Mike Swan, Managing Broker and Owner of Swan Land Company, was honored to be invited as a panel speaker at the 2013 Law Seminars International – Seventh Annual Idaho Water Law Conference held this week in Boise, Idaho.   The focus of the seminar was Water and Real Estate.   He joined respected attorneys, engineers and legal professionals who specialize in water rights, water law and litigation.

Swan’s presentation focused primarily on water rights associated with large complex farming and ranching operations in the west.  As a listing agent of large scale agricultural operations, he spoke on the process his firm employs researching and compiling appurtenant water rights information.  This information is then organized and mapped in order to assist buyers in their early assessment of a farm or ranch.  Swan stressed that by going through this process and compiling water-right data during the initial phase of a listing expedites the due diligence period and gives the prospective buyer a better overall picture of the water rights early in their evaluation phase.  Furthermore, it provides a more accurate representation of the actual quality and quantity of the water tied to the property.  With water being the primary driver of value on most western farms and ranches for sale, understanding and accurately representing the water rights associated with these properties is paramount.

Attorneys and water right consultants from Montana, Oregon, Idaho and Washington, as well as individual representatives of various government agencies presented at the seminar.  The key-note speaker was distinguished attorney Michael Bogert, a partner with Parsons Behle & Latimer.  Bogert is the former counselor to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. He also was appointed by President Bush in 2005 as the regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Please feel free to Contact Us with questions, or visit Law Seminars International  for additional details on other topics addressed during the Water and Real Estate seminar.