Why This Comparison Gets Fuzzy

Every landowner who calls me asks some version of the same question. Would I get more money if I just listed it with an agent? It's a fair question, and I think it deserves a real answer instead of a sales pitch. So let me walk through the actual math, not the marketing version of it.

The honest answer is: it depends on the parcel, the timeline you need, and what you value your own time at. But most sellers have never seen the numbers laid out side by side, so let's do that.

What a Listed Sale Actually Costs

Say you've got 22 acres outside Brattleboro, up in the West River valley, with a mix of open field and hardwood, maybe a seasonal stream. You list it for $95,000, which is a reasonable ask for that kind of parcel in that part of Windham County.

Here's what typically comes out of that number before you see a dime:

  • Commission: 6% is still common on vacant land in Vermont, sometimes negotiated to 5%. On $95,000 that's $4,750 to $5,700.
  • Time on market: rural land in Windham County often sits 6 to 18 months, longer if it's landlocked, wooded, or off a Class 4 road. Every month you own it, you're paying property tax, and if it's not enrolled in Current Use, that tax bill can be real money.
  • Price reductions: land that doesn't move in the first 90 days often gets a price cut. I've seen listings drop 10-15% after sitting through mud season and into a second summer.
  • Buyer financing falling through: land buyers using a loan sometimes can't get one, since banks are pickier about raw land than houses. Deals fall apart at 60 or 90 days in, and you start the clock over.
  • Attorney fees at closing: this one's the same whether you sell to an agent's buyer or to me. Vermont requires a licensed real estate attorney to run the title search, prepare the closing documents, and record the deed's office. That cost doesn't change based on how you found your buyer.

So on that $95,000 listing, after commission alone you might net $89,300 to $90,250, before you count carrying costs for however many months it takes to sell, before any price cuts, and assuming the deal doesn't fall through and restart.

What a Cash Sale Looks Like

Now compare that to a direct cash offer. I look at the parcel, check the SPAN and grand list record with the town, look at whether it's in Current Use, check access and any Act 250 history, and make an offer, usually within a few days.

If I offered $78,000 cash on that same parcel, closing in three to four weeks, no financing contingency, no showings, no repairs or surveys required on your end, here's what changes:

  • No commission, so the full $78,000 is the number we're working from.
  • No months of carrying costs. If your property taxes run $900 a year, that's real savings if the listed version would have taken a year or more to sell.
  • No risk of the deal falling through on financing, because I'm not borrowing to buy your land.
  • Same attorney closing either way. You'll still have a Vermont real estate attorney doing the title work and recording the deed. That's not a cost unique to selling with an agent.

The gap between $90,000 net (listed, best case, quick sale) and $78,000 (cash, certain and fast) is real. Nobody should pretend it isn't. But that $90,000 number assumes a fast sale with no price cuts and a buyer who doesn't need financing, which for rural Vermont acreage is optimistic more often than not.

Where the Math Actually Shifts in Favor of Cash

The comparison changes a lot depending on the parcel. A few examples from different parts of the state:

  • A wooded 40-acre lot in the Northeast Kingdom with no road frontage and an old logging trail for access might sit listed for two years with barely any showings. A cash offer, even at a real discount, could still net more once you count two years of taxes and a possible price cut.
  • A Champlain Valley parcel with good road frontage and mountain views might actually sell faster and closer to full listed price, because that kind of land has more buyers competing for it. In that case, listing might make more sense if you're not in a hurry.
  • Land enrolled in Current Use with a Land Use Change Tax question hanging over it can scare off agents and retail buyers who don't want to deal with the paperwork. That's a case where a direct buyer who understands Current Use can move faster and with fewer surprises.
  • Inherited land with several heirs who all need to agree and sign can drag out a listed sale for months just on family logistics, independent of the market. Speed matters more there than squeezing out the last few thousand dollars.

The Questions Worth Asking Yourself

Before deciding, it helps to be honest about a few things:

  • How many months can you afford to carry this property, in taxes and in mental bandwidth?
  • Is your land the kind that draws multiple buyers quickly, or the kind that sits?
  • Do you need the money now, or are you comfortable waiting a year or two for a possibly higher number?
  • Is there a family situation, a tax deadline, or an estate that needs this resolved on a timeline, not just at the best possible price?

There's no universal right answer. A landowner sitting on a clean, high-demand parcel near Stowe or Manchester might do better listing. A landowner with a rough, landlocked, or tax-delinquent parcel in a quieter corner of the state might come out ahead, in real dollars and in peace of mind, selling direct.

What I Can Tell You Honestly

I buy Vermont land directly, for cash, no agents and no listing involved. I'll look at your specific parcel, check the town records, and give you a number. If that number doesn't beat what you'd net from listing after commission, time, and risk, I'll tell you that too. I'd rather you make the right call for your situation than just take the deal.

If you want to see where your land actually falls in this comparison, reach out and I'll walk through the real numbers with you, no pressure and no obligation, just a straight answer and a free cash offer if you want one.