Case Study: How One Seller Finally Sold Her Land After Years on the Market
When Marianne (name changed to protect the seller’s identity) first listed her vacant land for sale, she thought that was the end. She had high hopes that the work was done, and she’d be able to move on from the property soon. The property had been in her family for years and she was ready to move on. Eventually she had it listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) such as Zillow, but unfortunately it sat for years without a single serious offer.
What happened? The property wasn’t marketed correctly.
The Problem: The listing was poor, and the agent had no knowledge of listing vacant land
Many traditional real estate agents specialize in selling houses, not land. Marianne listed her property with someone who specialized in just that. I’m not here to speak badly about realtors. Many of them do great work but the truth is, most aren’t trained to understand the vacant land market. The agent didn’t understand what buyers needed to know.
The listing photos were low-quality, the description was vague, and no one seemed to have any answers about the property. There was no info about access, utilities, or even what made the property valuable. It was simply just sitting there with a weak description of the area.
How We Connected
When Marianne reached out to Sabrina at Good Soil Land, she was understandably skeptical. After not being able to sell the land, she removed the listing and decided to hold on to it. Why would Good Soil Land want to buy the land the seemed like it didn’t have much value?
I started by really listening to her story and her goals, trying to piece together what went wrong the first time. Being a land investor, I understood that every property is valuable. You just must understand how. After speaking with Marianne, I dug into the details of the property myself.
What I Discovered
Because I specialize in land, I knew what to look for right away. During my research, I uncovered three key selling points that had not been marketed on the MLS.
1. Water access – The property had rights to a shared well, which added major value.
2. A cleared building area – There was a space already cleared and ready for construction, making it ideal for a buyer who wanted to develop quickly.
3. Potential for Lake Views – The property was less than a mile away from a lake and because of the topography of the lot, with some clearing, it allowed for a gorgeous lake view opportunity.
These features had never been mentioned in the original listing because no one had taken the time to find them.
Explaining Her Options and Offering a Fair Price
I walked Marianne through her real options and explained what the land was realistically worth in today’s market. I also explained to her that she could take the information I gave her and re-list it with a realtor. This could still take months and without the right realtor, she’d be risking more time without finding a buyer.
I gave her a direct offer, with no pressure. We talked about timeline, and I made it clear what it would look like if she sold the property to me. She appreciated that everything was easy to understand, and that I was up front about the process, timing, and closing. I made sure to really explain the differences of listing with a realtor again or selling to Good Soil Land. Selling to us is not always the right choice for our sellers, so we make sure be clear about all the options.
The Right Buyer at the Right Time
Using my network of land buyers, we were able to take the property off her hands because we understood the development potential already having experience with similar land.
We were able to move the property, closing quickly and easily. The price that Marianne and I agreed on is what she was wired by the title company when the sale was closed. We paid all the closing costs on her behalf and there was no negotiating or commission fees. Just a clean, respectful transaction that finally got Marianne the result she had been waiting years for.
The Takeaway
Vacant land is VERY different from houses when it comes to real estate. In this lesser-known corner of the market, it can sometimes take specific knowledge to create the best outcome. This is what Good Soil Land strives to offer - real guidance, fair offers and a process that makes sense for sellers who are tired of waiting.
If you've been struggling to sell your vacant land or just want to understand your options, let’s talk. I’d love to help you like I helped Marianne. Click here to contact us!