Tennessee
Sell your land in Sullivan County for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant land throughout Sullivan County for cash, including unincorporated parcels that still need zoning, septic, floodplain, access or title 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 Tennessee parcel and assessment data · How we made this page
Quick answers
- Who buys land for cash in Sullivan County?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Sullivan County sold for a median of $40,000 across 215 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $20,000 to $81,200.
- How many vacant lots are in Sullivan County?
- The 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data lists 11,325 vacant residential lots in Sullivan County; 10% are half-acre lots, and the median lot is 0.56 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan County?
- In 2025, companies bought 17% of the vacant lots that sold in Sullivan County, including 8% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Sullivan County?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a half-acre lot in Sullivan County was $29,500 across 23 sales.
Local data
What is land in Sullivan County worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Sullivan County sold for a median of $40,000 across 215 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $20,000 to $81,200. [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 Sullivan County
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale |
|---|---|---|
| Half-acre lot19,000–23,999 sq ft | 23 | $29,500 |
| Mini-estate (2-3 acres)70,000–139,999 sq ft | 22 | $58,000 |
| 5-acre ranchette210,000–279,999 sq ft | 22 | $115,000 |
| Standard city lot7,000–8,999 sq ft | 16 | $20,000 |
| Sub-half-acre lot16,000–18,999 sq ft | 15 | $31,500 |
| Quarter-acre lot9,000–12,999 sq ft | 13 | $35,000 |
| Three-quarter acre30,000–33,999 sq ft | 13 | $28,000 |
| Near-acre34,000–39,999 sq ft | 12 | $54,800 |
| Acre-plus46,000–51,999 sq ft | 12 | $36,000 |
| Estate parcel (3-5 acres)140,000–209,999 sq ft | 10 | $77,000 |
| Oversized half-acre24,000–29,999 sq ft | 10 | $22,500 |
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 | 11,325 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Half-acre lot (19,000–24,000 sq ft): 10% of vacant lots; next, mini-estate (2-3 acres) at 10%. Median lot: 0.56 acre (24,400 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical appraised value | $19,000 median appraised value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $10,800 and $33,900 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $40,000 median across 215 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Sullivan County (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $20,000–$81,200 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 17% of those purchases, including 8% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 10% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Tennessee (most often VA, NC, FL) [1] |
| County zoning since 1988 | Sullivan County says zoning was adopted in 1988. Planning and Codes reviews zoning and requires building permits for residential housing in its jurisdiction. [2] |
| Septic permits come from TDEC | Sullivan County is not on TDEC's contract-county list, so the state Division of Water Resources handles septic construction permits rather than a county septic program. [6],[7] |
| Assessor values, not bills | The Assessor lists, classifies and values property and maintains maps, but does not set the tax rate or collect tax. The next countywide reappraisal is 2027. [8] |
| Trustee collects property tax | The Trustee accepts current property-tax payments from the first Monday in October through February. Delinquency begins March 1 with 1.5% monthly interest. [9] |
| Register records land papers | The Register of Deeds is the county's official recorder for deeds and other legal documents affecting real property. Recorded instruments are central to title review. [10] |
| Flood review is part of permitting | The county permit application calls for flood-zone review and an elevation certificate when applicable, along with zoning, driveway, stormwater and utility approvals. [3] |
| Boone Reservoir changes shoreline | TVA says Boone Reservoir has about 127 miles of shoreline and a normal seasonal water-level change of about 25 feet, relevant to access and shoreline due diligence. [12],[13] |
| South Holston Reservoir | TVA places South Holston Reservoir in Sullivan County, says Cherokee National Forest surrounds 60% of its shoreline and identifies 2,270 acres of TVA public land around the reservoir. [14] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a half-acre lot in Sullivan County was $29,500 across 23 sales. [1] |
Where we buy
Areas we cover in Sullivan County
- Kingsport
2,830vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $38,500
- Bristol
1,428vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $31,000
These pages cover the largest lot markets in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County
Three county offices answer different land questions
The Assessor of Property, County Trustee and Register of Deeds do different jobs. The Assessor lists, classifies and values property, maintains ownership maps and administers programs such as Greenbelt. It does not set the tax rate or collect the bill. The office says the county uses a two-year reappraisal cycle and identifies 2027 as the next countywide reappraisal. The Trustee collects current property taxes. The Register of Deeds is the official recorder for deeds and other legal instruments affecting real estate. A sound vacant-land review uses all three surfaces: the assessment record for parcel identity and value, the Trustee for the current tax position, and recorded deeds, plats, easements and restrictions for title facts. None of those records alone proves physical access, septic approval or buildability. [8],[9],[10]
County zoning and permits apply in the county jurisdiction
Sullivan County Planning and Codes says county zoning was adopted in 1988 and that building permits are required for residential housing. Its building and zoning application asks for a plot plan for one- and two-family construction and identifies additional approvals that may be required for septic or sewer, stormwater, floodplain and driveway work. The form says a permit expires 180 days after issuance if it is not exercised, or after 180 days between inspections. It also says county approval does not validate or enforce private deed restrictions. A parcel can meet public zoning rules and still have a recorded covenant, access limitation or utility easement that changes the plan. Municipal parcels may use a different permitting office, so jurisdiction is verified before an offer relies on a permit path. [2],[3],[4]
TDEC, not a county program, handles septic permits
For land without public sewer, the septic path runs through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. TDEC's application page lists counties with local contract programs, and Sullivan County is not on that list. The state's septic construction page says a permit is required before installing or repairing a subsurface disposal system. It lists a $400 conventional-system permit for flows up to 1,000 gallons per day plus a $100 inspection fee. An alternative system is listed at $500 plus a $200 inspection fee. TDEC says review is generally completed within 10 days and must be completed within 45 days, but an application still depends on the site information and proposed system. A permit application or nearby approval does not guarantee that every lot has suitable soil or enough usable area. We price the actual parcel's known soil, slope, access and utility position. [6],[7]
Taxes can move from the Trustee to court collection
The Trustee's property-tax page says current county taxes may be paid from the first Monday in October through the last day of February. Taxes become delinquent March 1 and accrue 1.5% interest per month. The Trustee also permits partial payments during the current collection season. Chancery Court says unpaid taxes are turned over one year after delinquency and that its office generally holds one delinquent-tax sale per year. A pending balance does not automatically prevent a voluntary cash sale, but the amount and case stage must be verified. With the seller's consent, a title company can pay valid taxes or liens from the proceeds. Waiting until a court sale is near can add cost and reduce time to cure title issues. [9],[11]
Reservoir, slope and floodplain review stay parcel-specific
Boone Reservoir sits on the Sullivan-Washington county border, so map review must be tied to one parcel. TVA reports about 127 miles of shoreline, roughly 4,130 acres of water and a normal seasonal water-level change of about 25 feet. The county building application separately calls for flood-zone review and an elevation certificate when applicable. Its subdivision regulations require flood information and water-related certifications in the plat process. Before offering, we review the mapped parcel, apparent road access, terrain, recorded easements and available flood information. The roll's 2025 countywide set includes 215 qualifying lot sales, with a median of $40,000 and a middle-half range of $20,000–$81,200; those figures do not replace site review. [12],[13],[3],[5],[1]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Sullivan 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 Sullivan County: common questions
Who issues septic permits in Sullivan County?
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation handles the septic construction permit because Sullivan County is not listed as a local contract-county program. TDEC requires a permit before system installation or repair and publishes separate conventional and alternative-system fees.
Does the Assessor collect Sullivan County property tax?
No. The Assessor lists, classifies and values property and maintains maps. The County Trustee collects current property taxes. The Register of Deeds records deeds and other legal instruments affecting the land, so each office answers a different closing question.
Can I sell land with delinquent county taxes?
Often, yes, before a court sale cuts off the available path. The Trustee says taxes become delinquent March 1 and accrue 1.5% monthly interest. Chancery Court says unpaid taxes are turned over one year after delinquency. A title company can verify and pay an authorized balance from closing proceeds.
Does a county building permit override deed restrictions?
No. The county's permit application states that Sullivan County does not enforce private restrictions. A buyer still needs to review the deed, recorded plat, easements and covenants even when the proposed work satisfies county zoning and building requirements.
Can I sell from outside Tennessee?
Yes. 10% of owners in this countywide vacant-land scope use mailing addresses outside Tennessee. Documents can be signed electronically or through a mail-away closing, and an independent title company can send payment by check or wire after verifying taxes, deed records and title.
Does reservoir frontage guarantee dock rights?
No. TVA's reservoir information describes the managed shoreline and seasonal water-level change, but a mapped shoreline does not by itself establish private access or approval for a structure. Recorded boundaries, easements, flood information and any required TVA or local approval must be checked for the parcel.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- How to Sell Land in a Flood Zone
Flood-zone land can be sellable and sometimes buildable. A FEMA flood zone describes mapped risk; it is not a building permit. The buyer must verify the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Map and any map changes, then ask the local floodplain administrator what elevation, floodway, coastal, permit, and design rules apply.[1][2][4] Vacant land itself is not covered by an NFIP policy; flood insurance covers qualifying buildings and contents, not land value.[5][6]
- 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 Long Does It Take to Sell Vacant Land?
There is no single national timeline for selling vacant land. A sale has two stages: time to reach a signed agreement, then time to complete the contract's title, inspection, funding, signing, and recording work. A direct cash sale can remove open-market marketing and lender review when a buyer is already identified, but it cannot remove title or signing problems. Those issues can delay any sale path.
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 Sullivan 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] Sullivan County Government, Planning and Codes (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [3] Sullivan County Government, Building permit and zoning application (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [4] Sullivan County Government, Sullivan County Zoning Resolution updated May 2025 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [5] Sullivan County Government, Regional Planning Commission Subdivision Regulations 2024 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [6] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Online application for septic-related services (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [7] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Septic system construction permit (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [8] Sullivan County Government, Assessor of Property (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [9] Sullivan County Trustee, Property tax information (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [10] Sullivan County Government, Register of Deeds (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [11] Sullivan County Chancery Court, Delinquent tax sales (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [12] Tennessee Valley Authority, Boone Reservoir Land Management Plan (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [13] Tennessee Valley Authority, Boone Reservoir facts (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [14] Tennessee Valley Authority, South Holston Reservoir Land Management Plan (accessed 2026-10-02)