Pricing a large waterfront parcel

Pricing a large waterfront parcel

Cornelius, NC · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 51 votes

My brother and I own adjacent waterfront lots on a highly developed lake. Our street is next to a fancy country club neighborhood, with a golf course & yacht club. We aren't in the HOA, which is a bonus to many buyers. Our 2 lots are large enough to subdivide, creating a 3rd lot. At first, we thought selling it as 3 lots would be the most profitable way to go. But we have reconsidered that and feel we might do better offering both lots together, selling it as one very large lot (almost 2 acres). Three separate lots are only worth what the market will bear for an individual lot, and some others may have better features (better view, deeper water, etc.) than ours. But nobody has a 2-acre lot available on the lake. Recently a few ultra-wealthy people have combined lots to build extremely large homes nearby. One is 35,000 sf and another on the next street from us is 24,000 sf.

Neither sits on as large a lot as ours, but both have better views.

Since we can sell it as 3 lots we feel like the large lot is worth more than the total that we could reasonably expect to get from selling them separately, because 3 individual lots cannot be combined to create a larger parcel unless they are adjacent.  Assuming our reasoning is correct, how much of a premium should we ask?  What is the risk of asking too much?  

Can we say we are entertaining offers starting at "X" for a certain time frame (90-120 days or so) and require a percentage of the offer for a deposit.  Would 5% be reasonable?  Would this be the best way to maximize the selling price, without actually asking an outrageous price?

We aren't planning to list with an agent.  We plan to have a RE attorney handle the transaction.  

Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated.  

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Residential Real Estate Broker · Crystal Lake, IL · Member since 2012 · 124 posts · 94 votes
8y

Real estate agent here; I'm not a developer. I can't imagine you would do better than selling each lot separately. You are selling a view and [perhaps] water rights. You're not selling a place to play football with your kids. The value is the proximity to water, not the land. If one guy with more money than sense wants to pay you for all 3 lots so he can have 2 acres, fine, good for him. The likely path to maximum value is 3 lots sold separately.

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  • Residential Real Estate Broker · Crystal Lake, IL · Member since 2012 · 124 posts · 94 votes
    8y

    Real estate agent here; I'm not a developer. I can't imagine you would do better than selling each lot separately. You are selling a view and [perhaps] water rights. You're not selling a place to play football with your kids. The value is the proximity to water, not the land. If one guy with more money than sense wants to pay you for all 3 lots so he can have 2 acres, fine, good for him. The likely path to maximum value is 3 lots sold separately.

  • Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    8y

    I would subdivide into 3 lots and offer the properties up for sale .If somebody wants all 3 they will buy them .  Make the price high enough that it works for you either way 

  • Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    8y
    Finding one buyer to overpay for having the largest lot would be a bit of a hope, looking for a bit of an unicorn buyer. You could try that while subdividing into 3 lots. As said, 3 lots is probably the way to go. Either way, not listing it/them in the mls will likely eliminate 80% of your potential buyers.
  • Cornelius, NC · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 51 votes
    8y

    Subdividing is our backup plan.  We've already had the survey work done and it has been approved by the planning dept.  

    At the moment we are waiting to have the lots cleared.  There are a couple of double-wides and one sits on a proposed new property line.  The demo crew will also remove all of the smaller trees and bushhog the underbrush.  That will open the view and improve the curb appeal.   

    Building lots here are in such high demand that listing them isn't necessary.  It is on a large peninsula, with one main road, so advertising with a few simple signs covers the entire area.  We've had neighbors and strangers approach us regularly for years about our plans for the land.  We'll put it on Zillow, put up a few signs, and have a flyer box at the street.  Even the local realtors don't expect to get in on vacant waterfront lots here.  The potential buyers are basically lined up.  Houses are entirely different, because there are plenty of them available.

  • Cornelius, NC · Member since 2016 · 104 posts · 51 votes
    8y

    I apologize if my last post came across as arrogant or overconfident.  I should have worded it to say that "in my unprofessional view, or opinion", because that's obviously the case.

    I am listening and hear you all saying that it should be easier to sell 3 separate lots for more money than trying to find the unicorn.  I will call the surveyors to be certain that the subdivision work is actually at the final stage so we can proceed with it ASAP when we make that decision.  

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