Ozarks Land Report is the land-market journal and information site of Justin Head and Ryan Record, two licensed land specialists with Whitetail Properties Real Estate serving Franklin, Gasconade, Crawford, Phelps, and Dent counties in the Missouri Ozarks. Justin is a licensed Missouri attorney and the former president and CEO of a title company in Franklin County; Ryan was originally licensed as a Missouri real estate agent in 2007 and is a hands-on land and wildlife manager. Together they bring more than four decades of combined experience in Missouri land — hunting tracts, timber, farms, and recreational property — backed by real estate law, title and closing operations, drone marketing, and active habitat management.

We exist to do one thing: help Missouri landowners make the best possible decision about the property they care about most. Whether you are selling 40 acres or 4,000 acres you deserve a team that has walked land like yours, signed at closings like yours, and lived in the area where your property sits.

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Justin Head

Land Specialist, Whitetail Properties Real Estate

Licensed Missouri Attorney (Current Limited Practice — Real Estate & Estate Planning)

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot | NDA Deer Steward Level I

📞 (573) 308-7376   ✉ justin.head@whitetailproperties.com

Justin Head is a land specialist with Whitetail Properties serving Franklin, Gasconade, Crawford, Phelps, and Dent Counties in Missouri — helping buyers and sellers of hunting land, timber tracts, agricultural farms, and rural recreational properties throughout the Ozarks region. A lifelong hunter and landowner himself, Justin specializes in connecting clients with high-quality rural land for sale in Missouri, including creek bottom farms, large-acreage hunting tracts, and wooded properties managed for whitetail and turkey.

What sets Justin apart is a level of experience few land agents can offer. He is a Missouri-licensed attorney with 20 years of experience in real estate law and continues to maintain a limited practice focused on real estate and estate planning. He also previously served as President and CEO of a title company in Franklin County, Missouri, where he oversaw thousands of real estate transactions from contract to closing. Justin has litigated land disputes in both Associate and Circuit Courts and has mediated over 100 disputes for local courts. He has also handled multiple land cases in Missouri appellate courts, including Burris v. Mercer County, 252 S.W.3d 199 (Mo. App. W.D. 2008) — a published Missouri Court of Appeals decision that remains frequently cited on the abandonment and vacation of public roads.

Justin’s legal reputation extended beyond the courtroom — he was appointed by the Presiding Judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit to serve as a Special Commissioner for oil and gas condemnation proceedings and was also appointed to preside over a land partition sale in Franklin County. These appointments are reserved for attorneys who have earned the trust of the court and demonstrated deep expertise in real property law. When working with Justin, clients benefit from someone who understands every legal, contractual, and transactional detail involved in buying and selling land — and who can identify and solve issues before they become costly problems.

In 2022, Justin transitioned his primary focus to land real estate, pursuing a lifelong passion for land, hunting, and wildlife management. As a lifelong outdoorsman, he has spent decades hunting, fishing, and actively managing land for wildlife. He has personally — and as part of investment groups — bought and sold thousands of acres of hunting and recreational land across Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas. Today, he continues to manage multiple farms for his son and nephews, giving him a practical perspective that goes far beyond the typical real estate experience.

Justin holds an NDA Deer Steward Level I certification and an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification, allowing him to provide professional aerial drone photography and videography for land marketing. He also serves as Chairman of the Franklin County Board of Zoning Adjustment, is a Director of the Franklin County Industrial Development Authority, serves as a Director of St. Clair Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank, St. Clair, MO, and is a board member of the Life House Youth Center in Sullivan, Missouri — all of which contribute to his deep understanding of land use, development, and local markets in the communities he serves.

Justin lives in rural Franklin County with his wife Maggie, daughter Hallie, and son Dayton. He is not just a land agent in this region — he is a landowner, outdoorsman, and active member of the community. Any agent can put a sign on a fence post; Justin’s name has been in the local plat books for decades.

If you are looking to buy or sell land in Missouri — including hunting land for sale in Franklin County, Gasconade County, Crawford County, Phelps County, or Dent County — contact Justin Head at (573) 308-7376 or justin.head@whitetailproperties.com.

Published work: Justin also writes for the Whitetail Properties Knowledge Center, including Selling Inherited Land: What Families Need to Know About Title, Taxes, and Heirs.

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Ryan Record

Land Specialist, Whitetail Properties Real Estate

Missouri Real Estate Salesperson (Originally Licensed in 2007)

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Missouri State University

📞 (573) 259-6360   ✉ ryan.record@whitetailproperties.com

Ryan Record is a Land Specialist with Whitetail Properties serving eastern Missouri. Born and raised in rural east-central Missouri with deep family roots in the Ozarks, Ryan developed an early appreciation for the land and the outdoor lifestyle that defines the region. From cattle pastures and hardwood ridges to spring-fed creeks and the clear rivers of the Ozarks, he understands firsthand the diverse landscapes that make Missouri such a special place to own and enjoy land.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Missouri State University and was first licensed as a Missouri real estate salesperson in 2007. In addition to his real estate experience, he is an active landowner who has spent years improving and managing hunting and waterfront properties in Missouri. His hands-on experience includes wildlife habitat development, food plot planning, land improvement projects, and conservation practices through programs such as NRCS and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

An avid outdoorsman, Ryan spends much of his time hunting whitetail deer and turkey, managing properties, and fishing Missouri’s renowned smallmouth bass and trout streams. He and his wife, Nicki, and their two daughters enjoy spending time together outdoors, exploring the Ozarks, kayaking the local rivers, and creating the kinds of memories that make land ownership so meaningful.

Ryan takes a boots-on-the-ground approach to evaluating and marketing property. By combining thorough property analysis with the national reach and marketing strength of Whitetail Properties, he works to ensure clients can confidently navigate the buying and selling process while maximizing the value of their land.

If you are looking to buy or sell land in eastern Missouri or the Ozarks region, contact Ryan Record at (573) 259-6360 or ryan.record@whitetailproperties.com.

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Why Two Agents, One Site

Most land transactions involve a single listing agent, who competes with the other listing agents in their own office. We work differently: we are a team. When you list with Justin and Ryan, you get the combined experience of both — and that combination is rare.

Justin’s edge is technical depth. Twenty years as a Missouri real estate attorney. Former President and CEO of a Franklin County title company. Court-appointed Special Commissioner. Justin can spot a title defect, a problematic easement, or a survey discrepancy before it becomes a deal-killer — and he can negotiate the contract language to protect you.

Ryan’s edge is lived land experience. Originally licensed as a Missouri agent in 2007. An active landowner who has spent years on the ground developing food plots, planning timber stand improvements, working with NRCS, and managing waterfront and hunting tracts. Ryan can walk a property and tell you what it actually is — not just what the listing says.

Together we cover what most single agents miss: the legal and transactional risk on one side, the on-the-ground land knowledge on the other. Our clients get both, and the price is the same as listing with one agent.

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How We Work

Property Analysis Done Right

We don’t just price a property and put up a sign. We walk the land, review the survey and title, evaluate timber and habitat, and document everything Whitetail Properties’ marketing team needs to present your property at its absolute best.

Honest Pricing, Honest Conversations

We will tell you what your land is worth even if it isn’t what you want to hear. Overpriced land sits and often sells for less than if it was priced correctly out of the gate. Overpricing a property is not a risk-free endeavor and can be a costly mistake. Our job is to get you the most the market will pay — not to win the listing by pitching a bullshit number. We treat the pricing advice of our sellers’ properties the same as we would treat our own land and we have personally sold acres of our own — lots of times.

Whitetail Properties’ Marketing Reach

Every listing is marketed through Whitetail Properties — the nation’s largest dedicated land brokerage, with a buyer network that extends across all 50 states and an in-house marketing operation that has no rival in the industry. Our brokerage handles billions of dollars of transactions a year on recreational properties. No reason to take our word for it, we don’t keep our work product a secret. Check out our website, look at our testimonials, and review our videography. All we ask is that you do your research regarding real estate companies, their website, and marketing. If, after doing all of your homework, you come to the conclusion that different agents will do a better job marketing your farm, you should call them.

Drone Photography & Aerial Tours

With Justin’s FAA Part 107 certification, every listing gets professional aerial drone photography and video — showing buyers the land features and the way your property sits in the landscape.

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Local Agents in the Missouri Ozarks

We are not parachute agents. We’ve skinned bucks and run trot lines here since we were kids. We take off our boots before we enter your house because there is Ozarks dirt and potentially deer crap on them. We live in this region, hunt in this region, and have raised our families in this region. Our kids go to school here and we support our community. When you call us about a piece of land in Franklin, Gasconade, Crawford, Phelps, or Dent County, you are talking to someone who has driven the back roads, knows the local title companies, the courthouse staff, and typically knows someone near your property line.

• Franklin County — Land specialists for hunting tracts, farms, and recreational properties
• Gasconade County — Land specialists for river bottoms, hardwood ridges, and hunting land
• Crawford County — Land specialists for timber tracts and recreational acreage
• Phelps County — Land specialists for hunting land, cattle farms, and rural homesites
• Dent County — Land specialists for large-acreage hunting tracts and timber

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Ready to Talk About Your Land?

If you are thinking about selling, we will give you an honest valuation with no obligation. If you are looking to buy, we will help you find the right tract and walk it with you. If you just have a question about an easement, a title issue, or what your hunting ground might be worth — call us. That is what we are here for.

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Watch Us in the Field

If you want to see what we actually do — drone tours of properties, walkthroughs of farms and hunting tracts, commentary on the Missouri Ozarks land market — our YouTube channel is the best window into the work. New videos go up regularly. You can also connect with Justin and Ryan personally on social.

Justin Head — Facebook · Instagram

Ryan Record — Facebook