by Colleen Settle

Sarah Jordan’s upbringing on her family farm, plus a background in lending and finance, came in handy when she started her own company, Luxe Real Estate, three years ago. The firm specializes in farm and rural estates, as well as residential and commercial properties, in southeastern Indiana.

Jordan has lived in and appreciated a rural community all her life while growing up in Wayne County, Ind. She grew up on a corn, soybean, wheat and hog farm, and was heavily involved in 4-H. She graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.

After working a bit in the lending space, Jordan knew she wanted to do something she really connected with. So, she started Luxe Real Estate, located in Dearborn County, Ind.

“I love working with farm families,” Jordan says. “A farm can really shape your life, and I wanted to help others make that special connection.”

Think outside the box

In a male-dominated business such as farm real estate, Jordan was determined to prove herself. “For me to be successful, I needed to create my own brand and set myself apart,” she says. “I have done a lot of digital marketing to reach a broader geographic area in order to get the word out on properties, which isn’t as traditional in the rural and farm space.”

Besides operating her company, Jordan also took on a major project a couple of years ago. She bought an 1890s farmhouse in St. Leon, Ind. It came with 7 acres, which she named Red Barn Ranch. The small farm with multiple barns is surrounded by a cornfield, while the rest of the nearby area has become highly developed.

Jordan has two horses, two goats, three dogs and laying hens on the farm. It has allowed her to form a community, as many neighbors and kids stop by to ride the horses and take care of the animals. Her goal is to buy more land and build up the farm to incorporate an agritourism component.

Agritourism in her future?

“It’s my mission to save this place and protect it,” Jordan says. “I would love a small pumpkin patch, community garden plot, hiking trails, petting zoo or pony rides in the future. I think we could even use some of the barns as a community meeting place.

“Right now, I’m putting in a pasture and fencing, and looking into women-owned business grants to help with financing.”

Jordan, who sits on Indiana Farm Bureau’s rural communities policy advisory group, is happy with the work she has done on her farm and excited about what is to come.

“I’m proud of saving this farmstead, and I want it to become my legacy,” she says. “It has brought a community together full of so many friends and neighbors, which at the end of the day is the most important part of life.”

Settle is public relations manager-brand for Indiana Farm Bureau.