Sell Your Land in Ohio

The short answer

We buy vacant land and rural acreage in southern Ohio, starting with Gallia and Scioto counties along the Ohio River. Road frontage, old farm ground, wooded tracts, and land with back taxes are all things we look at. You get a written offer, we pay the closing costs, and you choose the closing date.

Counties where we’re buying

Gallia County (Gallipolis, Rio Grande, Vinton, Cheshire)
Scioto County (Portsmouth, Lucasville, Wheelersburg, South Webster)

Own land in a neighboring county, or somewhere else in Ohio? Call us anyway. The steps on this page work the same way across the state.

Three ways to sell land in Ohio

There’s no single right way. It depends on the land, and on how much time and work you want to put in.

List it with a real estate agent. The agent prices it, markets it and brings you offers. Their commission comes out of the sale price. This tends to bring the highest price when the land is clean, easy to reach and in an area people want. It can also take a while, because land sells slower than houses, and not every agent wants a small rural lot.
Sell it yourself. You post it online, put up a sign, answer the calls and show the land. You skip the commission, but the work and the paperwork are yours. A title company or an attorney can still handle the closing. This suits owners who live nearby and aren’t in a hurry.
Sell it to a land buyer like us. You get one written offer and a closing date you choose, and we pay the closing costs. The price is usually lower than a patient sale on the open market. In return it’s quick and certain, and problems like back taxes, liens or an unfinished estate get handled at closing.

If your land has a clear title, good road frontage and no deadline hanging over it, an agent or a sale by owner may put more money in your pocket. We’d rather tell you that than waste your time.

How a sale to us works

You tell us about the land. A parcel number is best. Your name and the county is enough to start.
We look it up. We check the county auditor’s records, the taxes owed, road access, flood maps and whether the land is in CAUV.
You get a written offer. Usually within a few days, and as fast as 2. It shows the price and how any back taxes or liens get paid. You can say no.
A title company or attorney does the title work. They confirm who owns the land and what’s owed against it. This is the part that takes the longest, often a few weeks.
You close on the date you picked. You sign the deed, the taxes and liens are paid from the sale, and you’re paid the rest.

What to have ready

None of this is required to get an offer. It just makes things faster.

The parcel number. Our guide on finding your parcel number shows where to look.
Your latest tax bill, or the delinquent notice if you got one.
A copy of the deed, if you have it. If you don’t, the county recorder does.
If the land was inherited, the death certificate and any will or probate papers. See our guide on selling inherited land.
Any letters from the county, such as mowing or cleanup notices.

Behind on property taxes in Ohio? Here’s how it works

Ohio bills property taxes in two halves. Each county sets its own due dates, and the county treasurer collects.

Late half. A 10% penalty on the unpaid half, cut to 5% if you pay within 10 days of the due date.
Delinquent. Taxes still unpaid after the second-half deadline become delinquent. Interest starts, and the county auditor puts the parcel on the delinquent land list, which is published in the local paper.
Foreclosure. The county can file a tax foreclosure in court. Unoccupied land can also go through a faster process at the county Board of Revision.
Sheriff’s sale. The land is sold at a sheriff’s sale. The opening bid covers what’s owed plus costs.
Redemption. You can usually still pay everything owed and keep the land any time before the court confirms the sale.

Before foreclosure, many owners can sign a delinquent tax contract with the treasurer and pay over time, up to 5 years. As long as you keep the payments, no new penalties or interest are added.

If you’d rather sell, the delinquent taxes are paid out of the sale at closing. Our full guide covers the deadlines and the faster process counties can use for vacant land: Behind on property taxes in Ohio. Can I still sell my land?

Farm land and CAUV

A lot of rural Ohio land is enrolled in CAUV, the Current Agricultural Use Value program, which lowers the taxes on land that’s farmed. If the land stops being farmed, or part of it is split off and used for something else, the county charges back the tax savings from the last 3 years on that part. It’s called recoupment.

It’s a real cost, and it’s worth knowing before you sell. We check CAUV status on every Ohio parcel and build the recoupment into the offer, so there’s no surprise at closing.

Things that matter for southern Ohio land

Mine subsidence. Gallia and Scioto are both on Ohio’s list of counties where mine subsidence insurance is mandatory on homeowner policies. It matters for anyone who builds.
Splitting land. Dividing a parcel needs a new survey and county review. Small lots under 5 acres usually go through the county’s subdivision rules.
Septic. A home needs a septic permit from the county health department, starting with a soil evaluation.
Flood zones. Land along the Ohio and Scioto rivers may be in a mapped floodplain.

Guides for Ohio landowners

All land guides

Common questions

How long does it take to sell land in Ohio?

It depends on how you sell. With us, you can have a written offer in as little as 2 days, and closing happens once the title work is done, on the date you pick. Listing with an agent or selling it yourself usually takes longer, because vacant land has fewer buyers than houses do.

Do I need a real estate agent to sell land in Ohio?

No. You can sell land yourself or sell directly to a buyer. A title company or an attorney handles the deed and the closing either way.

Can I sell Ohio land that’s on the delinquent tax list?

Yes. The taxes are paid at closing.

Will I owe CAUV recoupment if I sell?

Only if the land stops being used for farming. If the buyer keeps farming it and re-enrolls, there may be no charge. We’ll tell you which applies before you sign.

Do you buy wooded land with no road frontage?

Sometimes. Access matters a lot for price, so send us the parcel and we’ll look.

Sell your land in Ohio