Florida
Sell your land in Monroe County for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots and land for cash in Monroe County, including Florida Keys lots that still need a Rate of Growth Ordinance permit allocation. 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 Monroe County?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Monroe County, Florida, 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 Monroe County sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Monroe County sold for a median of $304,500 across 81 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $225,000 to $599,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Monroe County?
- The 2026 Florida property tax roll lists 5,994 vacant residential lots in Monroe County; 25% are patio-home lots, and the median lot is 0.16 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Monroe County 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 Monroe County 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 Monroe County?
- In 2025, companies bought 44% of the vacant lots that sold in Monroe County, including 2% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Monroe County?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a patio-home lot in Monroe County was $263,000 across 17 sales.
- Are vacant lot prices in Monroe County going up or down?
- Vacant lot prices in Monroe County went down 6.3%: the median moved from $325,000 across 123 recorded sales in 2024 to $304,500 across 81 recorded sales in 2025. These are recorded sales, not list prices. From January to June 2026, 43 vacant lots in Monroe County sold at a recorded median of $268,000.
- Are vacant lots in Monroe County in a FEMA high-risk flood zone?
- About 93.2% of vacant lots in Monroe County have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated February 18, 2005 to February 8, 2024). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel.
- How many vacant lots in Monroe County got a home on the tax roll in 2025?
- 250 vacant lots in Monroe County changed from vacant-residential use to a home with new-construction evidence on the 2026 preliminary tax roll.
Local data
What is land in Monroe County worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Monroe County sold for a median of $304,500 across 81 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $225,000 to $599,000. [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 Monroe County
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale |
|---|---|---|
| Patio-home lot5,000–6,999 sq ft | 17 | $263,000 |
| Micro lot2,000–4,999 sq ft | 14 | $262,500 |
| Standard city lot7,000–8,999 sq ft | 13 | $370,000 |
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.
| Vacant residential lots | 5,994 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 tax roll [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Patio-home lot (5,000–7,000 sq ft): 25% of vacant lots; next, micro lot at 18%. Median lot: 0.16 acre (6,770 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical assessed value | $190,500 median just (market) value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $81,000 and $345,000 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $304,500 median across 81 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Monroe County (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $225,000–$599,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 44% of those purchases, including 2% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 25% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Florida (most often MD, MI, NY) [1] |
| Property Appraiser parcel ID | Monroe County lists a Property Appraiser office. The flood office says to look up a real estate number or alternate key on that website by address or owner name. [2],[15] |
| Where the deed is recorded | The Clerk of Court publishes a public official-records search. A deed needs two witnesses. Recording is $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each added page. [3],[4] |
| ROGO limits new home permits | ROGO scores new-home permits in the unincorporated area and leaves out the county mainland. The current market-rate pool closed July 13, 2026. A new pool of 657 allocations is still being adopted. [5],[6] |
| Keys drinking water | The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority supplies drinking water throughout the Florida Keys, about 22 million gallons a day, along a main about 130 miles long. It provides sewer only in select areas. [9],[10] |
| Septic where sewer is missing | The county health department still permits septic systems. Where central sewer is available, connection is required. Septic systems that remain in the Florida Keys must be performance-based treatment systems. [11] |
| Well construction permits | The South Florida Water Management District requires a permit before a new well is built, repaired, or abandoned in the county, no matter the well's size. [12] |
| Tax certificate, then a possible deed | Unpaid taxes become delinquent April 1, and a 3% charge is added. The certificate sale opens in early to mid-May and starts to close on or before June 1. A certificate is a lien, not the land. [14],[13] |
| Flood maps are still preliminary | FEMA released preliminary coastal flood maps in December 2019. The county appeal period ended June 23, 2021. A 2026 county note says another preliminary set will come out before any final map. [15] |
| Everglades National Park | Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres in Monroe, Miami-Dade, and Collier counties. The National Park Service lists Monroe County as one of the three counties containing the park. [17] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a patio-home lot in Monroe County was $263,000 across 17 sales. [1] |
| Lot sales, 2025 vs 2024 | 2025: 81 recorded sales, $304,500 median; 2024: 123 recorded sales, $325,000 median. Median -6.3%; count -34.1%. [1] |
| Vacant lots that got a home on the tax roll in 2025 | 250 recorded with new-construction evidence. [1] |
| Years of lot supply at the 2025 building pace | 24.0 years; simple ratio, not a forecast. [1] |
| Owner-type shares | Individuals 61.8%; companies 26.6%; trusts 7.7%; estates/heirs 0.3%; government/associations 3.6%. [1] |
| 2026 so far (Jan-Jun) | 43 recorded vacant-lot sales; median $268,000. [1] |
| FEMA high-risk flood-zone screen | About 93.2% of vacant lots in Monroe County have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated February 18, 2005 to February 8, 2024). 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 Monroe County are 1 acre or less and have their center point in an adopted Florida springs BMAP. |
Land by town in Monroe County
| Town | Vacant lots | 2025 lot sales | Median 2025 lot sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo | 1,578 | 20 | $302,200 |
| Big Pine Key | 864 | 8 | — |
| Marathon | 550 | 11 | $400,000 |
| Cudjoe Key | 401 | 14 | $237,000 |
| Sugarloaf Key | 277 | 2 | — |
| Plantation Key | 253 | 2 | — |
| Grassy Key | 171 | 1 | — |
| Key West | 170 | 2 | — |
| Tavernier | 169 | 2 | — |
| Summerland Key | 158 | 1 | — |
| Lower Matecumbe Key | 144 | 4 | — |
| Ramrod Key | 128 | 0 | — |
| Big Coppitt Key | 120 | 1 | — |
| Ocean Reef | 118 | 2 | — |
| Little Torch Key | 117 | 0 | — |
| Saddlebunch Key | 117 | 2 | — |
| Duck Key | 114 | 1 | — |
| Long Key | 80 | 3 | — |
| Upper Matecumbe Key | 77 | 1 | — |
| No Name Key | 54 | 1 | — |
| Key Colony Beach | 46 | 2 | — |
| Coco Plum Key | 37 | 0 | — |
| Key Haven | 34 | 0 | — |
| Windley Key | 33 | 0 | — |
| Stock Island | 32 | 0 | — |
| Shark Key | 21 | 1 | — |
Florida Department of Revenue-backed rows use the 2026 preliminary tax roll. Supplemental rows retain their separately prepared source edition. Most towns are counted by property-address city, a few by ZIP code (each town page states its scope), so areas can overlap. Lots we cannot place in a town count only in the county total.
Where we buy
Areas we cover in Monroe County
- Key Largo
1,578vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $302,200
- Big Pine Key
864vacant lots
- Marathon
550vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $400,000
- Cudjoe Key
401vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $237,000
- Sugarloaf Key
277vacant lots
- Plantation Key
253vacant lots
- Grassy Key
171vacant lots
- Key West
170vacant lots
- Tavernier
169vacant lots
- Summerland Key
158vacant lots
- Lower Matecumbe Key
144vacant lots
- Ramrod Key
128vacant lots
- Big Coppitt Key
120vacant lots
- Ocean Reef
118vacant lots
- Little Torch Key
117vacant lots
- Saddlebunch Key
117vacant lots
- Duck Key
114vacant lots
- Long Key
80vacant lots
- Upper Matecumbe Key
77vacant lots
- No Name Key
54vacant lots
These pages cover the largest lot markets in Monroe County. We buy land anywhere else in the county too: send the parcel details through the form below.
Selling here
How selling land works in Monroe County
Parcel IDs, deeds, and recording fees
The flood office says to look up a real estate number or alternate key on the Property Appraiser website by address or owner name. The Clerk of Court publishes a public official-records search. A deed needs a notary and two witnesses. Recording is $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each added page, plus $0.70 in stamp tax per $100 of price. On the Monroe County tax roll, the largest size group is patio-home lots at about 25%, not a majority. Median size is 0.16 acre (6,770 square feet) among 5,994 vacant residential lots. Values center near $190,500 ($81,000–$345,000). 81 qualifying 2025 sales had a median of $304,500 ($225,000–$599,000). Owners split about 75% Florida, 25% other states, and 1% foreign. We check utilities, access and title on every parcel before offering. [2],[15],[3],[4],[1]
A new house needs a ROGO allocation first
A new house on unincorporated Florida Keys land needs a ROGO allocation first. ROGO, the Rate of Growth Ordinance, scores competing applications for new homes. Monroe County adopted it by Ordinance 016-1992 on June 23, 1992. A December 18, 2025 memo restates the older yearly split: 197 units, market rate not over 126, and at least 71 affordable. It applies in the unincorporated area and excludes the county mainland. State law requires evacuation of permanent residents in "no more than 24.5 hours." The pool extended by Ordinance 006-2020 closed July 13, 2026. The county is adopting 657 new allocations from Chapter 2023-17, confirmed in December 2025. The next period is expected July 13, 2027, and the form needs an approved building permit. NROGO, for nonresidential floor area, lists 46,494 square feet a year for Year 35. The county Building Department issues the permit. [5],[6],[7],[16]
Keys water is an aqueduct, not one sewer bill
Drinking water in the Florida Keys comes from the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, not a county water department. It supplies potable water to Keys residents, about 22 million gallons a day, through a main about 130 miles long. Public sewer is not one county bill. The authority handles wastewater only in select areas. The health department says "all locations where sewer is available must be connected." Septic systems are rare in the Florida Keys, and those that remain must be performance-based treatment systems, a higher standard than a basic tank and drainfield. The county health department still permits them. Any new well needs a South Florida Water Management District permit before drilling, whatever its size. We buy vacant lots and land for cash, including lots with no water, sewer or road work. [9],[10],[11],[12]
A tax certificate is a lien, not the lot
A tax certificate does not sell the lot. The Tax Collector calls it "a first lien against real estate (not the owner)" and says "The tax certificate sale is NOT a sale of real property." Taxes in Monroe County become delinquent on April 1, and a 3% charge is added. Discounts fall from 4% in the first 30 days after mailing, to 3% in December, 2% in January, and 1% in February. The auction opens in early to mid-May and starts to close on or before June 1. Bids open at 18% and drop by one quarter of one percent. The office says the lien is "subject to tax deed application after two years." State law lets a holder apply only after two years have elapsed since April 1 of the issuance year, and the collector may charge a $75 fee. The Clerk runs that sale. [13],[14],[8],[3]
Flood maps remain preliminary
Flood Insurance Rate Maps identify flood zones and building-elevation requirements. FEMA released preliminary coastal maps in December 2019, and the county appeal period ended June 23, 2021. A 2026 county note says another preliminary set will be released before a final map; neither the current preliminary maps nor the appeal maps are expected to be adopted as drawn. The county comparison tool covers unincorporated land only. Because the preliminary maps use NAVD88 rather than NGVD29, the county says to add about 1.5 feet, on average, when reading an apparent increase between the two elevation systems. [15]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Monroe County?
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 Monroe County: common questions
What does ROGO control on a vacant lot?
ROGO controls allocations for new residential building permits in the unincorporated Florida Keys; it does not cover the county mainland. The last market-rate quarter of the previous pool closed July 13, 2026. The county is adopting rules for 657 new allocations, and the next application period is expected July 13, 2027. Our only contingency on a purchase is a land inspection; a failed inspection costs the seller nothing.
Who permits a septic system or a well on a vacant lot?
The county health department permits septic systems, and the South Florida Water Management District permits wells. Where a central sewer line is available, the lot must connect, and leftover septic systems in the Florida Keys have to be performance-based treatment systems. Any new well, repair, or abandonment needs a district well-construction permit, whatever the well's diameter. Sewer service is not one countywide bill.
Can unpaid property taxes be paid at closing?
Yes. Get the payoff from the Monroe County Tax Collector, including any tax certificate. The certificate is a lien, not a change of owner, and a holder cannot demand a tax deed until two years after April 1 of the issuance year. Liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent.
Where is the deed recorded when I sell land?
The Clerk of Court records the deed in the official records and publishes a public search of those records. The Clerk's fee sheet charges $10 for the first page and $8.50 for each added page, and a deed needs two witnesses plus a notary. Parcel Buyers uses an independent title company, offers electronic signing or a mail-away closing, and pays by check or wire.
Which flood maps apply to unincorporated land?
The county's comparison tool, which covers unincorporated land only, shows the effective FEMA map beside the December 2019 preliminary maps. Those preliminary maps are not final. Because the maps use different vertical datums, the county says to add about 1.5 feet, on average, when reading an apparent elevation increase from NGVD29 to NAVD88.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- 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]
- Can You Build on a Vacant Lot?
Maybe. A vacant lot is buildable only if the proposed use fits the rules that apply to that parcel and the site can satisfy access, utility, environmental, and permit requirements. Start with the local planning or zoning office, confirm that the parcel is a legal lot, and get a written parcel-specific answer. A zoning label or tax parcel number alone is not approval to build.[1][2]
- What Is Florida's "7-Year" Property Law (Adverse Possession)?
Someone does not take a Florida lot merely by walking across it, mowing it, or using it occasionally. Florida adverse possession requires seven years of qualifying, continued possession under an exclusive ownership claim.[1][3][4] A claimant without color of title must also meet strict tax-payment and property-appraiser-return rules.[4] Owners should keep taxes and addresses current, inspect the land, and act promptly on any notice or unauthorized use.
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.
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 all parcels in Monroe County. 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 September 30, 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] Monroe County, Property Appraiser staff directory (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [3] Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Official Records Search (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [4] Monroe County Clerk of Court, Basic Recording Information (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [5] Monroe County, ROGO/NROGO System (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [6] Monroe County Planning and Environmental Resources, Comprehensive plan amendment memo, File 2025-220 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [7] Florida Senate, Florida Statutes section 380.0552 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [8] Florida Senate, Florida Statutes section 197.502 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [9] Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, About the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [10] Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, Drinking Water (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [11] Florida Department of Health in Monroe County, Septic Tanks (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [12] South Florida Water Management District, Well Construction Permits (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [13] Monroe County Tax Collector, Tax Certificate Information (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [14] Monroe County Tax Collector, Important Dates and Discount Periods (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [15] Monroe County, Preliminary Coastal Flood Maps (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [16] Monroe County, Building and Permitting (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [17] U.S. National Park Service, Frequently Asked Questions - park location and access (accessed 2026-10-02)