Start with your tax bill, deed and what you know about the land. Find the right parcel, choose a price range and decide how you want to find a buyer. Then get the price, costs and closing steps in writing.
Tell us about your land. There’s no obligation to accept an offer.
Start with what you know. These steps will help you get ready and choose the way to sell that fits you.
You can begin while some records are missing. Write down what is known and what needs checking. Ask whether a new survey or other work is needed before paying for it.
Look at a recent tax bill or deed. Write down the parcel or map number, acres and owner name. That number identifies the piece of land. Keep a separate line for each parcel if you own several.
The county's PVA office guide links to the Property Valuation Administrator. The PVA estimates property values for tax purposes. Call 502-875-8780 if you need help finding the right land record.
Check the record against your papers. A road name or mailing address alone may not identify a vacant tract. Don't guess an address just because the land has no house.
Keep any survey you already have. A survey shows measured property lines. An online map helps you find the land, but it doesn't settle a boundary question. Ask a title company or closing attorney about mismatched names, acres or parcel numbers.
If you're helping settle a loved one's estate, keep the estate papers with the deed. Ask who needs to sign before agreeing to a sale. It's okay to start with the papers you have.
The Franklin County Clerk's records page lists deeds, mortgages, plats and subdivision restrictions among its records. A plat is a recorded map of land or lots. The page also notes public access terminals in the Deed Room.
Its online search guide explains eCCLIX and the different access options. Commercial access has a subscription fee. The private-citizen option has limits on who may use it and why. Read those limits and ask the Clerk which route fits your request.
You don't need to sign up for a service before asking how to get a missing paper. Have the owner name and any deed book, page or record number handy. Ask whether the copy you need is online or must be found through the office.
A restriction is a rule in a recorded paper that may affect the land's use. Share any restriction or road agreement you find with your agent or closing team. Don't assume the newest deed alone shows every issue that matters to a buyer.
Gather what you already have. A simple folder helps you write a listing, answer buyers and get ready for closing:
If someone rents the land or keeps animals there, include the agreement and notes about access. Ask how that use would be handled in a sale. Don't promise an empty property on a date before the terms are clear.
Our land seller document checklist can help you track what you've found. Before ordering new papers or work, ask what the buyer or closing team actually needs.
Write short answers to the things you know:
Take clear photos of the entrance and features that matter. Decide how buyers can visit safely. If reaching the land means crossing another property, look for a written access right. A visible path alone doesn't prove that right.
For utilities, use three labels: already on the land, nearby, or not confirmed. A line beside the road doesn't mean a connection is paid for. Where there is no sewer, a home may need septic, the system that handles household wastewater.
Keep old system and permit papers, but don't promise that they cover a buyer's new plan. Share what you know and say which answers are still missing.
If a buyer asks whether they can build, start with the county's Planning and Zoning office at 502-875-8701. Zoning means the rules for how land may be used. Have the parcel number ready and ask which office handles the land and the proposed use.
A Frankfort mailing address doesn't settle whether city or county rules apply. Don't promise several home sites just because the tract has several acres. Share existing records and let the buyer know what still needs checking.
The county's flood information page covers Kentucky River and Elkhorn Creek floodplain questions and provides map resources. It directs flooding, stormwater and drainage questions to Planning and Zoning.
Tell buyers about water problems you've seen and share any flood or elevation papers you have. An elevation paper records height information. A map can help find questions, but it isn't a promise that every part of the land can be built on.
You don't need to plan the buyer's whole project before talking about a sale. Be clear about known facts and open questions. Ask what checks would affect the offer before paying for new work.
Compare similar land that has sold. Match the size, location, access, usable ground and likely use. A small home lot and a large wooded tract may serve different buyers. A sale with a house or several parcels may be a poor match for bare land.
Asking prices show what sellers hope to get. Completed sales show what buyers paid. Tax values are another reference, not a completed sale. A local land agent or appraiser can help check a range. An appraiser gives an opinion of value; ask which records support it.
List with a land agent. An agent can help price and market the land, arrange visits and handle offers. Ask about the fee and the plan for finding buyers for land like yours.
Sell it yourself. You choose the price, write the listing and answer buyer questions. Gather clear photos, a map and the basic details. Decide who will help with the sale contract and closing.
Compare a direct offer. A land buyer gives you another set of price and terms to consider. Ask about the buyer's checks, costs and planned closing date. If you'd like to include a direct offer, Reelvest can review your land.
Our Kentucky land seller guide covers the wider process. Choose the route that fits your goals and comfort with the work.
Get the price, deposit, costs and planned closing date in writing. Include any loan payoff, unpaid taxes, fees and work you agree to pay for. Ask who pays for a survey, title work and buyer checks.
A made-up example: a $50,000 offer with $3,000 in seller costs leaves $47,000 before a loan payoff or other amounts. It isn't an estimate for your land. Use our land offer worksheet to compare choices side by side.
Read the buyer's right to cancel and what happens to the deposit. Ask what still needs checking, who needs to sign and what could change the date. A higher price can leave you with less money if the costs are higher.
Before closing, ask what identification and papers to bring and how payment will reach you. Confirm payment instructions directly with the closing office using a trusted phone number. Keep the signed contract and final closing papers.
Start with your tax bill, deed, parcel number and what you know about the land. Gather road, rental or estate papers if they apply. You can begin while some records are missing.
Start with the Franklin County Clerk’s records and online search guides. Ask which record you need, whether it is online and whether a copy or access fee applies. Have any book, page or record number handy.
Not always. Keep any survey you have and ask why a new one would be needed. The buyer’s checks or title review may show a need. Agree on who arranges and pays for it before spending money.
Gather the deed and estate papers you have. Ask a title company or closing attorney to check ownership and who needs to sign. You can ask for help before choosing a price or agreeing on a date.
It depends on the records, buyer checks and agreement. Ask what is still open, who needs to sign and what could change the planned closing date. Every sale does not follow the same timeline.
Local source links reviewed October 7, 2026.