Those Postcard Offers for Your Land: Scam, Lowball, or Real?

The postcards show up without warning — sometimes handwritten, sometimes printed, always short: 'We want to buy your land at [address]. Call us.' If you own a parcel you haven't thought about in years, it's natural to wonder whether that letter is a scam, a joke, or actually worth a phone call.

It's almost never a scam in the criminal sense. The company or investor behind it is real, they have your correct address, and they genuinely intend to buy land. What trips people up is the word 'offer.' What they sent you isn't an offer in the legal sense — it's an invitation to talk. There's no price, or if there is one, it's a starting point built around their profit margin, not your land's value.

Here's the math they're running: they found your parcel by pulling the county tax roll — your name, mailing address, and parcel ID are public record. They mailed to everyone on that list who hasn't sold recently, hoping a small percentage calls back. The price, when they name one, is typically 40 to 60 percent of what that parcel might actually sell for on the open market. That spread is how they make money — they buy cheap and resell to a builder or investor at something closer to market.

That doesn't mean you should throw the postcard away. Some sellers are in exactly the right situation for a quick, discounted sale: the taxes are behind, the land is hours away, there's a dispute between heirs, or you've simply been carrying a parcel you never plan to use. In those cases, the convenience of a fast cash close with no listing, no waiting, and no uncertainty can be worth more than the price gap.

What you should understand is that you're in the driver's seat. If you call back, you can ask how they arrived at their number, request proof of funds, and counter if you want. A serious buyer will engage with your questions. A company that gets defensive about their math or pushes hard to sign quickly is a red flag — not necessarily fraud, but a sign their process isn't structured around your interest.

You'll probably hear from several different buyers. The same county tax data is available to anyone willing to pay for it, and in growing markets — places like Canyon County in Idaho, Washoe County in Nevada, or Washington County in Utah — land investors are actively mailing. Getting three postcards in a month doesn't mean three buyers have discovered some hidden value in your property. It means three companies bought the same list.

If you want a real number, ask a few of them to put their best offer in writing, then compare. Or reach out to us directly — we'll tell you what builders in your area are actually paying right now, and give you an honest read on whether our number makes sense for your situation. If the honest answer is 'hold it,' we'll say that too.

Selling your land to a direct buyer isn't right for everyone, but it's a legitimate option when the fit is there. The postcard isn't the problem — it's just the first line of a conversation you're free to take or leave.