Land for Sale in Florida
When it comes to owning property, you want to find a place that you will be able to enjoy for years to come. Additionally, you want to have lots of background information on the place you are looking to buy land in before the sale is final, so there are no surprises later. This is especially true when you wish to buy land in a place like Florida.
Buying land in Florida is a great idea whether you are looking to retire or want to start farming your crops. But it is also important to make sure you are buying the right type of land for your purposes that will fit into your budget.
Below is a collection of information about buying property in the state of Florida. Keep reading to learn more about what buying land in Florida is like and what you should be aware of before putting down your hard-earned cash.
A Quick History of Land in Florida
Florida has long been a state known for its amazing weather and fabulous theme parks, but surprisingly, until just a few thousand years ago, the state was almost completely beneath water. Currently, the state is still mostly at sea level but does have areas that extend to 320ft above sea level.
Evidence has shown that the Florida peninsula was first settled by early peoples around 14,000 BCE. When the Europeans arrived at the beginning of the 16th century, they discovered almost 350,000 people living there. With the Spaniards came new diseases that ultimately killed most of the native population, and Florida was settled by mostly Europeans by the mid 18th century.
During this time, Florida was owned by Great Britain as a result of a trade with Spain. The state would later be traded back to Spain before becoming a territory of the United States in 1822. It became the 27th state in the USA in 1845, just in time for Florida to join the South for the Civil War.
Following the Civil War, Florida became a major agricultural frontier because most of the state contained fertile lands that could grow almost any crop the farmers desired. In the present day, almost every single fruit and vegetable you can think of is grown in Florida, at least seasonally.
The list below has some of the more popular items farmed in Florida:
- Avocado
- Bell Pepper
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Guava
- Lettuce
- Longan
- Lychee
- Mango
- Mushroom
- Peaches
- Peanuts
- Potato
- Radish
- Snap Bean
- Sweet Corn
- Tangerine
- Tomato
- Watermelon
What makes Florida unique is that it has a longer growing season than than most northern states—meaning lots of crops can be grown all year long. Also, Florida is humid enough to grow several crops that require a tropical environment—such as passion fruit and mango, to name a couple.
Finding Land for Sale in Florida
Have you decided that you are ready to purchase land in Florida? Then it’s time to start looking at what is available out there on the marketplace!
First and foremost, you need to know the type of land you are searching for. This way, you will put your parameters into a website search engine to narrow down your search. You should also have an idea of the budget, as well as the general area in which you wish to own land.
Next, you will want to head to a website like Zillow, LandWatch, Cheaplands, or the State Department website for Florida, as all of these websites will have active and up-to-date listings of some of the land available within the state. All of these websites have a selection that you can click on if you wish to just see land available for sale and not places where there is already a property in place.
Farm Land for Sale in Florida
There are currently tons of options for farmland available within the state of Florida. And in addition to the above options for websites to use to facilitate your search, Landshark is another good option to use.
Farmlands, or lots, are often listed by the number of available acres, and lots can be as small as partial acres or as big as hundreds—it all depends on what you are looking for. You should be able to see a picture of the land when you click on the listing to get an idea of what it looks like. When you are looking for an especially large property, you should request multiple pictures in case the look of the land varies.
It goes without saying that you should never buy a property unseen. No matter how many pictures the owner may offer to send you, always see the property in person before you buy. And if you have specific crops or use purposes in mind, you should have someone evaluate the property before you buy to make sure you can use it for your intended purpose.
Generally, land that is suitable for farm and agricultural purposes will be listed as such. And Landshark is especially useful when you want to buy farmland because this is a search designation separate from lots and land—which isn’t true on other websites like Zillow.
Land for Sale by Owner in Florida
Everyone knows it can often be cheaper and easier to purchase land from an individual rather than a corporation, and this can leave you looking for a way to purchase land for sale by owner in Florida.
The good news is, there is a website that will allow you to specifically look for land that is for sale by its owner in Florida. This website is called Landflip, and it has a special ‘for sale by owner’ section in its filters.
You will want to avoid the State Department website in this case, as it only lists properties for sale by the state, and on Zillow can be difficult to designate this search term as well. The benefit of buying land from the owner is that they can sometimes offer to finance on the property—making it easier to get a loan than going through traditional banks.
Not only that, but the owner-provided financing is often cheaper and comes at a lower interest rate than the bank will offer you—saving you more money in the process. You’ll also be able to get the deal done faster because there will be less red tape when it comes to closing.
And don’t forget that land for sale by the owner can often not hit the traditional market (i.e., Zillow), meaning there will be less competition when you find the piece of land of your dreams. The only downside to buying land for sale by the owner is that the benefits are well known. This means when you find the perfect piece of land for sale by its owner, you need to act fast to get it before anyone else does!
Where is the Cheapest Land in Florida?
Because the land in Florida is perfect for growing so many crops and for building a property, it can be not easy to find land listed at a price that is within your budget. But there are places within the great state where land is still available for cheap; you just need to know where to look.
As of the writing of this article, the cheapest land in Florida can be found in Marion County, better known as the Ocala area. In this county, you will find the prices are generally around $5,000 per acre, which is quite the steal when it comes to Florida land!
But of course, the Ocala area is highly populated, and if you want to purchase several acres, there may not be enough properties here for you to choose from as much of the area is designated as swamps and national forests.
Some other counties that offer affordable land are Collier County and Citrus County, Florida. Collier County is a massive county that contains Naples, Florida, and is the size of Rhode Island, so there will be no shortage of properties for you to choose from here. Citrus County is slightly smaller, and as the name indicates, has many fertile lands where fruits like Citrus can be grown. Land in these two counties generally ranges from $8,500-$13,000 per acre.
If you want to live closer to a big city but still find affordable land, then look into Lee County with contains the city and metropolitan area of Fort Myers. The land here is surprisingly affordable at only $10,000 per acre, but because of all the conveniences, you may find that land here sells much faster than other areas, and you will have to be quick with your offer!
How Much Does an Acre of Land Cost in Florida?
The price per acre of land within the State of Florida will change drastically based on the county you are looking to buy in. Buying in Sarasota County can cost you over $25,000 per acre, while buying in Marion County can cost you as little as $3,000 per acre.
But specific locations aside, there are plenty of low-cost pieces of land available in the state, bringing the average cost per acre statewide to just $6,100 per acre.
What is the Prettiest City in Florida?
The city that you think is the prettiest in Florida will depend on your specific desires and what you find beautiful. Florida offers everything from calm beaches, scenic swamplands, and even peaceful forests. So what you may think is the prettiest city may not be the prettiest city to someone else.
But in a recent ranking, the most beautiful cities in Florida were listed as Orlando, Naples, and St. Augustine. All of which offer a very different experience to the local inhabitants.
Outro
If you are interested in purchasing property, especially for the purpose of farming, there is no better place to buy than in the beautiful state of Florida! But before you go out and find the property of your dreams, it’s important to know your budget and well how you intend to use the land.
Once you know that, finding a property in Florida is a piece of cake! And don’t be afraid to consider nontraditional options such as properties that are for sale by the owner rather than by a relator, bank, or the State. Overall, finding an inexpensive property within Florida is a piece of cake, so no matter what county you are interested in living in, it’s time to start shopping for your piece of Florida today!