Selling rural land can be accomplished many different ways. Land listing platforms. Land auctions. Private land sales. Working with a rural land brokerage. But selling rural property real estate is quite the niche, and working with a qualified professional can shorten time on market and maximize sale price, effectively leading to quicker and greater profits for those with rural land for sale. (That’s the power of effective rural real estate marketing.) Whether selling hunting land, selling farmland, or having any other need of a land real estate company, read on for how to choose the best way to sell your property.

Editor’s Note: This is not financial, investment, legal, or real estate advice. Consult with a financial planner, investment specialist, real estate lawyer, and real estate professional before buying or selling real estate.

1. Selling Land via Private Sale

Selling your rural real estate via private sale is just that. You’re selling the property privately without a traditional real estate listing or auction. Perhaps you already have a buyer. This often occurs when selling directly to a neighbor, family member, friend, or other acquaintance. The seller doesn’t have to “hunt” for a buyer, or wait on one to come to them. They already have one in mind. Even with this method, it’s crucial to have representation for all parties involved, whether that is a dedicated Land Specialist or real estate lawyer.

2. Selling Land “For Sale By Owner”

Some sellers of rural real estate opt to sell land via the “For Sale By Owner” route. This comes with lower costs less to the seller, but can oftentimes lead to longer time on market, poorer real estate marketing results, and lower sale prices due to minimized exposure to potential buyers. Oftentimes, the money “saved” is actually money lost due to selling without experienced real estate professional representation.

3. Selling Land via Real Estate Listing Platforms

With the advent of online listing platforms, land sellers have the option of listing their properties on the web. This increases exposure but still lacks the element of having a dedicated professional whose primary focus is maximizing the seller’s best interests. It’s a viable play, but one that doesn’t come without drawbacks.

4. Selling Land as a Traditional Listing with Local Real Estate Agents

Local real estate agents are around every property line corner and city block. Local real estate agents will come at you with flyers and free coffees hoping to secure your business. But are they qualified to sell rural real estate? Oftentimes, they are not. It’s crucial to vet your local real estate agent and ensure they have the experience and knowledge to sell rural properties.

5. Selling Land as a Traditional Listing with Qualified Land Specialist Brokerages

The best possible scenario isn’t just working with any local real estate agent. Rather, consider selling land as a traditional listing with a qualified Land Specialist brokerage, such as Whitetail Properties. Our real estate agents specialize in the rural real estate niche, which means you have access to the best real estate professionals, marketing, and other tools.

6. Selling Land via Real Estate Auction

Those who opt out of a traditional real estate listing, or with properties that lend better to real estate auctions, might choose Whitetail Properties’ sister company, Ranch & Farm Auctions, to handle their rural real estate transaction. You gain a decorated auctioneer, high-powered marketing team, and yet, you still have the same local Whitetail Properties Land Specialist leading the charge and maximizing the best possible outcome for your farm sale.

Analyzing Your Goals: What Do You Prioritize?

Deciding how to choose the best way to sell your property comes down to analyzing your goals. Do you prioritize a speedy sale? A more profitable one? Or perhaps lower selling costs? With Whitetail Properties and Ranch & Farm Auctions, you can enjoy all three.

●       Prioritizing a Speedy Sale: Whitetail Properties core group of buyers, significant media reach, and high-powered marketing shorten sale times for your land.

●      Prioritizing a Profitable Sale: Whitetail Properties and Ranch & Farm Auctions use large databases of potential buyers, exceptional real estate skills, high-octane marketing power, and more, to elevate sales prices for the sellers they work for.

●       Prioritizing Lower Selling Costs: With Ranch & Farm Auctions, the buyer pays the buyer’s premium, which saves the seller money.

Consulting a Land Specialist to Find the Best Way to Sell Your Land

To achieve the best results, consult a Land Specialist today. They can help you find the best way to sell your land. Furthermore, a specialized land real estate partner can add value through pricing strategy, property storytelling, buyer reach, mapping, media, and transaction guidance.

"It’s not all that important for a landowner to be an expert in everything,” said Wesley McConnell, a Whitetail Properties Land Specialist in Arkansas and Louisiana. “It is far more important to have great people advising them. That’s why you look for the best people you can find.

"That is why having a Specialist is so important, they are in the market all the time,” McConnell continued. “Because that is how they make their living, they see transactions every single day. They see not only their own deals but other transactions as well, including properties that are for sale by owner. They are best equipped to see what the market is doing, where it is moving, and help people make those crucial decisions to get the most for their property."

●      Pricing strategy

●      Property storytelling

●      Buyer reach

●      Property mapping

●      Property media

●      Real estate transaction guidance

"Because of our extreme focus on the rural market, we spend all of our time and energy there, making us the best at what we do,” McConnell said. “We see more transactions and deeply understand their nuances, even researching those that fall outside the norm. Ultimately, you are going to get much better representation from a land specialist at Whitetail Properties than you would from a typical real estate agent who holds a license to sell land but doesn't specialize in it.

"It's hard to make a blanket statement to say that a specific land type or property would do best at an auction versus a traditional listing,” McConnell continued. “You've really got to know the specific markets and the timing, because it's different at different times of the year and for different properties.”

At the end of the day, selling real estate can be either predictable or completely random. In fact, you can experience both positive and negative challenges. However, the power of a Land Specialist also means you have experienced guidance to help you navigate hurdles that could otherwise create insurmountable problems. Of course, they’ll assess all factors and know how to best sell your land.

“I've seen some unique pieces go for outrageous pricing through an auction. (More than you would have through a traditional listing),” McConnell said. “But it really comes down to what the market is doing in that area when it hits. You have to have that knowledge and historical background to make those decisions and advise people on how to market their property to get the best result.

“That's why we have multiple arrows in our quiver,” McConnell continued. “We offer both an auction and a traditional listing company so that we can help people navigate those decisions in the best way possible."

Projects to Complete and Boost Property Value Before Selling Real Estate

Before selling your land, it’s important to complete key projects around the farm. This can boost property value before selling your real estate, regardless of the method used.

Deep clean the property. De-clutter all rooms, garages, etc. Improve curb appeal. Depersonalize the property. Make needed repairs. Stage the listing appropriately. Highlight the property’s best features and use.

These and more are but a few examples of the things Land Specialists might advise before sticking a for sale sign in the ground out by the road. Follow their seasoned advice, and you just might enjoy a better real estate listing or auction process.

Contact a Whitetail Properties Land Specialist Today

For landowners looking to sell their land, contact a Whitetail Properties Land Specialist today. We can answer questions and help with your real estate needs. For buyers hoping to purchase land, check out some of the available listings near you.