Land markets are fundamental for the transfer of property and use rights. A functional land market, one in which land can be purchased, sold, leased and exchanged, contributes considerably to the generation of optimal farm sizes, supports the change in agrarian structure and often first enables innovations.

However, history around the entire world has shown that land is a socially sensitive, politically explosive factor in all societies. Correspondingly, great fear, resentment and critical voices are connected with the creation and dynamics of land markets.

In the following overview the typical key roles of land markets are illustrated, whereby the basic thesis which is followed assuming that registered private property is an indispensable requirement for its functionality is debatable.