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How much land can you afford?
Every other affordability calculator answers a house question — income in, mortgage out. Land doesn't work that way. Asset-based land financing runs on cash down and the value of the ground, so this one starts with the two numbers that actually bind: the cash you can put in and the payment you can carry. Then it converts the answer into acres using USDA's published land values for your state.
Numbers look workable? A written term sheet takes 48 hours and zero documents — so the real quote costs you five minutes.
Get a term sheetGood questions
How much cash do I need to buy land?+
Plan on 30% of the purchase price plus roughly 2% for closing costs, because asset-based land loans go up to 70% of appraised value. On a $1M parcel that's about $320,000 all-in. Seller carry-backs and cross-collateralized equity in land you already own can reduce the cash you bring.
Does my income decide how much land I can afford?+
Not in stated-income, asset-based lending. There are no debt-to-income ratios and no tax returns — the ground and your 680+ credit qualify the file. What your income really controls is the payment you're comfortable carrying, which is the second input here.
Where do the per-acre numbers come from?+
USDA NASS publishes state-level farm real estate, cropland and pasture values every August. This calculator uses the 2025 summary. They're state averages — a county with irrigation, water rights or an AVA name on it will trade well above the average, and dry pasture well below.
What if I want more land than my cash allows?+
Three levers move the number: more cash down, a longer interest-only period to lower the payment, or additional land pledged as collateral so the loan isn't capped by one parcel's value. Tell us which lever you have and we'll structure to it.
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Educational estimates only, not a loan offer or tax advice. Actual terms are set by underwriting and shown on your term sheet.