Best Time Of Year To Sell A Tractor

Spudm

Member
Sure see a lot of used tractors & equipment around for sale. Is there really a best time of year to put this kind of stuff up for sale anymore?
 
When I was farming and a younger man I always thought the best time to sell Ag Equipment was in December. The farmers had their crops off and many had money in their pockets and some needed tax deductions. But things have changes, here in my area which is mostly vegetables growers the farmers are no longer flush with cash in December and after this season they may even be in negative column. So now it is my opinion that the time to sell equipment is in Feb or Mar when the farmers have gotten their new season operating loans set up and either need to replace some equipment or they just feel they have money in their pockets to spend. I am in my mid seventies and retired from Farming and for the first time in my life I am happy I no longer farm. I have my farms rented to another farmer and I work for him part time and watching him deal with all the paperwork, labor issues, low market prices and all that goes with it, it is so disheartening I am actually happy to be retired. My heart is still in agriculture and always will be and I will die on a farm , but it is becoming a difficult life compared to what I want to call the good days when I was farming.
 
Here a bunch move in the spring before the season starts when folks are getting things out of storage then again in the fall when they are organizing their sheds to put everything away.
 
I don't know ? Seems anymore very hard to sell anything or even get any action ?
Years ago for some strange reason I had good luck selling old JD's in August.
 
Seems like there's times when there are lots to pick from with nobody buying and everyone selling, and then the times when anything sells so it can be hard to find a particular tractor in decent price range.
 
I say if you want to sell a tractor and don't care when, advertise it for the price you want and let the ad ride. If it takes six months to a year to sell, who cares?

The best time to sell it will be when it sells for a price you and the buyer can agree on. You are not obligated to accept an offer that you do not want to accept. You are not even obligated to move off your original asking price.

If you're strapped for cash and you absolutely need to sell NOW, that's another thing, but in that situation you are probably not going to sit around waiting for the right time of the year to sell.

Right now is a bad time to sell frankly. The market is saturated with toys and equipment that they don't want to store for the winter.
 
Conventional so called Wisdom used to be in the Spring to get the highest prices for tractors and equipment but this year I bought some of the cheapest equipment and tractors I'd bought in a long time back in the Spring.And I guess don't sell on Wednesday evenings as I bought 2 MM Z tractors for $25 each at a Wednesday evening sale a couple weeks ago(LOL).You want to sell just put it up for sale whenever the time of year.Main thing is if you really want to sell it you need to be realistic about the price and condition.There are several tractors on CL that have been
there for a couple years off and on and they'll never sell unless some total Idiot buys them since they are way over priced.I figure if I advertised something around for over a month and it
doesn't sell then its priced over market value.And don't believe the 'things aren't selling' line at every sale I go to every tractor gets a bid and it'll sell at some price.
 
I used to think fall was a great time to clean & organize, and spring was the best time to sell, but I don't know anymore....
 
(quoted from post at 05:13:30 09/29/16) Conventional so called Wisdom used to be in the Spring to get the highest prices for tractors and equipment but this year I bought some of the cheapest equipment and tractors I'd bought in a long time back in the Spring.And I guess don't sell on Wednesday evenings as I bought 2 MM Z tractors for $25 each at a Wednesday evening sale a couple weeks ago(LOL).You want to sell just put it up for sale whenever the time of year.Main thing is if you really want to sell it you need to be realistic about the price and condition.There are several tractors on CL that have been
there for a couple years off and on and they'll never sell unless some total Idiot buys them since they are way over priced.I figure if I advertised something around for over a month and it
doesn't sell then its priced over market value.And don't believe the 'things aren't selling' line at every sale I go to every tractor gets a bid and it'll sell at some price.

Have to pretty much agree. And just cause a tractor is listed or sells for X amount doesn't mean it's worth that. Today we look at prices in a much wider area than in yesteryear because of this silly thing called the internet. What sells 5 states away for 10K might only be worth 8K in your local market area.

Rick
 
January is typically a bad time to sell anything, other than that I don't think it makes much difference in this day and age. As another poster said best price will be if you can sit on it until somebody needs it, that may be next week, or 6 months from now. If your in a hurry to sell there are always plenty of people ready to buy for cheap and flip it for a profit.
 
Good thing about early in the year is many times people have a tax return burning a hole in their pocket.
 
The last tractor I brought two states away. It cost me 500 bucks to go get it but I saved about 8 grand compared to local prices. When I told the seller the cost to come get it he knocked another 500 off the price. I found it on Tractor House.
 
Prices oftentimes are all over the place on used tractors & equipment. I am not so sure the new prices are dragging up the old prices anymore....
 
If you are selling to a Farmer the exact opposite is the case. March 1 the first payment on many land leases are due as are self employed taxes.
 
Problem now a days is there is very little disposable income, combine this with the 0% down most manufactures are offering. So instead of some one writing you a $6000 check for your 30 year old tractor,they will go to the local dealer, sign a note for 3-5 years of payments and come away with a new 35 hp 4wd with a 4-6 year drive train warranty.
 
Here is the logic: working item, spring after winter is over. Hay equipment, snowmobile or very seasonable item, just before and during its season. December = a tax deduction sale. Fall till winter = I am done with it or do not want to store it sale. (antique car)
 
There is no best time anymore,everything has changed, not many buyers.You just have to keep advertising till you find one then jump.The only sure way is to take it to auction and take a lowball price.
 
(quoted from post at 03:44:44 09/29/16) Sure see a lot of used tractors & equipment around for sale. Is there really a best time of year to put this kind of stuff up for sale anymore?

Last week for me...2 tractors, over $50k in the bank. Just have to find the right buyer. One was to a collector that could write it off as a capitol expenditure, the other to a horse boarding facility.
 
Usually farm equipment that is still used in actual production will sell better at year end, Nov.-Dec.. Collector type of stuff will sell better in late winter or spring. Tax refunds and show around the corner with better weather.
 
(quoted from post at 10:00:55 09/29/16) The last tractor I brought two states away. It cost me 500 bucks to go get it but I saved about 8 grand compared to local prices. When I told the seller the cost to come get it he knocked another 500 off the price. [b:c68b8cf2df]I found it on Tractor House[/b:c68b8cf2df].
I am looking for a tractor now. I know what I want in brand, years, options. I've been looking locally but decided to look seriously via TractorHouse (I've browsed there in the past). I responded to 4 or 5 listings on Sunday asking a couple of questions. I got ONE response the next day but when I clicked on the ad again that was listed in the response to refresh my memory on the details of that particular tractor, the site said it was either pulled or was sold. Now this was within a few minutes of when I got the email response. I then tried to look at the other ads and THEY were all gone. So, from my perspective, tractors are selling like hotcakes.
 
(quoted from post at 12:35:11 09/29/16) When I was farming and a younger man I always thought the best time to sell Ag Equipment was in December. The farmers had their crops off and many had money in their pockets and some needed tax deductions.

I agree, I spent many an hour with Dad at winter farm auctions back in the early '70s. Was always sort of nostalgic for them, but I don't see too many now. Not sure with almost 50 added years on me I could hack the cold like I once did.
 

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