Tennessee
Sell your land in Washington County for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots and land for cash across Washington County, including rural parcels that need septic review, floodplain checks or utility confirmation. 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 Washington County?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Washington 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 Washington County sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Washington County sold for a median of $82,000 across 227 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $42,400 to $147,500.
- How many vacant lots are in Washington County?
- The 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data lists 6,699 vacant residential lots in Washington County; 12% are mini-estate (2-3 acres)s, and the median lot is 0.76 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County?
- In 2025, companies bought 22% of the vacant lots that sold in Washington County, including 13% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- What was the median recorded 2025 sale price by lot size in Washington County?
- The median recorded 2025 sale price for a 5-acre ranchette in Washington County was $147,500 across 34 sales.
Local data
What is land in Washington County worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Washington County sold for a median of $82,000 across 227 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $42,400 to $147,500. [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.
Recorded 2025 sale prices by lot size in Washington County
| Lot-size class | 2025 sales | 2025 median lot sale |
|---|---|---|
| 5-acre ranchette210,000–279,999 sq ft | 34 | $147,500 |
| Mini-estate (2-3 acres)70,000–139,999 sq ft | 31 | $70,000 |
| Oversized half-acre24,000–29,999 sq ft | 28 | $39,300 |
| Half-acre lot19,000–23,999 sq ft | 22 | $67,800 |
| Small acreage tract (7-10 acres)280,000–435,599 sq ft | 14 | $189,800 |
| Estate parcel (3-5 acres)140,000–209,999 sq ft | 14 | $127,800 |
| Sub-half-acre lot16,000–18,999 sq ft | 12 | $125,000 |
| Third-acre lot13,000–15,999 sq ft | 11 | $56,200 |
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 | 6,699 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 Tennessee parcel and assessment data [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Mini-estate (2-3 acres) (70,000–140,000 sq ft): 12% of vacant lots; next, half-acre lot at 11%. Median lot: 0.76 acre (33,020 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical appraised value | $40,600 median appraised value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $23,700 and $71,600 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $82,000 median across 227 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Washington County (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $42,400–$147,500 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 22% of those purchases, including 13% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 7% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Tennessee (most often FL, NC, VA) [1] |
| Assessor values the land | The Washington County Assessor of Property discovers, lists, classifies and values taxable land. The office does not collect the tax bill. [2],[3] |
| Trustee collects county tax | The County Trustee mails property-tax statements in October and collects county taxes. The county says payment is due by the end of February. [3] |
| Deeds and plats are recorded here | The Register of Deeds records and preserves deeds, liens, mortgages, plats, powers of attorney and other instruments that affect ownership or title. [4] |
| County rules cover rural land | The county zoning office was created in 1989 for rural, unincorporated areas. It handles zoning, residential building permits, planning, stormwater and GIS. [5] |
| Residential code is 2018 IRC | Washington County says it has adopted the 2018 International Residential Code for residential dwellings in the areas under county building jurisdiction. [5] |
| TDEC reviews septic sites | A new, repaired or modified septic system needs a state permit. A TDEC environmental scientist evaluates the site and may request a site plan or soil map. [7] |
| Flood rules depend on jurisdiction | County floodplain rules apply to unincorporated land, not land inside a municipality. The county adopted its current NFIP regulations on February 27, 2012. [6] |
| Cherokee National Forest | The Forest Service lists Washington County among the counties containing Cherokee National Forest and calls the forest public land. A parcel near it needs a boundary check before nearby forest acreage is treated as private land. [12],[13] |
| 2025 sale price by lot size | The median recorded 2025 sale price for a 5-acre ranchette in Washington County was $147,500 across 34 sales. [1] |
Where we buy
Areas we cover in Washington County
- Johnson City
1,921vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $105,000
- Jonesborough
365vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $59,600
These pages cover the largest lot markets in Washington 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 Washington County
What changes a vacant parcel's value
Lot size is only the starting point. The county roll shows a median vacant-lot size of 0.76 acre, while the largest size bucket is mini-estate (2-3 acres)s at 12% of the county's vacant residential inventory. The median appraised value is $40,600, and the middle half falls in $23,700–$71,600. Those roll figures do not settle what a buyer can build. County zoning, floodplain rules and room for a permitted septic system can move two same-size parcels far apart. We check utilities, access and title on every parcel before offering. [1],[5],[6],[7]
Building and septic permits must match the parcel
The permitting office depends on whether land is inside a municipality or in the rural county jurisdiction. For unincorporated land, the county zoning office oversees residential building permits under the 2018 IRC, zoning, planning and stormwater. A new, repaired or modified septic system needs a TDEC permit. TDEC sends an environmental scientist to evaluate the site and says a complete request can take up to 45 days. The reviewer may request a detailed site plan or soils map, so the result can change the usable house area and development cost. [5],[7]
Taxes become delinquent on March 1
County property taxes are due by the end of February and become delinquent on March 1 under Tennessee's assessment calendar. The Trustee collects the regular bill; court sales are handled through the Clerk and Master's process in Chancery Court. Washington County's 2021 tax-sale notice said a sold parcel was subject to a one-year right of redemption measured from the order confirming the sale. That is not a Florida-style tax-certificate process. If back taxes or liens exist, they can be paid from sale proceeds at closing with the seller's consent, subject to what the title search finds. [3],[8],[9],[10]
Recorded title and Greenbelt status matter before closing
The Register of Deeds is the place to research recorded deeds, plats, liens, mortgages and powers of attorney. Those records can reveal an old access easement, a subdivision restriction or an ownership issue that does not appear in a mailing address. Larger agricultural, forest or open-space parcels may also have Greenbelt use-value treatment. Tennessee's Comptroller says a disqualifying change can create rollback taxes for the preceding three years on agricultural or forest land and five years on open-space land. The Assessor calculates that amount. A title company can identify recorded claims and the documents needed before money changes hands. [4],[11]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Washington 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 Washington County: common questions
Who issues a building permit for rural land in Washington County?
Washington County's Zoning, Planning and Building Codes office handles residential building permits in the rural, unincorporated area. Land inside a municipality follows that municipality's permit and zoning process instead.
Can I build if the land needs a septic system?
Possibly, but TDEC must approve the septic system. A TDEC environmental scientist evaluates the site, decides what type of system is needed and may ask for a detailed plan or a soil map before issuing a permit.
How do I find out whether my land is in a flood zone?
Start with the parcel's governing jurisdiction and the current FEMA map. Washington County administers floodplain rules for unincorporated land, while incorporated areas use their own floodplain ordinances and permit offices.
What happens when county property taxes are not paid?
They become delinquent on March 1 after the February payment deadline. The county can pursue a court sale through the Clerk and Master's process. A 2021 county sale notice described a one-year redemption period after the confirming order.
Can I sell land that is still in Tennessee Greenbelt?
Yes, but the use change and closing terms can affect rollback taxes. The Comptroller says the Assessor calculates three preceding years for agricultural or forest land and five years for open-space land when rollback applies.
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]
- What Happens at a Land Closing?
At a professionally handled land closing, a title, escrow, or settlement agent coordinates the title requirements, transfer documents, buyer's funds, settlement accounting, and recording. The agent disburses money under the sales contract rather than merely because the seller signed.[1] The exact documents, order, and payment timing depend on the contract, state law, and closing agent's instructions, and a title search does not replace land-condition due diligence.[3][6]
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 Washington 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] Washington County, Tennessee, Assessor of Property (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [3] Washington County, Tennessee, County Trustee and property taxes (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [4] Washington County, Tennessee, Register of Deeds (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [5] Washington County, Tennessee, Zoning, Planning and Building Codes (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [6] Washington County, Tennessee, Floodplain Management (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [7] Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Subsurface Sewage Disposal System frequently asked questions (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [8] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Property assessment schedule (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [9] Washington County, Tennessee, Chancery Court and court sales (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [10] Washington County, Tennessee, Washington County 2021 delinquent property tax sale notice (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [11] Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Greenbelt and rollback taxes (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [12] U.S. Forest Service, Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [13] U.S. Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest (accessed 2026-10-02)