How to prepare a listing that sells

Practical tips for a land listing: photos, description, price, map and title-deed data – for sellers on a map-first classifieds portal.

A good land listing is not a marketing fairy tale. It is a clear, verifiable offer: what you are selling, where it is, for how much, and what the buyer should check. On a map-first classifieds portal – such as Arealis (not a real-estate agency) – what mainly decides is the location on the map, truthful data and photos that show the land, not only a sunset. This text is a practical guide for an ordinary seller. It is not legal advice.

1. First clarify what you are selling

Before writing the headline, open an official extract from the title deed on the ÚGKK portal (katasterportal / Portál ESKN). Note down:

• cadastral territory, title-deed number, parcel number and register (C or E);
• area in m²;
• land type;
• whether it is sole ownership or a co-ownership share;
• whether Part C lists encumbrances.

Property data are kept by the cadastre under Act No. 162/1995 Coll. (Cadastral Act). A listing that states a different area or parcel number than the title deed loses trust at the buyer’s first check.

If you are selling a share, write that in the headline and in the description. A buyer searching for “800 m² of land” is not searching for “a 1/4 share in land”. For a share, also remember the statutory pre-emption right under § 140 of the Slovak Civil Code (Občiansky zákonník) – the listing may run in parallel with an offer to co-owners, but do not promise an “immediate sale to a third party” without that step.

2. Headline and location – the map is the first impression

On a map-oriented portal the buyer often first sees a pin on the map, then the title. Therefore:

• Place the listing on the correct parcel (or at least the correct location if the portal works with map selection). A wrong pin means pointless viewings and lost time.
• In the headline state the municipality / part of municipality, land type and area. Example structure: “Arable land 2,450 m², district …, by an access road” – not “Super investment!!!”.
• Avoid vague words (“near the city”, “ideal for everything”) without a concrete fact.

If you know the zoning plan (or have ÚPI under Act No. 200/2022 Coll. on spatial planning), you may briefly state the functional use – for example “under the municipal ÚPI designated for …”. Do not declare the land “building land” without a basis; the buyer will check and distrust will kill the deal.

3. Photos that sell the land

Photos should show the land and surroundings, not only atmosphere:

• the whole parcel from several sides (if possible);
• the access road and connection to the public road;
• the neighbourhood (built-up area, field, forest) – reality, not retouching;
• landmarks (pole, fence, road) so the buyer can compare with the map;
• seasonal condition – if it is overgrown, show it; better now than at the viewing.

Recommended minimum: 6–12 photos plus one clear map / orthophoto if the portal allows it. Vertical selfies and photos from a car with the wiper on look unprofessional. A drone can help on larger parcels, but it does not replace a ground-level view.

Do not use photos of other people’s land or stock images. In a dispute about what was advertised, truthful photo documentation helps both sides.

4. Description – facts before adjectives

A good description answers the questions the buyer would ask anyway:

1. Identification – municipality, cadastral territory, parcel, register, area, land type, title deed (you may state the number or offer it on request).
2. Ownership – sole / share; number of co-owners if relevant.
3. Access – public road, private road, easement, or “access still to be resolved”.
4. Utilities – what is at the boundary / in reach, what is only an assumption. If you do not know, write “the buyer will verify utilities with operators” – better than invented “all utilities nearby”.
5. Zoning context – what you know from the zoning plan / ÚPI; what is only your intent.
6. Encumbrances and notes – if they exist, briefly and honestly. A hidden encumbrance kills the deal later and damages reputation.
7. Reason for sale and flexibility – optional; helps when negotiating timing.

Write short paragraphs and bullet points. Avoid legal jargon you cannot explain and marketing phrases without content. Portal tone: factual, local, without pressure.

5. Price – how to set it and write it

The price should be concrete (or a clear “price by agreement” with a reasonable band if the portal allows it). For land, compare:

• similar areas and land types in the same district / municipality;
• access and utilities (land without access is not comparable to a roadside parcel);
• whether it is the whole parcel or a share;
• whether a change of use / agricultural withdrawal is needed.

If you cannot set the price, look at comparable offers on the map and consider an expert valuation (especially in inheritance or a family transfer). In the description state what is included in the price and what is not (for example whether you sell with settlement of a mortgage).

Do not promise a “guaranteed building permit” or “certain appreciation”. You may write facts: “ÚPI confirms …”, “access via an easement on the title deed …”.

6. Technical details of a listing on a map-first portal

• Category and filter – agricultural, forest, building / residential according to reality, not according to wish.
• Contact – phone or a message via the portal; answer questions about the title deed and access quickly.
• Update – if the price, an encumbrance or the condition changes, edit the listing. Old text with a new reality confuses.
• Viewing – propose a clear procedure (time, where you meet, what the buyer should bring – e.g. questions on ÚPI).

The publishing fee depends on the portal product. For example at Arealis it may be a product fee of about €1.49 / month (an example of a product fee, not advertising or a promise of results) – check the current price list on the portal before publishing.

7. Checklist before publishing

• Do the parcel, area and land type match the title deed?
• Is the correct location on the map?
• Is it clear in the headline whether it is the whole land or a share?
• Are the photos current and do they show access?
• Is the price concrete and justifiable by comparison?
• Am I not writing “building” without ÚPI / a zoning basis?
• Am I ready to provide an informative title-deed extract to an interested buyer?

Takeaways

A listing that sells is accurate and verifiable. On a map-first portal the winners are the correct pin, truthful cadastre data, photos of the land and prices without fairy tales. The buyer will check the title deed at ÚGKK and the zoning plan at the municipality anyway – your listing should make that check easier, not harder. If the data match, a viewing makes sense; if they do not, no adjectives will save it.

Informational content, not legal advice.