When you buy or sell land, the part you see is often just the tip of the iceberg.
You meet with an agent, find a property, negotiate a contract and eventually arrive at the closing table. But between that signed contract and the final handshake, there is a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes.
In a recent episode of the Grounded Podcast, HomeLand Properties agents Kolby and Shera sat down with Casey Crews of Hometown Title to talk about what really goes into getting a real estate transaction across the finish line.
The conversation covered everything from title commitments and rural land challenges to seller preparation, title fraud, emotional closings and why having a knowledgeable team matters.
Real Estate Is a Team Effort
One of the biggest misconceptions about buying or selling property is that the real estate agent is responsible for everything.
In reality, a successful transaction involves multiple people working together: agents, title professionals, lenders, surveyors, attorneys and, most importantly, the buyers and sellers themselves.
As Casey explained during the conversation, each party has a different role, and there is a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes before anyone reaches the closing table.
For the client, that is exactly how it should feel: simple.
The professionals involved in the transaction are working to identify problems, gather documents, answer questions and keep everything moving so the buyer and seller don’t have to carry all of that stress themselves.
The Best Problems Are the Ones You Catch Early
Land transactions can come with unique challenges.
A property may have multiple owners, an estate or trust may be involved, there may be questions about the legal description, or title records may reveal liens, judgments or easements.
That is why doing the due diligence before a property is even listed can make such a difference.
During the podcast, the group discussed a situation involving inherited property where the team recognized early that the transaction could present title complications. Instead of waiting until the deal was underway, they contacted the title company beforehand and started working through the issue.
That is the value of being proactive.
Rather than discovering a problem after a contract is signed, experienced professionals can sometimes identify potential obstacles before they become obstacles.
Selling Land Comes With Responsibilities, Too
Sellers also play an important role in preparing a property for closing.
For example, a seller may need to provide payoff information, company documents, estate information or other paperwork necessary to clear title.
The podcast highlighted a seller who had multiple judgments associated with his property. Instead of ignoring the problem, the seller actively helped track down the necessary information and worked toward resolving the issue.
The takeaway is simple:
If you’re thinking about selling property, start preparing before you have a buyer!
The earlier potential title issues are identified, the more opportunity there is to address them without jeopardizing a transaction.
Rural Land Is Different
A large tract of land isn’t necessarily a more difficult transaction than a residential property, but it can involve very different issues.
With rural property, the legal description, ownership history and title evidence can be particularly important.
The podcast discussed how a two-lot property can sometimes be more complicated than a multimillion-dollar home. Every file is different, and the legal description, number of sellers, trusts, title evidence and other factors can determine how complicated the transaction becomes.
Then there are the physical characteristics of the property.
Rural land may involve floodplains, creeks, low-lying areas, road access, pipeline easements and other factors that can affect both the property’s value and the transaction.
As a result, there isn’t always a one-size-fits-all timeline for closing land.
Don’t Assume the County Records Tell the Whole Story
One of the more memorable discussions in the episode involved a property that had effectively been sold to two different people.
A family member had purchased property decades ago and later discovered that another person was also claiming ownership of part of the property. The situation eventually had to be addressed through the courts.
It illustrates an important point:
Paying property taxes or seeing your name in a county record doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story of a property’s title!
That is one reason title research and title insurance can be so important when purchasing real estate.
Title Fraud Is a Growing Concern
Another major topic discussed during the podcast was property fraud.
Vacant land can be an attractive target for scammers because the actual owner may live somewhere else and may not regularly visit the property.
The group discussed a recent attempted scam involving someone who appeared to have identification matching the actual property owner’s name. The individual was also attempting to create a sense of urgency around the transaction and avoid meeting in person.
The title team refused to proceed without additional verification.
That kind of diligence protects everyone involved: the actual property owner, the buyer, the real estate agent and the title company.
It also demonstrates why working with experienced professionals matters, particularly when dealing with vacant or rural land.
Sometimes the Closing Table Is the Most Emotional Part
Not every challenge in real estate is paperwork.
For some sellers, the closing table represents the end of a chapter that may have lasted decades.
The podcast touched on a story about an 85-year-old woman who brought a photograph of her grandson’s first deer on the property to closing. For her, the land represented far more than acreage on a contract.
Land can represent family, memories, traditions and generations.
That is especially true when property has been passed down through a family.
For agents and title professionals, understanding that emotional component is just as important as understanding the paperwork. Selling a property isn’t always simply a financial decision.
Good Communication Makes a Difference
One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation was communication.
A good real estate professional doesn’t simply send a contract and wait for the client to sign it.
Clients should understand what they’re signing, what costs they can expect and what happens next.
The podcast discussed the use of seller net sheets as one way agents can help sellers understand what they can expect to receive based on the contract and sales price.
The same philosophy applies to the title process.
Hometown Title described its focus on educating agents and clients ahead of time about things such as surveys, title commitments and other requirements. The goal is to answer questions before they become problems.
Experience Matters, But So Does Knowing When to Ask Questions
Real estate is an industry where no one knows everything.
New situations arise. Rules change. Contracts change. Properties have different histories.
The strongest professionals aren’t necessarily the ones who have seen every possible situation. They’re the ones who know when to ask questions and have a network of knowledgeable people they can turn to.
That’s particularly important with land transactions, where every property can be different.
The Bottom Line: Who You Work With Matters
Buying or selling land is much more than signing a contract.
It involves research, communication, due diligence, title work, problem solving and sometimes a little creativity.
Most importantly, it requires a team that cares enough to identify potential problems and work through them before they become bigger problems.
At HomeLand Properties, we believe our job is not simply to put a property under contract. It’s to help guide our clients through the entire process: from the initial conversation to the closing table.
Because when you’re dealing with land, there is usually much more to the story than what you see on the listing.
And the right team knows how to uncover that story before it becomes a problem.
