Start with where the land is and the papers you already have. Check who can sign, gather the useful details and compare prices for similar land. Then choose whether to use an agent, sell it yourself or ask a direct buyer for an offer. Missing papers do not have to keep you from starting.
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.
A tax bill is a useful place to start. Save the parcel number, owner names and location. A parcel is one piece of land in the local records. Its number can help identify an empty lot that has no street address.
The Knox County Assessor’s Helpful Links page links to Property Search and KGIS, the local map service. Use the property record to check the land details and the map to find its location.
Match what you find with your deed or old survey. Do not assume a result is yours just because the owner name is the same. If the acres or location differ, ask the Assessor’s office or closing team for help.
If you own adjoining parcels, list each number. Decide whether you want to sell them together. Make sure a buyer’s offer covers the same group of lots.
Put these items in one folder, if you have them:
Missing a deed? The Register of Deeds has a guide to getting a copy. It explains in-person and mailed copies and links to KGIS for viewing documents. Ask the office for help if you only have an old name or record reference.
Our document checklist can help you track missing items. You do not need a perfect file or a brand-new survey before speaking with buyers.
If you’re handling inherited land or helping settle a loved one’s estate, bring the papers you have to the estate lawyer or closing team. Ask who can sign and what steps remain. You can gather information and compare selling choices while those questions are checked.
A deed copy helps identify the property. It does not answer every question about who can sell it or whether money is owed against it.
The Knox County Register of Deeds says its office cannot tell you whether ownership is clear of other claims. That check needs a professional who searches the records, such as a title company. Let the closing team explain what they need from you.
Share any loan information, old tax notices or letters about ownership that you have. A lien is a claim against property. If a notice is confusing, keep it and ask for help rather than guessing that it no longer matters.
Before accepting an offer, ask who will handle closing and how they will check the names and signatures. If several people own the land, do not promise the whole property until you know who has authority to agree.
Write a few lines a buyer can understand. Mark uncertain details as questions instead of making promises.
Maps and old surveys can help a buyer ask better questions. They do not settle a boundary dispute. If a line is unclear, share that concern and ask what needs checking before the sale.
You do not have to clear trees, build a driveway or order home plans just to begin. If someone requests new work, ask why, who pays and whether it is part of the written deal.
Start with recent sales of similar nearby land. Compare the size, road access, usable ground and likely use. A small lot with services may be a weak match for a large hillside tract.
Ask a local land agent which completed sales fit and why. A listing price shows what a seller wants. A completed sale shows what a buyer paid. A tax value serves a different purpose from today’s selling price.
If you would like a direct offer from Reelvest, tell us about your land. You can compare it with other choices before deciding.
Make sure the written offer identifies the right parcel or group of parcels. Check the price, dates and costs. Ask what allows the buyer to cancel and what happens to the deposit.
A loan payoff, unpaid taxes or other costs may reduce the money you keep. Ask for current amounts and a clear estimate. Our offer worksheet helps compare the details side by side.
Ask what still must happen before closing and which papers or signatures the closing team needs. Review the final breakdown of the money and costs. Confirm how payment will reach you, and keep copies of the signed documents.
Use the parcel number from a tax bill or property search, plus the nearest road and a map. Match the land details with your deed rather than guessing an address.
The Knox County Register of Deeds provides information about in-person and mailed copies and links to document viewing through KGIS. Ask the office how to find your record.
No. Ask a title company or the closing team to check the records. The Register of Deeds records documents but says it cannot determine whether ownership is clear of other claims.
Not just to start. Share the condition as it is and records you already have. Before paying for work, ask why it is needed and whether it is likely to help enough to cover its cost.
You can gather records, ask about value and compare ways to sell. Before signing, confirm who has authority and what estate steps or approvals are needed.
Local source links reviewed October 4, 2026.