The land selling guide

Most land sales stall on paperwork, not price. Before you talk to any buyer, pull together whatever you can find about the parcel. You do not need all of it, but every item you have shortens the process.

If you cannot find something, the county is usually the answer. County assessor and register of deeds offices keep parcel records, and many counties publish them online for free.

Vacant land is priced very differently from a house. There is no square footage, no kitchen, and no comparable renovation. What matters is what someone could legally and practically do with the parcel.

Two neighboring parcels of the same size can differ enormously in value because one has legal road access and the other does not, or because one is zoned to allow a residence and the other is not.

There is no single right way to sell land. Each route trades speed for reach, and the best choice depends on how quickly you want to be done and how much effort you want to put in.

Listing with an agent gives you the widest exposure but land often sits longer than housing, and commissions and carrying costs continue while it does. Selling yourself avoids commission but puts marketing, screening, and paperwork on you. Selling directly to a buyer like us is faster and simpler, and the trade-off is that a direct offer reflects the work and risk the buyer takes on.

Any serious buyer will ask about the same handful of things. Having answers ready — even partial ones — makes the conversation faster and gets you a more realistic number sooner.

It is completely normal not to know some of these. If you inherited the parcel or bought it decades ago, saying 'I am not sure' is fine. Guessing is what causes problems later.

Once a price is agreed, the buyer verifies what was discussed. This usually means ordering title work, confirming the tax balance, checking the county's zoning and access records, and reviewing the legal description against the map.

Due diligence is where surprises appear: an old lien, a boundary that does not match, an heir who was never removed from title. None of these necessarily kill a sale — most are fixable — but they take time, and a buyer who tells you about them early is doing you a favor.

Land closings run through a title company or closing attorney, depending on the state. They confirm clear title, prepare the deed, handle the payoff of any taxes or liens from the proceeds, and record the transfer with the county.

If you live far from the property, this is normally handled remotely. Documents can be sent to you, signed in front of a local notary or an online notary where the state permits it, and returned. You generally do not need to travel to the property or the county.

If you do nothing else, do these five things. They apply whether you sell to us, list with an agent, or handle it yourself.