To sell land in Chesterfield County, gather its location and the papers you have, choose a price, and decide how to find buyers. A tax bill, deed and clear photos are a good start. If some papers are missing, county record resources can help you get ready.
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.
Put a tax bill, deed and any survey you already have in one folder. Add photos, the nearest road, the size if known, and a map pin. For land without a street address, a map pin and tax bill are a useful start.
Keep the parcel number with the location. It helps identify the land in property records. If the sale includes several parcels, list each one and say which ones are included.
Add any loan statement, lease or shared-drive paper. Write down what you know about the entrance, fences, power and water. Leave a question open if you don’t know the answer.
If you’re handling inherited land or helping settle a loved one’s estate, start with the papers you have. A closing team or attorney can explain missing records and who needs to sign. You don’t have to work it all out alone.
Before clearing land or buying a new survey, ask what question that work would answer. You can begin the selling process with the records and photos you already have.
The county’s Real Estate Assessments page links to property records and the Parcel Viewer map. The records include ownership, property address, land description, improvements and assessed value.
Keep the tax ID number from your bill with the location. The county’s Land Records page says Chesterfield’s standard tax ID is 15 digits. If you need help finding it, call Real Estate Assessments at 804-748-1321.
Check that the map and record fit the land you plan to sell. An owner’s mailing address may be elsewhere. For several parcels, list the numbers and check each record.
Save the assessment year beside its value and note any buildings included. A map is useful for showing where the land sits, but it doesn’t replace a survey. You can begin with the papers and photos you already have.
The county’s Land Records guide has online indexes and copy-request information. It says the indexes are organized by name, rather than property address or land description.
If your deed is missing, gather the owner name and any deed book and page or document number. Use the guide’s Public Records Copy Requests section, or call 804-748-1285 to ask about the copy process and what it costs.
The office says it doesn’t provide land-transaction recording information by phone or email. Use the index or ask how to request a copy rather than expecting staff to research the whole history on a call.
A recorded plat or survey may also be available from the Clerk. A plat is a drawing recorded with the land records. Some private surveys were never recorded, so an empty search doesn’t mean a survey never existed. Check your old closing papers too.
The Clerk’s staff don’t perform title searches or give legal advice. Ask the closing team who will check ownership and other recorded papers for your sale. You don’t need to interpret them all on your own.
Put the latest tax bill with the deed and land details. The Chesterfield Treasurer handles tax bills and collection. Its page lists 804-748-1201 for help getting a missing bill.
Have the tax ID number ready when asking about a bill or balance. Keep the year and date beside any amount you save. Ask the closing team to confirm current amounts and explain what comes out of your sale money.
For the property record or assessment value, contact Real Estate Assessments at 804-748-1321. Those are different questions from what tax is owed.
If the bill or your papers mention land use or an extra assessment charge, keep them with your notes. Ask how the sale may affect costs instead of assuming every offer leaves the same amount for you.
A buyer needs a clear picture of the land as it is now. You can share useful facts without promising that a future plan will work.
Don’t call land ready to build on just because a nearby parcel has a house. Share existing permits or test results, and let the buyer check their plan. You don’t need to design a home or split the land before starting.
Look for land that has sold near yours and offers a buyer something similar. Compare size, road access, ground, services and current use. A small lot near services may be a poor match for a larger wooded tract or open field.
Write down each sold property, sale date, price and what makes it similar. Ask a local land agent to help if you can’t find enough useful matches. Keep asking prices separate: they show what owners hope to get, not what buyers have paid.
For each example, check what was included. A home, several parcels or a family transfer can make a price a poor match for your empty land. Don’t count one deal’s full price once for each parcel.
Keep the assessment year and included buildings beside a tax value. Chesterfield reassesses property each year, but that value alone doesn’t settle your asking price or the offer you’ll receive.
Think about a range and the reasons behind it. An agent or land appraiser can help compare the closest completed sales. Location, slopes, entrance and usable space may matter more than a simple price-per-acre average.
List with an agent: A land agent can help set a price, market the land and work with buyers. Ask about the work they’ll do, the agreement length and fees before signing.
Sell it yourself: You handle the listing, calls and buyer questions. Have a clear way to show the land and compare written offers. Ask who will handle the sale papers and closing.
Ask a direct buyer: This gives you an offer to compare with the other choices. Check the price, costs and any checks the buyer needs before closing.
If you’d like to compare a direct offer, tell Reelvest about your land. We’ll review what you share and let you know if we can make an offer. You decide whether the terms fit your plans.
Put each written offer side by side. Check the lots included, price, deposit, costs, target closing date and any reason the buyer can cancel.
Ask for an estimate of the money you keep after costs, unpaid taxes and loan balances. For a simple example, a $40,000 offer minus $2,000 in seller costs leaves $38,000 before any debt. Those figures are just math, not a price estimate for your land.
If one buyer pays a cost and another leaves it to you, compare the final amounts. Ask what still needs to be checked and when the buyer expects to be ready.
Our land offer comparison worksheet can help you keep the details together. If a term is unclear, ask for an explanation before signing.
The closing team checks records, explains which owners need to sign and prepares the papers. Give them the deed, tax bill, loan statement and other records you’ve gathered. Ask for a short list of anything still missing.
Have current balances checked. An old bill may not show what is owed now. Ask how taxes, a loan or other amounts will be paid from the sale.
Before signing, check the parcel numbers, land included, price, costs and payment details. Save the signed agreement and closing papers.
Use our land seller document checklist to gather the basics. For wider questions, see the Virginia land seller guide.
Yes. Start with the location, tax bill and papers you have. The county Land Records guide explains copy requests. Check your old closing papers for a survey, and ask what a new one would answer before paying for it.
Start with your tax bill. The county says its standard tax ID is 15 digits and can be obtained from Real Estate Assessments. Call 804-748-1321 if you need help finding the right record.
The Land Records guide says recording information isn’t provided by phone or email, and staff don’t perform title searches. Use the name-based index or copy-request instructions and ask the closing team who will handle the ownership check.
The Chesterfield Treasurer’s page lists 804-748-1201 for requesting a missing bill. Have your tax ID and property details ready. Ask the closing team to confirm the current balance before a sale.
Not always. Start with clear photos and the facts you know. Ask how any work would help the sale and what it would cost before hiring someone.
No. Compare it with listing the land or finding your own buyer. Ask questions about the written price, costs and terms, then choose what works for you.
Local source links reviewed October 4, 2026.