Selling land in Franklin County starts with knowing what you own, choosing how to find a buyer and comparing offers. This guide helps you get ready, whether you use an agent, sell on your own or talk with a land buyer.
Tell us about your land. There’s no obligation to accept an offer.
You don’t need to know every answer today. These steps will help you move from thinking about selling to choosing an offer.
Start with a recent tax bill or deed. Write down the location, about how many acres you own and the names on the deed. Note how you reach the land and whether anyone else uses it.
Look at similar land that has sold nearby. Compare size, road access and what buyers can use it for. A large farm and a small wooded lot may draw different buyers. Asking prices can help you see the competition, but sold prices tell you more about what buyers paid.
You can list with a land agent, sell it yourself or ask a land buyer for a direct offer. Compare the price along with fees, timing and the buyer’s right to cancel. The highest price may not leave you with the most money.
Once you agree on the terms, the closing company checks ownership and prepares the signing papers. Closing is the final step when the land changes hands and you receive the money due to you. Ask what you need to bring and how you’ll be paid.
If you’d like to include a direct offer in your comparison, tell Reelvest about your land. There’s no obligation to accept.
Gather what you already have. These papers help you write a listing, answer buyer questions and get ready for closing.
Start with what you have. Before paying for a new survey or other work, ask your agent or closing company whether it’s needed for your sale.
Start with the details you already know. Write down the answers you know before listing it or speaking with buyers:
It’s okay if you don’t know every answer. Say what you know and what still needs checking. If a buyer asks whether they can build, share any records you have. Don’t promise that a home or other project will be approved.
Get these answers in writing:
For example, a $30,000 offer minus $2,000 in costs leaves $28,000 before any loan or tax balance. This is just an example. Ask for the numbers for your sale.
Use our offer worksheet if you’re comparing buyers. You can compare a direct offer with listing the land through an agent or selling it yourself.
A tax bill, a deed and a map do different jobs. The tax bill helps identify the land. The deed records an ownership transfer. A map helps you show a buyer where the land is. Start with what you already have, then fill in the gaps.
The Franklin County Clerk of the Circuit Court records deeds and plats. A plat is a recorded drawing of land. Call 540-483-3065 and ask how to get a copy of your deed. Have the owner’s name and any old deed reference ready. Ask about the copy cost before ordering.
For example, if an old deed is still in a family member’s name, keep it with any estate papers you have. The person handling the closing can help you work out who needs to sign. You don’t have to sort out every question before you begin asking about selling.
The county’s real estate records page links to its online records. The county says its property history files include deed and plat references. Those references can help you ask for the right paper.
You can also start at the county’s online map and records hub. Keep a copy or link that shows the piece you want to sell. If you own more than one piece, mark which one is included. An online map is useful for finding the land, but it doesn’t replace a survey that measures the boundaries.
Describe what a visitor will see and how they’ll get there. For a sloping wooded tract, show the entrance and the steeper ground. For open pasture, show the open areas and note whether someone is using the land. These details help a buyer decide whether it fits their plans.
When choosing a price, compare land with similar size, access and ground. A level lot with an easy entrance may appeal to a different buyer than a steep wooded tract. Ask a land agent how those differences affect your likely buyers, rather than using one price per acre for every piece of land.
No. Start with a recent tax bill, the location and what you know. You can gather missing papers while deciding how to sell. Ask the person handling the closing which documents your sale needs.
Use the land’s identifying number from your tax bill and a map pin. Include the nearest road so buyers can find the right piece of land.
You may be able to, but first check whose name is on the deed and who has the right to sign. If you’re handling land after a loss, take it one step at a time. A closing company or an attorney who helps families settle estates can explain which papers are needed.
Ask for the current amounts owed. Before accepting an offer, find out how those balances will be paid and how much money you’ll keep.
Explain how you reach it now. If you use a neighbor’s land, look for any written agreement you have. Buyers will want to understand access, and limited access can affect the price.
Finding a buyer can take time. After you agree on an offer, the sale still needs ownership checks and signed papers. Ask for a clear timeline and find out what could delay it.
Yes. Tell us about your land to ask about a cash offer. There’s no obligation to accept. Compare the money you’ll keep, costs, timing and terms with your other options.
Start with the Franklin County Clerk of the Circuit Court at 540-483-3065. Ask how to get a copy, what details they need and what it costs. Have the owner’s name and any old deed reference ready.
For a longer list of papers, see our seller document checklist.