Top Land Buyers in Wooded & Timberland

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

In the current 2025 Rhode Island market, selling vacant land is moving faster than the national average, typically ranging from 90 to 180 days. While the average home sale in the "Ocean State" takes approximately 72 days, raw land requires additional time for CRMC (Coastal Resources Management Council) approvals or municipal "perc" tests. However, 2025 data shows a powerful shift: demand for raw land is currently outpacing other sectors. Residential infill lots in high-demand areas like Providence, Warwick, and Cranston can go under contract in as little as 45 to 60 days. Conversely, remote or protected acreage in Western Rhode Island may sit for 12 months as buyers navigate strict conservation easements and rocky terrain.

What are the common closing costs for land sellers in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island is a mandatory attorney state, meaning a licensed attorney must conduct the closing and handle the deed transfer. This ensures legal compliance but increases fixed seller costs. Sellers should budget between 8% and 11% of the sale price for total expenses. A critical change occurred on October 1, 2025, when the state significantly increased the Real Estate Conveyance Tax to fund housing and homelessness initiatives.

Specific costs for late 2025 include:

• Conveyance Tax (Transfer Tax): The Tier 1 rate is now $3.75 for every $500 (effectively $7.50 per $1,000) of the purchase price. For a $300,000 sale, the seller owes $2,250. (Note: A Tier 2 surcharge of an additional $3.75 per $500 applies to residential sales over $800,000).
• Attorney Fees: For land transactions, attorneys typically charge a flat fee between $850 and $1,500 for deed preparation and title review.
• Recording Fees: Generally a flat fee of approximately $51 to $100 at the town or city hall.
• Title Search & Municipal Lien Search: Usually range from $250 to $650 to uncover unknown claims or unrecorded municipal utility bills.

Do I need a survey to sell my land in Rhode Island?

While a survey is not strictly mandated by Rhode Island law for a deed transfer, it is a practical necessity in 2025 to satisfy title insurance companies. Most insurers will not remove "survey exceptions" from a policy without a Class I or Class II Boundary Survey. In a state where many properties are defined by 18th-century stone walls or aging metes-and-bounds descriptions, a survey is critical to prevent encroachment disputes. In 2025, a basic survey for an urban lot costs $400 to $900, while large rural tracts or commercial infill sites can exceed $3,500. Providing an existing survey (conducted within the last 10 years) can reduce your time on market by 3 to 4 weeks.

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

The Rhode Island land market is forecast for steady, moderate growth (2% to 4%) through late 2026. The market remains a strong seller’s haven due to critically low inventory, currently sitting at just a 1.9-month supply. The most significant trend for 2026 is the "Taylor Swift Tax"—a new non-owner-occupied surcharge on luxury properties over $1M taking effect in July 2026. This is expected to push more capital into the entry-level land market (under $160k), where transaction volume grew by 15% in late 2025 as builders sought affordable footprints for new construction.

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

Yes, but you must act before the Right of Redemption is foreclosed in Superior Court. In Rhode Island, if property taxes go unpaid, the town holds a tax sale. The property owner has one year from the date of the tax sale to redeem the property by paying the delinquent taxes plus 10% interest. After one year, the tax title holder can file a petition in Superior Court to "foreclose the right of redemption," which permanently terminates your ownership.

For inherited property, Rhode Island probate law allows for a "Power of Sale": if a valid will explicitly grants the executor the power to sell real estate, the sale can proceed without a specific court order, potentially saving 6 to 9 months of probate delays. This is a primary tool for clearing title for the high-demand Solar and Industrial Infill projects currently expanding in the state’s northern and western corridors.

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

The highest demand in the 2025 Rhode Island market is for Affordable Residential Infill and Utility-Scale Solar Development. Driven by the state's Renewable Energy Enabling Laws, developers are aggressively seeking land for solar arrays, particularly on "disturbed" sites like landfills, brownfields, and commercial lots to take advantage of state incentives. Additionally, Industrial/Logistics Infill near the Providence and Quonset corridors remains a top-tier asset class for digital infrastructure and data centers. In the residential sector, "shovel-ready" lots priced under $160,000 are the top choice for developers looking to bypass the state's severe inventory shortage while staying within workforce housing price points.