Benjamin Holt

Certified General Real Estate Appraiser

Contact Information:
559-277-7474 ext. 113 (Phone)
559-277-7479 (Fax)
benholt@c-x.com

Holt Agricultural Appraisal,
in association with Correia-Xavier, Inc.
6435 N. Palm, Suite 106
Fresno, California 93704

Ben has appraised a wide variety of agricultural properties throughout California, including wineries; premium vineyards and estate residences; almond, pistachio and walnut orchards; citrus and avocado groves; all types of packing, processing and storage facilities; nursery and greenhouse facilities; and all types of open land from irrigated cropland for fresh vegetables to large, coastal cattle ranches. Ben specializes in complex, multi-property appraisal assignments of vertically-integrated farming operations, as well as leased fee and leasehold valuations.

A significant portion of Ben’s recent projects have been focused on the North and Central Coast wine regions of California, as well as the rapidly developing nut and premium wine sector of Central California. He has been tasked with valuing proposed vineyard developments in some of the state's most prized wine destinations, as well as appraising new or remodeled coastal winery facilities. Other significant project's under Ben's belt include conservation easement valuations - ranging from restrictive to some considered ag-friendly. More recently, he has delved into the impact the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) continues to play into property valuations, such as value trends seen basin by basin.

Ben has performed and assisted with appraisals for a large variety of clients, ranging from some of the largest wine and nut crop producers in the world, to small, boutique, multi-generational family-owned wineries; various providers of agricultural financing; publicly and privately-held corporations, complex partnerships and family-owned operations; major investors including insurance companies, pension funds and REITs; as well as federal, state and local governmental entities. He is experienced in performing fully compliant appraisals for financing, purchase and sale transactions (including detailed purchase price allocations), estate and tax planning and settlement, foreclosure and bankruptcy, marriage and partnership dissolution, conservation easements and eminent domain.

Before becoming an appraiser, Ben proudly served in the U. S. Army and full-time in the Army National Guard for nine years. After completing his military career, Ben earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics at California State University, Fresno.

Recent Appraisal Projects

"As Is” market value appraisal of over 1.9 million square-feet of misc. nursery facility improvements in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, including hoop houses, greenhouses, shade houses and support structures
Collection of 11 Tulare County ranch properties devoted to almonds, walnuts, citrus groves, plantable land and ancillary land totaling over 1,600 acres, as well as various farm support structures and dwellings, appraised for collateral evaluation
Fair Market Appraisal of Fresno County walnut orchards and rural residential sites to be acquired as a result of the California High Speed Rail Project, to be used in negotiations with the High Speed Rail Authority
Seven discrete ranch properties encompassing over 2,600 in Glenn County, consisting of rice ground, walnut and almond orchards, irrigated field cropland and a walnut huller facility, appraised for partnership dissolution purposes
Collection of five, separate Yolo County tracts of irrigated field cropland and immature wine grape vineyards, including residences and farm support buildings, appraised for lending and other internal purposes

6435 N. Palm, Suite 106, Fresno, California 93704
Phone: (559) 277-7474 ● Toll-Free: (800) 841-5502 ● Fax: (559) 277-7479