My Simple Marketing Plan for a Land Reselling Side Hustle

One of the best things about the 21st century is how many different ways we have to sell things. Land is no different. Honestly, this entire wouldn't even be possible without the websites that specialize in selling properties. It all started with platforms like Amazon and eBay a couple of decades ago, and now there’s an online marketplace for just about everything.

You can visit a website, click a few buttons, and get almost anything delivered right to your door—and yes, that includes land. A surprising number of websites are dedicated to one thing: selling land, all day, every day. These are fantastic places to list your properties, but they aren't free; you have to pay for the service they provide.

When I first got into this business, eBay was the place to be. I sold my first few properties there and was completely hooked. But times change. While eBay was once the king of land sales, it has since lost its top spot. That’s not to say it won’t make a comeback, but for now, there are better options.

The Unexpected Power of Craigslist

So, what’s the best place to market your properties today? After you’ve reached out to the neighbors of the property, the next best place is Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist—the one that looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 90s.

I know what you're thinking. “You’re telling me that Craigslist is the best place to sell land in today's market?” I get the skepticism, but the results speak for themselves. My friend Scott Todd recently used Craigslist to sell a 10-acre property in Florida for $9,900 after buying it for just $890. Another colleague, Tate Litchfield, sold a 40-acre lot in Oregon on the platform for $22,900 from a $5,000 investment.

It’s true. You can move serious property for significant money on Craigslist. While I’ve had plenty of great sales through specialized land sites and even eBay, Craigslist has consistently been my most reliable tool since around 2008.

So, what makes it so effective? First, the traffic. In the U.S., it’s still a primary destination for local buying and selling. Second, the users are generally serious. People browsing Craigslist are often ready to make a deal. They’re also looking for a bargain, which is a perfect fit for the value we offer in this .

Crafting an Ad That Sells

No matter where you post your property, you need to have your basic information ready. You’ve already done the work to get photos, the legal description, and the GPS coordinates from the county. Transparency is key, so you’ll want to include all of that.

But just listing the facts isn’t enough. You have to start thinking like an advertiser. You’re running a business, and your inventory is land. Turning this into one of the requires solid marketing.

For years, copywriters have emphasized the power of a great headline, and for good reason. It’s what grabs a reader's attention and makes them want to learn more. You could dive deep into books on advertising, or you could simply hire someone on a platform like Fiverr or Upwork to write your ads for you. If you're serious about this becoming one of those , building a small team is a smart move, because you'll need a lot of ads.

You also need to use powerful keywords in your listings. Think about what your potential buyer is looking for. Here are a few angles that work well:

• Try something like, “Escape the city to your own stunning five-acre private retreat!” This targets stressed-out city dwellers, outdoor lovers, and anyone looking for an off-grid lifestyle.
• A headline like, “Steal this five-acre parcel before it’s gone!” speaks directly to bargain hunters and investors who are always on the lookout for a great deal.
• Using a phrase like, “Beautiful five-acre lot directly in the path of growth!” can be a powerful marketing tool. We’ve all heard stories of people whose cheap land suddenly becomes incredibly valuable. It happens, but it’s not a strategy to bet on. Avoid speculation and focus on the core of this business: volume. This is a built on velocity—buy often and sell often.

By focusing on mailing and marketing, you can build up your portfolio of notes. What starts as grocery money can become car payment money, then mortgage money, and eventually, a solid foundation for retirement. The goal is to turn this employment by creating consistent cash flow.

Your Marketing and Sales Checklist

To recap, here is the marketing workflow we use:

1. Start by sending paper letters to the owners of adjacent properties.
2. This should be your primary online platform.
3. Another great, free option for local exposure.
4. Use platforms like LandWatch and Land and Farm.
5. Only use this if a property hasn’t sold after 60-90 days on other sites.

You'll get calls and emails, but be prepared for many of them to be from people who aren't serious buyers. Stay focused. Ideally, your property should sell within thirty days if your pricing and marketing are right.

If it doesn't sell in that timeframe, you have a few options:

• Reduce the price.
• Make the financing terms more attractive (lower down payment, smaller monthly payments).
• List it on eBay.

I consider eBay a last resort these days for a couple of reasons. First, it’s flooded with non-paying bidders. You might get a winning bid, but then the person disappears. You can get your closing fee back from eBay, but you’ll likely lose the initial listing fee. Second, properties on eBay often sell for less because the platform attracts extreme bargain hunters. People are definitely still buying and selling land there every day, but it’s best used as a backup plan when other channels haven't worked.