How did a land buyer get my information?
From public records. Counties keep property records that show who owns each parcel, the mailing address for the tax bill, and when the land last changed hands. Many counties publish these online. For example, one Indiana county assessor states that property assessment records are a matter of public record and include owners' names, address and the transfer date.
Buyers and data companies pull these records in bulk. They often target owners who live out of the area, own vacant land, inherited land, or have back taxes. A letter or text does not mean someone listed your land. It means your name is on a public record.
A company texted me an offer for my land. Is it real?
It may be. Many real buyers send texts and letters, and so do scammers. Do not click links in an unexpected text. The FTC advises contacting a company with a phone number or website you find on your own, and forwarding spam texts to 7726 (SPAM).
If the offer interests you, look up the company name in your state business registry, search its name with words like complaint or scam, and ask for a written offer that names the title company. A real buyer will not ask for your bank login, Social Security number or a fee before there is a contract.
How do I verify any land buyer?
These checks are quick and work for any buyer, including us.
- Business registration: search the company on your state's business registry. The National Association of Secretaries of State links to each state's database. Check the legal name, status and date formed.
- Contact details: the name, address and phone on the letter, website and contract should match.
- Written contract: get a signed purchase agreement with the price, closing date, due diligence period, earnest money and who pays costs.
- Title company or attorney: look up the named company on your own and call it to confirm the file.
- Earnest money: ask that it be held by the title company or attorney, not the buyer.
- No upfront fees: you should not pay anything before closing.
- Closing: the deed is signed at closing, and the title company or attorney sends your funds by wire or check.
Is a purchase and listing agreement a real cash sale?
Not always. Some offers look like a purchase but work more like a listing. The contract may let the buyer assign it, market your land to other buyers, or cancel during a long free-look period if it cannot find one. Words to look for include "and/or assigns", "marketing", "exclusive", "option" and long inspection or feasibility periods.
Rules on assigning land contracts vary by state, and your state real estate commission can tell you what applies. Assignment is not a scam by itself, but it changes your risk: the closing may depend on someone else. Ask the buyer in writing whether it will close in its own name with its own funds. If you are unsure what a clause does, ask a real estate attorney before you sign.
What scams target land owners?
The most serious one does not involve a buyer at all. In seller impersonation fraud, a criminal pretends to be the owner of vacant land and tries to sell it. The California Department of Real Estate and the Nevada Real Estate Division have both warned about it. Signs include a seller who only uses text or email, wants a quick sale below market, will not attend signing, uses their own notary and asks for funds by wire.
Wire fraud is the other big risk. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that criminals break into email accounts in real estate deals and send fake payment instructions. The CFPB says never to follow instructions sent by email and to confirm them by phone at a number you already agreed to.
To protect vacant land, ask your county recorder whether it offers a free alert when a document is recorded in your name. Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3.gov.
Is it a good idea to sell land to an investor?
It can be, if you know the trade. An investor usually pays below full retail value, in exchange for speed, certainty and taking land as it is. Listing with an agent may bring more if your land has clear title, road access and demand.
Selling to an investor often makes sense when the land has back taxes, liens, title problems or no road access, when several heirs own it, or when you want a set closing date and no showings. Read our guide on how cash offers for land work before you decide.
How EasyLotBuyer handles this
EasyLotBuyer was founded in 2021. We send a written cash offer within 24 hours and never charge fees or commissions. We pay closing costs. Every closing goes through an independent title company or attorney, and the deed is signed at closing. You can look us up, call the title company yourself, and compare our offer with a listing before you decide.
Get a cash offer for your land