Winona County Recorder Bob Bambenek said 2012 produced the highest cropland prices in the county's history, including one sale that went for over $14,000 an acre.
                     
In his report to the County Board, Bambenek said 27 acres near Wilson on September 18th, went for $14,074 dollars an acre. In addition, a 14 acre site in Waren Township went for nearly $10,200 an acre.  But despite the high prices, Bambenek said, the county is not seeing corporations buying cropland.

Bambenek also reported overall recordings at his office in 2012 were up 18% over 2011. Property transfers, including sales, went up 14%, and the number of mortgages jumped 29%.

Bambenek said his office also started converting to fully electronic filing of real estate records last September.
                                 
Bambenek said residential real estate sales showed strength during the second half of 2012. The number of sales, sale prices, and the number of sales over county market value all went up compared to 2011.