How to Sell Land Online in 2021 is a question we get asked a lot. Read this article or watch the video to get a comprehensive overview of the subject.
Selling vacant property or rural land can be a headache. From dealing with costly real estate agents to meeting scores of “interested” buyers. There has to be an easier way, right?
Luckily, selling land online can be the solution. Depending on your needs, you can sell your land easier and faster than you think.
In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to sell land online.
Why sell my land?
There are many reasons why people choose to sell vacant or rural land. The yearly taxes and property assessments alone can make anyone question whether it’s truly worth owning vacant land.
Raw land can be a great investment, but in the wrong area, it can actually lose value over time. If you’ve already lost some value on your investment, you’d probably prefer to sell and put the money to better use.
Inheriting property comes with its own challenges. This can lead to unexpected expenses like taxes.
In a divorce settlement, getting cash immediately helps proceedings.
Whatever the reason, selling land shouldn’t be hard to do. However, for many people, the process of selling land seems near impossible.
How to sell your land fast? If you can’t wait 12 months for the sale to go through, selling land for cash online could be the easiest and fastest solution.
Isn’t Selling Land the Same as Selling a House?
It feels like it should be, but in reality, it’s a vastly different market. Everyone needs a roof over their heads, but not everyone is a land developer. There is much less demand for vacant land compared to residential or commercial property.
Selling land often takes longer, is more complicated and requires patience. There are also legal and tax implications that most people don’t understand.
Most buyers also don’t have the same emotional attachment to buying land as they do with a house. Your marketing, pricing and expectations have to align with the market.
Do I have to work with a real estate agent?
Selling with a real estate agent is often the first thing that comes to mind. But, they can actually hurt your chances of selling quickly and be costly.
Selling land through a real estate agent can lead to inflated prices to boost real estate commissions. This can extend your time on the market. In addition, most real estate agents know how to market a house, but aren’t as comfortable in marketing rural vacant land.
That means it won’t get the necessary attention, will be overpriced and eventually left unsold.
In short, when working through an agent, you’ll need to find a specialized real estate agent that already knows the right land buyers (like developers or investors).
Using specialized agent services, however, will also come with a premium commission. Remember, sales are where agents make the most money.
If this sounds like something you’d want to avoid, there are alternative options.
How to sell land by owner privately?
If you’ve decided that you’d rather sell your property without the help of an agent, it’s time you looked at how to sell your land online.
You will need to know how to present your property, how to list it and how to close the deal. This will take a lot of time, but you can save a considerable amount of money in the process.
Of course, you’ll also get some buyers who aren’t really interested in your property. This can be a waste of time, but if you’re selling privately, you will need to deal with all the leads to get to the final sale.
What are the benefits of selling vacant property online?
- No realtor commission (6%-10% on average)
- Depending on who you sell to, you will save on property transfer fees
- You can sell your land at fair market value (faster sale)
Understanding your ideal buyer
The key to selling your property online quickly is to understand your potential buyer. You need to know who they are so that your listing will appeal directly to them.
For example: If your potential buyer is a residential developer looking for real estate near an existing community, then they might want a property with utilities already in place instead of raw land.
Stand out with a great listing
With the high competition of vacant land, you need all the help you can get to stand out from other sellers.
What makes my land stand out? The following are the most important aspects of your land that will catch a buyer’s eye:
- Clear title and legal ownership (to avoid future issues)
- Current zoning and permitted uses
- Location: How easy is it to get to? Is there an access point nearby? Are there restrictions on what can be built there in the future?
- Utilities: Water, electricity, natural gas, telephone lines.
- Accessibility/Roads: Easy road access with no permit required. Paved roads are preferred. No steep grades or curves.
If possible, get drone footage taken of your property. Aerial photos help potential buyers see the full scope of the property. It can also be useful in planning for future development needs to take place.
- Photos should be clear and show off the actual features of the property.
- Show the scale of the property (e.g 2 acres looks different than 10 acres).
- Drone video footage should show the extent of the property.
- Use professional photos, no selfies or blurry pictures!
You may also want to add a map of the area and show how close you are to major highways or cities. This will help potential buyers see how easy it is to get there and if they will have access to all the amenities they need such as hospitals, schools, airports, etc.
Use Keywords To Help Boost Search Results
Finally, the words you use to describe your listing are important. Consider hiring a professional copywriter to help you showcase your property. Using search terms or keywords in the description will also help boost your listing.
No matter how great your online listing is, it won’t help if buyers don’t see it. A professional copywriter will be able to use paid tools like Semrush to identify keywords. You can also use free tools like Google Adsense to identify trending keywords.
Creating the perfect listing will have some initial costs, but you will be saving a lot by not using an agent.
As long as you’re willing to put in the work and learn how to sell land online, it can be worth it!
Finding buyers for rural vacant land
Placing your listing online is only the start. Finding potential buyers will require marketing your listing.
The easiest place to start is with people you already know. You can ask your network if they know anyone who is looking to buy a property like yours. It may be family, friends or even co-workers. Use your own social media page to promote your listing.
If no immediate contacts are interested, ask them to share your listing on their social media.
Get creative and think of unique ways to reach out to potential buyers. The more people you reach, the better your chances of selling fast.
If you want to sell property online, or you’re simply looking for a quote, then call us today at Express Land Offers.
Our land buying specialists are ready to assist with the cash sale of land anywhere in the United States. We are ready to give you an obligation-free offer for your vacant and rural land usually within 48 hours!
What you should know about financing
Many buyers won’t be able to make a cash offer. They will need to apply for a loan. This can add to the time it takes to finalize a deal, and it can also fall through.
If you can’t, or don’t want to wait for someone to get financing, then you need to find a cash buyer. This is the fastest and most reliable way to sell your property.
Is selling vacant property online for cash really that easy?
It can be! As long as you find a buyer who is interested in buying land for cash.
Selling land online for cash
It is possible to get an almost instant cash offer on your land. There are online real estate companies where you can answer a few questions to get an offer. The trick here is to distinguish good companies from bad companies.
Good online cash buyers:
- Will have been in the market for a couple of years
- Don’t ask for any money from the seller
- Cover back taxes, liens and closing costs
- Send obligation free offers that don’t change
- Have zero hidden costs
- Have testimonials from past sellers
Work with an Agent, Sell Privately Online, or Sell to a Cash Buyer?
At the end of the day, the decision is entirely up to you. If you have the time, patience and energy, it may be a good option to advertise privately or sell via an agent.
However, if time is an issue, or you need cash urgently – then consider selling to a cash buyer for a quick sale.
The best place to start is to simply get an obligation free offer from an online cash buyer. This will help you weigh up all the options. The process is simple, and usually only takes a day or two to receive an offer.
Compare Your Options
Selling your property using an agent
While it can be expensive to sell with a real estate agent, it does have some advantages. Depending on the condition of your property, and if there is no urgency to sell, this might be the best route to take.
Selling the property yourself (FSBO)
For Sale By Owner properties take effort and time. The upside – you can save some money. This is a great option for sellers who aren’t in a rush, and who like the idea of marketing online and meeting potential buyers.
Selling to an Online Cash Buyer
For properties that aren’t in the best condition, or where a fast sale is required, your best option will be a “we buy land” company. Who you choose to work with will greatly affect your experience.
While you may have to accept that cash buyers rarely pay full market value for properties, the benefits can outweigh the disadvantages.
When selling land, each method has its pros and cons. Take a look at your needs, and determine YOUR best course of action.
| Sell Land With Agent | Sell Land Online Privately (FSBO) | Sell Land Online to a Cash Buyer | |
| Timeline | Could take anything from 6 – 12 months, depending on the market. | Expect to sell within anything from 6 to 24 months. | Expect a 7 to 30-day close. This can be faster depending on your needs. |
| Costs | High Costs | Lower Costs | Zero Costs |
| Sale Price | Inflated Sale Price | Market Sale Price or Higher | Market Sale Price |
| Effort | Low Effort | High Effort | Zero Effort |
| Pros | 1) Marketing is done for you. 2) Paperwork is handled by professionals. 3) Market value is usually achieved. | 1) You can save money. 2) Save 3% to 8% vs selling with an agent. | 1) Faster close when selling to a “we buy land” company. 2) No waiting time for financing. 3) Fewer inspections and zero appraisals. 4) No hidden fees. 5) Sell land “as-is”. |
| Cons | 1) Longer process. 2) High costs involved. 3) Seller responsible for buyer concessions, escrow fees, closing costs, and holding costs. (Taxes, insurance, mortgage interest). | 1) Can take very long to sell. 2) If you’re a first-time seller, or unsure how to market your property, it might be very stressful. | 1) Cash buyers of land rarely pay full retail value. |
Need a Cash Buyer for your land? Why not work with us
We hope this article will help guide you through the process of selling land online. The process of listing your property, creating the marketing materials and negotiating with buyers can be very rewarding.
By now, you will know that it is indeed possible to sell your land without the help of a real estate agent. Selling online saves you money and often gets the sale through faster. You will put more effort into your sale than a real estate agent ever will.
However, if you’re looking for an even faster and effortless sale, selling to a cash buyer is the easiest method of all.
At Express Land Offers, we’ll get you a quote usually in under 48 hours, and your property will be transferred and sold typically in 7 to 20 days.
For an obligation free quote, contact us today. We look forward to showing you how easy, and fast, selling your land online can be!