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How To Sell Lots & Land: And Why Is It Different Than Selling Home

Selling a home is relatively easy – you find a realtor in your area and get the property listed on the MLS service, put up a sign and wait for people to view the home. The potential buyer can see the tangible asset (the home) and knows exactly what they are getting. 

Selling land or lots is different and not quite as simple.

If you’re trying to sell land lots or land, you need a specialist in this area of real estate sales to get the property marketed to the right groups of people.

Smaller Pool Of Buyers

The number of buyers looking to purchase land is a far smaller group than those looking to buy a home. People who buy land are also looking for different purposes than a home buyer.

Maybe they want a large lot or acreage to build a dream home or start a farm or ranch business, or a developer is looking to buy a large parcel of land to sell off individual lots to develop with homes or develop multi-family properties.

Whatever the case may be, the pool of buyers will be fewer than in a traditional home sale.

Different Information Is Needed

To reach the right audience, specific information is needed.

  • What type of development the current zoning allows
  • How large the lot or acreage is
  • And if utility services are available to the property lines are just some of the basics.

Access to the property via its own driveway or a road right-of-way or mutual easement, and environmental considerations and restrictions are all important details to be aware of.

Listing Needs To Be Specialized

In order to appeal to the right group of buyers, the listing needs to be specialized.

The information provided upfront will determine whether or not a buyer wants to “walk the land” or view the property.

You’ll need to note the site characteristics, slopes, water features or impediments, as well as all of the other details noted above.

By providing as much information as possible in the listing, the pool of buyers will be further narrowed down to only the ones who are serious possibilities.

Make Sure You Have Adequate Formal Information

Have a property survey done and the boundaries clearly marked. If there are easements or encumbrances on title, have those available for review and determine whether or not they can be discharged or removed from title.

Overhead (drone) or other aerial photos will help people get a clear picture of the property that you can’t get from ground level – size, shape, topography and any limitations as a result of these things will be identifiable from good quality, high-resolution image.

When selling land or lots, you need a realtor who works in this sector to avoid any potential pitfalls. If the realtor you hire isn’t familiar with this type of transaction, there is potential for lost time while they learn the ropes.

Hiring a specialist will get you the most qualified agent as they get up to speed on your property and its special attributes.

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Tips To Successfully Sell Land Online

Selling land is a bit different than selling a home. So if you’re trying to sell land online, here are a few tips to help you along.

How To Sell Land Online – Successfully

Hire An Experienced Land Sales Agent

As we previously noted, selling land is different than selling homes, so it only makes sense to hire an agent who knows what that entails.

Using a well-qualified land sales agent will provide security in knowing you’ve put the property into capable hands.

Land sales agents specialize in knowing the ins and outs of this type of transaction and can give you information relating to the highest and best uses, what types of development are permitted and what the zoning allows.

If needed, they can guide you to the appropriate resources for re-zoning, obtaining development permits and more.

Upload Images Of Land

Getting some great aerial photos so showcase the land is money well spent. With drone technology, it’s easier than ever to get some amazing pictures showing the contours, size and topography of the property.

If there are great water features such as ponds or streams, make sure you get pictures of them.

Only use high-quality images that showcase the best features of the land.

Use Keywords In Online Description Of Land

When writing up the online ad, make sure you use keywords so that you show up in the search results.

If the property has a lake, use this as one of your keywords so that buyers looking for land with this feature, will be directed to your ad.

If it can be developed with multi-family residential properties, use those keywords so that developers looking for this type of use will see your ad. Repeat your keywords a few times in the ad so that it gets a more prominent display.

Get a Current Land Survey & Mark Your Boundaries

While you won’t be hosting any “open houses” to sell your land, you may need to walk the land with potential buyers.

Having the survey done and boundaries marked before you begin the process will ensure everyone can easily see where the property boundaries are, to gauge the size of the land.

You don’t want to waste time looking for old boundary stakes and having the survey in hand will provide precise details on this.

Development Prospects

Make sure you understand the zoning of the property and what it can be used for. Knowing ahead of time what type of development will be allowed on the land will narrow down the prospect pool to only serious potential buyers.

Check your Official Community Plan (OCP) for the area, and source information on the availability of utility services.

Provide As Much Information As You Can

When selling land, the more information you can provide upfront, the better.

Answer as many questions as you reasonably can in your online advertising. This will weed out buyers who may not be able to use the land for their intended purpose and will save you time dealing with buyers who won’t be able to complete the transaction.

Keeping the above in mind will ensure maximum exposure for the land and generate interest from prospective buyers.

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5 Tips For Selling Vacant Land Fast

Selling vacant land isn’t always a quick process. Land can take a long time, sometimes more than a year, to find the right buyer. So how can you help to sell the land fast?

5 Tips For Selling Vacant Land Fast

Use A Land Agent To Sell The Land Fast

Hiring an experienced land sales agent is key to selling land. They have the knowledge and experience to market and sell the property and sometimes, have relationships with potential buyers looking for just the right piece of land.

A qualified land agent will understand the nuances of selling lands such as zoning, use and potential development opportunities.

Price The Property Right

Pricing the property right is critical to selling land fast. While you don’t want to under-list or underprice the property, you also don’t want to price yourself right out of the market.

Talk to your land agent and review the comparable land sales in the area before setting a price. Also, don’t get stuck on a number.

Being flexible on the price of the land is helpful when reviewing offers and you don’t want to lose a sale over a few thousand dollars. 

Get The Land Ready

Land doesn’t have a nice kitchen or fancy bathroom. But there are still things you can do to present the land in the best possible way. Clean up any garbage or debris that has accumulated. Tidy up the entrance to the land by cutting grass and weeds or planting wildflowers to make the area attractive.

Take pictures of the land when it shows in the best light – summertime when the wildflowers are in bloom, spring when the trees are blossoming, or fall when the leaves are changing colour.

Even if you’re not planning on selling right away, it’s a good idea to have some great pictures for when you are ready.

Communicate & Connect

Talk to your neighbours and let them know you’re going to be selling. Maybe they want to buy the land for themselves, or they know someone who might be interested.

If you’re in a growing community, reach out to some of the local builders in the area who may be looking to secure more land. Talk up your land with friends and family and spread the word that you’re selling your land.

If you’re on social media, share the listing from your agent’s website featuring your land.

Know Your Audience

Understanding who you will be marketing the land is vital.

If the property is zoned for commercial use, you’ll want to reach the local business owners and entrepreneurs. If it’s zoned multi-family residential, you’ll want to connect with the builders and developers in your area.

Targeting the people who will most likely see the benefits of buying your land is a big step in getting your land sold.

Maximizing exposure of the land for sale will generate enquiries and interest from serious buyers.

Weed out the people who are just looking, or aren’t financially qualified and you’ll only have to deal with buyers with a genuine interest in the land.