Start with the location, acres and owners on your deed. Describe the land, who uses it and what you want to include. Then compare similar sales and ways to find a buyer. These steps help you get ready with the papers you already have.
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 and any old survey. Note the property number, road name and pieces you want to sell. If there’s no address, a map pin and directions can help a buyer find the entrance.
For a missing deed, the Recorders Association of Missouri directory lists Mercer’s Circuit Clerk/Recorder in Princeton. Look for the Mercer entry and ask that office how to get the recorded deed you need. Have the owner’s name and any old book or page reference handy.
The directory gives you a contact route, not a promise that every record is online. Ask about copies, fees and older papers before paying for a separate search service.
If the tax bill and deed show different acres, share both. Don’t choose the larger number without checking. An agent or closing professional can help identify which missing papers matter for your sale.
Show where visitors should enter and mention gates or rough stretches. If you cross another owner’s land, share any written right to use that route. A path on a map doesn’t settle whether you have that right.
For a crop field or pasture, explain who uses it and share a farming or grazing agreement. Say whether crops, animals or equipment are included. Ask how the current use would fit the sale before setting a closing date.
For woods, share any tree-cutting or hunting agreement. Mention a pond, creek or low ground that stays wet. Take a few photos of the entrance and different parts of the land. Don’t guess at a timber value from those photos.
List barns, fences and stored items that stay or go. For several pieces, explain the full package. Share any known well, septic or power information and papers you have.
You don’t need to replace fences, clear trees or pay for a fresh survey just to begin. Ask whether the work would help your sale before spending money.
Ask a local land agent for recent completed sales of similar properties. Compare size, road entrance, current use, open ground, woods and included buildings. Separate vacant land from house sales. An asking price shows what an owner wants, not what someone paid.
Consider your schedule and the work you want to handle. A direct offer can be useful to compare, even if you choose another selling path.
Check that the written offer names the right land and included items. Read the price, deposit, time for buyer checks and planned closing date. Ask what allows cancellation or a request to change the price.
Find out who pays each cost. Ask how a loan balance or unpaid taxes would affect your payment. Have unclear terms explained before signing.
Here’s a made-up example: a $60,000 offer with $5,000 in seller costs leaves $55,000 before other debts. A $58,000 offer with $1,000 in seller costs leaves $57,000. The higher price doesn’t always leave you with more money.
Use our land offer worksheet to put terms side by side. These amounts show the math, not a Phelps County price estimate.
Closing is when the final papers are signed and the money is paid. Ask who will handle it, what they need from you and how payment will arrive. Read the final cost breakdown before the appointment.
Tell the closing professional about other owners or missing papers early. If you’re handling inherited land or helping settle a loved one’s estate, bring the deed and estate papers you already have. An attorney or closing professional can help work out who needs to sign.
Our seller document checklist and Missouri seller guide can help you prepare. If you’d like a direct offer to compare, tell Reelvest what you know about your land. You decide whether it fits.
The Recorders Association of Missouri directory lists Mercer’s Circuit Clerk/Recorder in Princeton. Ask how to get the recorded deed you need and what a copy costs.
Share the agreement and explain the current use. Ask how it fits the sale before choosing a closing date.
No. Start with the location, acres if known and papers you have. An agent or closing professional can help work through what is missing.
Local source links reviewed October 4, 2026.