Selling land: the questions everyone asks

What is my land worth?

I am not an appraiser, and I will not guess. What I will do is pull the actual comparable sales around your land and have a data-driven conversation with you - free, and with no obligation. Then the auction delivers the truest appraisal there is: what people who are ready to write a check will pay, competing in the open on one day. That is ultimately what I bring - the buyers and the competition that reveal what the land is really worth. And if holding it looks like the better move, I will say so.

What does it cost to sell my land at auction?

Every cost is put in writing before you sign anything: the commission, any marketing budget, and how survey or title work is handled. There are no surprises on the settlement statement. The exact numbers depend on the property, so they come in the written proposal - call 855-945-LAND and I will walk you through it for your situation.

Why an auction instead of just listing it?

An auction puts every interested buyer - the neighbors, farm operators, hunters, and investors - in competition on the same day, instead of negotiating with them one at a time. It sets a real deadline, sells the land as-is, and signs contracts the same day with no financing contingencies dragging on. When a private treaty listing - a conventional listed sale - genuinely fits better, I am a licensed broker and handle those too. Either way I will tell you which one I would choose in your shoes.

“He clearly explained the pros and cons of selling outright versus using an auction. As someone unfamiliar with the auction process, I appreciated his thorough and detailed guidance, which ultimately led me to choose the auction route.”

How long does the whole thing take?

Typically ten to twelve weeks from our first conversation to auction day, and closing runs 30 to 45 days after that. If your timeline needs the sale sooner or later, the schedule is built around you.

When is the best time of year to sell farmland?

Farmland sells in every season. What actually drives the date is possession: a buyer wants to know who farms the ground in the coming crop year and when they get it. So we look at the lease first - when it ends, what notice the tenant is owed, and whether this year's rent is prorated or credited at closing - and set the auction date around that and around your own timeline. Many sales land between harvest and spring planting for exactly that reason, but a well-structured sale with clear possession terms does fine in June too.

What if the bidding does not reach what the land should bring?

Nearly every sale I do is sold subject to the seller's acceptance or rejection. The high bid is presented to you, and you decide whether to accept it. We want you to see the process, the bidders and the bidding. Typically the only surprises auction day are happy ones.

The farm is rented to a neighbor. Can I still sell?

Yes. The lease is reviewed up front, the sale is structured around it honestly, and the tenant is told what is happening before the signs go up. In many sales the tenant becomes one of the most motivated bidders or assets during the marketing.

Do I need to clean the place up or make repairs first?

No. Land sells at auction as-is. If there is a farmstead, old buildings, or equipment, we talk through what to do with each - tract design can separate the house from the ground in most cases, and equipment can be sold the same day or separately.

We are several heirs and we do not all agree. Now what?

This is the most common situation I see, and the auction process with me is what can keep the family hopefully still talking after. Communication to all parties is important. The land is offered in pieces and combinations, so a family member can bid on the piece they care about while the open market prices it all. Nobody has to negotiate against their own family - the bidding decides, in public, at market value.

One of the heirs wants to buy the farm. How does that work?

They bid, in the open, like anyone else - and that is the cleanest outcome for everyone. Tract design lets them go after the piece they care about, the home tract or the field next to their own, while the market prices it all. If they win, they paid what the ground was worth on the day and no sibling can say otherwise; if they are outbid, the estate got more than a family price. Nobody has to negotiate with a relative, and the file shows a market result rather than an inside deal.

I am the trustee or executor. Is an auction defensible?

Yes - that is much of why fiduciaries choose it. You get a documented marketing campaign, on a schedule with open competitive bidding, and a closing file with the bid history and settlement statements: a record that shows beneficiaries or a court exactly how the price was reached. I have handled 34 trust and estate sales as agent of record, and the guidance for trustees on this site goes deeper.

Does the sale need court approval first?

It depends on how the land is held and where. Ground in a trust usually sells on the trustee's authority under the trust document. Ground in a probate estate may need the court's approval, a notice to heirs, or a waiting period, depending on the state and whether the estate is supervised. In some cases that is your attorney's question and I do not answer it for them - what I do is work with you from the first call, put the terms in writing so they can be reviewed, and set the auction date around whatever the court or the administration requires.

Do I have to be at the auction?

No. Many of my sellers live out of state. You can attend in person, follow along by phone or live streaming video, or simply get my call when the gavel falls. Signatures are handled wherever you are.

Can I do a 1031 exchange out of an auction sale?

Yes. If you are selling investment ground and buying other real estate, a 1031 exchange can defer the capital gains tax, and an auction sale qualifies like any other. The rules are strict - a qualified intermediary has to be in place before closing, and the identification and closing deadlines run from the day you close - so raise it with your CPA or attorney before the auction, not after. The auction timing is known in advance, which makes the exchange calendar easy to plan around.

What should I have ready for the first call?

Nothing is required - the county and a rough acreage are enough to start. If you have them handy, these speed things up: a map or tax bill, the current lease and who farms it, and, for a trust or estate, the document that says who has authority to sell. The first conversation is about the situation, not the paperwork.

How do I get started?

Call or text 855-945-LAND, or send a note through the contact page. Tell me where the land is and what the situation is. The first conversation costs nothing, commits you to nothing, allows us to get to know each other, and usually answers most of the questions for your specific property.