Retail buyers on MLS are mostly financed. And financing raw land is much narrower than financing a house — most Canadian lenders won’t write a mortgage on vacant land at all, and the ones that will require a bigger down payment (35 to 50% common) at a higher rate. That knocks 80% of the retail buyer pool out of the running before the listing even goes live.
The result: private land listings in Alberta and Ontario often sit for 12 to 24 months before selling — often to a cash buyer at the end who bought at a discount because the seller was tired of waiting. Meanwhile, the seller carries the property tax, sometimes an ongoing municipal levy, and the general opportunity cost of the capital tied up in the parcel.
A direct cash sale skips the waiting. Cash offer within 24 hours. Closing through a licensed Alberta or Ontario real estate lawyer in 7 to 15 days. The lawyer handles the transfer on Land Titles, disburses net proceeds, and the file is done.