St. Johns County, Florida
Sell your land in Butler Beach for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots and land for cash in Butler Beach, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River on Anastasia Island, including lots that fall under the state's coastal-construction review. 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 Butler Beach?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Butler Beach, St. Johns 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 Butler Beach sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Butler Beach sold for a median of $280,000 across 19 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $234,500 to $415,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Butler Beach?
- The 2026 Florida property tax roll lists 212 vacant residential lots in Butler Beach; 41% are quarter-acre lots, and the median lot is 0.21 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Butler Beach 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 Butler Beach 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 Butler Beach?
- In 2025, companies bought 26% of the vacant lots that sold in Butler Beach, including 16% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- How much are estimated annual ad valorem taxes on a typical vacant lot in Butler Beach?
- A typical vacant lot in Butler Beach has estimated 2025 ad valorem taxes about $3,048 a year; most lots here also pay non-ad valorem charges (listed below).
- Are vacant lots in Butler Beach in a FEMA high-risk flood zone?
- About 58% of vacant lots in Butler Beach have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated December 7, 2018). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel.
- How many vacant lots in Butler Beach got a home on the tax roll in 2025?
- 23 vacant lots in Butler Beach changed from vacant-residential use to a home with new-construction evidence on the 2026 final tax roll.
Local data
Butler Beach land at a glance
Tax-roll figures cover parcels in the St. Johns County block groups that the 2020 Census assigns to the Butler Beach CDP (5 block groups), addressed Saint Augustine in St. Johns County. Local rules and services are sourced below.
Property addresses here read Saint Augustine (100%).
| Vacant residential lots | 212 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 tax roll [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Quarter-acre lot (9,000–13,000 sq ft): 41% of vacant lots; next, standard city lot at 23%. Median lot: 0.21 acre (9,150 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical assessed value | $238,000 median just (market) value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $180,000 and $350,000 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $280,000 median across 19 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Butler Beach (Mar 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $234,500–$415,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 26% of those purchases, including 16% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 26% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Florida (most often NY, CA, GA) [1] |
| Founded as a Black beach resort | Butler Beach was founded by Frank B. Butler, a Lincolnville grocer and activist, as a resort for African Americans under segregation; Wikipedia calls it the only beach then open to them between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, now a Black History Trail stop. [2] |
| Unincorporated, county-governed | Butler Beach is a census-designated place, not an incorporated city, on Anastasia Island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River. The county's Development Review division handles zoning, building permits and code enforcement here. [2],[3] |
| Fort Matanzas, 14 miles down A1A | The Park Service gives directions to Fort Matanzas National Monument as about 14 miles south of St. Augustine on A1A; Butler Beach sits along that same stretch of A1A, which the Park Service says preserves roughly 300 acres around a 1742 watchtower. [4] |
| A state coastal-construction line applies | Florida DEP's Coastal Construction Control Line program, under rule 62B-33 of the Florida Administrative Code, requires a separate state permit for construction seaward of the mapped line on the ocean side, to limit beach erosion and dune damage. [5] |
| Septic permits go through the county | Florida DEP sets statewide onsite-sewage rules, but the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County continues to issue local septic permits for lots here rather than DEP doing it directly. [6] |
| An older, aging community | The 2020 census put Butler Beach's median age at 62.5, with 43.3% of residents 65 or older, a notably older population than most of the vacant-lot communities nearby, which can affect how long a vacant lot has sat with the same owner. [2] |
| Vacant lots that got a home on the tax roll in 2025 | 23 recorded with new-construction evidence. [1] |
| Typical annual ad valorem taxes | A typical vacant lot in Butler Beach has estimated 2025 ad valorem taxes about $3,048 a year; most lots here also pay non-ad valorem charges (listed below). |
| 2026 so far (Jan-Sep) | County-level for St. Johns County: 242 recorded vacant-lot sales; median $59,000. [1] |
| FEMA high-risk flood-zone screen | About 58% of vacant lots in Butler Beach have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated 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 Butler Beach are 1 acre or less and have their center point in an adopted Florida springs BMAP. |
Pricing
What is a lot in Butler Beach worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Butler Beach sold for a median of $280,000 across 19 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $234,500 to $415,000. [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.
See what similar lots sold for
What moves the price in Butler Beach
Quarter-acre lots lead a mixed, older-platted roll
Most vacant residential land in this tax-roll scope comes in quarter-acre lots, 41% of the 212 lots counted, with standard city lots, patio lots and micro lots filling out the rest. That spread of sizes reflects decades of piecemeal platting going back to the community's segregation-era founding rather than one uniform modern subdivision. The tax-roll size category does not establish setbacks, CCCL status or buildability on its own. [1]
What a vacant Butler Beach lot actually sold for in 2025
2025 brought 19 qualifying Butler Beach sales, each an arm's-length, single-parcel deal on land that was vacant going in and coming out, at a $280,000 median, the middle half spanning $234,500–$415,000. That's a different figure from the roll's $238,000 just-value median across 212 vacant lots, which reflects an appraiser's assessment rather than a closing price or a cash offer. [1]
Ocean side versus river side changes the permit path
Butler Beach sits on Anastasia Island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River. A lot on the ocean side falls under Florida DEP's Coastal Construction Control Line, rule 62B-33, which requires a separate state permit for building seaward of the mapped line; a river-side lot does not face that same state review, so otherwise similar lots a few streets apart can carry different permit timelines. [5]
A historic identity that outlasts any one owner
Butler Beach's history as a segregation-era resort for African Americans, founded by Frank B. Butler and now a stop on the St. Johns County Black History Trail, is part of the area's identity independent of any single parcel's condition. That history does not create a design-review burden on a vacant lot, but it is part of why the county and local groups track the area separately from the rest of Anastasia Island. [2]
Common situations
Selling land in Butler Beach in these situations
A family lot from way back has sat untouched for years
Age isn't an obstacle. Butler Beach predates most of Anastasia Island's modern development, so a parcel sitting quietly in a family for decades is part of the area's history, not a red flag. Our underwriting works from St. Johns County's Development Review records rather than requiring a walkthrough, and the title company handles whatever the estate side needs. [3]
You can't tell if the parcel falls under the state's beach rule
We sort that out, not you. Anastasia Island splits between ocean-side parcels under Florida DEP's rule 62B-33 and river-side ones that don't face that review, and our inspection pins down which applies to your specific lot before the offer is finalized, at no charge if it turns out not to be a fit. [5]
You've only ever known this lot as a line in a will
That's enough to go on. 26% of vacant lots in this tax-roll scope belong to someone whose mail goes outside Florida, and we build the offer from county records and the tax roll rather than a visit, then close by email, notarized signature and wire. [1]
A couple of tax cycles got missed along the way
That's recoverable, not disqualifying. St. Johns County's clock starts April 1 each year on a delinquent account, and a certificate buyer has to sit two years past that date, within the certificate's life, before a deed is even an option. We deduct whatever is owed from your proceeds at the closing table instead of asking for it up front. [7]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Butler Beach?
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 Butler Beach: common questions
Is my Butler Beach lot subject to the state coastal-construction line?
Only if it sits on the Atlantic side of Anastasia Island. Florida DEP's rule 62B-33 requires a state permit for building seaward of the mapped line there; a Matanzas River-side parcel skips that review entirely. Our inspection determines which side your parcel falls on before we finalize anything.
Does Butler Beach's history affect what I can build or sell?
No. Butler Beach's history as a segregation-era resort founded by Frank B. Butler, now a stop on the county's Black History Trail, is a historical and cultural fact about the area, not a design-review district on a specific vacant lot. You can still sell a lot here the same way as anywhere else in the county.
What happens if the taxes on my Butler Beach lot go unpaid?
Buying a certificate only gives someone a lien against the parcel, never the deed itself. The clock on that lien runs from St. Johns County's April 1 delinquency date, and a holder needs two years past that point, before the certificate lapses, to pursue ownership. At closing, whatever is owed simply reduces your payout.
Can I sell my Butler Beach lot if I live in another state?
Yes, and many sellers here already are. 26% of vacant-lot owners in this tax-roll scope list a mailing address outside Florida, and the paperwork, signature and funds all move without anyone needing to travel.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- 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]
- 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.
- 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.
More places in St. Johns 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
- St. Augustine
8,330 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $197,000
- Vilano Beach
244 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $442,500
- St. Johns County
14,416 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 parcels in the St. Johns County block groups that the 2020 Census assigns to the Butler Beach CDP (5 block groups), addressed Saint Augustine. Source [1] is our own count of the Florida Department of Revenue's 2026 final 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 30, 2026. 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 September 2026; unreviewed recent sales are excluded. County-level figures are used on this place page. 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 final Name-Address-Legal (NAL) property tax roll (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [2] Wikipedia, Butler Beach, Florida (accessed 2026-10-30)
- [3] St. Johns County Government, Development Review (accessed 2026-10-30)
- [4] National Park Service, Directions - Fort Matanzas National Monument (accessed 2026-10-30)
- [5] Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Coastal Construction Control Line Program (accessed 2026-10-30)
- [6] Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County, Onsite Sewage Disposal (accessed 2026-10-30)
- [7] St. Johns County Tax Collector, Tax Certificate Sales (accessed 2026-10-30)