pay for a combination. Only a true multi-parcel auction captures every angle of value.

The Bottom Line

If you’re selling land, don’t settle for a basic approach. Multi-parcel auctions are a proven way to generate more bidders, more competition, and ultimately, more money in your pocket.

At James R. Cash Auctions & Real Estate, we’ve conducted hundreds of successful multi-parcel sales across the Southeast. Time and again, this method has delivered results that exceeded our sellers’ expectations.

If you’ve got land to sell, let’s talk about how a multi-parcel auction can unlock the hidden value in your property.