How to Read a Land Offer in 2026: 11 Things to Verify in a Land Purchase Offer

1) Buyer identity (who is actually buying)

• • Full legal name (or exact LLC/entity name + state)
  • Who has signing authority
  • Who will appear on the deed at closing

Red flag: “We’ll fill that in later” or “It might be another company.”

2) Assignment language (can they transfer the contract?)

Assignment means the buyer can transfer their contract rights to someone else. That can change who you’re dealing with mid-stream.

Seller-friendly options:

• • No assignment without your written consent
  • Or: assignment allowed only to a related entity, and the original buyer remains liable

Red flags:

• • “Buyer may assign without Seller’s consent.”
  • “Seller agrees to cooperate with assignment.”
  • Anything that makes assignment automatic.

3) Due diligence / feasibility period (the “free option” window)

This is the period where the buyer checks things (access, septic, utilities, etc.). It’s also the period where sellers lose control if it’s too long or too vague.

• • Length (days)
  • What the buyer is allowed to do on the property
  • What notice they must give to cancel

Red flags: long diligence + “buyer may cancel for any reason” + tiny earnest money.

4) Contingencies (every reason they can cancel)

Contingencies are the buyer’s exit doors. You want them specific and time-bound.

Seller move (simple):

“List every reason you can cancel, and the exact deadline for each.”

5) Earnest money deposit (EMD): amount, deadline, and when it goes hard

Earnest money is the buyer’s “skin in the game.” A strong offer usually has a clear deposit deadline and a clear point where the buyer can’t walk away for free.

• • How much is the EMD?
  • When is it due (24–72 hours after signing, etc.)?
  • Who holds it (title company / escrow / attorney)?
  • When does it become non-refundable (if at all)?

Red flag: EMD that’s tiny, late, or refundable until the end of a long due diligence period.

6) Closing date + extension language (who controls delays?)

• • Exact closing deadline
  • Any extension rights and how they’re triggered
  • Whether an extension requires additional money

Red flags: automatic extensions, buyer-only extensions, or “notice alone” extensions with no added deposit.

7) Purchase price vs. what you actually net

Two offers with the same price can produce different cash-to-seller outcomes.

• • Title / escrow fees
  • Recording fees
  • Transfer taxes (varies by state/county)
  • Survey costs (if needed)

Seller move:

Ask the closing party for a net sheet estimate before you accept.

8) Title review + who pays to “cure” issues

• • How long the buyer has to review title
  • What happens if a title issue appears
  • Who pays to cure, and how much time you get

Watch for: language that lets the buyer cancel immediately without giving you time to cure fixable issues.

9) Representations you’re making (don’t promise what you don’t know)

Land contracts sometimes include statements about access, utilities, buildability, acreage, boundaries, or environmental issues.

Seller rule:

If you don’t know it for sure, avoid guaranteeing it. Keep statements limited to what you can verify.

10) Property access during the contract (who can enter and what they can do)

• • Notice required (24–48 hours)
  • Limits on invasive testing (soil borings, perc tests, tree clearing)
  • Insurance requirements
  • Restore property if disturbed

Red flag: broad entry rights with no notice, no limits, and no responsibility for damage.

11) Default and remedies (what happens if the buyer doesn’t close?)

This section determines whether you can end the deal cleanly if the buyer stalls.

• • Can you terminate after a missed deadline?
  • Do you keep the earnest money?
  • Any “specific performance” language (forces court action)?

Seller goal:

Clear deadlines + clear consequences. You want your timeline back fast if the buyer can’t perform.