Tennessee
Sell your land in Bedford County for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots in Bedford County for cash, including Highland Rim escarpment acreage and land along the Duck River. You get a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours, and closings run through an independent, licensed title company, typically about 10 days after the purchase agreement is signed, with no fees or commissions.
By Parcel Buyers · · Lot figures from the 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data · How we made this page
Quick answers
- Who buys land for cash in Bedford County?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Bedford County, Tennessee, 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 Bedford County sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Bedford County sold for a median of $126,800 across 66 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $61,200 to $197,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Bedford County?
- The 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data lists 1,647 vacant residential lots in Bedford County; 14% are 5-acre ranchettes, and the median lot is 1.45 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Bedford 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 Bedford 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 Bedford County?
- In 2025, companies bought 18% of the vacant lots that sold in Bedford County, including 5% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Bedford County?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a 5-acre ranchette in Bedford County was $159,500 across 18 sales.
Local data
What is land in Bedford County worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Bedford County sold for a median of $126,800 across 66 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $61,200 to $197,000. [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 Bedford County
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale |
|---|---|---|
| 5-acre ranchette210,000–279,999 sq ft | 18 | $159,500 |
| Small acreage tract (7-10 acres)280,000–435,599 sq ft | 11 | $185,000 |
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 | 1,647 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | 5-acre ranchette (210,000–280,000 sq ft): 14% of vacant lots; next, mini-estate (2-3 acres) at 13%. Median lot: 1.45 acre (63,160 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical appraised value | $70,000 median appraised value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $47,500 and $143,400 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $126,800 median across 66 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Bedford County (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $61,200–$197,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 18% of those purchases, including 5% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 5% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Tennessee (most often GA, FL, CA) [1] |
| Assessor of Property | The Assessor of Property values real estate, keeps the county maps, and prepares the tax rolls the trustee uses to send bills. [2] |
| County property tax rate | For the year that began July 1, 2026, the county rate is $1.5083 per $100 of assessed value. Residential property is assessed at 25 percent of appraised value. [7] |
| Trustee hours and interest | The County Trustee collects the tax and is open Saturdays in January and February, 8 a.m. to noon. Unpaid tax is delinquent on March 1 and then draws 1.5 percent interest each month. [3],[11],[10] |
| Greenbelt rollback years | Farm and forest greenbelt needs at least 15 acres. Leaving that status brings rollback for the preceding three years. Open space land looks back five years. [8] |
| State septic permit fee | The state Division of Water Resources permits septic here. A new conventional permit is $400 up to 1,000 gallons a day, plus a $100 construction inspection. [14],[16] |
| Rural water tap charges | Effective July 1, 2025, Bedford County Utility District lists a $1,800 tap or privilege fee for a 3/4-inch meter and a separate $1,200 system development charge for a residential tap. [17] |
| Zoning and floodway rule | Unincorporated land uses the county zoning resolution, adopted in 1998. Structures in a regulatory floodway are strictly prohibited. [5],[6] |
| Normandy Reservoir | Normandy Reservoir lies in Bedford and Coffee counties. TVA's 4,797.3-acre land plan assigns public reservoir property to land-use zones, so waterfront access plans require the official parcel map. [20] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a 5-acre ranchette in Bedford County was $159,500 across 18 sales. [1] |
Where we buy
Areas we cover in Bedford County
- Shelbyville
372vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $53,500
These pages cover the largest lot markets in Bedford 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 Bedford County
Rim land and Duck River bottoms are not the same lot
Rim land and river-bottom land do not behave the same way. A U.S. Geological Survey study of the southeastern escarpment found streams that drain "from the Highland Rim in the southeast to the Central Basin." The Duck River is 284 miles long, the longest river entirely in Tennessee. It begins on the Highland Rim, and the scenic-river page lists Bedford County among the counties it crosses. Planning staff review permits against regulatory floodplains, and "All structures proposed to be built in any portion of a regulatory floodway are strictly prohibited." The median vacant residential tract is 1.45 acres (63,160 square feet). A 5-acre ranchette is the most common size, about 14% of 1,647 vacant residential parcels. Median appraised value is $70,000, with a middle band of $47,500–$143,400. That figure is an appraisal, not a sale price. [19],[18],[5]
Greenbelt rollback comes due when farm use ends
Greenbelt rollback is a tax recapture, and it can come due when farm use ends. Qualifying land is taxed on present use, not on a development value. Agricultural land must be at least 15 acres, including woodlands and wastelands, above the usual vacant residential tract, a 5-acre ranchette. If that land leaves the program, "rollback taxes are calculated each year for the preceding three years" for farm and forest land, and open space covers the preceding five years. The assessor calculates the rollback and notifies the trustee. The bill follows if the land no longer qualifies, the owner withdraws the classification, or a recorded plat starts being developed. The Comptroller states: "These taxes are not a penalty; they are a recapture of the amount of taxes saved." It becomes delinquent on March 1 of the year after the assessor's notice. [8],[9]
Rural lots often need a water tap and a septic permit
A rural lot often needs a water tap and a septic permit before a house can be built. Bedford County Utility District's July 1, 2025 sheet sets a 3/4-inch residential tap or privilege fee at $1,800 and a separate residential system development charge at $1,200. Bedford County is not on TDEC's list of counties that run their own septic programs, so the Division of Water Resources issues the permit. An environmental scientist evaluates the site, and a complete application can take up to 45 days. A new conventional permit is $400 for up to 1,000 gallons a day, plus a $100 inspection. An alternative permit is $500 and requires an extra-high-intensity soils map. A split is not a septic subdivision "when all are 5 acres or larger in size," but a house still needs a permit. We buy vacant lots and land for cash, including lots with no water, sewer or road work. [17],[14],[15],[16]
Unpaid taxes go to a court suit, then a sale
Unpaid county taxes go to a court suit, then a sale of the land. The trustee collects the bill and is open Saturdays in January and February, 8 a.m. to noon. For the year that began July 1, 2026, the county rate is $1.5083 per $100 of assessed value. Residential land is assessed at 25 percent of appraised value, not the full $70,000 figure. Taxes are delinquent on March 1 after the due date, and 1.5 percent interest is added that day and monthly after that. After February 1 and before April 1, the delinquent-tax attorney must sue in chancery or circuit court. Redemption after a confirmed sale is one year or less. Lot sales show a median of $126,800 ($61,200–$197,000) across 66 sales. That is not an exact market price, and it is not every sale in the year. Owners are 95% in Tennessee, 5% out of state, and 0% abroad. [3],[7],[11],[10],[12],[13]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Bedford 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 Bedford County: common questions
Can I sell a vacant lot that has no water or sewer?
Yes. You can sell a vacant lot that has no water line and no septic tank. Those are build costs, not a block on the deed. The utility district's July 1, 2025 sheet lists $1,800 for a 3/4-inch tap and $1,200 for the system development charge. A new conventional septic permit is $400 up to 1,000 gallons a day, plus $100 for the construction inspection. If every new piece is 5 acres or larger, the state does not call the split a septic subdivision, but a house still needs a site evaluation. We check utilities, access and title on every parcel before offering.
What is greenbelt rollback if my land leaves farm use?
It is a recapture of taxes saved, not an added fine. Farm and forest land look back three years. Open space land looks back five years. The assessor sends the bill to the trustee if the land no longer qualifies, the owner withdraws the classification, or development starts on a recorded plat. It is delinquent on March 1 of the year after the assessor's written notice. A first application is due by March 15. Agricultural classification itself requires at least 15 acres. Liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent.
Do I need a building permit just to sell vacant land?
No. A permit is for building, not for signing a deed. In unincorporated areas the county requires zoning or building permits for a new house and for additions, pools, garages, barns, and similar structures. The zoning resolution was adopted in 1998, and building-code enforcement began in 2007. Driveway permits start July 1, 2026 for work that needs one. The Register of Deeds is the office that takes the deed. The only contingency is our land inspection, and a failed inspection costs the seller nothing. There are no fees or commissions, and we cover closing costs. We offer electronic signing, mail-away closings and payment by check or wire.
How long can I redeem land after a delinquent-tax sale?
The court sets the clock before the sale, and it is never more than one year after the order confirming the sale. If the taxes have been delinquent for five years or less, the period is one year. It is 180 days when delinquency is more than five years and less than eight, and 90 days at eight years or more. Thirty days applies only when the court finds the property vacant or, for vacant land, abandoned. Paying off the sale means the taxes, penalty, interest, court costs, and 12 percent a year on the full purchase price. The lawsuit itself is filed in chancery or circuit court.
How much are county property taxes on an empty lot?
The county rate for the year that began July 1, 2026 is $1.5083 per $100 of assessed value. Residential property is assessed at 25 percent of appraised value, so do not multiply the rate by the full appraisal. Median appraised value on vacant residential parcels is $70,000, but a bill uses that parcel's own appraisal. Taxes are due the first Monday in October. The trustee here is open Saturdays in January and February. Interest of 1.5 percent starts on March 1 and is added again on the first day of each month the bill stays unpaid.
Can I build a house in a regulatory floodway?
No. The planning department says structures proposed in any part of a regulatory floodway are strictly prohibited. A house in the floodplain, but outside the floodway, has to follow the county Flood Damage Prevention Provisions. The same office checks zoning permits for unincorporated land and keeps floodplain maps with its planning layers. A low lot along the Duck River can fall in that review even when higher rim acreage does not.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- Selling Land With Boundary or Survey Problems
Land with a boundary or survey problem can still be offered for sale, but closing may depend on how the buyer, lender, and title insurer handle it. The contract and closing requirements determine whether a survey is needed. A fence does not by itself establish the record boundary. A survey can identify gaps, overlaps, occupation lines, and encroachments; a competing Florida title claim may require a quiet-title action.[1][6][7]
- Documents Needed to Sell Vacant Land
If your paper deed is lost, start with a recorded copy from the local land-records office; Miami-Dade, for example, provides certified deed copies online, by mail, or in person.[1] Then ask the closing professional for a transaction-specific list. Common starting items include parcel information, accepted identification, prior title or survey records, and authority papers for an entity, trust, estate, or power-of-attorney owner. Do not order a new survey until the closer confirms it is needed.
- 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.
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
Parcel and assessment figures cover all parcels in Bedford County. Source [1] is our own count of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury's county parcel and assessment files (assessment data dated August 28, 2026): a vacant lot is a residential parcel with no buildings, mobile home or improvement value; values are the county assessor's appraised (market) value; sale prices count only 2025 warranty-deed sales of a single lot that was vacant when it sold, at $1,000 or more, with bulk deeds and development-land deals removed. Treat medians as a guide to recent recorded amounts, not as an offer or an appraisal. Page updated October 2, 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.
- [1] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury (data); Parcel Buyers (analysis), Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Office of Local Government parcel and assessment data (accessed 2026-10-01)
- [2] Bedford County Government, Property Assessor (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [3] Bedford County Government, County Trustee contact and hours (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [4] Bedford County Government, Register of Deeds contact (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [5] Bedford County Government, Planning and Zoning (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [6] Bedford County Government, Building Codes and Permits (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [7] Bedford County Government, 2026-27 certified property tax rate (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [8] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Greenbelt (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [9] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Rollback Taxes (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [10] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Interest on Delinquent Taxes (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [11] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Delinquency Date for Property Taxes (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [12] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Delinquent Tax Suit (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [13] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Redemption After a Tax Sale (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [14] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Septic System Construction Permit (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [15] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Septic System Permit FAQs (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [16] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Septic Service Application Rules (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [17] Bedford County Utility District, Water System Rules and Regulations (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [18] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Duck Scenic River (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [19] U.S. Geological Survey, Highland Rim Escarpment of Southeastern Bedford County (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [20] Tennessee Valley Authority, Normandy Reservoir Land Management Plan (accessed 2026-10-02)