Putnam County, Florida
Sell your land in Palatka for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots in Palatka for cash, including lots with city water and sewer access and lots without confirmed utility taps. 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 Palatka?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Palatka, Putnam 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 Palatka sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Palatka sold for a median of $13,800 across 83 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $9,300 to $35,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Palatka?
- The 2026 Florida property tax roll lists 2,780 vacant residential lots in Palatka; 17% are quarter-acre lots, and the median lot is 0.41 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Palatka 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 Palatka 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 Palatka?
- In 2025, companies bought 24% of the vacant lots that sold in Palatka, including 7% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Palatka?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a standard city lot in Palatka was $10,000 across 12 sales.
- How much are estimated annual ad valorem taxes on a typical vacant lot in Palatka?
- A typical vacant lot in Palatka has estimated 2025 ad valorem taxes about $98 a year; most lots here also pay non-ad valorem charges (listed below).
- Are vacant lots in Palatka in a FEMA high-risk flood zone?
- About 12.3% of vacant lots in Palatka have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated August 28, 2008 to December 7, 2018). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel.
- How many vacant lots in Palatka got a home on the tax roll in 2025?
- 66 vacant lots in Palatka changed from vacant-residential use to a home with new-construction evidence on the 2026 preliminary tax roll.
Local data
Palatka land at a glance
Tax-roll figures cover parcels whose property address city is Palatka in Putnam County. Local rules and services are sourced below.
| Vacant residential lots | 2,780 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 tax roll [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Quarter-acre lot (9,000–13,000 sq ft): 17% of vacant lots; next, micro lot at 13%. Median lot: 0.41 acre (17,860 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical assessed value | $8,500 median just (market) value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $2,800 and $19,200 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $13,800 median across 83 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Palatka (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $9,300–$35,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 24% of those purchases, including 7% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 25% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Florida (most often NY, GA, CA) [1] |
| City limits decide the permit office | Palatka is an incorporated city and the county seat. The city permit office handles work inside its limits; Putnam County handles unincorporated parcels. The county has no interlocal agreement to provide building services inside Palatka. [2],[11],[20] |
| Two offices issue building permits | Inside the city limits, Building and Zoning at 205 N. 2nd Street takes the permit, and plans go through the county CitizenServe portal. Outside the limits, the county building office at 2509 Crill Avenue issues it. [3],[2],[6] |
| City water is a separate plant | The 2025 city water report, PWSID 2544260, says the supply is groundwater from five Floridan Aquifer wells. East Putnam Regional, PWSID 2544444, is a different plant, with two wells at 400 and 420 feet. [7],[8],[10] |
| City tap fees if someone builds | Ordinance 2023-05 lists a 3/4-inch water connection at $1,122 and a 3/4-inch sewer connection at $1,180 per dwelling. The 2026 single-family transportation fee on that chart is $2,148. [4] |
| Stillwater where the highway crosses | The February 2, 2012 flood study puts the 1-percent-annual-chance stillwater at 5.3 feet at U.S. Highway 17 and 5.2 feet at the north city limits. The river there averages about 1 mile wide. [11] |
| Two flood communities, one map | The city NFIP community is 120273. Unincorporated Putnam is 120272, on the same February 2, 2012 map, and is CRS class 8, a 10 percent discount in a special flood hazard area. The city has no CRS class. [12],[11] |
| County site fees outside the limits | The county fee list that took effect October 1, 2026 charges $120 for a residential driveway connection and $120 per lot for a single-family home in a special flood hazard area. A written lot inquiry is $45. [13],[14] |
| Incorporated January 8, 1853 | The city was incorporated on January 8, 1853, and it covers 9.76 square miles of land. U.S. Highway 17 is the main north-south road and runs with the St. Johns. [20] |
| Palatka Municipal Airport | Palatka Municipal Airport, which the city calls Palatka-Kay Larkin Airport, is 2.3 miles west of Palatka. Its 6,003-foot primary runway and Reid Street/Highway 100 address make the west-side airport corridor a distinct access factor for nearby acreage. [22] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a standard city lot in Palatka was $10,000 across 12 sales. [1] |
| Vacant lots that got a home on the tax roll in 2025 | 66 recorded with new-construction evidence. [1] |
| Years of lot supply at the 2025 building pace | 42.1 years; simple ratio, not a forecast. [1] |
| Owner-type shares | Individuals 76.7%; companies 16.0%; trusts 3.2%; estates/heirs 3.1%; government/associations 0.9%. [1] |
| Typical annual ad valorem taxes | A typical vacant lot in Palatka has estimated 2025 ad valorem taxes about $98 a year; most lots here also pay non-ad valorem charges (listed below). |
| 2026 so far (Jan-Jun) | 27 recorded vacant-lot sales; median $21,000. [1] |
| FEMA high-risk flood-zone screen | About 12.3% of vacant lots in Palatka have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated August 28, 2008 to December 7, 2018). 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 Palatka are 1 acre or less and have their center point in an adopted Florida springs BMAP. |
Neighborhoods in Palatka
| Neighborhood | Vacant lots | 2025 lot sales | Median 2025 lot sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Johns Harbor | 388 | 11 | $10,000 |
| Blair Estates | 13 | 5 | — |
| Glen Eagle Park | 10 | 3 | — |
Unlinked recorded-plat summaries retain their separately prepared source edition. A neighborhood here is the recorded plat name at the start of the legal description.
Pricing
What is a lot in Palatka worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Palatka sold for a median of $13,800 across 83 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $9,300 to $35,000. [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 Palatka
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard city lot7,000–8,999 sq ft | 12 | $10,000 | $8,000–$16,200 |
| Half-acre lot19,000–23,999 sq ft | 10 | $12,500 | $12,000–$24,100 |
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 Palatka
A city tap costs more up front than a county well
A builder pays more up front on a city water and sewer lot than on a lot with no pipes, because the tap fees are published. Ordinance 2023-05 sets a 3/4-inch water connection at $1,122 and a 3/4-inch sewer connection at $1,180 per dwelling. The 2026 single-family transportation fee is $2,148, and parks adds $1,139 per dwelling. Those are build charges, not a yearly bill on an empty lot. The 2025 city report says, "Our water source is ground water from 5 wells that draw from the Floridan Aquifer." East Putnam Regional is a different plant. These are separate systems, so utility access needs a parcel-specific check. Outside the limits, the county house checklist asks for a health-department permit or a utility permit. The October 1, 2026 county list totals $150 for a private well permit and $525 for a new house septic permit. [4],[7],[8],[15],[13],[16]
The river sets the flood height, not one zone for every lot
The St. Johns sets the flood height along the east side, and that height is not one zone for every lot. The river averages about 1 mile wide there, with about a 2-foot tide at low flow. The February 2, 2012 study says flooding "generally occurs as the result of rains associated with hurricanes." It also says, "Shallow flooding caused by ponding of runoff during heavy rains occurs in some areas of the City of Palatka." The 1-percent-annual-chance stillwater is 5.3 feet at U.S. Highway 17, 5.2 feet at the north city limits, and 5.3 feet at the south corporate limits. On September 9, 1964, Hurricane Dora put the river at Rice Creek at 4.68 feet NAVD, about a 50-year stage. City flood community 120273 has no CRS class. Unincorporated community 120272 is CRS class 8, a 10 percent discount in a special flood hazard area. Both use the February 2, 2012 map. [11],[12]
Lot size is mixed, so the common lot is not the whole story
Lot size is mixed, and the most common vacant residential piece is a quarter-acre lot, 17% of the sized lots. The median lot is 0.41 acres, about 17,860 square feet. A small lot and a near-acre lot can draw different offers because river frontage, a city tap, and a flood elevation change the build. Two adjoining lots with the same owner can be sold together. On unincorporated land, a written lot inquiry is $45 and the county may take up to four weeks to say whether the lot can be built on or split. Inside the city, the 2024 fee schedule charges $50 for a minor site-plan review on a single-family lot. [1],[14],[5]
2025 vacant-lot sales are a guide, not the offer
The 2025 vacant-lot sales are a guide, not the offer. That set has 83 single-lot sales of land that was empty at the sale and still empty afterward. The midpoint was $13,800, and the middle group ran $9,300–$35,000. Assessed value sits lower, at a midpoint of $8,500, with the middle of the roll at $2,800–$19,200. Assessed value is a tax number, not a check someone received. 74% of owners use a Florida mailing address, and 25% use an address in another state. A dry lot off the river and a lot under the 5.3-foot stillwater at U.S. Highway 17 do not share one price. [1],[11]
Yearly bills depend on which side of the city limit the lot is on
There is no single yearly price for an empty lot, because the city tax rate stops at the city limits. On October 1, 2025, the city posted that the commission adopted a rollback millage rate of 6.2397, about $6.24 per $1,000 of taxable value, on top of county taxes. That city rate does not apply outside the limits. City crews collect household garbage inside the city limits and maintain city storm sewers. That garbage service is for houses, not a fee shown here for every vacant lot. Outside the limits, a road unit can add an MSBU. An MSBU is a county charge for a road or paving job that benefits that neighborhood, separate from regular property tax. County public works coordinates those units. The property appraiser says residents of this city pay only the landfill and recycling parts of the county solid-waste assessment, while unincorporated residential units pay the full assessment. [17],[9],[10],[21]
Common situations
Selling land in Palatka in these situations
The lot is outside the city limits
Outside the limits, Putnam County issues the permit. The county building page says Palatka has no interlocal agreement for building services and directs work inside the city limits to the city office at 205 N. 2nd Street. Plans for a city permit still go into the county CitizenServe portal, and city Building and Zoning schedules the inspections. Outside the limits, the county house checklist marks a driveway permit and either a health-department permit or a utility permit. The October 1, 2026 county list charges $120 for a residential driveway connection and $120 per lot when a single-family home is in a special flood hazard area. The state well chart assigns Putnam wells to the health department at 2801 Kennedy Street. We buy vacant land that has no water tap, no sewer tap, and no finished road work. [2],[3],[15],[13],[16]
You inherited the lot and you live in another state
Yes. You can sell a lot you inherited even if you live in another state and have never stood on it. 25% of vacant-lot owners here have a mailing address outside Florida, and 74% have a Florida address. You can sign electronically and close by mail through an independent, licensed title company. Payment can be a check or a wire. [1]
The tax bill on the empty lot has fallen behind
Yes. You can still sell if the tax bill has fallen behind. The county notice says tax certificates will be sold beginning at 9 a.m. on June 1, 2026, for unpaid ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments. Accounts in that notice were unpaid as of April 30, 2026. Under state law, the certificate holder may apply for a tax deed after two years have passed since April 1 of the year the certificate was issued. That application can end with the lot being sold. Liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent. [18],[19]
You own a river lot and you never plan to build
You can sell a river lot even if you never plan to build. The February 2, 2012 study says the St. Johns flows past the eastern side and that shallow ponding happens in some parts of the city during heavy rain. Whoever builds later is the person who has to match the lot to a map panel and a stillwater height. You do not have to elevate a house, pull a floodplain permit, or install a tap in order to sell the empty lot. The only contingency is our land inspection, and a failed inspection costs the seller nothing. [11]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Palatka?
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 Palatka: common questions
Does my lot need a city building permit or a county permit?
It depends on whether the parcel is inside the city limits. The county says it has no interlocal agreement with this city and tells owners to use the city office for building inside the limits. The city says, "Permit applications should be made through the City and the County." Plans go through CitizenServe, and inspections are scheduled with city Building and Zoning. Outside the limits, the county building office issues the permit. A city site plan for a house must show the flood zone, lot lines, and setbacks.
Can I sell my lot if it has no water or sewer?
Yes. You can sell a lot with no water tap and no sewer tap. Nothing has to be connected before the sale. If someone later builds on the city system, Ordinance 2023-05 lists a 3/4-inch water connection at $1,122 and a 3/4-inch sewer connection at $1,180. On unincorporated land, the county checklist wants a health-department permit or a utility permit, and the October 1, 2026 fee list totals $150 for a private well and $525 for a new house septic tank. We check utilities, access, and title on every parcel before offering.
How much does it cost to keep an empty lot here each year?
There is no single vacant-lot fee. Inside the city, the October 1, 2025 notice says the commission adopted a rollback millage of 6.2397, about $6.24 per $1,000 of taxable value, plus county taxes. That city rate stops at the city limits. An MSBU, a county charge for a neighborhood road or paving job, can show up only if the lot is in one of those units. City residents pay only the landfill and recycling parts of the county solid-waste assessment. Tap fees and the $120 driveway fee are build costs, not yearly bills.
Is my lot in a flood zone just because it is near the river?
No. Being near the river does not put every lot in the same flood zone. The February 2, 2012 study lists a 1-percent-annual-chance stillwater of 5.3 feet at U.S. Highway 17 and 5.2 feet at the north city limits. The city is NFIP community 120273 and has no CRS discount. Unincorporated land is community 120272, CRS class 8, with a 10 percent discount in a special flood hazard area. The map panel for that parcel is what names the zone.
Do I need a survey before I can sell my lot?
No. You do not need a new survey to request a cash offer. The city's 2024 site-plan checklist, under municipal codes 38-72, 74-11, and 94-33, asks building applicants to show property lines, lot dimensions, the flood zone, and setbacks. That checklist is for construction, not for requesting an offer on the vacant lot.
What happens if the taxes on my empty lot stay unpaid?
Unpaid taxes and non-ad valorem assessments can be sold as a tax certificate. The county notice sets that sale to begin at 9 a.m. on June 1, 2026, for accounts unpaid as of April 30, 2026. After two years from April 1 of the certificate year, the holder may apply for a tax deed, and the lot can be sold. Selling before that point lets those amounts be handled at closing if you agree.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- How to Sell Land During a Divorce
Florida land can be sold during a divorce when the people with authority to convey title sign and the sale follows every applicable agreement and court order. Divorce law may treat land as marital even when only one spouse appears on the deed.[1][2] If ownership, signing authority, or the division of proceeds is unsettled, have a Florida attorney and the closing title company resolve those issues before closing.
- Can You Sell Land With a Lien?
Yes. Land with a lien can often be sold, but signing a deed does not by itself erase a valid claim. The lien may need to be paid, released, discharged, or otherwise resolved under the law that applies. With the seller's consent, an approved payoff can come from sale proceeds at closing. If the balance or lien is wrong, dispute it before closing and require proof of the cure.
- 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]
More places in Putnam 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
- Putnam County
51,545 vacant lots countywide
- East Palatka
482 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $20,000
- Florahome
1,845 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $8,800
- Crescent City
1,306 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $20,000
- Welaka
181 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $30,000
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 parcels whose property address city is Palatka. 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 3, 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. Holding-cost estimates use 2025 taxable values and 2025 millage for FDOR vacant-residential code 000 parcels. They cover ad valorem taxes only, not a parcel-specific bill or non-ad valorem assessments. 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] Putnam County, Building Department (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [3] City of Palatka, Permit process step by step (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [4] City of Palatka, 2023 impact and connection fees, Ordinance 2023-05 (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [5] City of Palatka, Appendix A fee schedule, municipal code (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [6] City of Palatka, Building site plan permit checklist, 2024 (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [7] City of Palatka, 2025 annual drinking water quality report, PWSID 2544260 (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [8] Putnam County Public Works, 2025 annual drinking water quality report, East Putnam Regional (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [9] City of Palatka, Public Works (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [10] Putnam County, Public Works (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [11] Federal Emergency Management Agency, Flood Insurance Study 12107CV000A, Putnam County and incorporated areas (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [12] FEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Putnam County, Florida (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [13] Putnam County, Resolution 2026-071, fiscal year 2026-2027 fee schedule (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [14] Putnam County, Planning and Zoning (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [15] Putnam County, General guidelines when applying for a residential permit (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [16] Florida Department of Health, Well permitting agencies, 2026 (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [17] City of Palatka, Commission adopts rollback millage rate of 6.2397 (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [18] Putnam County, Tax Collector issues notice of delinquent property taxes (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [19] Florida Senate, Florida Statutes section 197.502, tax deed application (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [20] Wikipedia, Palatka, Florida (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [21] Putnam County Property Appraiser, Non-ad valorem assessments and MSBU charges (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [22] City of Palatka, Palatka-Kay Larkin Airport (accessed 2026-10-03)