What Live Water Properties does

Live Water Properties is a privately held ranch and land real estate brokerage founded in 2001 by Alex Maher in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The firm specializes in representing buyers and sellers of high-value ranch, fly fishing, hunting, conservation, agricultural, equestrian, and timberland properties across 19 U.S. states, with offices in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Nebraska, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. Its primary customer segment is ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, including multigenerational ranch owners, conservation-minded buyers, agricultural investors, and recreational buyers seeking privacy and sporting opportunities. Representative transactions include the Antlers Ranch (16,532 deeded acres in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem) and a $39.9M off-market acquisition of Big Creek Ranch near Steamboat Springs.

The company operates on a transaction-based commission model, generating revenue from seller-side and buyer-side brokerage commissions on multi-million dollar property sales, supplemented by ancillary consulting, landowner advisory, and financing referral services. Its go-to-market relies on a distributed network of approximately 24 specialized brokers, a premium marketing platform combining cinematic film production, professional photography, and editorial storytelling, and a multi-channel distribution strategy spanning owned media, social platforms, earned media (Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Robb Report), industry conferences, and advisor network referrals. Technology plays a supporting role through a property search portal and CRM-style listing infrastructure, but no proprietary AI, data flywheel, or software product underpins the business; the core asset is 25 years of accumulated buyer-seller relationships and broker expertise in water rights, grazing permits, and conservation easements.

In 2025 the firm reported a record $529.621 million in closed and pending transactions spanning approximately 50,000 acres, representing 34 sellers and 48 buyers, and surpassed $4 billion in cumulative closed sales since inception. The firm operates sub-brands Live Water Jackson Hole, Live Water Southern, and Live Water Western to localize the franchise across geographies, and remains founder-controlled under CEO Alex Maher and Owner/CFO Macye Maher with no institutional outside investment.

Name

Live Water Properties

Legal name

Live Water Properties, LLC

Website

https://livewaterproperties.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Live Water Properties is a founder-owned ranch and land real estate brokerage founded in 2001, serving ultra-high-net-worth buyers and sellers across 19 U.S. states via 24 specialized brokers, with $4B+ in cumulative closed sales and a 2025 record of $529.6M in transactions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Ranch Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural Water Rights & Irrigation Properties Brokerage (BPAJADAF)

Keywords

• Luxury ranch brokerage
• Land real estate
• Recreational properties
• Ranches for sale
• Fly fishing ranches

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commission - Seller Representation: Traditional real estate brokerage commission on successful sale of ranch and land properties. The company represents sellers in the acquisition and disposition of investment quality ranch properties across 19 states.
2. Brokerage Commission - Buyer Representation: Commission earned representing buyers in the acquisition of ranch and land properties. In 2025, represented 48 buyers alongside 34 sellers.
3. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including land owner services, financing services, and valuation guidance for potential transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Live Water Properties is a luxury ranch and land real estate brokerage that represents buyers and sellers of ranches, fly fishing properties, hunting properties, cattle ranches, farms, equestrian properties, timberland, and conservation land across 19 U.S. states. The firm provides buyer representation, seller representation, consulting, land owner services, and financing referrals, with transaction values ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.

Product overview

Live Water Properties operates as a traditional land and ranch real estate brokerage rather than a technology product company. The company offers a unified brokerage service platform comprising property search tools, buying/selling services, and specialized expertise across multiple property types and geographic regions. Their portfolio includes regional sub-brands (Live Water Jackson Hole, Live Water Southern, Live Water Western) that provide localized brokerage services for luxury ranch, fly fishing, hunting, cattle, equestrian, timberland, and conservation properties across 19 U.S. states. Supporting services include land owner services, consulting, and financing referrals. The company does not offer software products, APIs, or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buy a Ranch Buyer-side brokerage service that connects qualified buyers with ranch and land properties across 19 U.S. states, providing market guidance, property matching, and representation through acquisition. Targets ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families seeking fly fishing, hunting, cattle, agricultural, timberland, equestrian, and conservation properties.
• Sell a Ranch Seller-side brokerage service that markets and sells ranch and land properties, including valuation, premium cinematic marketing strategy, qualified buyer outreach, and transaction management. In 2025 the firm represented 34 sellers in transactions totaling $529.621 million in closed and pending sales.
• Land Owner Services Ongoing advisory support for land owners covering property management guidance, succession planning, stewardship consulting, and operational transition for ranch and land holdings.
• Consulting Services Expert advisory services covering valuation, marketing strategy, operational transition, and ownership strategy for ranch and land transactions. Provided by specialized brokers to clients seeking professional guidance outside of full brokerage representation.
• Financing Services Referral services connecting buyers with financing options for land and ranch purchases, supporting complex transactions that often require specialized lending for large-acreage and legacy properties.
• Property Search Platform Online property search tool enabling users to browse and filter ranch and land listings across 19 U.S. states by location, lifestyle type, and price range. Serves as the lead-generation and listing-discovery channel for brokerage services.
• Fly Fishing Ranch Brokerage Specialized brokerage for fly fishing properties, including river frontage, fisheries management, and private fishing access. One of Live Water Properties' signature lifestyle categories, originating from the firm's FlyFishingProperties.com digital platform.
• Hunting Ranch Brokerage Specialized brokerage for hunting properties including big game, bird hunting, and wildlife habitat ranches across the firm's 19-state footprint.
• Cattle Ranch Brokerage Specialized brokerage for working cattle ranches, including income-producing agricultural operations with grazing capacity, infrastructure, and operational complexity.
• Live Water Jackson Hole

Quantifiable outcome

• $529.621 million in closed and pending sales in 2025 alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• MPG RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Hilley represented MPG Ranch, a research-based conservation company, for the past 15 years in multiple conservation and land acquisitions. MPG Ranch is a significant client relationship rather than a formal partnership.
• 5 Valleys Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Hilley has been involved with 5 Valleys Land Trust as part of his Montana ranch real estate work. Relationship focuses on conservation land transactions.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fay Ranches: Specialty ranch real estate brokerage focused on sporting, agricultural, and timber properties in the western U.S. Closely comparable in lifestyle-segment specialization (hunting, fishing, conservation ranches) and broker-driven relationship model.
• Mason & Morse Ranch Company: Specialty ranch real estate firm serving the western and southern U.S. with similar focus on fly fishing, hunting, and agricultural ranches; comparable transaction scale and broker-led GTM model.
• Clark & Associates Land and Livestock: Western ranch and livestock real estate brokerage with regional focus in Wyoming and surrounding states. Comparable in target buyer profile (ranchers, agricultural investors) and product type (working cattle ranches).
• Ranch Marketing Associates: Ranch and recreational property marketing firm serving the western U.S. with comparable buyer/seller representation services and lifestyle-segment specialization.
• United Country Real Estate: National rural and lifestyle property franchise network covering farms, ranches, and country estates across the U.S. Comparable in rural property focus, though operating on a franchise/brokerage-network model versus Live Water's direct broker model.
• Hall and Hall: Long-established ranch, farm, and rural property brokerage operating across the western U.S. Directly comparable in product category (ranches and recreational land), clientele (UHNW legacy buyers), and transaction-based commission model.
• Mirr Ranch Group: Boutique ranch brokerage covering Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico with focus on legacy and conservation ranches. Comparable in niche positioning around water rights, conservation easements, and multi-generational ranch transactions.

Broad incumbents

• Sotheby's International Realty: Global luxury real estate brand with affiliated affiliates serving high-net-worth buyers of estates, ranches, and lifestyle properties. Overlaps in UHNW clientele and luxury marketing positioning, though ranch real estate is a small slice of its broader portfolio.
• Christie's International Real Estate: Luxury real estate network affiliated with the Christie's auction house, representing high-value estates and lifestyle properties. Comparable in serving UHNW buyers and premium brand positioning, with ranch real estate as one category among many.

Others

• LandWatch: Online land listing marketplace aggregating rural land, ranch, and hunting property inventory. Not a brokerage peer, but an adjacent ecosystem participant that competes for buyer attention and listing exposure in ranch real estate search.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/livewaterjh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5zwXIuiK_h0DUeTjyvP-4A
• Facebookfacebook.com/Livewaterproperties
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/live-water-properties
• Instagraminstagram.com/livewaterproperties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Live Water Properties