By Koby Rickertsen ALC

Before I ever sold a piece of real estate, I was the client.

At the time, I owned a computer sales and service company, a Verizon Wireless dealership, and several investment properties. When it came time to sell one of my commercial buildings, I did what most property owners would do. I hired a real estate agent.

I expected a thoughtful marketing presentation. I expected professional photography, broad exposure, and someone who would actively work to create demand for my property. After all, the commission on a successful sale would have exceeded $45,000.

Instead, I watched as the property was entered into the MLS, a single photo of the front of the building was taken, information was pulled from public records, and the listing was emailed to other agents. Because it was a commercial property and no additional marketing platforms were being used, it never reached much of the public at all.

I remember leaving that experience thinking, there has to be a better way.

Looking back, I don't blame that agent. She was doing what many agents in my rural market had been taught to do. My frustration wasn't with one REALTOR. It was with an industry mindset that too often confused entering a property into the MLS with actually marketing it.

That realization changed the direction of my career.

Coming from a technology and marketing background, I understood websites, digital advertising, branding, and customer experience. The more I learned about the real estate industry, the more convinced I became that there was an opportunity to better serve landowners in rural communities. My goal from the beginning was simple: help raise the standard.

As my career grew, I realized that raising the standard wasn't just about better marketing. It was about becoming a better advisor. Landowners weren't hiring me simply to advertise their property. They were trusting me with one of their most valuable assets and some of the biggest financial decisions they would ever make.

I've long believed that land deserves specialists.

Every property tells a different story. Every landowner has different goals. Every transaction presents its own challenges. Whether it's conservation programs, water rights, mineral ownership, renewable energy, tax strategy, or highest and best use, land brokerage requires knowledge that goes far beyond putting a sign in the ground and entering a listing into the MLS. Serving clients well requires education, experience, curiosity, and a commitment to continual learning.
That search eventually led me to the REALTORS Land Institute.

For the first time, I felt like I had found an organization that cared as much about improving the profession as I did. The education was exceptional, but what impressed me most was the people.

I met brokers who had completed transactions I had never encountered. Professionals who willingly answered questions, shared resources, and offered advice without hesitation. Instead of treating knowledge as a competitive advantage, they viewed it as something worth sharing for the benefit of clients and the profession.

When I began pursuing the Accredited Land Consultant designation, I saw it as a professional milestone. It represented education, experience, and a commitment to excellence. What I didn't realize was that I was about to find something even more valuable.

I found my people.

The ALC community is filled with professionals who genuinely want to see one another succeed. They understand that no one has all the answers, and that helping another land broker become better ultimately serves more landowners. That's a mindset you don't find everywhere. It's a community marked by humility, curiosity, and a willingness to invest in one another.

I've watched Accredited Land Consultants spend hours helping fellow members solve difficult problems, connect buyers and sellers, share resources, and mentor the next generation of land professionals. I've called fellow ALCs with questions about transactions outside my experience and never once been made to feel like I was asking too much. More often than not, they gave me an hour of their time without expecting anything in return. In an industry often viewed as highly competitive, I found a community built on collaboration.

That generosity has made me a better broker and a better leader.

Today, I spend much of my time training agents, speaking to industry groups, serving within the REALTORS Land Institute, and investing in the next generation of land professionals. In many ways, I'm trying to give back what so many others freely gave to me. It all traces back to why I entered real estate in the first place. I wanted to help raise the standard.

The Accredited Land Consultant designation didn't create that mission. It strengthened it.

The three letters after someone's name are meaningful. They represent education, experience, and professionalism. But I don't believe those letters are the greatest benefit of becoming an ALC.

The greatest benefit is becoming part of a community that challenges you to keep growing. A community that reminds you our responsibility extends beyond closing transactions. We are trusted advisors helping farmers, ranchers, investors, and families make some of the most important decisions of their lives.

That responsibility deserves continual learning. It deserves professionalism. It deserves humility.

Years ago, I walked into a real estate office as a client hoping someone would show me what exceptional service looked like. Instead, that experience inspired me to spend my career pursuing it.

I entered real estate because I believed landowners deserved better. The REALTORS Land Institute gave me the education to become a better advisor. The Accredited Land Consultant designation gave me something I never expected.

It gave me my people.

And together, we're raising the standard.

About the Author
Koby Rickertsen, ALC, is the CEO and Managing Broker of Ironhorse Land Company, a multi-state land brokerage specializing in agricultural, ranch, recreational, transitional, and investment properties throughout the Midwest. A practicing land broker, educator, podcast host, and technology advocate, Koby is passionate about helping landowners and fellow land professionals leverage practical experience and emerging technology to better serve their clients.

Koby hosts the American Land Seller podcast, where he interviews many of the nation's leading land professionals, investors, appraisers, attorneys, and industry experts. He is an active leader within the REALTORS® Land Institute and regularly teaches and develops educational content for land professionals across the country.