Selling Land Mistakes – How Many Did You Make?

Selling Land Mistakes!

Selling land mistakes can seriously affect whether  land sells quickly…or not at all and Real Estate agents don’t want you to know the “SECRETS” and “MISTAKES” that even they make!

The  first Selling Land Mistake that most South Carolina land sellers make is normally they can’t make a decision on “do I hire a Real Estate Agent or try to sell it myself?” 

Now, as my old mentor use to preach to me, “decisions are only valid when you are fully informed.” So, before you decide to hire a real estate agent, you really need to know this: 

Most real estate agents don’t sell vacant land for a living. For example, in my area there are 7,000+ licensed real estate agents. Last month, these 7,000+ real estate agents sold 142 land parcels!  142 out of 1457 that were for sale. (They SOLD roughly 10% of land).

There are real estate agents who have never marketed (SOLD) a piece of land before and if you hire one of them to sell your land, you will make a HUGE mistake and are going to be very disappointed! Trust me – they do not know how to find land buyers! 

So, “WHO” South Carolina Land owners hire to sell their land is really important and one of the selling land mistakes that you should avoid at all cost!

WHY?

Because ultimately it’s your land, your time and most importantly, your profit or your loss!

Sell your South Carolina land By Owner?  You can…but you gotta find land buyers. 

WHERE??”

The “WHERE” questions must be answered by you if you do not hire a Real Estate Agent:

(CLUE:The answers to the “WHERE” questions are usually found in county courthouses, local Multiple Listing Services, and place like Ebay, Landwatch,  Craigslist, Zillow, Flyers, Facebook, Networking groups, Linked In, Landwatch, newspaper ads and social media websites.)

 WHOEVER you choose, don’t let these common land selling mistakes sellers make diminish your profits …or else it could be very, very painful! (See above photo)

HOW Can You Sell?

1. Study your current real estate market! – As they say in showbiz, “Timing is everything”!

If the current housing market is “HOT” you stand a better chance of selling land at the price you want. You need to know WHO your competition is; how many land parcels units are for sale and how many sold last month. If you are sell in a “HOT” market, that means you will have to
market in multple places, respond quickly to offers, negotiate and make counter offers if necessary..

If the current land market is weak you stand to lose a large percentage of what you have paid into your land. To get a decent price you may have to spend money to make improvements to your property and offer incentives to compete with other land on the market. Take advantage of the cyclical nature of the real estate market and stay put if you can) until the market improves.

2. Don’t overprice! Don’t Be Greedy!

Even 5% over market value can discourage savvy buyers. It is important that you realize that your selling price is determined by the current market and not by what you want to get out of the deal, or even by an appraisal. A big Selling Land Mistake is if your land is not priced
competitively for the current market, people looking in your price range will reject your land in favor of other, larger land for the same price. At the same time, the people who should be looking at your land will not view it because it is priced over their heads.

Special Note: If circumstances dictate that you must ask more than an appraisal and the market says is the optimum price for your land then re-evaluate your decision to sell at this time. If possible you should stay put until the market improves or your property appreciates.

3. Don’t “test” the market!

If you insist on pricing your land higher than the existing market trend with the idea that you can always lower the price, you may be sabotaging your own sale. Just asking $2,000 or $3,000 more than market value can be a big mistake and mean the difference between selling quickly at a good price and delaying the sale. And don’t forget, keeping your land on the market for a prolonged period can incur additional expenses like carrying costs and upkeep. Consider how much bargaining room you can leave in your price.

4. Don’t become a “stale listing”!

The longer your land is on the market the less likely you are to get a full price offer. If a month goes by with no serious offers, do something! Review your price, offer incentives or make some improvements. Then hold a price reduction to announce the changes.

5. Don’t hire Aunt Agatha to sell your home!

Hiring a relative is one of the most common, serious errors committed by land sellers. Making this mistake could mean your land will sell more slowly and for less money than it otherwise would. Selling your land is one of your most important financial transactions.

If you are going to use a Realtor – make sure that they have experience in land sales, will walk the land, will agree to market the land, and will return your phone calls promptly. 

6. Don’t get locked into a contract with any Realtor!

Chances are you will be perfectly happy with the efforts of a Realtor on your behalf, but circumstances can change. Protect yourself by getting a “guarantee of performance” clause with a right to cancel your contract with your Realtor if you are not satisfied. You must be able to work together as a team to get the best price for your land in the shortest amount of time.

7. Don’t Lie!

Tell the truth. It’s natural to be optimistic about your land but it doesn’t pay to deliberately misrepresent it. While most sellers wouldn’t commit an outrageous misrepresentation, there is a tendency to fudge about boundaries, road access, ability to perc, zoning, etc. You set people up for a disappointment when you misrepresent your land on the listing and once they’re disappointed, it’s difficult to recapture their interest. Don’t make this Land Selling Mistake.

8. Don’t scare off buyers!

Maximize your “Curb Appeal”! You have to get buyers to look because you can’t sell to someone who isn’t there! A well-kept piece of land, free of clutter will get them out of the car and walking the land. An unkempt lot will put off a prospective buyer before they even get out of the car.

9. Don’t waste your time with “Unqualified Buyers”! – 
You don’t need to worry about this if you have listed your land with a reputable Realtor. Realtors will only bring qualified buyers, those who are ready, willing, and able to buy your house. An agent will determine how much a buyer can really spend for land, how much he has available for a down payment, how good his credit is, how much he can pay each month,  and about a dozen other similar questions. If you only show your land to qualified buyers the number will be fewer (but the quality much higher) than if you show your land to everyone who walks down the street with a dream of owning land…some day.

10. Are you flexible?

Cash is not always the most advantageous transaction. Income level, tax benefits and current legislation are all critical factors when considering purchase terms. Check with your tax advisor to see if a straight sale is the best option for you. You should also decide whether you are willing, and able, to carry financing or offer a “Lease with option to buy” arrangement. This would increase the pool of potential buyers you have to choose from.

11. Don’t underestimate the complexity of real estate law!

The contract for the sale and purchase of land is a legally binding document. Real estate law is extensive and complex and if you don’t have a legal background or real estate experience you should leave this to the experts. Did you know:

You can lose a sale or pay thousands in repairs or remedies for title defects because of an improperly written contract.

You need to know which closing costs are your responsibility.

You also need to know whether the property can legally be sold “as is” and how deed restrictions and local zoning will affect the transaction.

You or your Realtor must remedy any defects in your title and determine if your property is in conflict with local restrictions or you might have to pay through the nose for this mistake.

12. Are you helping or hindering?

You can make it easier for your Realtor to sell your land. For instance, most potential buyers call after business hours. Arrange to be available to take calls from your Realtor after hours (they will not aswer) it could make the difference between selling your land and not.

13. Don’t just sit there, do something!

There are lots of ways to sell your land besides a “For Sale” sign and an ad in the paper. Request ‘round the clock and online advertising and take time to discuss your options with your Realtor, then be prepared to participate in marketing your land. Let your Realtor know if other Realtors have shown your land. This allows your Realtor to follow up “hot” leads.

14. Be positive!

Approach negotiations in a positive frame of mind, not as an adversary of the buyer. After all, you both want the same thing – a sale. Reply immediately to an offer. When buyers make an offer they are in the mood to buy at that moment. Moods change and you don’t want to lose a sale because you stall in replying. Participate when asked but leave most of the discussion of price, terms, possession and other conditions up to your agent.

In Conclusion:

Don’t make costly selling land mistakes when selling your land. There are lots of things you can do to help with the sale. Most are common sense, some may be new to you but all will contribute to a fast sale at a fair price. Do your homework before you put up the For Sale sign and be a Winner.

Why do I offer these tips free of charge?

I am offering these helpful “Selling Land Mistakes” free of charge because my goal is to help every land seller achieve their goal! I’ll personally advise you on how to use and apply the principles contained in this report…absolutely FREE. Just call me at 843-564-8438.

“I want to thank Bobby for helping me sell my land. I had a piece of land that I had inherited. I tried to sell it and didn’t have any luck. Bobby was able to find someone that was interested in it. We were able to come to an agreement. I would give Bobby 5 stars for helping me.”
                                                                  Carol R., Seneca, South Carolina

Worried that you can’t remember all of what is contained here?  Call me.  If you need help, just contact me at  843-564-8438. It doesn’t cost a penny to to talk about your land. ,  to get your FREE all cash offer on your vacant land today.

“Great customer service and follow-up. Real estate transactions have a lot of unforeseen hurdles that can happen from the time the sales agreement is signed and the transaction closes. Bobby tackles each on head on and keeps the seller closely in the loop so that the seller can get his check in the shortest time possible.”

                                                                              Eric L. , Columbia, SC

P.S. If you want to AVOID all these scenarios and decisions and would like to sell your vacant land in 7 days with No Fees, No Commissions, No Hassles, just give me a call at 843-564-8438.
No Obligations.

Talk to you soon!

Vacant Land Solutions
10070 Dorchester Road, Suite 51396
Summerville, SC 29485
843-564-8438