Start by finding your property record and gathering the papers you already have. Then check the questions a buyer is likely to ask, research a price and choose how to sell. You can take this one step at a time. You do not need every answer before asking for help.
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.
Start with a tax bill, deed or parcel number. A parcel number identifies a piece of land in county records. The AccessDane Resources page links to searches for property, assessment, tax and zoning information. It also points to maps and recorded real estate documents.
Write down the parcel number, acres, nearby road and the town, city or village where the land sits. If you own more than one parcel, list them all and mark which ones you want to sell.
Keep a dated copy of the record. If it differs from your papers, list the question for the county or closing team. A map helps you find the land, but does not replace a survey.
Bring together your deed, tax bill, any survey, written access agreements, leases and loan information. A deed records a transfer of ownership. A survey is a measured drawing of land.
Add well or septic papers if you have them. For farm land, gather any lease and note who uses the land now. If you plan to keep part of the property, show that idea clearly and ask what needs to be checked before a split.
If the property came through a family estate, gather the papers you have and ask the closing team which documents and signatures are needed. You can raise this early without having to work out every detail on your own. Our seller document checklist can help you keep track.
Zoning means rules for how land may be used. Start with the parcel’s location and zoning shown in the property record. Describe the question in plain words: “Can a buyer put a home here?” or “What should I check before selling part?”
Dane County Planning’s Frequently Asked Questions page helps route questions to a town’s zoning inspector. It directs owners in a city or village to that local government for permitting questions. Ask staff to confirm who handles your exact parcel.
If AccessDane shows ETZ, the county’s ETZ page explains that a nearby city or village controls that zoning. ETZ means zoning authority that reaches outside a city or village. Other county reviews may still apply. Ask which offices need to be involved rather than assuming one answer settles everything.
A septic system treats waste on the property instead of sending it to public sewer. Buyers may ask about a system that is already there or whether a new one is possible. Keep those as separate questions.
Public Health Madison and Dane County’s wells and septic page links to active septic records. Its instructions say to search by the address or parcel number, not both at once. For a parcel search, use the 12-digit number without dashes and leave the other fields blank.
Save the record number and the papers you find. Ask Public Health about missing records or a proposed new system. Its page also explains well location permits and sanitary permits. Do not promise a new home site from an old system record or a neighbor’s well. Ask the service provider about public water or sewer if that is the plan.
Explain how you reach the land from the road. Note gates, a shared lane or a route across someone else’s property. Gather any written access papers. An easement is a right to use another property for a stated purpose.
Take clear photos of the entry, open ground, woods and buildings. Note low or wet areas and places you have not been able to reach. If a boundary is unclear, say so and ask whether a survey would help.
Use what you know in your listing or buyer discussion. Keep possible future uses separate from confirmed facts. A buyer can make a better decision when the open questions are clear.
Ask a local land agent for completed sales that fit your acres, access, ground and known uses. Check what buildings and parcels each sale included. Keep asking prices separate from prices buyers actually paid.
If you would like Reelvest to review a direct sale, tell us about your land. Share the details you have. If we make an offer, you decide whether it fits.
Read the agreement for the land covered, costs each side pays, buyer checks, cancellation terms and planned date. Ask who needs to sign and who handles closing. Keep any lease, access or ownership question in the discussion.
Here is a made-up example. An offer of $80,000 minus $6,000 in seller costs leaves $74,000. Another offer of $78,000 minus $1,000 leaves $77,000. Both are before loans, taxes or other debts. These are not Dane County prices or fee estimates.
Use our offer comparison worksheet. Ask for a written breakdown of your final payment and how the papers and money will be handled. Keep the signed agreement and closing papers. The Wisconsin land seller guide has more help.
Start with your parcel number, acres if known and nearby road. Gather the papers you have and list what is missing. Ask an agent or closing professional which records matter next.
Start with Public Health Madison and Dane County’s wells and septic page. It links to active system records and search instructions. Use the address or parcel number, not both at once. Ask staff about missing records.
Start with the exact location and property record. The county’s FAQ routes town questions to zoning inspectors and city or village questions to those local governments. If the record says ETZ, ask the named city or village and confirm other reviews.
Gather the deed and estate papers you have. Ask the closing team which documents and signatures are needed for this property. Raise the question early so the next steps can be planned with care.
You can compare an agent listing, finding a buyer yourself and a direct offer. Ask about the costs, work and written terms for each route. Choose the one that fits your needs.
Local source links reviewed October 6, 2026.