He Received an Offer for $1.35 Million.
It Turned Into a Sale More Than 4X Higher.
Most landowners assume an unsolicited offer is a stroke of luck.
Sometimes it’s simply a sign that you’ve become underpriced.
Tony owned 11 acres in Innisfil.
One day, an unsolicited offer arrived at his house for a land parcel he held in the area for $1.35 million.
He suspected the property was worth more—perhaps closer to $2 million—but he didn’t know enough to be certain.
He and his wife were planning to purchase homes abroad, and the equity tied up in the land could help fund their next chapter.
The question wasn’t whether to sell.
It was whether he was about to leave a substantial amount of money on the table.
The Advice He Didn’t Expect
Tony first contacted another local brokerage.
To their credit, they recognized this wasn’t a typical residential transaction and referred him to Maven Commercial Real Estate.
During our first conversation, I didn’t ask for the listing.
Instead, I asked one question.
“Why do you want to sell now?”
After reviewing the property, I explained that Simcoe County was in the middle of its Municipal Comprehensive Review.
His land sat directly across from the existing settlement boundary.
If the boundary expanded to include his property, its future value could increase dramatically.
I told him something many brokers never would.
“It’s too soon to sell.”
Instead of asking him to sign a listing agreement, I introduced him to local planning professionals who could help protect the property’s future potential.
There was no commission.
Just advice.
Trust Changed Everything
A week later, the developer increased the offer to $2.1 million.
Tony called me again.
By then, he wasn’t asking whether he should accept the offer.
He was asking what I thought.
My answer was still the same.
Wait.
Six months later, Tony called once more.
This time he said:
“I know I could make more if I wait… but I’m done. I’m ready to sell.”
That was fine. We could work with the situation to point to real value.
The Commission Conversation
Like many owners, Tony received calls from other brokerages promising to sell the property for lower commission.
On paper, choosing a 3% brokerage instead of Maven’s fee looked like it would save roughly $90,000.
I explained that he was asking the wrong question.
The real question wasn’t:
“How much does commission cost?”
It was:
“Who can create the most competition for my property?”
Development land isn’t sold the same way as a house.
It requires finding the handful of buyers who truly understand its future potential—and getting them to compete.
Creating Competition
We listed the property at $4.5 million.
Then we launched a targeted campaign directly to developers and investors already active in the market.
Our buyer database, relationships, and outreach generated immediate interest.
The result?
Multiple qualified offers.
Every competing buyer came directly from Maven’s buyer network.
Despite being exposed to the entire brokerage community through MLS, no outside brokerage produced a competing buyer.
The winning offer exceeded the asking price by well into seven figures.
The Lesson
An unsolicited offer tells you someone wants your property.
It does not tell you what your property is worth.
That’s what the market is for.
Sometimes the biggest value a broker provides isn’t finding a buyer.
It’s protecting you from accepting the first one.
Thinking About Selling Development Land?
If you’ve received an unsolicited offer—or simply want to understand what your land might be worth before making a decision—we’re happy to have the same conversation we had with Tony.
No pressure.
Just honest advice.
