Do You Need A Land Real Estate Agent To Purchase Land?

So, you’re thinking about building your dream home. Awesome! Finding that prime spot to let your imagination come to life as either the perfect home for you and your family or an investment is an exciting endeavor. But you may be wondering, “Do I need a real estate agent to buy land?”

While you can buy a house or land without an agent, doing so can be incredibly difficult. Plus, you’ll benefit from working with a qualified land real estate agent or an agent who specializes primarily in land transactions by having help available when you need it.

Researching the right land REALTOR® will save you headaches and money during the land-purchasing process.

What Is A Land Agent?

A “land real estate agent” or “land agent” is a real estate agent for land. They have clear and defined specialized expertise in helping clients buy and sell land to build on rather than buy a traditional, already built single-family home. They often refer to themselves as “land specialists” or “land consultants” and can help you know what to look for when buying land to build a house.

Some are agents, and some are brokers, so it’s important to know the difference between an agent and a broker. Specialized land real estate agents help potential buyers locate and compare land properties that suit their specific needs. A land broker with a brokerage firm can do all that, plus handle the financial and legal aspects of real estate transactions.

Furthermore, the specializations can get even more specific, as there are agents who handle only horse-friendly properties, industrial use land, ranches, waterfront properties or other distinct land purchases.

Land real estate agents can help with numerous factors regarding specific plots of land, including:

• Property type
• Location
• Price range
• Zoning, depending on intended use (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.)

Do I Need A Real Estate Agent Or REALTOR^® To Buy Land?

You are legally allowed to buy land yourself. Still, you’ll likely require the expertise of a land broker or REALTOR^® who specializes in land sales to find and purchase the right property for your needs. Those needs can vary greatly, but here are some common ones:

• Investing in vacant properties
• Developing businesses
• Limiting the cost of building a new home
• Developing condominiums or master-planned communities

Now, let’s look at why a land real estate agent could be helpful in purchasing the following types of land:

• Commercial property: Knowledge of zoning laws, as mentioned above, and the types of businesses that would work for the property, leases and terms.
• Vacant land: Understanding of why it has sat vacant and how that might affect the price.
• Rural land: Understanding of water and sewage options, like well and septic or municipal hookups.
• Farmland: Knowledge of zoning restrictions regarding land use, including agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial.
• Residential lots: Ability to compare the value of lots with and without homes on them.
• Ranch land: Expertise to explain the land’s operations and help you know which type of ranch property best suits your needs.

Benefits Of Working With A Land Agent Or REALTOR^®

Working with a land agent instead of a general real estate agent – or no agent at all – offers considerable benefits no matter what your land needs are. Here’s why.

Familiarity With The Local Land Market

Land brokers are experts in the local land market. They may have access to properties that aren’t even on the market yet, also known as pocket listings.

Expertise In Municipal Regulations

Purchasing vacant land can be complicated. Complexities include water hookups, septic systems, building codes, property lines and environmental and zoning regulations. Land real estate agents are pros in assisting you when navigating these issues.

Potential To Save You Money

Land real estate agents use their unique expertise to save you cash. Here are two key ways land REALTORS^® accomplish it:

• Provide extra support in negotiating transactions with sellers, ensuring you don't overpay.
• Help you identify a mortgage lender to fit your land-purchasing and property-building needs.

How To Find A Real Estate Agent For Buying Land

You can identify an expert real estate agent for buying land through online searches and by asking your friends and family. Be sure to look for key traits to identify a qualified land REALTOR^Ⓡ as you interview and consider candidates. Elements to consider include:

• Credentials (more on that below)
• Testimonials or online reviews
• Length of time spent working in the industry
• Specialties (farmland versus vacant land, etc.)
• Available listings from that agent/broker

Working With An Accredited Land Consultant

If you’re wondering what credentials to consider when working with a land real estate agent, finding one who’s an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) is your best bet.

Land agents aren’t required to be ALC-accredited, but this designation shows they’re a highly experienced, knowledgeable real estate professional in buying land. An ALC accreditation also indicates a land real estate agent has a proven track record of high performance in their field.

The Bottom Line: Find Your Dream Property With A Land Real Estate Agent

Land buyers will ultimately benefit from working with a land real estate agent in many ways. They can save you time, money and stress compared to trying to do it alone. The process is incredibly complicated, and possible pitfalls abound, but like all challenges, the rewards can be substantial.

After all, there are few things better than finding that perfect plot to plan the next chapter of your home life. Once you and your land agent have located the ideal place to build your home or investment property, you can start the mortgage approval process with Rocket Mortgage^®.