On a 1031 exchange timeline? We close Colorado land sales fast and reliably — critical when you're staring down a 45-day identification window or a 180-day exchange deadline.
A 1031 exchange under IRC § 1031 requires strict timelines — 45 days from the sale of your relinquished property to identify replacement property, 180 days to close. If you're on the sale side, you need a buyer who will actually close, not a retail buyer who might flake after the inspection.
We close on our stated timeline. Always. Because we're paying cash out of our own funds (no bank, no loan contingency, no appraisal), the main risks that kill retail deals — financing falls through, appraisal comes in low, buyer gets cold feet — don't apply to us.
Important: We are not tax advisors. Talk to your CPA about whether a 1031 exchange is appropriate for your situation and structure it through a qualified intermediary (QI). Colorado follows federal 1031 rules for state income tax treatment.
Per IRC § 1031, the replacement property must be "like-kind" — in practice, any real property held for investment or business use qualifies as like-kind to other investment real property. Primary residences don't qualify. Dealer-held inventory doesn't qualify. The proceeds must go to a qualified intermediary, never directly to you. You must identify replacement property in writing within 45 days and close within 180 days. Colorado imposes a 2% real estate withholding on sales by non-residents per Colorado Department of Revenue rules, though the QI can often handle this. Again — talk to your CPA.
Most Colorado land sellers doing a 1031 exchange fall into one of three patterns we see repeatedly. First: out-of-state owners (California, Texas, Florida) who bought Colorado recreational land 10-20 years ago for vacation or hunting use, now want to exchange into income-producing rental property in their home market. The Colorado parcel is the relinquished property; the replacement is a single-family rental or small multifamily. Second: ranchers consolidating — they exchange a smaller outlying parcel into more contiguous acreage closer to their home base. Third: estate-planning exchanges where appreciated Colorado land is exchanged into easier-to-divide replacement properties for the next generation.
The 45-day identification window under 26 U.S.C. § 1031 is unforgiving. Sellers identify replacement properties within 45 days of closing on the relinquished property — miss the deadline and the entire exchange collapses into a taxable sale. Our cash close (typically 14-21 days) leaves you 24-31 days of cushion to identify replacements after we fund. Standard listings that take 60-90 days to close don't leave that runway. For 1031-driven sellers, the cash discount is often more than offset by the tax savings preserved by hitting the timeline.
We've closed dozens of Colorado parcels into 1031 structures. We coordinate with the qualified intermediary you choose (we don't recommend a specific QI — that should be your decision), provide all closing documents in the format the QI requires, and we don't make the exchange complicated. The closing flows the same as a non-1031 sale; the only difference is the funds wire to the QI's escrow account rather than directly to you.
Get answers to common questions about selling your land
Usually yes, as long as title is clean and we can get the commitment fast. Tell us your deadline upfront.
No — use whoever you prefer. We've worked with most major national exchange companies.
The exchange fails and proceeds become taxable as capital gains. Don't miss it. Set calendar reminders.
No. We're buyers. Talk to your CPA or tax attorney about exchange strategy. We just close the sale side reliably.
Yes, every day. Remote online notarization per § 24-21-514.5 C.R.S. makes this painless.
Fill out the form below or call us at 970-478-1022
970-478-1022
info@coloradowesternland.com
Monday-Friday
9AM-5PM MT