Real Estate Land Trusts

Land trusts are also in place to protect farmland and ranchland. Despite the use of the term "trust," many if not most land trusts are not technically trusts, but rather non-profit organizations that hold simple title to land and/or other property and manage it in a manner consistent with their non-profit mission. Land trusts are revocable, and may be changed, modified, or terminated while the trustee is still alive. An uncooperative trustee may be removed. Land Trusts are often established when a property has multiple owners. In these cases, the individuals named in the trust agreement are assigned the power of direction.

Land trusts are not government agencies, which is lucky, because the Supreme Court has not been supporting agencies. Corps of Engineers recently refused the conversion of an inland seasonal wetland, habitat for migratory birds, into a solid waste dumpsite. Land trusts are often nonprofit conservation organizations and acquire land through donations. Though we are losing land at 3,000 acres per day , land trusts in the United States have been increasing at 23% a year . Land trusts are one of the most popular vehicles in which to take title to real estate. Ask any experienced real estate investor and he probably has used this vehicle or has heard of its benefits.