HIGH-rainfall mixed farms with a prime lamb focus have been "flavour of the month" in the Riverina for a while.
But with the price of wheat jumping by 30 per cent in the past few months, grain properties have taken on a whole new light.
Rural property specialist Bill Schulz said a sustainable kick in wheat prices would encourage sales of solid Riverina grain farms.
Mr Schulz, of Landmark Wagga Wagga, said property listings would be average this spring, with the market back 20-25 per cent.
In 2000, 300 pastoral, mixed farming and grazing properties of more than 243ha (600 acres) were sold in southern NSW.
This rose to 400 in the period 2001-03, but, last year, the number sold was down to 140.
Mr Schulz said average prices in 2000 were $889/ha, peaking at $2223/ha and falling to $1852/ha this year.
"Vendors need to market themselves in their price bracket," Mr Schulz said.
Mr Schulz said buyers consistently wanted paddock plans and records, fertiliser and lime history, soil tests, information on titles and water systems.
Detail on farming practices used or tillage methods were also often requested.
Mr Schulz said print media remained a major marketing tool.
"The internet is still clumsy to search and many buyers, unless they have a good line speed, feel frustrated with it," he said.
"But, 85-90 per cent of buyers still use it."
