HOUSE RULES & FAQ
How buying works here.
Straight answers to the questions buyers ask most. Anything not covered here, text 415-200-5153 and Merritt will answer.
Why only cash? Can I buy on payments?
No payments, and here's why. Most owner-financed land is sold on a land contract (also called a contract for deed). The seller keeps the title until your very last payment. These contracts often aren't recorded, there's usually no title search or title insurance, and a buyer who falls behind can lose the land and every payment already made.
Some land dealers resell the same parcel this way again and again, and a parcel with a history of canceled contracts can carry clouds on its title for years.
Every sale here is cash and closes through a title & escrow company. The deed is recorded in your name at closing, with title insurance.
How does the sale work?
All purchases are handled through reputable title & escrow companies. They hold the money and handle the deed transfer, plus all the documents and notary services.
Most sales close in 10–14 days. We pay for the owner’s title insurance policy and the county transfer tax, the escrow fee is split 50/50, and you pay the recording fees. Property taxes are prorated to the day of closing. For most buyers, closing costs come to under $1,000.
How do I know this is legit?
Check us. You deal with Merritt Whitman directly, and every sale closes through a title & escrow company. Before you pay anything, the title company confirms who owns the land and that it can be sold to you; your owner’s title insurance policy backs that up, and the deed is recorded in your name at closing. Our company is Raw Land Holdings, LLC, dba Vacant Land Syndicate, 201 Adobestone Ct, San Rafael, CA 94903. We occasionally hold land through a related entity or a partnership; the title company verifies the owner of record either way.
And we never ask you to wire money to us. You pay the title company’s escrow directly, after confirming its wire instructions by phone at a number you looked up yourself.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes. Buy it. Walk it. Not happy within 30 days of closing, for any reason? We’ll buy it back for the price you paid. It goes back through escrow, just like the sale, and the only deduction is the buy-back’s closing costs. The land just has to come back the way you got it: no new liens, loans or changes. The closing costs you paid when you bought aren’t refunded.
Do you recommend title insurance?
Yes, and every sale here closes with it: through a title & escrow company, with the deed recorded in your name and a title insurance policy, so the purchase is fully protected.
Any back taxes or liens?
No. Unless the listing says otherwise, every parcel we sell is free and clear, with the taxes current.
One thing to plan for: after you buy, the county reassesses the land at your purchase price, so your yearly property tax will be a bit over 1% of what you paid. Each listing shows the current bill and any special district on its title report.
Will you show me the property?
We aren't real estate agents, so we don't give tours. Open the parcel's page on your phone at the land and tap Walk It: it shows where you're standing against the lines, which way each corner is, and it works with no cell signal once the page is saved. Text us first to make sure it hasn't sold.
Does it have water or power?
Assume no unless the listing says so. There are workarounds worth looking into, like solar or wind power, drilling a well, or water delivery. Each listing's property record shows what we know.
Can I put a trailer, yurt, RV or house on it?
Check the county or city zoning rules as part of your due diligence to see whether your plan is allowed. Each listing shows the zoning we have on file.
Are mineral rights included?
Assume no unless the listing says otherwise. Researching mineral rights is often slow, complicated and costly, and it rarely matters unless you plan to start a mining business.
Do I need an attorney or a real estate agent?
We don't think so. The contracts are short and easy to read. If you'd feel better paying a professional to look things over, we're happy to work with them.
How do you keep prices low?
We research thousands of properties every month and buy only the best deals from motivated sellers. Each listing shows a nearby sale so you can compare the price yourself.
What's a wake-up call?
Our first-call list. When a new parcel checks in, wake-up call guests hear about it, with the drone film and the price, before it's marketed anywhere else. Get on the list.
How do I get the packet?
Ask for it on any parcel's page. It's emailed to you with the parcel map for Google Earth, the APN details and the full drone footage. If it's still being finished, it's sent the moment it's ready.