To sell a land portfolio, first decide what you want to sell together. Give each buyer the same parcel list. Then compare the money you would keep, the land you would still own and the steps left before closing. The highest headline price may not be the best fit for your goal.
Tell us about your land portfolio →
Choose the Result You Want
Write down your main goal before you ask for prices. You might want one sale, fewer yearly bills, or cash from only part of the group. Also list any land you want to keep.
Use one dated parcel list for each buyer. Mark each parcel as “include,” “keep” or “open to either.” Our guide to selling several parcels explains what to put on that list.
Compare a Whole Sale With Separate Sales
A whole-portfolio offer can give you one set of terms to review. Separate sales may reach buyers who want only a certain type of land. They can also mean more listings, more closing dates and more time paying bills on unsold land.
You can ask a direct buyer for an offer, work with a land broker, or market the land yourself. Ask each buyer or broker which parcels they can handle and how they would price or market the group. Don’t assume one buyer wants every tract.
Put Offers on the Same Sheet
Make one column for each offer. Use these rows:
- Exact parcels included and excluded.
- Total price and any deposit.
- Loans or other balances to pay off.
- Seller costs, fees and commissions, if any.
- Checks the buyer still needs to finish.
- Proposed closing date and reasons it could change.
- Land you would still own after the sale.
For example, imagine one offer of $100,000 for all ten lots and another of $80,000 for six. These are made-up numbers. The second offer leaves four lots to sell or keep. Compare their ongoing bills, access and likely selling costs before deciding that either offer is better.
Subtract the costs and balances tied to each offer to estimate the money you would keep. Ask the closing team for an estimate, and replace guesses as the details become clear.
Look Closely at the Land Left Behind
Mark the included and excluded parcels on a map. Does a retained parcel depend on access through land being sold? Are utilities, leases or shared roads involved? Ask the closing team or a local professional to review unclear rights before you agree to a partial sale.
A partial sale may fit your plan well. The key is to choose it with a clear picture of what remains, rather than treating leftover land as free extra value.
If the Sale Happens in Stages, Spell Out Each Stage
A staged sale closes in more than one step. Before signing, ask which parcels close first, how the price is split and whether later purchases are firm promises or options the buyer may decline.
Also ask what happens if a later closing fails. Who pays the bills while you wait? Can you sell the remaining land to someone else? Have your closing team or attorney review the written terms. A planned later sale is not money you have received.
Match Closing Details to Each Parcel
Give the closing team the same parcel list used for the offer. Flag different owner names, loans, leases and known tax balances. A title search checks recorded ownership and claims against the land. Issues may need to be cleared before a sale can close.
If a loan covers several parcels, ask the lender and closing team what is needed to release the land being sold. Don’t divide a loan balance by the number of lots and assume that amount will release each lot.
A payoff amount is the amount needed to pay a loan in full at a given time. It can differ from the balance on a statement. Ask for the figures needed for your closing date.
Ask for an Offer You Can Compare
Tell a buyer what land is included, whether partial offers are welcome and your preferred timing. Ask for a written parcel list with any offer. Keep it beside your comparison sheet.
Reelvest purchases land portfolios. Tell us about your group if you’d like us to review it for a direct offer. You decide whether an offer works for you.
Sources and Further Help
For background, see the CFPB explanation of payoff amounts and the ALTA title and settlement agent registry. Your closing team can explain the records and steps for your land.