Not because it’s more fun. Because it’s your only smart option.
I’ve talked before about what happens in car dealerships. Not because cars and land are the same thing, but because human nature doesn’t change from one industry to another.
Most people know about the “no-haggle” lots. CarMax, AutoNation, places like that. They advertise a clean, easy process.
No back-and-forth. No discomfort.
And people walk in convinced they’re getting a better deal. Reality?
Prices at no-haggle lots are higher on average than old-fashioned dealerships.
People don’t go there to save money. They go there to buy certainty and avoid the emotional friction of negotiation.
Nothing wrong with that. Just be honest about the tradeoff.
Real estate has its version: the iBuyers.
They promise no showings, no repairs, no timing problems.
What they don’t say as loudly is that you’re going to make less money going that route.
Still not a bad option for some people.
I’ve even used an iBuyer myself in the past. (Don’t tell the other agents.)
The pattern is simple:
More certainty = less money.
More uncertainty = more potential upside.
Doesn’t happen every time. But on average that’s how the real world works.
Now let’s talk land.
The iBuyer model doesn’t work here. Not well, not consistently, and usually not at all.
The groups who even touch land have to pay extremely low prices. And if they offer something reasonable, the timelines are unacceptable. Because they’re not “buying.”
they’re trying to tie up your land cheaply so they can flip the contract.
So if you own land, the nice tidy “certainty option” doesn’t really exist.
Which means you have one path: You embrace the uncertainty.
You price it reasonably based on real comps and activity. You put it out there. And then you let the market talk back to you.
How fast will a buyer show up?
Don’t know.
What will they offer?
Don’t know.
How long will they need for feasibility?
Don’t know.
Will you have to pay for a new survey?
Maybe. Sometimes it actually helps you get the number you want.
It can get a little messy.
But when you have the right people on your side (hello), it usually turns out better than you expected when you started.
That’s the good news.
The other good news?
Anyone who pretends they “know exactly” how a land deal is going to unfold is either blowing smoke to impress you or doesn’t understand land.
Either way, that’s not the person you want representing you. And they’ll show you that if you’re paying attention.
Get more like this in your inbox here!
PS- I offer a free, no-obligation look at any non-residential property you’re considering selling. You’ll get info including:
• real comp sales
• current development activity
• utility info
• market conditions
• what’s likely… and what’s possible
Ask me what will happen?
I’ll tell you the truth: I don’t know.
That honesty annoys a few people at first.
But by the time we’re done, you’ll know you worked with someone who was trying to get you the right outcome — not just “work you.”
Click below to get started.
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