The Marketing Strategy
Selling land is different from selling houses. There are fewer buyers actively searching for vacant land, so you need to cast a wide net across multiple platforms. The goal: be everywhere a potential buyer might look.
The good news? Most listing platforms are free or low-cost, and once you create your listing content (photos, description, details), you can replicate it across all platforms in under an hour.
List on at least 5-7 platforms simultaneously. Free platforms (Craigslist, Facebook, Zillow) cast a wide net, while paid platforms (LandWatch, Land.com) attract serious land buyers. The combination maximizes exposure.
Prepare Your Listing
Before posting anywhere, gather all the materials you'll need:
Photos (Most Important!)
- Minimum 10-15 photos – More photos = more buyer confidence
- Aerial/drone shots – Shows property boundaries and surrounding area
- Road frontage – Proves access exists
- Corner markers – If visible, photograph them
- Views and features – Trees, clearings, water features, etc.
- Google Earth screenshots – Annotated with property lines
For properties over $10,000, consider hiring a local photographer with drone capability. Cost: $100-$300. Professional photos can reduce time-to-sale by 50% and justify higher asking prices.
Property Details to Include
- Acreage (exact, not rounded)
- APN/Parcel number
- Legal description
- GPS coordinates
- County, state, nearest town
- Zoning and permitted uses
- Road access type (paved, gravel, dirt)
- Utilities available or distance to
- Annual property taxes
- HOA status and dues (if any)
Free Listing Platforms
Start with these no-cost options to maximize exposure without spending money:
Paid Listing Platforms
These specialized platforms attract serious land buyers willing to pay. Worth the investment for properties over $5,000.
Writing Listings That Sell
Your listing copy should answer every question a buyer might have:
Headline Formula
[Acreage] + [Key Feature] + [Location]
- "5.2 Acres Wooded Lot with Mountain Views – Cochise County, AZ"
- "10 Acres – Road Access, Power Available – Near Lake Havasu"
- "2.5 Acre Buildable Lot – Owner Financing Available"
Description Structure
- Hook – Start with the best feature or opportunity
- Location context – Nearest towns, what's nearby
- Physical description – Terrain, vegetation, views
- Utilities & access – What's available or distance to
- Zoning & uses – What can be built
- Terms – Price, financing options if offered
- Call to action – How to contact you
- All caps or excessive punctuation (looks spammy)
- Vague descriptions ("nice lot" tells nothing)
- Missing key details (acreage, location, price)
- Low-quality or too few photos
- Not including GPS coordinates for rural land
Pricing Strategy
Price your land to sell within 90 days while maximizing profit:
- Research comps – Check sold listings on LandWatch and Zillow for similar properties
- Target 2-3x purchase price – Your baseline profit margin
- Price slightly below comps – Undercut competition by 5-10% for faster sale
- Leave room for negotiation – Most buyers will offer 10-15% less
- Consider owner financing premium – Can charge 10-20% more with terms
How Greenlane Land Helps
- Listing Generator – Auto-create descriptions from property data
- Photo Gallery – Store and organize property photos
- Multi-Platform Syndication – Push listings to multiple sites at once
- Renewal Reminders – Never let Craigslist listings expire
- Lead Tracking – Log all buyer inquiries in one place
- Comp Analysis – Pull nearby sold properties for pricing