Frequently Asked Questions

General

  • BurialLink is a top-tier cemetery property marketplace. Listings on BurialLink span all categories of cemetery property for sale, including cemetery plots, burial plots, mausoleums, single plots, family plots, and more. Featuring plots for sale by owner and by the cemetery, BurialLink has your plot needs covered.

    The BurialLink site offers users easy-to-use tools to browse land for sale by state, county, zip code, or more than two dozen different categories. Users can also create custom searches to find cemetery property for sale that best suits their needs. Sellers at BurialLink can easily aggregate their plots for sale, making it easy for buyers to view their preferred agents' properties. In addition to the site, BurialLink offers an email newsletter that provides valuable information on cemetery property for sale.

  • We (Carlos & Zac) are two friends who have always been fascinated by the real estate and digital world, realizing we could merge the two to create value for multiple stakeholders. While creating this value, we could create transparency and responsibility in an industry that has none. We set out to leverage our experience as a web developer and finance executive to democratize the cemetery property industry, and ensure that it keeps up with the times and continues to engage future generations.

  • BurialLink's mission is to democratize cemetery property (burial and cemetery plots) for all. We believe that everyone should have access to afterlife planning, so we've built Burial Link from the ground up to make researching, sourcing, buying, and selling cemetery property, transparent, and approachable for newcomers and experts alike.

    We facilitate the reselling of burial plots by people who have one they don’t need. In an industry that can appear opaque and outdated, our goal is to provide our users with a transparent experience using our modern platform. End-of-life planning has traditionally been depressing, we strive to inject a bit of energy!

  • We are your best option for listing your cemetery and burial plot. Listing your burial property for sale is easy, affordable, and effective! BurialLink is one of the leading digital marketplaces for selling your plots online, which means we drive results. If you want to sell your plots fast, there is no better place to be without paying a small fortune to do so. Click here to list your burial plot online.

  • Cemetery property (also known as cemetery plots and burial plots) is not a "want" product; it is a "need" product. Last year (2019), in the United States, there were 2,813,000 deaths, and the number will grow to over 4,500,000 in the year 2040. This statistic means that at least two and a half million families will deal with this "need" for a cemetery product every year.

  • Like most digital marketplaces, BurialLink has multiple sources of income. These types of income fall into three basic categories:

    1. Seller subscriptions
    2. Affiliate commissions
    3. Ad revenue

    Our mission is to democratize cemetery property (burial and cemetery plots) for all. Earning revenue allows us to offer you a range of services at a free or low cost.

Selling

  • Our pricing page has a complete breakdown of the costs and features of each of our listing plans. Regardless of the plan you choose, your plot ad runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the agreed period. The ad is entirely interactive, allowing for a full description, multiple photos, and complete contact information. You have full control over your ad and can update and modify it at your discretion through the seller portal.

    We also offer premium ad listings that highlight your plot and advertise it to other areas around your plot location.

  • Be smart and competitive about your plot pricing. Depending on your location, the cemetery may have hundreds or thousands of spaces in inventory for sale. Take into consideration the plot location inside the cemetery and the quality of the surroundings. Find out what their best prices are and price your property accordingly. Remember, price to sell!

    Keep in mind that, for the past 100 years, cemetery property sold using pay over time contracts with small down payments, even smaller installment payments and years to pay. Cemeteries still do that today. Remember, the secondary market is a cash market with no financing available from sellers and should consider when setting our price.

    Additionally, BurialLink has excellent built-in tools that clearly outline the prices for specific cemeteries or regions based on historical transaction data. Use this quality data to help guide your pricing decisions.

  • No! There are no commissions or hidden fees for listing your cemetery property for sale on BurialLink. However, there are usually cemetery charges for quit-claiming ownership to another person. Cemeteries often charge between $100 to $350 for paperwork and processing for each new certificate issued.

    The buyer and seller should agree ahead of time on who will pay this fee and outline it in writing. We recommend you state this in the ad, but the buyer should inquire in advance of purchase if it is not clearly stated.

  • At BurialLink, we review all listings for quality. Our high caliber of listings sets us apart from the other websites selling burial and cemetery plots. Your submission is entirely instantaneous, but it may take up to 24 hours to review and approve your listing. This approach helps us ensure the high quality of listing and related traffic to ensure we drive qualified leads to your cemetery property.

  • Yes. It is encouraged that you post multiple photos but not required. If you do not currently have photos for your ad, you can always add pictures later.

    We recommend not waiting to post your plot due to needing photos. It is more important to get your ad listing public and accessible by our site visitors and those searching for cemetery and burial plots in your area. Without an ad, no one knows your burial plot is for sale!

  • BurialLink does not offer any guarantee of sale or timeframe in which a transaction may occur.  However, if the right buyer comes along or already is watching your cemetery on our website, it could potentially sell the first day. Then again, it could take several months or longer to sell.  It all depends on timing and demand for plots in your burial plots region.  

    We understand this process can be overwhelming, and we are here to help! Start by ensuring your price is in-line with the market by using our pricing tools. Second, ensure your description provides as much information as possible (too much information is better than not enough). Lastly, ensure you respond to all inquiries even if they seem repetitive! Interested buyers are out there, and BurialLink is here to help find them for you. Also, by signing up for our annual plan, you get three months FREE!

  • All of the Seller accounts automatically renew. An auto-renewal feature is a helpful tool for those clients who know they will be advertising properties on BurialLink for the immediate future. This feature allows your account to be automatically billed and renewed on a set date determined by the billing term that you sign up for. To discontinue this automatic renewal feature, the user will need to click on billing and then choose Cancel Membership from the drop-down menu. On this page, there will be a button that says Yes, cancel my account. Click on that to cancel future payments. Your account will remain active for the duration of paid time.

  • You can change your membership subscription type from Basic to Premium at any point. The below steps will show you how to do so from within your account and how it will affect your subscription.

    First, go to the Billing tab and select Renew Account. Select your new subscription type. Once you select your new membership type, a Credit Calculator will appear below the membership pricing. The credit calculator will show you how your account will be affected by the change in account type. Once you select Process Payment, your Premium membership will begin!

  • Yes, of course! You can modify your ad at any time, day or night. Simply login using the email address and password you used when signing up for your seller account. You can change or correct the verbiage in your ad. You can add or change photos. You can even upgrade your ad to a premium listing at any time.

  • At BurialLink we want to make the listing process as easy and as affordable as possible. This means we only charge per listing, which could be one (1) or multiple plots (2+) in the same cemetery!

Buying

  • Absolutely! As long as you or your spouse have been honorable or medically discharged from the U.S. military, you are BOTH eligible for free burial in a national cemetery, regardless of whether or not the veteran served during a time of war. This free burial includes the plot, opening and closing, grave liner, bronze or granite government headstone, a burial flag, and Presidential Memorial Certificate. Free burial or cremation niche placement is also available for those choosing cremation. For more information regarding veteran burial benefits, visit http://www.cem.va.gov/burial_benefits/.

  • Exciting! You have made a great decision to buy from a private party, rather than a cemetery. This decision will likely save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Now you need to confirm that the seller owns the cemetery property. This tactic is particularly important before you make an exchange or deposit on the cemetery property. You will also want to be sure the seller has the right to sell the property.

    In many cases, when the owner is selling cemetery property, the seller has inherited the property from a relative. There may be other family members who have a share in the ownership. You must ensure the cemetery property is free and clear to be transferred. By asking the cemetery personnel to look into it first, you avoid purchasing the plots, niche, or crypt and then having an issue trying to get it transferred. Ideally, the seller will have done their due diligence before posting the ad and will have all their affairs in order.

  • BurialLink makes no claims of the status, quality, or authenticity of its listings.

    Before you exchange any money for burial property or other goods/services, be sure to have help from the cemetery personnel of the cemetery, you are purchasing the cemetery property.  You will want to ensure the seller owns the cemetery property.  You will also want to be sure the seller has the right to sell the property.  In many cases, when the owner is selling cemetery property, it is because the seller has inherited the property from a relative, and there may be other family members who have a share in its ownership. By asking the cemetery personnel to look into it first, you avoid the risk of purchasing the plots, niche or crypt, and then having an issue trying to get its rights transferred. Hopefully, the seller will have done their due diligence before posting the ad and will have all their affairs in order.

  • "Perpetual Care," or contribution to the endowment care fund is a one time fee charged when the cemetery property was initially purchased from the cemetery. It transfers with the property and should not be paid again.

Billing

  • To view your billing information, put your mouse over the Billing Tab, then choose one of the following options:

    Renew Account: This will bring you to a page much like the page from your original sign-up. If your account is inactive, you can renew it here. This area also allows you to upgrade your account from Basic to Premium, or upgrade to a lower rate if you wish to remain longer. When you select any other billing option on this page, the "Credit Calculator" will display, showing you how much money will be credited towards your upgrade from what you have previously paid.

    Manage Billing: This section will show all credit card transactions on your account, and when they occurred.

    Cancel Membership: If your subscription is currently active, you can cancel your recurring billing by clicking on Cancel Recurring Billing. The following page will ask if you are sure you wish to cancel your account and tell you how long your account will be active (the properties will still be viewable by prospective buyers until the subscription expires).

  • Recurring billings happen in 30-day increments. One month is considered to be 30 calendar days. So for a monthly subscription, you will be billed the same amount every 30 days. You will be billed every 90 days for a Quarterly subscription, and for a Yearly subscription, you will be billed every 360 days.

  • To cancel your account, click on billing and then choose Cancel Membership from the drop-down menu. On this page, there will be a button that says, "Yes, cancel my account." Click on that to cancel future payments. Your account will remain active for the duration of paid time paid.

  • The account user can log in to their administration area even if the account is expired and inactive. After logging into the account, the web page will automatically be directed to the "Renew Your Account" portion of the administration area. On this page, the user can add time to the account by selecting a subscription length, either monthly, quarterly, or yearly, and enter in their credit card information for billing purposes.

    The account's properties will be activated immediately for the public to view after payment has processed. To discontinue this automatic renewal feature, the user will need to click on billing and then choose Cancel Recurring Billing from the drop-down menu. On this page, there will be a button that says, "Yes, cancel my account." Click on that to cancel future payments. Your account will remain active for the duration of paid time.

  • To view your billing history, go to the Billing tab, then click on Manage Billing.

    You can see the charges made on your account, change your credit card number for future billing by clicking Change Credit Card Information, or cancel future billing by clicking Cancel Membership.

Account

  • People make a very common mistake when trying to log in because they enter their email address instead of their username.  If you are having trouble logging in, make sure you have the correct username and password.

  • In the event you forget your password, please use the following steps to reset your password successfully:

    1. Visit the Password Reset page.
    2. Enter your email address and click "reset password." 
    3. This action will send an email to the email address you entered. You must click the link in the email to open the new password page. If you run into trouble after clicking the link, please see this article for help.
    4. Type in the new password you want to use, twice, and click the confirmation button.
    5. You can now use your new password to Sign In.

  • Here are some steps you can take to secure your BurialLink account.

    • Use unique passwords: One of the most important things you can do is use a unique password for your BurialLink account. If you've ever used the same password for more than one website, you should create new and unique passwords for each. (Or better yet, use a tool such as 1Password or LastPass to help you manage your passwords across multiple services.)
    • Create strong passwords: A great way to make a strong password is to use a passphrase that's easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess. You can also consider using a combination of uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers as well.
    • Rotate your password: Consider changing your password every once and a while to make sure it’s always fresh and secure.
    • Never share your password: Remember that BurialLink Support will never ask for your account password or credentials regarding your account.

  • Paying attention to your account is one of the best ways to stay secure from malicious actors. It's essential to remain vigilant and keep an eye on your activity. See an email notifying you of a login or account update you don't recognize? Was there a new device attached to your account? Alert us. Let us know about unauthorized activity in your account as soon as you see it, and we'll work to secure your account, so you keep control of your information and money.

Tax Deduction

  • You should request an appraisal only. We will furnish you with a written appraisal of your cemetery property and will make the appropriate entries and sign IRS form 8283 that also has to be signed by the charitable organization. The appraisal fee is $49.

  • Many people choose to donate their cemetery property to a qualified charitable organization and take a tax deduction. The IRS requires an appraisal and the appraiser sign tax form 8283. Since most people purchased their property many years ago or inherited the property from parents, etc. the current market value can represent a sizable tax deduction, and this figure must be obtained from an accountable appraisal source. Also, knowing the property's real market value can be very useful in the selling process and is a requirement in settling estates.