Frequently Asked Questions

We only make a quote on the cemetery property itself and in some cases, we might also quote the transfer fee along with it. With that stated, if you are purchasing for immediate need you should be aware the cemetery will charge additional fees. Below is a list of some standard fees. Usually only some of them apply, but not all of them;

• Transfer Fee
• Maintenance Fee/Endowment Care (not common with resale property)
• Opening and Closing/Interment Recording Fee
• Vault/Outer Burial Container
• Vault Setting/Installation
• Witnessing Fee
• Processing Fee
• Assistance Fee
• Vase and Installation
• Marker/Headstone/Memorial
• Marker/Headstone/Memorial Setting/Installation

• Generally, cemetery fees are paid by the buyer, but we try to prepare you in advance for what you should expect.
• Transfer Fee: When transferring resale/secondary market cemetery property, there is an administrative/recording fee paid directly to the cemetery putting the property in the buyer’s name.
• Maintenance Fee/Endowment Care:Most cemeteries only charge the endowment care at the time the property was originally purchased by the seller. There are, however, exceptions and some require the endowment care to be paid again at the time of transfer.
• Opening and Closing:This may go by different names at various cemeteries, but this is the cost of interment.
  • With ground burial, they need to excavate the grave, prepare the site and then fill the grave with earth.
  • With mausoleum/columbarium interment, the crypt/niche face is removed, the remains are placed inside and the face is reinstalled.
  • There is more that goes on behind the scenes to schedule and prepare for the interment than most people would realize. The loss of a loved one is not taken lightly by those who serve you at this time. To ensure you are not left with a bad memory or any hint of unprofessionalism, the cemetery has rules and schedules to enforce. Therefore, even if you want something simple, the same care is taken with each individual case whether one person or 100 are attending. This is time-consuming and labor-intensive. While at the same time, the employees involved have to block out several hours of the day for each interment.
• Vault/Crypt: For in-ground property, some graves have pre-installed vaults, which are also known as lawn crypts. If your property does not have this and the cemetery requires it, the vault may be purchased through the cemetery, or in many cases, the law allows you to buy it from an outside source (a funeral home or elsewhere). In some areas, we offer vaults from the same suppliers as the cemetery. All the vaults we sell are made in the U.S.A.
• Vault Setting/Installation Fee: Most cemeteries require the use of a cement or similar vault/crypt. The casket/urn is placed inside and protects the remains, while at the same time, they prevent the ground above from crushing and becoming less stable over time.
• Witnessing Fee: Most cemeteries allow witnessing of the covering of the grave after the casket has been lowered, but if you plan to request this, you should contact the cemetery to confirm they allow it. Some cemeteries include witnessing upon request without a fee, and others charge to witness the covering of the grave. There are various reasons for this, ranging from additional time by the grounds crew to perform the task, to additional liability, and insurance costs.
• Processing Fee: This is an administrative fee many cemeteries charge per contract.
• Assistance Fee: This is not very common, but is charged by some cemeteries for paperwork and coordination with the mortuary.
• Flower Vase and Installation: There are several designs and types of vases, but most typically, you will find them to be a cup that sits in the ground and can be turned upside down when not being used. To install, first, a hole is dug using a tool like a large apple corer. Then a sleeve is placed in the hole, and the vase is placed in the sleeve.
• Marker/Headstone/Memorial: This is often paid for after the burial has taken place. Just as with the Vault/Crypt, you may be able to purchase it from an outside source at significant savings.
• Marker/Headstone/Memorial Setting: This is often paid for after the burial has taken place and in conjunction with the design/purchase of the marker.

BuyOrSellAPlot.com is a licensed and bonded Cemetery Brokerage in California. We have dozens of licensed agents, and many satisfied buyers and sellers who have worked with us both at the time of need and when planning in advance.

Yes, you can sell the property on your own.

• For most people this is an unfamiliar transaction. Working with a cemetery broker, provides both the buyer and seller with the benefit of our experience and knowledge. We pre-screen and verify the paperwork before posting the listing to ensure when a buyer selects the property, the transaction goes smoothly.
• We work as a built-in escrow for both the buyer and seller. We don’t transfer the property until the funds have cleared, and we don’t pay out funds until the property has been successfully transferred. This protects both the buyer and seller against someone trying to take advantage of you.
• We have a larger sphere of influence and market presence, which is evident by the fact you are reading this. We have a team of agents in many areas to show the property. Also, many funeral homes and other industry professionals know and trust us.
• We save both buyers and sellers from working with scammers and flakes.
• If you are a seller, it can often be difficult and expensive to keep your property continually visible to buyers; whereas with our dedicated staff we are able to spread out the time and expense over multiple transactions.

• If you are in an area where we have a team member, we will put the two of you in communication with each other to coordinate a time and place to meet.
• If you are in an area where we don’t have a team member, or if you prefer to visit the locations without anyone accompanying you, we will give you locations and provide maps, if available.
• After selecting a location and payment is made for the property, our office does the paperwork by mail with the cemetery office placing it in the buyer’s name.

Title transfers vary by cemetery. Buyers will be quoted by the cemetery office the amount of time it takes to process and receive the new Deed or Certificate of Interment Rights. Seller’s payments will be dispersed after verification of the transfer being completed.

As a licensed and bonded broker in the State of California, we have a fiduciary and legal responsibility to both the buyer and seller. We don’t hold on to the money any longer than necessary; we disperse it as soon as we have confirmation of the transfer. Before we send a check, we contact you to verify the address and let you know it is on the way.

In our office, we have native English and Spanish speakers.

With most cemeteries, no. Our paperwork allows us to represent you and make decisions as long as we uphold our agreement with you. There are, however, some cemeteries that do not accept representatives of the owner; in those instances’ paperwork will be mailed at the time of transfer and will require your notarized signature.

It can be done as quickly as the same day or the next day. However, it depends on the circumstances, payment type, cemetery policies, etc. The bottom line is that we understand the business and your needs, and we make every effort to ensure a quick and smooth transaction.

When buying cemetery property, you are generally not purchasing the land, but are instead purchasing interment rights or the right to bury on that land. The difference can be illustrated by imagining the scenario in which you are not allowed to use the property any way you like. For instance, you can’t plant a tree, or buy several and build a house there. Therefore, the cemetery is selling the right to bury on that spot, and they are selling specific interment rights. Most cemeteries sell either a single or double interment right but may also allow for additional instruments. The fees for adding interment rights vary by cemetery.