Purchasing a burial plot is a big financial decision, but the sooner you do it, the better. Its value increases over time, so you can always sell it if you don’t need it in the future.
People looking to buy a cemetery plot often have many questions regarding the ownership. One of the most common is “how long do you own a cemetery plot.” Is it time-limited ownership, or do you get it forever, and can it pass down to your descendants?
Does Cemetery Plot Ownership Expire?
When you purchase a burial plot, it is typically yours until the end of your life. Some cemeteries have a set duration of ownership, typically 25 to 100 years. Afterward, the period expires, the term can be renewed. Most cemeteries don’t do this, and once you purchase a burial plot, you are a rightful owner in perpetuity.
However, you should know that you do not technically own the land. You are simply buying the right to be buried there while the cemetery retains ownership of the land.
What Happens When the Duration Expires?
If you’ve purchased a funeral plot with a set duration, you or your descendants can renew it after expiration. The process is simple, and the ownership remains in the same hands.
However, if it isn’t renewed and the plot is unoccupied, you lose the rights to it, and it transfers back to the cemetery.
If the plot has been used, the cemetery will typically leave it in place for some time. They usually don’t touch it unless they have no other available burial plots. And it can take decades for that to happen. However, they may remove a headstone or even make additional burials depending on the plot’s size.
What Happens to an Unused Cemetery Plot After the Owner Passes?
If an unused burial plot owner passes, the ownership is transferred according to state laws. If it is not mentioned in the will, it is given to a family member or a person with inheritance stake consent.
Can I Sell a Cemetery Plot?
Yes, many private owners decide to sell the burial plots they no longer need. Your standard options are to sell it to friends or family, put an ad on the internet, or hire a cemetery broker. The last option is usually the best.
Stephanie Salcedo from Secure Your Legacy is a cemetery broker in Missouri City and Sugar Land, Texas. You can contact her if you are trying to sell your burial plot, as she has extensive experience and can secure you the best price. Click here for contact details.
