Highlands County, Florida
Sell your land in Leisure Lakes for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots in Leisure Lakes for cash, including lots whose platted street may be a county road or only a mapped right-of-way. You get a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours, and closings run through an independent title company, typically in about 10 days, with no fees or commissions.
By Parcel Buyers · · Lot figures from the 2026 Florida property tax roll · How we made this page
Quick answers
- Who buys land for cash in Leisure Lakes?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Leisure Lakes, Highlands County, usually within 24 hours. Sales close through an independent title company, typically in about 10 days, with no fees or commissions to the seller.
- What did vacant lots in Leisure Lakes sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Leisure Lakes sold for a median of $12,500 across 114 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $9,000 to $19,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Leisure Lakes?
- The 2026 Florida property tax roll lists 5,335 vacant residential lots in Leisure Lakes; 75% are quarter-acre lots, and the median lot is 0.24 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Leisure Lakes set?
- We start from recent sales of similar lots nearby, like the 2025 prices on this page, then adjust for water and sewer, road access, flood zone, lot size and any title issues, and for the time and cost of reselling. You get one written number, not a range.
- How do I know a land buyer in Leisure Lakes is legitimate?
- A real buyer closes through an independent, licensed title company and never asks you to pay anything up front. We never charge sellers a fee, deposit or closing-cost advance, and the title company pays you by check or wire at closing.
- Who is buying lots in Leisure Lakes?
- In 2025, companies bought 24% of the vacant lots that sold in Leisure Lakes, including 2% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Leisure Lakes?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a quarter-acre lot in Leisure Lakes was $11,000 across 64 sales.
- Are vacant lots in Leisure Lakes in a FEMA high-risk flood zone?
- About 3.9% of vacant lots in Leisure Lakes have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated November 18, 2015). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel.
- How many vacant lots in Leisure Lakes got a home on the tax roll in 2025?
- 21 vacant lots in Leisure Lakes changed from vacant-residential use to a home with new-construction evidence on the 2026 preliminary tax roll.
Local data
Leisure Lakes land at a glance
Tax-roll figures cover the Leisure Lakes subdivision units (Lake Placid addresses) in Highlands County. Local rules and services are sourced below.
Property addresses here read Lake Placid (97%).
| Vacant residential lots | 5,335 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 tax roll [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Quarter-acre lot (9,000–13,000 sq ft): 75% of vacant lots; next, half-acre lot at 17%. Median lot: 0.24 acre (10,250 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical assessed value | $7,500 median just (market) value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $7,000 and $13,000 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $12,500 median across 114 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Leisure Lakes (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $9,000–$19,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 24% of those purchases, including 2% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 38% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Florida (most often NY, NJ, GA); 4% outside the U.S. [1] |
| Listed on the Unit 2 road area | Road and Bridge Unit 2 names this subdivision among the areas it covers in Sebring, part of Lorida, and north Lake Placid. That unit keeps both paved and unpaved roads, so one street does not describe the next. [2] |
| Dirt roads are not county-kept | The county maintains no dirt road the Board has accepted, and it does not take over an unsurfaced road. A sand or dirt frontage is usually Category 4 or Category 5. Category 5 is a platted right-of-way that may have no drivable road. [3] |
| Absent from the FY26 district list | This subdivision is not named on the adopted FY 2026-27 non-ad valorem district schedule. The separate fire schedule lists $61.45 for a vacant parcel and identifies the charge as part of the county fire-protection MSBU. [5],[6] |
| Water plant and limited sewer | The water and wastewater certificates began in 1984 under the name Leisure Lakes Utility. A 2020 order records a 72,000-gallon-a-day water plant, a 50,000-gallon tank, and 323 sewer customers here. [8],[7] |
| Section 11 had an 80-foot waterway | The Section 11 plat in Plat Book 7, Page 25 showed an 80-foot waterway right-of-way between Tract A and Block 44. On April 27, 2004, the county board vacated part of that waterway and accepted a drainage easement. [11] |
| Septic permits stay with the county | DEP's permitting FAQ still groups Highlands County with places where the local health department issues septic construction permits. The packet is Form DEP 4015, a site plan, a floor plan, and the fee that office sets. [10] |
| Connected-customer water base charge | HC Waterworks' residential 5/8-by-3/4-inch water base charge fell from $29.37 to $29.34 on September 24, 2026. The notice was mailed August 25, 2026. [9] |
| Lake June-in-Winter Scrub Preserve | Florida's park plan records concern that scrub-jay populations near the park in Leisure Lakes were falling. It also records concern that a proposed Daffodil Street extension along the park's west boundary could jeopardize listed plants. [13] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a quarter-acre lot in Leisure Lakes was $11,000 across 64 sales. [1] |
| Vacant lots that got a home on the tax roll in 2025 | 21 recorded with new-construction evidence. [1] |
| Owner-type shares | Individuals 75.8%; companies 20.6%; trusts 2.9%; estates/heirs 0.6%; government/associations 0.1%. [1] |
| 2026 so far (Jan-Jun) | 65 recorded vacant-lot sales; median $10,000. [1] |
| FEMA high-risk flood-zone screen | About 3.9% of vacant lots in Leisure Lakes have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated November 18, 2015). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel. |
| Springs BMAP small-lot screen | About 0% of located vacant lots in Leisure Lakes are 1 acre or less and have their center point in an adopted Florida springs BMAP. |
Pricing
What is a lot in Leisure Lakes worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Leisure Lakes sold for a median of $12,500 across 114 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $9,000 to $19,000. [1]
These are open-market sale prices. A direct cash offer is usually lower, because a cash buyer closes in days and takes on the time and cost of reselling the lot.
Recorded 2025 sale prices by lot size in Leisure Lakes
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter-acre lot9,000–12,999 sq ft | 64 | $11,000 | $8,000–$15,000 |
| Half-acre lot19,000–23,999 sq ft | 32 | $17,200 | $12,800–$20,000 |
These are open-market sale prices. A direct cash offer is usually lower, because a cash buyer closes in days and takes on the time and cost of reselling the lot.
See what similar lots sold for
What moves the price in Leisure Lakes
A platted street may not be a county road
A mapped street in these units is not automatically a road the county maintains. Unit 2 lists the subdivision in its Sebring, partial Lorida, and north Lake Placid territory, and that crew keeps both paved and unpaved mileage. The county also says it maintains no dirt road the Board has accepted, and it will not take over an unsurfaced road. Category 1 is a paved county road. Category 5 is only a platted right-of-way, and it may have no driving surface. Residents who want pavement can use the Road Improvement Program, which allows a 50% cost share. County engineering reviews plats and right-of-way work proposed in the unincorporated area. We look at the actual frontage before we offer. [2],[3],[4]
Water service does not prove a sewer hookup
A water plant for this subdivision does not mean your vacant lot has a sewer hookup. A 2020 commission order records a permitted water-plant capacity of 72,000 gallons a day, wells rated at 200 and 50 gallons a minute, and a 50,000-gallon tank. It counted 323 residential wastewater customers in Leisure Lakes. The same utility also ran separate water systems serving Lake Josephine and Sebring Lakes. The 2014 transfer order rated the Leisure Lakes wastewater plant at 50,000 gallons a day, with disposal in a two-cell rapid infiltration basin. If a future house has no sewer account, the county health department handles the septic permit. [7],[8],[10]
The yearly district list does not name these units
An empty lot here is not given its own line on the adopted FY 2026-27 non-ad valorem schedule. That schedule is where the county prints extra yearly district charges. The fire-protection MSBU, adopted in 2018, bills $61.45 for each vacant parcel in FY 2026-27. Property tax is separate and due by March 31. If it is still unpaid the next day, the Tax Collector treats it as delinquent, and a tax-certificate sale can start on or before June 1. Use this parcel's tax bill, not a neighboring plat's charge. [5],[6],[12]
Sales set a range, then the lot itself decides
Recent vacant-lot sales are a baseline, not the cash offer. In 2025 the tax roll shows 114 arm's-length, single-parcel vacant-lot sales in this scope. The median sale was $12,500, and the middle half ran $9,000–$19,000. Median just value on the roll is $7,500, a tax figure rather than a price someone paid. The most common vacant residential size is a quarter-acre lot, at 75% of the mix, and many lots are larger than that typical quarter-acre lot. A paper street, no sewer account, or an old canal easement can pull one parcel away from those medians. We check utilities, access, and title before offering. [1],[3],[7]
Common situations
Selling land in Leisure Lakes in these situations
You own a lot with no hookups and no build plan
You can sell a lot that has never had water, sewer, or a finished street. Most vacant residential parcels in this scope are quarter-acre lots, and a missing tap does not wipe out the land. Someone who builds later, and who has no sewer account, still needs a septic construction permit from the county health department. We buy vacant lots in that condition, including lots that need well, septic, or road work. Our only contingency is a land inspection. If the inspection fails, it costs the seller nothing. [1],[10]
The street on your deed is only a paper right-of-way
You can sell a lot whose street is drawn on the plat but is not a maintained road. County Category 5 is a platted right-of-way, and it may not be drivable or even visible on the ground. Category 4 is an unpaved road the county does not keep. Either label changes what a later owner can reach with a car or a builder's truck. We review access along with utilities and title before the offer. You do not have to grade or pave the frontage before you sell. [3]
You inherited the lot and you live out of state
An heir can sell without traveling to Highlands County. 38% of vacant-lot owners in this scope receive tax mail outside Florida. The deed may name a section, block, and lot from an old plat and still say nothing about today's road status or utility account. You can sign electronically and use a mail-away closing. The title company explains which estate papers it needs. If you agree, a lien or back taxes can be paid from the proceeds. Funds can go out by check or by wire. [1]
The tax bill grew while the lot sat empty
Unpaid taxes do not, by themselves, stop a sale. The county fire MSBU adds $61.45 on a vacant parcel for FY 2026-27, on top of the regular tax. The Tax Collector's deadline for full payment is March 31. On April 1 the unpaid real-estate amount becomes delinquent, and after the required newspaper ads a tax-certificate sale begins on or before June 1. With your consent, those balances can be paid from closing proceeds. We cover closing costs, and you pay no commission. [6],[12]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Leisure Lakes?
From your first message to money in hand, with nothing left out. Requesting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
See every detail of the process-
Tell us about your land
Fill out the short form (about 60 seconds) or email us. A land specialist reaches out to confirm the details, usually the same business day.
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Get your cash offer within 24 hours
We review the property and send a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours. It is a real number, not a range. Take it or leave it, with no pressure either way.
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Sign electronically
If you accept, everyone signs the purchase agreement electronically. There is nothing to print or mail at this stage.
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We inspect, the title company verifies
Our team inspects the land and an independent title company runs a title search for liens or taxes owed. If the land does not pass inspection, you are never charged anything.
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Close and get paid
The title company prepares the closing documents for notarization and issues your funds by standard check, overnight check, or wire transfer. A typical sale closes in 10 days.
Questions
Selling land in Leisure Lakes: common questions
Can I sell a lot here that has no water or sewer?
Yes. We buy vacant land with no water, sewer, or road work. A 2020 state order counted 323 residential sewer customers in this subdivision, so a vacant lot should not be treated as already hooked up. If a later owner builds without a sewer account, the county health department still handles the septic permit.
What yearly bills come with an empty lot here?
The adopted FY 2026-27 district schedule does not name this subdivision. The countywide fire charge for a vacant parcel is $61.45 that year. Property tax is separate and is due in full by March 31. An HC Waterworks meter charge applies only when the lot is already a customer.
Are the streets paved and kept by the county?
Some frontages may be, and some are not. Unit 2 lists the subdivision, but the county keeps no dirt road the Board has accepted and does not take over an unsurfaced street. A green sign with white letters usually marks a county or other public road. A white sign with green letters often marks a road the county does not maintain. Use the county road-maintenance lookup before you assume the county grades your street.
Do these lots front a lake or a canal?
Not as a blanket rule. The Section 11 plat, Plat Book 7, Page 25, included an 80-foot waterway right-of-way beside Tract A and Block 44. On April 27, 2004, the county vacated part of that waterway and took a drainage easement. An old canal note is not proof that your lot still touches open water.
Who reviews plat and right-of-way work in the county?
Highlands County Engineering reviews construction plans and plats proposed for unincorporated parts of the county. It also reviews work in public rights-of-way there. That review is separate from requesting a cash offer, but it can matter when someone plans future road or building work.
What does a Category 5 road mean for my lot?
Category 5 means the recorded plat shows a road right-of-way, but the route may not be visible or have any drivable surface. Highlands County says road-maintenance status should be checked through its lookup tool and verified with Road and Bridge when the result is uncertain.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- How Cash Land Buyers Price Offers
A cash-land offer may start with verified sales of land with similar use, then adjust those sales for meaningful differences.[1] Buyers may also account for access, utilities, legal use, size, shape, flood and soil questions, title issues, demand, and costs and risk they will carry. No universal assessed-value percentage applies. Compare each written offer by expected net proceeds, contingencies, seller work, and timing—not one asking price or headline number.
- Can You Sell Land With Back Taxes in Florida?
Yes. Florida land with back property taxes can often be sold if closing can redeem the tax lien before the tax-deed cutoff. With the seller's consent, the title company can use sale proceeds for the approved payoff. Move quickly: taxes generally become delinquent April 1,[1][2] and redemption ends once a tax-deed buyer makes full payment to the clerk.[4][7]
- Selling a Vacant Lot With Code Enforcement Liens
Yes, a Florida vacant lot with a code enforcement lien can often be sold, but first confirm the violation, daily fine, compliance status, and written payoff with the city or county that issued the order. A fine can accrue until the violator complies or judgment is entered in an enforcement suit.[1] A reduction is not automatic. A clear-title closing normally needs a current payoff and a documented satisfaction or release path.
More places in Highlands County
Your written offer
Get your cash offer
Four short steps, about 60 seconds. We review your property and send a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours. You can take it or leave it.
What happens after you send this
- A land specialist reaches out, usually the same business day, to confirm the details.
- You get a written cash offer within 24 hours: a real number, not a range.
- You decide. Requesting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
You will never be asked to pay us anything. No deposit, no processing fee, no closing-cost advance.
Nearby areas we buy
- Lake Placid
21,790 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $12,500
- Placid Lakes
4,549 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $16,000
- Highlands Park Estates
4,256 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $8,500
- Highlands County
50,783 vacant lots countywide
How we made this page
Parcel Buyers is a land-buying company based in Florida. We buy vacant land directly from owners and publish these local pages so owners can see what land in their area is doing before they sell, to us or anyone else. We count the tax-roll figures ourselves from state data, take local rules and fees from the official sources listed below, and use AI tools to help research and draft the text. Every number links to its source, and we update the page when the data changes.
Method and sources
Tax-roll figures cover the Leisure Lakes subdivision units (Lake Placid addresses). Source [1] is our own count of the Florida Department of Revenue's 2026 preliminary property tax roll: "vacant residential" means land-use code 000; lot sizes use the land square footage on the roll; values are the county property appraiser's just (market) value as of January 1, 2026; sale prices count only arm's-length sales of a single lot that was vacant when it sold and was still vacant on January 1, 2026 (bulk and multi-parcel deeds removed). Page updated October 20, 2026. Lot-size sale rows use the same qualified 2025 sale cohort and canonical square-foot classes; classes with fewer than 10 sales are omitted. The reviewed 2026 recorded-sale window runs from January through June 2026; unreviewed recent sales are excluded. Flood and springs-BMAP figures screen tax-roll parcel center points, not parcel boundaries. They are aggregate map screens, not flood-zone, insurance, buildability, elevation, septic, or permitting determinations.
- [1] Florida Department of Revenue (data); Parcel Buyers (analysis), Parcel Buyers analysis of the 2026 preliminary Name-Address-Legal (NAL) property tax roll (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [2] Highlands County, Road and Bridge Unit 2 (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [3] Highlands County Road and Bridge, Road maintenance categories and programs (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [4] Highlands County, Engineering department (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [5] Highlands County, Non-ad valorem assessments FY 2026-27 (accessed 2026-10-20)
- [6] Highlands County, FY 2026-27 fire assessment rates (accessed 2026-10-20)
- [7] Florida Public Service Commission, Order No. PSC-2020-0168-PAA-WS, HC Waterworks rate case (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [8] Florida Public Service Commission, Order No. PSC-14-0314-PAA-WS, HC Waterworks transfer (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [9] Florida Public Service Commission, HC Waterworks four-year rate reduction notice (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [10] Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Onsite sewage FAQ: permitting (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [11] Highlands County, Board of County Commissioners regular meeting minutes, April 27, 2004 (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [12] Highlands County Tax Collector, Important dates and deadlines (accessed 2026-10-05)
- [13] Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Lake June-in-Winter Scrub Preserve State Park Unit Management Plan (accessed 2026-10-05)