Start with the land’s location, the papers you have and what you want from the sale. Then choose a price and a way to find a buyer. You can list with a land agent, sell it yourself or compare a direct offer. You can begin even if you’re missing a few papers.
Tell us about your land. There’s no obligation to accept an offer.
Start with what you know. These steps will help you get ready and choose the way to sell that fits you.
Find your most recent tax bill. Write down the parcel number, the acres and the closest road. A parcel is one piece of land listed in the county’s records. If you own more than one, make a short list of which pieces you want to sell.
Put your deed, any old survey and loan or tax papers in one folder. A deed is the recorded paper that describes a property transfer. A survey is a drawing prepared to show the land’s boundaries. You can begin with copies; ask the closing team what they’ll need later.
Think about your goal, too. Would you rather spend time finding a buyer or get an offer you can compare sooner? Is there a date that matters to you? Those answers help you choose a way to sell.
Start with the Mitchell County Appraiser page. It links to the county’s Parcel Search and Tax Search. Use the parcel number from your tax bill to find the right piece. Check the acres and location against your own papers.
If you’re unsure which parcel record fits, call the Appraiser at 785-738-5061. Have your tax bill, closest road and any old parcel number ready. The office handles property values for tax purposes. A tax value doesn’t tell you what a buyer will pay.
For a deed copy or an old recorded survey, contact the Register of Deeds at 785-738-3854. Its office is at 111 South Hersey in Beloit. Share the names on your old deed and the purchase year if you know them.
The Register keeps deeds, mortgages, releases, plats and surveys. It says its staff don’t do title searches. A title search checks the records for ownership and other rights or claims. Ask the title company or attorney helping with your sale to do that check.
If the tax record and deed don’t match, keep both. Don’t guess which name belongs on the sale papers. If you’re helping settle a loved one’s estate, ask the closing team which papers and signatures they need. You can begin asking questions before all the papers are gathered.
If your land is farmed or grazed, explain how it’s used now. A buyer needs to know more than the number of acres. Start with these details:
If someone rents the land or has crops growing, gather the agreement before promising an empty property on a certain date. Ask the closing team how the sale and that agreement fit together. Don’t make a promise for the tenant.
Take a few clear photos of the entrance, open ground and features a buyer will ask about. Arrange visits around current use. Don’t send visitors through a crop field or onto a neighbor’s land without permission.
A fence helps a buyer picture the land, but it doesn’t prove the boundary. Start with an old survey if you have one. Ask whether a new survey is needed for the sale before paying for it.
You don’t need to replace fences, clear trees or change the land’s use just to ask about selling. A clear description and the papers you already have are a useful first step.
Look for recent sales of land a buyer would compare with yours. Match the size, location, road access and main features. A small roadside lot and a large rural tract can draw different buyers, even in the same county.
Keep asking prices separate from completed sales. An asking price shows what an owner hopes to get. A tax value is used for taxes. Neither alone tells you what a buyer will pay today.
A local land agent or appraiser can help when good sales are hard to find. Ask which sales they used and why those match your land. If a sale included a house or several parcels, check what the price covered before using it.
Our land value guide explains how to make a simple comparison. Start with a range you can explain, rather than copying the highest price you see.
An agent can help with pricing, advertising, buyer questions and offers. Ask about their land experience, fee, listing length and who handles visits.
You manage the listing, calls, visits and negotiations. Make sure you have a clear description, safe showing plan and someone to help with the sale papers.
A direct buyer purchases the land from you. This may reduce the work of marketing it, but you should still compare the price and terms. Reelvest is one option. Tell us about your land if you’d like an offer to consider. You’re free to choose another route.
Ask for the price and costs in writing. A loan balance, unpaid taxes, agent fee or closing costs may come out of your payment. Ask which side pays each item.
Here’s a made-up example: a $75,000 price minus $5,000 in seller costs leaves $70,000 before any loan or unpaid tax balance. This is only a comparison example. It isn’t an estimate for your land.
Read when the buyer can cancel, how long they have to check the land, what happens to the deposit and the target closing date. Ask for an explanation of any unclear term before signing.
Use our land offer worksheet to put offers side by side. The largest headline price may come with more costs or more conditions.
Once you agree on an offer, ask who will handle the sale papers and payment. Give them the deed, loan details and other papers they request. Ask for a list of missing items and a written estimate of the money you’ll receive.
If you’re handling inherited land or helping settle a loved one’s estate, gather the papers you have. Ask which documents and signatures are needed. The same applies if you share the land with other owners. You can ask for help before everything is sorted out.
Before you sign the final papers, check the property description, price and costs. Know how payment will reach you. Keep copies of the signed agreement and closing papers for your records.
Start with a tax bill, parcel number, deed copy and any old survey. Add the closest road and acres if known. Missing papers can be worked on; you don’t need a perfect folder before asking for help.
Not always. Start with any survey you already have. Ask the closing team whether this sale needs a new one, who would arrange it and who would pay.
The Register of Deeds keeps recorded papers, but says its staff don’t do title searches. Ask the title company or attorney helping with your sale to check ownership and other rights or claims.
Ask the closing team who needs to sign and which papers they need. Don’t assume one owner can sign for everyone. You can start by gathering the deed and names you know.
Local source links reviewed October 5, 2026.