DeKalb County, Tennessee
Sell your land in Smithville for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots for cash in Smithville, including lots on city water and sewer and lots outside that system that need a state septic permit. 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, depending on title, 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 Smithville?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Smithville, DeKalb 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 Smithville sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Smithville sold for a median of $60,000 across 10 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $36,800 to $77,500.
- How many vacant lots are in Smithville?
- The 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data lists 339 vacant residential lots in Smithville; 19% are quarter-acre lots, and the median lot is 0.39 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Smithville 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 Smithville 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 Smithville?
- In 2025, companies bought 20% of the vacant lots that sold in Smithville, including 10% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
Local data
Smithville land at a glance
Tax-roll figures cover parcels on the DeKalb County roll whose community code is Smithville in DeKalb County. Local rules and services are sourced below.
| Vacant residential lots | 339 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Quarter-acre lot (9,000–13,000 sq ft): 19% of vacant lots; next, third-acre lot at 17%. Median lot: 0.39 acre (17,110 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical appraised value | $45,000 median appraised value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $38,000 and $70,000 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $60,000 median across 10 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Smithville (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $36,800–$77,500 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 20% of those purchases, including 10% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 3% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Tennessee (most often GA, IN, UT) [1] |
| Incorporated city in DeKalb | Smithville is an incorporated city, and the municipal directory lists it in DeKalb County. The incorporation act is the Private Acts of 1843-44. The charter listed now is Private Acts of 1941, chapter 486. City utilities are water, sewer, and garbage. [2] |
| Posted water and sewer rates | The city website lists water at $8.93 per 1,000 gallons inside the city and $13.40 outside it. Sewer is $8.32 per 1,000 gallons plus a $3.62 flat fee. It says water bills are due on the 26th of the month. [3] |
| Sewer hookup or a septic permit | Where an accessible sewer and pressurized water exist, city code requires the sewer and bars other disposal. Where no accessible sewer exists, an approved septic system is the path. A new conventional TDEC permit is $400 up to 1,000 gallons a day. [4],[12] |
| City code and county permits | The published city code assigns building-code enforcement to the city’s official. The county building department charges $0.75 per square foot for residential permits and says DeKalb County has no countywide zoning. State staff handle electrical permits. [4],[5] |
| 2025 county and city tax rates | The Comptroller’s 2025 rates are $2.51 per $100 of assessed value for DeKalb County and $0.7523 for the city, or $3.2623 combined inside the city. Residential property is assessed at 25% of appraised value, not the full appraisal. [11],[9] |
| Tax due date and the trustee | Taxes are due on the first Monday in October. February 28 is the last day to pay the prior year’s bill without interest, and March 1 is the delinquency date. The County Trustee sends the statements and collects the money. [10],[7] |
| Census population and land area | The Census Bureau counted 5,004 residents in the city on April 1, 2020, across 5.85 square miles. The municipal directory lists a 2026 estimate of 5,620. That land area is the city, not this community-code parcel set. [14],[2] |
| Flood program, two map dates | FEMA lists the City of Smithville, community number 470045, in the flood insurance program, with a current map date of April 19, 2010. Unincorporated DeKalb County, number 470369, has a current map date of February 14, 2025. [16] |
| Smithville Municipal Airport | Smithville Municipal Airport is three miles northeast of Smithville. FAA data lists it as open to the public with one asphalt runway measuring 4,257 by 75 feet. [17] |
Pricing
What is a lot in Smithville worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Smithville sold for a median of $60,000 across 10 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $36,800 to $77,500. [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.
What moves the price in Smithville
City water and sewer versus a septic permit
A lot on the city system pays city water and sewer rates, and a lot the sewer does not reach needs a state septic permit instead. The city website lists inside-city water at $8.93 per 1,000 gallons and outside-city water at $13.40, with sewer at $8.32 per 1,000 gallons plus a $3.62 flat fee. The published city code says that where an accessible sewer exists and water under pressure is available, wastes go to that sewer, and “no other method of sewage disposal shall be employed.” Where no accessible sewer exists, the same code calls for an approved septic system. DeKalb is not one of TDEC’s contract counties, so a new conventional septic construction permit is $400 for a design flow up to 1,000 gallons a day, plus a $100 installation inspection. Someone who wants a new water or sewer main pays “all of the cost” of that extension, and the code does not require the city to build it. [3],[4],[12]
City rules stop at the city limit
Inside the city, zoning and the building code are city rules; outside the city, DeKalb County publishes its own permit fees and says it has no countywide zoning. The municipal code says land use in the city “shall be governed by Ordinance Number 298,” and it assigns enforcement to the city’s designated official. That published code still shows the 2000 International Building Code, with a printed change date of August 2, 2004, so a newer ordinance at the recorder would control. The county permit page prices residential work at $0.75 per square foot, including plan review and up to three re-inspections. Electrical permits are done by the State of Tennessee, and work over $25,000 must be done by a licensed contractor. Because this page is scoped by the roll's community code rather than a city-boundary layer, confirm which permit office serves the parcel. [4],[5]
Appraised value is not the 2025 sale median
The median appraised value of these vacant lots is $45,000, and that figure is not the median of the 2025 lot sales. Appraised value is the assessor’s market appraisal. The middle half of those appraisals runs $38,000–$70,000. It is not the assessed value and it is not the taxable value. Residential property is assessed at 25% of appraised value, and the 2025 tax rate is then applied to that smaller number: $2.51 per $100 of assessed value countywide, plus $0.7523 inside the city. Qualifying 2025 warranty-deed sales of lots that were vacant come to 10 lot sales, with a median of $60,000 and a middle half of $36,800–$77,500. Those are the roll’s accepted one-parcel warranty-deed sales, not every 2025 sale. The oath on a deed states “the actual consideration or value, whichever is greater,” so the median is not an exact market price. [1],[9],[11],[13]
Small lots and Center Hill Reservoir
The largest share of these vacant lots is the quarter-acre lot, at 19%, and that is a plurality, not most of the lots. Among 339 vacant residential parcels, the median lot is 0.39 acre, or 17,110 square feet. A quarter-acre lot and a larger tract do not carry the same septic room or the same road frontage, which is why size still matters after the utility question. TWRA says Center Hill Reservoir was created on the Caney Fork River, covers 18,220 surface acres in DeKalb, Putnam, Warren, and White counties, and lists Smithville among the nearby towns. The city itself is a separate FEMA community from unincorporated DeKalb County, with map dates of April 19, 2010 and February 14, 2025. A flood zone is a parcel fact, not a citywide label. [1],[15],[16]
Common situations
Selling land in Smithville in these situations
No city sewer, or the main stops short of the lot
Yes, a lot can be sold with no city sewer, including one that would need a new septic system or a paid main extension. Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots for cash, including lots with no water, sewer, or road work. The city code puts the full cost of a water or sewer main extension on the person who wants it, and it says the city is not required to make the extension. If an accessible sewer is not there, the build path is an approved septic system, permitted by TDEC rather than by a county health office. A new conventional permit is $400 up to 1,000 gallons a day. The only contingency is a land inspection, and a failed inspection costs the seller nothing. Utilities, access, and title are checked before an offer. [4],[12]
The community code may sit outside the city
These figures are parcels on the DeKalb County roll whose community code is Smithville, not a count produced from the city-boundary map. City-limit status is a separate parcel check, and it changes the rules. Inside the city, Ordinance Number 298 is the zoning ordinance and the city runs water and sewer. Outside it, the county building department is the permit counter that publishes a fee, and the county says it has no countywide zoning. The Assessor of Property determines the value of property in the county. The Register of Deeds records deeds, plats, and other ownership papers. Those two offices are how a seller matches the deed to the parcel before closing. [1],[2],[5],[6],[8]
Yearly taxes and a bill that is already late
You keep an empty lot by paying the property tax, and you pay the city rate as well only if the lot is inside the city. For 2025 the Comptroller’s county rate is $2.51 per $100 of assessed value, and the city rate is $0.7523, for a combined $3.2623 inside the city. Assessed value for residential property is 25% of the appraisal, so the rate is not applied to the full appraised value. The bill is due on the first Monday in October. February 28 is the last day to pay the prior year without interest, and March 1 is the delinquency date. The County Trustee sends the statements and collects them. The city rates page separately prints “.5199¢/$100” without naming a tax year, so use the official table or bill for the year you owe. Back taxes or liens can be paid at closing from the sale, with the seller’s consent. [11],[9],[10],[7],[3]
The owner’s mail goes to another state
About 97% of these vacant-lot owners have a Tennessee mailing address, and about 3% do not. Georgia is the top out-of-state mailing state on this set of parcels. An out-of-state owner does not have to come to the courthouse to sell. Signing can be electronic or by mail, and payment is by check or wire. We cover closing costs. The Register of Deeds still records the deed in DeKalb County, and the grantee’s oath on that deed states the greater of the price paid or the value. Title is checked before an offer, and the closing runs through an independent, licensed title company, typically about 10 days after the purchase agreement is signed, depending on title. [1],[8],[13]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Smithville?
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 Smithville: common questions
Can I sell my lot if it is not on city sewer?
Yes. A lot without city sewer can still be sold. City code requires the public sewer only where an accessible sewer and pressurized water already exist. Where they do not, the code calls for an approved septic system, and the health officer’s approval is part of that path. TDEC, not a DeKalb County contract program, issues the construction permit. A new conventional permit is $400 up to 1,000 gallons a day, and the installation inspection is another $100. A cash sale does not require the septic system to be installed first.
Who issues a building permit, the city or the county?
It depends on which side of the city limit the lot is on. The published city code assigns building-code enforcement to the city’s designated official and adopts the 2000 International Building Code, with the printed code last changed August 2, 2004. The county building department publishes the fee schedule a builder will see for DeKalb County work: $0.75 per square foot for a new residence, and it states that the county has no countywide zoning. Electrical permits and inspections are conducted by the State of Tennessee. Match the lot to the office before you assume a city permit is required.
How much does an empty lot cost to hold each year?
The verified yearly public charge is property tax, figured on assessed value rather than the full appraisal. Residential property is assessed at 25% of appraised value. For 2025, the rate was $2.51 per $100 outside the city or $3.2623 inside it, including the $0.7523 city rate. The County Trustee mails the bill. It is due the first Monday in October, and the prior year becomes delinquent on March 1. The city rates page separately prints “.5199¢/$100” without a tax year, so use the bill for the year owed.
Who pays if the water or sewer main has to be extended?
The person who wants the extension pays all of the cost, and the city code does not require the city to build it. The published code says persons desiring a water or sewer main extension “must pay all of the cost of making such extensions.” The work is installed by city forces or under city supervision, to plans by a Tennessee-registered engineer, and the finished main becomes city property. The board may vary those terms, but the authority to extend is permissive only. A lot that fronts an existing main is a different cost from a lot that needs new pipe.
Does one flood map cover every lot the same way?
No. The city and the unincorporated county are separate FEMA communities with different map dates. The City of Smithville, community 470045, participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, and its current map date is April 19, 2010. Unincorporated DeKalb County, community 470369, also participates, and its current map date is February 14, 2025. A lot inside the corporate line and a lot that only carries the community code can sit on different maps. The zone is read for that parcel. Neither map says every vacant lot is in or out of a floodplain.
How do I confirm the parcel before a sale?
Start with the Assessor of Property for the parcel’s identity and appraised value, and the Register of Deeds for the recorded deed. The assessor determines the value of real property in the county. The register records deeds, deeds of trust, plats, liens, and releases. Those records show the parcel you are selling. They do not, by themselves, tell you whether the city sewer reaches the lot or which FEMA panel applies. Utility service and the flood map are separate checks from the deed.
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]
- How Cash Land Buyers Price Offers
A cash-land offer may start with verified sales of land with similar use, then adjust those sales for meaningful differences.[1] Buyers may also account for access, utilities, legal use, size, shape, flood and soil questions, title issues, demand, and costs and risk they will carry. No universal assessed-value percentage applies. Compare each written offer by expected net proceeds, contingencies, seller work, and timing—not one asking price or headline number.
More places in DeKalb 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
- DeKalb County
6,265 vacant lots countywide
- Putnam County
5,558 vacant lots countywide
- Cookeville
1,379 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $58,000
- Algood
163 vacant lots
- Holiday Haven
533 vacant lots
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 parcels on the DeKalb County roll whose community code is Smithville. 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.
- [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] University of Tennessee MTAS, Smithville city profile, Municipal Technical Advisory Service (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [3] City of Smithville, Smithville City Hall tax and utility rates (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [4] Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Smithville City Code, water, sewer, building, and zoning (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [5] DeKalb County, Tennessee, DeKalb County Building Department permit rules and fees (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [6] DeKalb County, Tennessee, DeKalb County Assessor of Property (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [7] DeKalb County, Tennessee, DeKalb County Trustee (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [8] DeKalb County, Tennessee, DeKalb County Register of Deeds (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [9] Tennessee Department of Revenue, Tennessee property tax assessment ratios (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [10] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Tennessee property tax assessment schedule (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [11] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, 2025 Tennessee property tax aggregate report (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [12] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Septic system construction permit and fees (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [13] UT County Technical Assistance Service, Tennessee realty transfer tax and oath of consideration (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [14] U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Smithville city, Tennessee (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [15] Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Center Hill Reservoir, counties and surface acres (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [16] Federal Emergency Management Agency, Tennessee NFIP community status book (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [17] Federal Aviation Administration, Smithville Municipal Airport (0A3) FAA airport data (accessed 2026-10-01)