How to sell land by owner, without a realtor
Vacant land is simpler to sell yourself than a house — no showings, no staging, no open houses. But pricing, paperwork, and closing still have to be done right. Here's what the job actually involves.
What an agent's commission buys
Land commissions typically run 5 to 10% of the sale price and are negotiable — often higher than for homes, because land takes longer to sell and earns the agent less. In exchange, a good land agent prices the parcel from local comparable sales, markets it to buyers who finance rural property, and manages negotiations and contingencies.
Doing it yourself: the short version
- Price it. Start with your county's median value per acre on this site, then adjust for access, utilities, topography, and recent nearby sales from the county recorder or assessor.
- Gather the facts buyers ask for. Parcel number, acreage, zoning, road access, utility availability, and any survey or perc test results.
- Market it. Land listing sites, the county's MLS through a flat-fee service, signage on the parcel, and local classifieds.
- Handle the paperwork. A purchase agreement, then a title company or real estate attorney runs the closing, title search, and deed transfer.
Where owners get stuck
- Pricing from hope, not data. Overpriced land sits for years; the taxes you pay while waiting can exceed what a realistic price would have "lost."
- Financing fall-through. Lenders often require larger down payments on raw land, so retail buyers often need cash or seller financing — expect deals to collapse late.
- Title surprises. Old liens, missing heirs, or access easements surface during the title search and can stall or kill a sale.
When help pays for itself
If the parcel is buildable, accessible, and in an active market, an agent's reach can more than cover the commission. If it's landlocked, tax-delinquent, inherited with multiple heirs, or you live out of state, the carrying costs and complexity often outweigh the commission savings — that's when a direct cash sale is worth comparing.
Run your own numbers
Use the Broker Commission Calculator to see what an agent would cost on your parcel, and the Net Proceeds Calculator to compare what you'd keep on each path. Estimates are not appraisals or offers.
Our interest, disclosed
This site is published by Liberty Acres, a family-owned cash land buyer. If you request an offer, we may be the buyer — that's how we make money. We've tried to present the do-it-yourself path fairly, because the right choice depends on your parcel and your priorities.
Want to skip the whole process?
Send your county, state and parcel number. We research the parcel and send a written offer. You pay nothing, and every closing runs through a title company.
Disclosure: Liberty Acres buys land and may make an offer on yours.