Start with nearby land that has sold and has much the same use as yours. Then check the details that could change a buyer’s plan. In Franklin County, a possible split, septic records and farm tax terms deserve a closer look before you set a price.
Start with the right parcel and the right records
Find the parcel number on your tax bill or deed. It is the county’s ID for your land. Save the acres, road name and deed reference too. Ask the Franklin County Tax Assessor how to find the parcel record and any sale details available.
Check the deed and any plat if the acres or owner name do not match. A deed records a transfer of ownership. A plat is a surveyed map of the property. A tax map is useful for finding land, but it does not settle a missing boundary or road right.
For each sale you use, save the parcel IDs and deed reference. Check whether the price covered a home, other buildings or several tracts. You need to know what the buyer received before comparing it with your land.
Choose sales for the same kind of land
A small home lot, a farm and a large wooded tract can have very different buyers. Compare your tract with land that offers much the same use. Start close by with recent completed sales, then widen the search if you need more good matches.
Keep asking prices in a separate list. They tell you what sellers want, not what buyers paid. For a completed sale, note the date, size and features as well as the price.
Check the exact parcel and county. A mailing city does not always settle where the land sits. Road names and lot numbers can also vary across listings. Match the deed before treating two entries as separate sales.
Use price per acre after checking what sold. That means dividing the sale price by acres. A small lot with home approvals may be a poor match for a larger tract that still needs site work.
Use the current code and confirm who reviews your land
Start with the county UDC and Zoning Map page. UDC means Unified Development Code, the county’s set of land-use rules. The page lists amended code and map links alongside older and draft maps. Use the approved documents and confirm any later change with staff.
The county says its UDC replaced the 2005 rules. The published code applies to land outside city limits. If your land is inside a city, confirm which office handles the plan. A postal address alone does not answer that.
Ask Planning and Zoning to confirm the parcel’s zoning, allowed use and review route. Zoning tells you which uses are allowed. If a sale comparison depends on adding homes or changing a use, keep the current written answer with that sale.
Confirm the split process before counting future lots
Do you hope to sell part of a farm or turn a tract into home lots? First ask Planning which review applies. Give staff the parcel number, old plats and a sketch of the split. Include any prior divisions and roads.
The county’s plat-application instructions and published code show different lot-count cutoffs for the minor route. The code also considers new road work and earlier splits. Ask staff which application fits your plan; don’t rely on a lot count alone.
The Applications and Fees page links the current online portal and plat-review instructions. Start there if you need to apply. Save the project reference number so staff can find the file when you ask about its status.
A proposed split is different from approved lots. Keep the cost and time of survey, review and road work separate from the likely sale price. Ask a surveyor what is needed, then compare your tract with sales that had much the same approvals.
Check whether the home area has been tested
Septic is the system that treats household waste on the land. If a buyer needs one, find the soil report, permit and system map. Ask Franklin County Environmental Health whether those records cover the home the buyer has in mind.
The county code allows some minor-split soil testing to be delayed until before a building permit, with a note on the plat. So a recorded split does not always mean each home site has passed a soil test.
Ask what has been checked and what is still needed. Look for the proposed home area, driveway, septic area and any creek or wet ground. Don’t treat a general map or a neighbor’s septic system as approval for your own tract.
For example, two five-acre lots can be poor price matches if one has a confirmed septic area and the other still needs testing. Write down the difference. Get a quote for the missing work instead of making up a price cut.
Price the work to bring water and power to the site
The Franklin County Water Department provides the county water-service contact and current agreement and rate links. Ask whether it serves your exact parcel and proposed home area. Ask about a meter, line extension and any work needed to connect.
If the parcel is served by a city or another provider, ask that provider. Water available along the road is different from water connected at the home site. Check sewer separately. If a well is planned, ask the health office what review is needed.
Ask the power provider for the route and an estimate too. Keep those quotes with clearing and driveway costs. These facts help explain why your land may differ from a nearby sale with service already in place.
Ask about conservation-use terms before a sale or split
Some farm or timber land has a lower tax value because it stays in a qualifying use. The county exemptions page explains the Conservation Use program. Its current-use tax value is different from a price a buyer has paid for the land.
The program has terms that owners agree to follow. Before a sale, split or change in use, ask the Tax Assessor how the plan affects your agreement. Have the parcel number and agreement ready. Ask whether the buyer can continue it and whether any penalty could apply.
Then ask the closing team who would pay any cost tied to the deal. Put the answer in writing. Don’t assume every sale ends the program, or that a low tax value means the tract has a low sale price.
Build a comparison that shows the missing answers
Use one row for your land and one for each checked sale. Put these details side by side:
- The land and sale
- Parcel IDs, deed reference, sale date, price, acres and any buildings included.
- Use and possible lots
- Current zoning, reviewing office, prior splits and approved plans.
- Home and service needs
- Soil and septic records, water, power, road rights and work still to price.
- Costs and open questions
- Survey and site-work quotes, farm tax terms and facts still missing.
A few strong matches can help you explain a price range. If the match depends on future approval or unknown work, mark that clearly. A county average cannot fill in those missing answers.
When you receive an offer, compare the money you would keep, timing and conditions. Our land offer worksheet helps put those details in one place.
Tell us about your land with the parcel number, acres and records you have. It’s okay if some details are missing. We’ll review the land and discuss whether a direct offer could work for you.
Questions About Franklin County Land Value
Can I use the old 2005 Franklin County zoning map to price future lots?
Start with the current county UDC and Zoning Map page. It includes approved, draft and older documents. Ask Planning to confirm the parcel’s current zoning and which office reviews it.
How do I know which Franklin County split application to use?
Ask Planning with your parcel number and a sketch. The published code and portal instructions show different lot-count cutoffs for the minor route. Prior splits and road work also matter. Let staff confirm the route for your plan.
Does a recorded minor split prove the land has passed a septic test?
No. The county code allows some soil tests to be delayed until before a building permit, with a note on the plat. Ask Environmental Health which tests and approvals exist for the proposed home.
Is conservation-use tax value a good asking price for my farm?
No. That tax value reflects a qualifying use. Research similar completed sales for a price. Ask the Tax Assessor how a sale, split or changed use would affect the agreement before comparing the money you would keep.