Murray Wise Associates
Murray Wise Associates is a U.S. farmland brokerage and auction firm serving farmland owners, investors, farm operators, and 1031 exchange buyers. Founded in 1986, it has completed over $5 billion in transactions across 43 states and now operates under the Peoples Company brand following its 2025 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersChampaign, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Murray Wise Associates does
Murray Wise Associates, LLC is a U.S. farmland brokerage and auction firm founded in 1986 by Murray Wise as part of the Westchester Group. The firm helps buyers, sellers, farmers, and institutional investors navigate the acquisition and disposition of farmland assets, with service offerings spanning land brokerage, auctions, farm management, tenant relationship management, farm reporting, financial statements, and lease options. Across 25+ years, the firm says it has completed over $5 billion in land and agribusiness transactions across 43 states, representing 171 farmland and rural property sales, and maintains a licensed real estate brokerage presence in 38 states. Its wholly-owned subsidiary MWA Investments, formed in 2015, assists institutional clients in acquiring and managing investment-grade farmland portfolios, with a historical footprint that extended to Australia, Brazil, and Chile for permanent-crop and row-crop positions.
The firm's go-to-market is sales-led and multi-tiered, anchored by a proprietary buyer database of more than 10,000 subscribers spanning local farmers, regional operators, high-net-worth individuals, 1031 exchange buyers, and institutional investors. Each sale is supported by direct mail, targeted email, social media (Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn), custom promotional videos, detailed informational packets with title work, soil maps, and production history, and boots-on-the-ground field marketing. The company monetizes through transaction commissions on brokerage and auction deals, with the firm explicitly stating it "profits only when the client profits." Pricing and commission rates are not publicly disclosed and are negotiated per transaction.
The firm's ownership history has moved through multiple inflection points: the 2010 sale of the Westchester Group asset management division to TIAA-CREF led to the formation of Murray Wise Associates, LLC from Westchester Auctions; the firm was acquired by Farmland Partners, Inc. in 2021; and in 2025, Murray Wise Associates was acquired by Peoples Company, a national leader in integrated land brokerage, management, appraisal, and capital markets. The firm now operates under the Peoples Company brand as an affiliate, with offices in Cumming, Iowa; Bloomington, Illinois; and Champaign, Illinois. As of 2025, Murray Wise Associates is best understood as a legacy Illinois-based brokerage brand embedded within a larger integrated land services platform rather than as an independent scaling business.
Murray Wise Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Murray Wise Associates
- Legal name
- Murray Wise Associates, LLC
- Website
- https://murraywiseassociates.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Murray Wise Associates is a U.S. farmland brokerage and auction firm serving farmland owners, investors, farm operators, and 1031 exchange buyers. Founded in 1986, it has completed over $5 billion in transactions across 43 states and now operates under the Peoples Company brand following its 2025 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Murray Wise Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Farmland Brokerage & Auction Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Appraisers (53132), Farm Management Services (115116)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land & Rural Property Appraisal (BPAJAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Whole-Farm Business Management & Budgeting Advisory (AFACAJAA)
Keywords
Where Murray Wise Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Champaign
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Murray Wise Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Farmland Brokerage and Auction Commissions: The firm earns commissions from facilitating farmland sales and auctions. Services include tenant relationship management, farm reports, financial statements, and lease options. The company profits only when the client profits.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Murray Wise Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Murray Wise Associates is a farmland brokerage and auction firm that facilitates the acquisition and disposition of farmland assets for buyers, sellers, farmers, and investors. Services include tenant relationship management, farm reports, financial statements, lease options, and a multi-tiered marketing program that distributes sale information through direct mail, an email database of over 10,000 subscribers, social media, custom promotional videos, and boots-on-the-ground regional presence.
Product overview
Murray Wise Associates, now operating under the Peoples Company brand following its 2025 acquisition, is a farmland brokerage and farm management firm offering a comprehensive suite of services for farmland owners and investors. The company's service portfolio includes land brokerage and auctions, farm management, agricultural appraisal, capital markets advisory, energy management, crop insurance, and corporate services. These are professional service offerings rather than software products or technology platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MWA Investments: Formed in 2015 to assist institutional clients in the acquisition and management of investment-grade farmland portfolios.
Products and services
- Land Brokerage & Auctions Brokerage and auction services for farmland and rural property transactions, supporting buyers, sellers, farmers, and investors in the acquisition and disposition of farmland assets. Includes multi-tiered marketing of each property to a 10,000+ subscriber database.
- Land Management Farm management services for landowners, including tenant relationship management, farm reports, financial statements, and lease options, tailored to the client's specific goals and objectives.
- Agricultural Appraisal Professional agricultural appraisal services for farmland and rural property, provided to clients through the integrated Peoples Company platform.
- Capital Markets Capital markets advisory services for farmland and agribusiness transactions, supporting clients with capital sourcing, structuring, and investment advisory needs.
- Energy Management Energy management services for farmland owners, supporting wind, solar, and other energy-related opportunities on agricultural land.
- Crop Insurance Crop insurance services for farm operators and landowners, providing risk management coverage for agricultural production.
- Corporate Services Corporate services supporting farm operations and landowners with broader business and operational needs in the agricultural sector.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $5 billion in land and agribusiness transactions in 43 states
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Murray Wise Associates
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Murray Wise Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Murray Wise Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Peoples CompanycoreIn 2025, Murray Wise Associates was acquired by Peoples Company, a recognized national leader in integrated land brokerage, management, appraisal, and capital markets. The partnership pairs decades of farmland expertise with industry-leading technology, reach, and resources. Murray Wise Associates now operates under the Peoples Company brand, offering complete suite of services including land brokerage, auctions, land management, agricultural appraisal, capital markets, energy management, crop insurance, and corporate services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Murray Wise Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hall and Hall: Hall and Hall is a long-standing ranch, farm, and recreational property brokerage and management firm with similar service offerings (brokerage, auctions, management, appraisal) and a comparable multi-state footprint.
- Peoples Company: Peoples Company is the parent company of Murray Wise Associates since 2025 and a national leader in integrated land brokerage, farm management, appraisal, and capital markets. It is the most direct peer given the merger and identical service offering across the Midwest and beyond.
- Hertz Farm Management: Hertz Farm Management is a Midwest-based farm management, real estate, and appraisal firm with decades of heritage. It competes directly with Murray Wise Associates in farm management, land sales, and auction services across Iowa, Illinois, and surrounding states.
Regional players
- Whitaker Marketing Group: Whitaker Marketing Group is a Midwest-focused farmland brokerage and auction firm operating in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and surrounding states. It is a comparable direct competitor in land auctions and farm sales.
- Lorimor Land Company: Lorimor Land Company is a farmland real estate brokerage and auction firm operating across the Midwest. Compares directly in the same farmland brokerage and auction services niche.
Broad incumbents
- Capital Farm Credit: Capital Farm Credit is a large rural lending cooperative that facilitates farmland transactions and appraisal services in Texas and the southeast. It is a broader incumbent in rural land services and adjacent to brokerage.
- Schroders / Westchester Group Investment Management: Formerly Westchester Group, this is the asset management arm that was sold to TIAA-CREF in 2010 (now under Nuveen/Schroders). It is a direct comparable in institutional farmland investment management and acquisition services.
- Farmland Partners Inc. Farmland Partners acquired Murray Wise Associates in 2021 before selling to Peoples Company. As a publicly traded farmland REIT, it is a major institutional client and comparable in farmland investment management and acquisition activity.
Emerging players
- LandLeader: LandLeader is a network of land brokers across the U.S. specializing in rural land, farm, ranch, and recreational property sales. It is comparable in farmland brokerage and uses a cooperative marketing model that competes with regional brokerages.
- Agri-Access / Acres & Shares: Agri-Access is a platform that provides mortgages and capital for rural land transactions, with adjacency to farm management and brokerage. It is comparable in the broader farmland transaction ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Murray Wise Associates social profiles
Digital presenceMurray Wise Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Murray Wise Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Murray Wise Associates subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Murray Wise Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Murray Wise Associates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Murray Wise Associates
What does Murray Wise Associates do?
Murray Wise Associates is a farmland brokerage and auction firm that facilitates the acquisition and disposition of farmland assets for buyers, sellers, farmers, and investors. Services include tenant relationship management, farm reports, financial statements, lease options, and a multi-tiered marketing program that distributes sale information through direct mail, an email database of over 10,000 subscribers, social media, custom promotional videos, and boots-on-the-ground regional presence.
Is Murray Wise Associates a public or private company?
Murray Wise Associates is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Murray Wise Associates founded?
Murray Wise Associates was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Murray Wise Associates based?
Murray Wise Associates is headquartered in Champaign, United States, in the North America region.
How does Murray Wise Associates make money?
One revenue line is on record: farmland Brokerage and Auction Commissions.
Who are Murray Wise Associates's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hall and Hall, Peoples Company and Hertz Farm Management. Regional players are Whitaker Marketing Group and Lorimor Land Company. Broad incumbents are Capital Farm Credit, Schroders / Westchester Group Investment Management and Farmland Partners Inc.. Emerging players are LandLeader and Agri-Access / Acres & Shares.
Does Murray Wise Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Murray Wise Associates.
What industry is Murray Wise Associates in?
Murray Wise Associates's product category is Farmland Brokerage & Auction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAKAD, Land & Rural Property Appraisal, with a secondary code of AFACAJAA, Whole-Farm Business Management & Budgeting Advisory. Its NAICS code is 53132 and its SIC code is 6531.