Top Land Buyers in Residential Lots

How long does it typically take to sell vacant land in Georgia?

In the current 2025 Georgia real estate market, selling vacant land typically takes between 6 to 12 months. While residential lots in high-growth metropolitan areas like North Fulton or Gwinnett counties can often move within 90 to 120 days, large agricultural or timberland tracts in rural South Georgia frequently require 18 months or longer to find a buyer. The timeline is heavily influenced by the "Due Diligence" period, which in Georgia usually spans 30 to 60 days. During this window, buyers typically investigate soil suitability for septic systems, zoning restrictions, and environmental constraints. Sellers who provide a "perc test" up front or clear boundary markers often see their properties move 20% faster than those without verified site data.

What are the common closing costs for land sellers in Georgia?

Georgia is a mandatory attorney closing state, which means a licensed attorney must oversee the final settlement, title search, and deed preparation. This requirement typically makes Georgia slightly more expensive for sellers than "title company" states. Sellers can expect to pay between 7% and 10% of the sale price in total expenses, with real estate commissions being the largest cost. Attorney fees for a standard Georgia land closing in 2025 range from a flat fee of $750 to $1,250 or an hourly rate averaging $196 per hour for complex legal work.

Specific costs for 2025 include:

• Transfer Tax: The state-mandated rate is $1.00 for the first $1,000 and $0.10 for each additional $100 (effectively a flat $0.10 per $100) of the purchase price. For a $150,000 land sale, the transfer tax would be $150.
• Title Search Fees: Usually cost between $350 and $600 to ensure the chain of title is free of old timber leases or heirs-property disputes.
• Recording Fees: Georgia charges a relatively low flat fee, typically around $25 for a standard warranty deed.
• Owner’s Title Insurance: While negotiable, sellers in Georgia often pay for the Owner’s Policy to provide the buyer with a clean title guarantee, which typically costs 0.3% to 0.5% of the property value.

Do I need a survey to sell my land in Georgia?

While a survey is not strictly mandated by Georgia state law to transfer property, it is almost universally required by closing attorneys and title insurers to provide a policy without "boundary exceptions." In 2025, providing a Boundary Survey or a Land Survey Plat is essential for selling larger tracts where old "metes and bounds" descriptions may be inaccurate. A standard survey for a small residential lot in Georgia currently costs between $400 and $800, while large acreage or heavily wooded terrain can exceed $2,500. Having a recent survey (conducted within the last 10 years) is a major selling point that prevents deals from falling through during the buyer's inspection period due to encroachment or acreage discrepancies.

How is the land market trending in Georgia for the next 12 months?

The Georgia land market is projected to enter a "balanced growth" phase through late 2026. While the rapid double-digit price hikes of the early 2020s have moderated, the median land price remains resilient, showing a 0.8% to 3% annual appreciation in most regions. Inventory has increased by 15% year-over-year, giving buyers more leverage but also stabilizing the market against a bubble. The most significant trend is the "Industrial Infill" boom around the I-16 and I-95 corridors, driven by a 17% surge in energy demand from new data centers and manufacturing plants (such as the Hyundai Metaplant). This industrial growth is creating a "ripple effect" that is driving up the value of auxiliary residential land in surrounding rural counties.

Can I sell land in Georgia if I have back taxes or title issues?

Yes, but you must be aware of the 12-month redemption period associated with Georgia's tax deed process. If your land is sold at a tax sale, the original owner has precisely one year from the date of the auction to redeem the property by paying the bid amount plus a 20% premium. After the first year, the penalty increases by an additional 10% annually. Sellers with "heirs property" issues—a common challenge in rural Georgia—must resolve title clouds through a Quiet Title action before a traditional buyer can secure a mortgage or title insurance.

For probate sales, Georgia law offers a "Power of Sale" nuance: if the decedent’s will explicitly grants the executor the power to sell real estate, they can often proceed with the sale without a specific court license, potentially saving 4 to 6 months in probate delays. This is an essential tool for families looking to liquidate inherited land quickly for Solar Development or Industrial Infill projects.

What is the most in-demand type of land in Georgia right now?

The highest demand in the 2025 Georgia market is for Utility-Scale Solar Development and Industrial Logistics Infill. Driven by the state's recent solar boom, Georgia’s total solar capacity has reached 5,585 MW, and developers are aggressively seeking 200+ acre parcels of flat, cleared land near existing transmission lines. Additionally, Mitigation Banking is a rising trend in Coastal Georgia, where land is purchased to restore wetlands and generate environmental credits to offset the impact of massive port and highway infrastructure expansions. In the residential sector, Infill lots in secondary markets like Savannah, Columbus, and Athens remain high-priority assets for builders looking to meet the ongoing demand for workforce housing.