| Selling land or small lots? Would you like to get more | | | | too. |
| for your property and sell it faster? Then there are | | | | Selling my own land, I resolved this issue by finding |
| three important things you should do. | | | | the corner markers in the ground. Two sides of the |
| My very first piece of real estate was two-and-a-half | | | | land were along roads, but it was hard to see where |
| acres adjoining some state land in northern Michigan. I | | | | the other two property lines were. I cut thirty sticks |
| paid $3,500 for it. Land was cheap back then. I sold it | | | | and, using my own crude surveying tool, tapped |
| for $4,750 just two weeks later. I'm convinced that | | | | them into the ground along the lines and quickly |
| selling land so easily, and for 35% more than I paid, | | | | spray-painted the tops white. I put them several feet |
| was due to three things. | | | | inside the lines, just to be safe. I also let the buyer |
| Prepare The Land | | | | know these were not official survey markers. |
| I carried the broken branches off to a corner of the | | | | The purpose is clear. I wasn't there when the buyer |
| property, out of sight. I put together a simple | | | | walked the land, yet he clearly could see the |
| wooden bench from used lumber, and set it up | | | | markers, and he knew what he was buying. It took |
| overlooking a valley behind the property. I raked | | | | me a couple hours. You could do it faster with sting, |
| leaves away from the front of the property. Finally, I | | | | perhaps, with little flags tied to it. On a larger piece of |
| took several logs that were laying on the land and | | | | land, pay for a survey, and let the surveyor know |
| arranged them as borders where a driveway might | | | | you want the markings to be obvious. |
| go. I raked out this area, and even spent a few | | | | Sell Land With Financing |
| minutes leveling it with a shovel. When I was done, a | | | | The secret to getting that 35% bump in value in two |
| car could easily pull in. | | | | weeks wasn't just the afternoon I spent preparing |
| Perhaps real estate investors can see beyond the | | | | and marking the land. It was also the way I sold it. |
| piles of old stumps, the garbage on the ground or | | | | My hand-painted sign said "For Sale: 2.5 acres. $4,750, |
| the rusty fence. They may imagine what the | | | | $250 down, $100 per month." The couple who |
| property will look like. However, do you want to limit | | | | bought the land thought it was overpriced. Of course, |
| your market to those who have good imaginations? | | | | they also fell in love with it and paid my full asking |
| Why not help potential buyers see the properties | | | | price. What choice did they have with only a few |
| potential. All it took in this case was a few hours, and | | | | hundred dollars in their bank account? |
| even if you pay someone to do these things it will | | | | Offer financing when you sell (if you can). It's the |
| be worth it. | | | | single easiest way to add value, and get a higher |
| Mark The Property Lines | | | | price. In fact, you can make money just buying lots, |
| When I was first looking at land to buy, I clearly | | | | marking them up 25% and selling them on easy |
| remember that if I wasn't clear what the boundaries | | | | terms. A house sold this way can be trashed and |
| were on a piece of land, I often just dropped it from | | | | worth less if you have to take it back, but land is |
| my list. Are those bushes on the land, or is that gully? | | | | safer. Also, selling land this way means you can get |
| Sorry, but I can't visualize from a legal description, | | | | 11% interest on the balance, as I did in this case. |
| and I am certain that others have the same problem | | | | |