Start with the location and papers you have. Gather a few land details, choose a price and decide how to find a buyer. You can list with an agent, sell it yourself or compare a direct offer. Missing a deed? Genesee County has a free name search for recording details. A copy of the paper is a separate step.
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 a recent tax bill, deed or map pin. Write down the land ID, acres if known and closest road. A land ID is the number used to identify a piece of property. List each piece if you want to sell several together. Say whether a house, shed or other items are included.
If the land has no street address, use the closest road and the papers you have. Don’t guess an address for an empty lot or field. Keep any unclear names, acreage or boundaries on a short question list.
A deed records a transfer of land. The Genesee County Register of Deeds links to Direct Search. The county describes it as a free name search of recording details, with an option to buy a document image. Free search access does not mean every copy is free.
Save the recording reference you find. If you can’t find the paper, or need help getting a copy, call 810-257-3060. The county’s current office page lists 324 South Saginaw Street, Suite 1A, in Flint. Ask which details will help find your deed and what the copy will cost before paying or making a trip.
The county’s online-record instructions say records before 1983 aren’t available online. Some later book images also lack a searchable name entry. If an older family deed is missing from your search, ask the office for help. A missing search result does not tell you that the paper never existed.
The county also lists paid single-name searches and a subscription service. Ask about the best route for your one paper before choosing a service. Put the deed with your tax bill and any survey. A survey is a measured drawing of the land. Use our document checklist to keep track of what you have.
Take clear photos of the entrance, open ground and trees. Explain how you reach the land now. If the route crosses someone else’s property, share any written lane agreement. A visible path does not settle who may use it.
Say whether water or power is connected or only nearby. Keep service papers, old approvals and any rental agreement with your notes. Describe the land as it is today. Don’t promise a buyer can build a home just because a house stands next door.
You don’t need to cut trees, clear the whole lot or plan a home before asking about a sale. Ask an agent about the likely benefit and cost before paying for work. Good photos and honest details can help a buyer decide what to check.
If you’re handling inherited land or helping settle a loved one’s estate, gather the papers you have. Note anyone who shares ownership. Ask the closing team which papers and signatures they need before choosing a firm closing date.
Ask a local land agent for recent completed sales that a buyer would compare with yours. A small lot near homes and a larger field can draw different buyers. Look at size, setting, road access, services and what came with each sale.
Keep asking prices separate from completed-sale prices. Check whether a deal included a house or several pieces of land. A tax value is useful background, not a buyer’s offer. If good matches are scarce, discuss a price range and the questions that could change it.
Think about your time and how much work you want to handle. If you’d like a direct Reelvest offer to compare, tell us what you know about your land. You decide whether it works for you.
Check the price, seller costs, planned closing date and buyer’s right to cancel. Ask who holds any deposit and what happens if the sale falls through. Get unclear terms explained before signing.
Compare the money you keep after costs and any loan or tax balance. Here is a made-up example: a $60,000 offer with $4,000 in seller costs leaves $56,000 before a loan or tax balance. Our offer comparison worksheet helps compare real offers.
After you agree on a sale, ask the closing team which records and signatures are still needed. Confirm how payment will reach you. Keep the signed agreement and final papers. Read the Michigan land seller guide for the general process. You can begin asking about a sale without having every answer today.
You can start asking about a sale with the location and papers you have. Keep missing details on a question list. Before signing or choosing a firm date, ask the closing team what records and signatures they need.
The county describes Direct Search as a free search of recording details, with an option to buy a document image. Save the recording reference and ask the Register of Deeds how to get the copy you need and what it costs.
The county’s instructions say records before 1983 aren’t available online, and some book images lack a searchable name entry. Ask the Register of Deeds at 810-257-3060 about finding your paper. Don’t assume a missing result means no deed exists.
No. You can list with an agent, find a buyer yourself or compare a direct offer. Compare the money you keep, the work you handle and the terms before deciding.
Local source links reviewed October 6, 2026.