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Craven County, North Carolina

Sell your land in James City for cash

Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots in James City for cash, including lots that still need a septic review and lots that sit along the tidal Neuse River. You get a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours, and closings run through an independent title company, typically about 10 days after the purchase agreement is signed, with no fees or commissions.

Get my cash offer See James City lot data Or call (239) 893-7771

By Parcel Buyers · · Lot figures from the 2026 North Carolina parcel and assessment data · How we made this page

Quick answers

Who buys land for cash in James City?
Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in James City, Craven 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.
How many vacant lots are in James City?
The 2026 North Carolina parcel and assessment data lists 754 vacant residential lots in James City; 14% are standard city lots, and the median lot is 0.39 acre.
How is a cash offer for land in James City 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 James City 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.

Local data

James City land at a glance

Tax-roll figures cover parcel points inside the Census (TIGERweb ACS 2025 vintage) James City CDP boundary (GEOID 3734260) in Craven County. Local rules and services are sourced below.

James City vacant land facts
Vacant residential lots 754 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 North Carolina parcel and assessment data [1]
Most common lot size Standard city lot (7,000–9,000 sq ft): 14% of vacant lots; next, half-acre lot at 12%. Median lot: 0.39 acre (17,100 sq ft). [1]
Typical county assessed value $25,500 median county assessed value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $11,400 and $45,700 [1]
Recent lot sale prices Too few county-qualified vacant-lot sales in 2025 to report a reliable median for James City [1]
Owners who live elsewhere 8% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside North Carolina (most often MD, NY, VA) [1]
Unincorporated census place James City is an unincorporated community and Census-designated place in Craven County, not an incorporated town. This page uses the Census TIGERweb CDP boundary, GEOID 3734260. [2],[10]
County permits, not a town zoning code Craven County has no countywide zoning ordinance apart from an airport height rule and a Cherry Point compatibility rule. Land-development permits for James City go through County Planning and Inspections in New Bern. [3]
Septic verified before a permit Under North Carolina General Statute 130A-333 through 345, the county requires a verified sewer or septic source before it will issue a development permit. Craven County Environmental Health handles septic site evaluations. [3],[4]
County water, where it reaches Craven County Water and Engineering Services supplies public water to unincorporated parts of the county, serving about 15,000 homes and businesses from a 3-million-gallon nanofiltration plant finished in 2017. [5],[6]
Flood risk and checking a parcel Craven County names storm surge and riverine flooding as the dominant flood sources for the county and its communities, and points residents to the state's FRIS flood-mapping tool to check a specific parcel. [7],[8]
Coastal county, CAMA applies Craven County is one of North Carolina's 20 coastal counties under the Division of Coastal Management's CAMA program, which can require a state permit for work near estuarine shorelines. [9]
On the tidal Neuse River James City sits on the western bank of the tidal Neuse River, directly across the Trent River from New Bern; the Census-designated place covers about 13.9 square miles, nearly 46% of it water. [10]
A Civil War freedmen's settlement James City began during the Civil War as a camp for formerly enslaved people on land Union forces controlled near New Bern; it was renamed by 1865 for Union chaplain Horace James, who ran the Freedmen's Bureau office there. [10]
Standard city lot 14% Half-acre lot 12% Quarter-acre lot 11% Micro lot 9% All other sizes 54%
Vacant residential lots in James City by lot size, 2026 North Carolina parcel and assessment data [1]. Standard city lot 14%, Half-acre lot 12%, Quarter-acre lot 11%, Micro lot 9%, All other sizes 54%.

Pricing

What is a lot in James City worth?

These are county-qualified 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.

What moves the price in James City

No town zoning means county rules carry more weight

Craven County has no countywide zoning ordinance outside two narrow rules tied to the regional airport and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, so most of James City has no zoning code at all. That does not mean a lot is free of rules: the County Planning and Inspections Department still issues the land-development and building permits, and North Carolina law requires a verified septic or sewer source before a development permit can be issued. A buyer or seller should treat the county permit file as the main record of what a parcel can do, not a zoning map that does not exist here. [3]

Water may reach the lot line; sewer usually does not

Craven County Water and Engineering Services runs a public system across unincorporated areas, serving about 15,000 homes and businesses from a plant finished in 2017 and permitted for 3 million gallons a day, expandable to 5 MGD. That system supplies water, not sewer, in most of the unincorporated county, so a James City lot without a confirmed tap typically relies on a septic system reviewed by Craven County Environmental Health instead of a municipal sewer line. The county's assessed value here runs to a median of $25,500, with the middle half between $11,400–$45,700. [6],[4]

Being on the tidal Neuse adds a flood and CAMA check

James City sits on the tidal Neuse River across from New Bern, and nearly half of its Census-designated area is water. Craven County calls storm surge and riverine flooding its two dominant flood risks, and the county is one of the 20 CAMA-regulated coastal counties, so a specific lot near the river can need a flood-zone check through the state's FRIS tool and, depending on location, a CAMA review before any building work. None of that blocks a sale; it changes what a buyer confirms first. [7],[8],[9]

Lot size here runs larger than a typical in-town block

14% of the 754 lots in this scope fall in the standard city lot class, with a median lot size near 0.39 acres, noticeably larger than a typical incorporated-town block. 92% of vacant-lot owners carry an in-state mailing address and 8% are out of state, a mailing pattern rather than a residency finding. Larger lots here can carry more septic and access questions than a small platted-subdivision lot would.

Common situations

Selling land in James City in these situations

You're not sure who handles permits since James City isn't a town

Craven County does. James City has no town government of its own; it is an unincorporated Census-designated place, so the County Planning and Inspections Department in New Bern issues land-development and building permits there instead of a town hall. We check utilities, access and title on every parcel before offering, so that distinction gets confirmed as part of our review. [3]

The lot has never had a septic permit

Yes, we still buy it. North Carolina law requires a verified sewer or septic source before Craven County will issue a development permit, and a parcel with no septic history will likely need a new site evaluation from Craven County Environmental Health before anyone can build. We buy vacant lots and land for cash, including lots with no water, sewer or road work, and the only contingency is our land inspection; a failed inspection costs the seller nothing. [3],[4]

The lot sits low near the Neuse or Trent river

Yes, that does not stop a sale. Craven County points to storm surge and riverine flooding as its two biggest flood risks, and James City's own Census-designated area is nearly half water, so a flood-zone check through the state's FRIS tool is worth doing before building. Parcel Buyers checks flood and title status on every parcel, and liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent. [7],[8]

You live far away and can't visit the lot

Yes, you can still sell without visiting. Electronic signing and a mail-away closing are available, with payment by check or wire through an independent title company. 8% of vacant-lot owners in this scope already carry a mailing address outside North Carolina, so selling from a distance is common here.

Step by step

How do I sell my land in James City?

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Sign electronically

    If you accept, everyone signs the purchase agreement electronically. There is nothing to print or mail at this stage.

  4. 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.

  5. 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 James City: common questions

Is James City its own town, or part of Craven County?

James City is an unincorporated, Census-designated place in Craven County, not an incorporated town. Craven County's Planning and Inspections Department in New Bern issues land-development and building permits for parcels there.

Does James City have its own zoning code?

No. Craven County has no countywide zoning ordinance apart from a rule near the regional airport and another tied to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and neither covers most of James City. Permits there still go through the county's land-development and building-permit process.

Will my James City lot need a septic permit before I can sell or build?

Building, yes; selling, no. State law requires a verified septic or sewer source before Craven County issues a development permit, and Craven County Environmental Health runs the site evaluation. A sale itself does not require that permit to already be in place.

Is my James City lot in a flood zone?

It depends on the parcel. James City sits on the tidal Neuse River, and Craven County names storm surge and riverine flooding as its main flood risks. The state's FRIS flood-mapping tool, or a call to county Planning, can confirm a specific lot's flood zone.

Can I sell a James City lot I inherited and never visited?

Yes. Parcel Buyers gives a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours, with electronic signing and a mail-away closing through an independent title company. Liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent.

Owner resources

Guides for your situation

  • 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 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]

  • Water, Sewer, Septic, and Wells on Vacant Lots

    A vacant lot may use public water, a private well, public sewer, or an onsite septic system, but nearby pipes and neighboring homes do not prove what the parcel can use. Ask each utility for a written availability decision, ask the permitting office whether connection is mandatory, and obtain a qualified site evaluation before saying septic will fit. Keep every response, permit, plan, test, and receipt.

More places in Craven 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

  1. A land specialist reaches out, usually the same business day, to confirm the details.
  2. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours: a real number, not a range.
  3. 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.

What kind of land do you own?

No obligation. No fees. Prefer email? Write to info@theparcelbuyers.com.

By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy Policy and agree that Parcel Buyers LLC may contact you about your property inquiry by phone or email. Text messages are sent only if you check the optional SMS-consent box on the final step of this form — consent is not a condition of any purchase or sale. See our SMS Terms and SMS Opt-In & Consent page.

Nearby areas we buy

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

Parcel and assessment figures cover parcel points inside the Census (TIGERweb ACS 2025 vintage) James City CDP boundary (GEOID 3734260). Source [1] is our own aggregate count of NC OneMap parcel points or frozen county extracts and the county sale layers named in the source data. Vacant-lot counts use nC has no statewide vacant code. Legacy wave-1 rows retain the frozen county-extract rules in DATA-NOTES-NC.md. The NC2 rule keeps records with improvement value 0, parcel value at least $1,000, known acreage no more than 10, struct not Y, and an owner name that does not match the government, HOA/common-area, church, conservation or utility exclusions. If more than 10% of the pre-struct scope has struct Y, the area uses its verified explicit vacant code or is dropped. Counts do not establish physical vacancy, residential zoning, access, legal-lot status or buildability. Names and addresses are not stored in outputs. Lot sizes use gIS acres on the extract (else record acres, else the parcel polygon area) x 43,560, bucketed with the Parcel Buyers lot sizing chart ([low, high) square feet). Values use county assessed value on the extract from each county's last reappraisal, which is not the same year in every county. Owner locations use owner mailing-address state on the extract; in_state = North Carolina. Junk state codes count as unknown, Canadian provinces as foreign. Onslow's extract carries no mailing state, so Onslow areas report in_state, other_us and foreign as not published (unknown 1.0). Treat medians as a guide to county records, not as an offer or an appraisal. Page updated November 7, 2026.

  1. [1] NC OneMap and county tax offices (data); Parcel Buyers (analysis), NC OneMap statewide parcel points (county tax data), with wave-1 qualified county sale layers (accessed 2026-10-03)
  2. [2] U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, North Carolina Census Designated Places and GEOIDs (accessed 2026-11-07)
  3. [3] Craven County Planning and Inspections, Planning and Inspections Frequently Asked Questions (accessed 2026-11-07)
  4. [4] Craven County Environmental Health, Septic Systems / On-Site Water Protection (accessed 2026-11-07)
  5. [5] Craven County Water and Engineering Services, Water (accessed 2026-11-07)
  6. [6] Craven County Water and Engineering Services, Water Engineering Services (accessed 2026-11-07)
  7. [7] Craven County, Flood Hazard (accessed 2026-11-07)
  8. [8] North Carolina Emergency Management, NC Flood Risk Information System (accessed 2026-11-07)
  9. [9] NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Coastal Management (accessed 2026-11-07)
  10. [10] Wikipedia, James City, North Carolina (accessed 2026-11-07)