For many people making the decision to sell their land, this can be a tough decision, however understanding how it’s done and the steps to do it can make the whole process smoother and better. As a real estate agent, I work in the Hill Country, West Texas, and South Texas helping people sell their Ranch, Land, or Recreational property. Knowledge and experience are a must for a land agent when working for a client while selling these types of property. When selling land there are things to keep in mind. That land can be used for many things, it has its own unique value, and what is the current market conditions. The value of the land is influenced by improvements, lack of improvements, its potential use, or if there is an agricultural operation on it. There is a process to achieve the desired end result and here are the steps my clients typically go through when selling their land:

Making the Decision to Sell Your Land: There are many things that can factor in your decision to sell your land. These could be the current market conditions, encroaching development, a desire to buy something in a different location, or lack of generational interest in the property. A land broker can be good source of information and guidance when working through this decision-making process.

Things to Do to Be Ready to Sell: One of the best places to start is to gather all documents that pertain to the property. This would include the title, the survey, any easement documents, mineral documents, and lease agreements. Determining any personal property that will be conveyed with the property is also very beneficial. At times owners will add equipment (tractor, feeders, blinds, etc…), animals, and furnishings that will convey with a property. Finally, it would be best to do any repairs or updates to the property, so it is in its best condition before going on the market.

Find a Land Agent: There are many land brokers and agents out there. Beyond the basics of real estate, a land agent will either have a background or experience with the rural community, agriculture, wildlife, and possibly the mining industries such as Oil & Gas. There are also Land Broker Associations that provide education and training within this specific niche of real estate which are very beneficial to buyers and sellers.

Initial Step to List your Land with an Agent: The best starting place is a meeting on the land so you can walk the land agent (or me) around the property, share your thoughts on the property, explain things (i.e. electrical, water, property lines, etc…), and the agent can also get a feel for the land. A CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) is used to assess the market, understand land values, and timeframes (potential days on market before sold). At this first meeting, the CMA might be discussed, or it might be in the next step. Next, is to do the paperwork to establish representation through the listing agreement and associated documents. The listing agreement will also establish key points like the listing price, term, compensation, and marketing.

Marketing Your Land: There are three marketing avenues I use when listing a property. The  Board of Realtors has an expansive regional MLS (Multiple Listing Service) where the property will be listed. Once the land is listed in the MLS, it will feed to multiple other platforms (i.e., Realtor.com, Homes.com, Truila.com, etc…), Through this marketing avenue a property will get the highest visibility on most real estate websites. Our Reliance Brokerage website is fed listings from three different real estate boards and has a search feature that you can use in your search for land. There are other websites available that are specific to land and Farm & Ranch listing. These websites are LAND.com, Land Broker MLS, and the Texas Alliance of Land Brokers  . Land.com is one of the biggest and most used websites for people to search for these specific types of properties. The last avenue is social media. It is a growing area where many people begin their search for real estate, and I will also use social media to target specific areas and individuals that would be interested in your property.

 Tools Used to Sell Your Land: The internet, photography, drones, and mapping software are modern tools used to help market your land in the best way possible. The internet is the first-place buyers go to find a property. Again, each listing is put on as many listing services as possible and that are representative of the type of listing it is to maximize the exposure. Photography is a key component of a listing and needs to be of high quality. We employ professional photographers to capture all the important details of a property. Drones are used to capture aerial images and show the land from an aspect that most buyers are wanting to see. It helps define property lines and shows off various terrain features that can make a property more desirable to a buyer. The last tool I use is a mapping program called Landid. This program provides detailed maps with that can show boundaries, improvements, aerial images, topographical maps, flood zone information, soil information, and other important details about the land. This program also has features to add in pictures or overlay the survey to better define and showcase the property. 

Selling Your Land: There are four steps to selling your land. The first step has been addressed above and the remaining three are going under contract, the transaction, and closing. What normally happens is a buyer will look at the land and decide on whether it is the one for them. If they decide they want to buy it, they will have their agent write up a contract and make an offer to the seller. There are many negotiable terms within a contract and before the contract is accepted by the seller, there might be some back and forth to iron out these terms. Once both parties are in agreement, both parties will sign and execute (i.e., date) the contract. From here the contract will go to a title company, both parties will fulfill their obligations within the contract, and both the title company and lender will work through and prepare the documents for the property to be sold and transferred. When all parties (Buyer, Seller, Title, and Lender) are ready, the transaction can go to closing where documents will be signed and money moved. Once everything has been closed and funded, the property will then be transferred through title from the seller to the buyer.

I am sharing this information is to provide you with an overview of the process, but not to overwhelm you. I will guide you through these steps, making recommendations & assisting with the details throughout the entire process.