Liberty Acres
(856) 386-6457Get an offer
Family-owned land company buying in California

Sell your California land for cash

Liberty Acres is a family-owned land company that buys land in California. We pay back taxes and all closing costs, close through a title company, and can close in as little as 14 days.

  • No agents, listings or commissions
  • Inherited, rural or out-of-state land is fine
  • Every closing through a title company

How much is my land worth? · California land values and selling rules

Selling in California with: back taxes · inherited land · landlocked land

Tell us about your land

Where is the land? (optional, helps us research it)

Requesting an offer doesn't commit you to anything. We use your details to research the parcel and contact you about it. We don't sell or share them.

All states

California land values, taxes, and selling rules

California has no state real estate transfer tax. The Transfer Disclosure Statement (Civ. Code 1102) covers single-family residential property, meaning one to four dwelling units, so it does not cover ordinary vacant land.

$14,100Avg. value per acre (2026)
$59.31Avg. tax per acre / year
NoneState transfer tax
0.45%Effective tax rate

How California compares

$14,100/acre, 192% above the median state ($4,825, marked by the line)
Land value rank
#5 of 50 states
Tax burden rank
#12 of 50 states
Holding cost, 10 acres
$593 per year in property tax

Sources: USDA NASS Land Values 2026 (average value of farm real estate per acre); USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture (property tax per acre of farmland); state statutes (transfer tax). Averages, not appraisals. Your parcel may be worth more or less depending on location, access, and use.

County land values in California

55 counties

Selling rules by situation in California

ScenarioRedemption PeriodProbate Requirements
Tax-DelinquentTax-defaulted property becomes subject to the tax collector's power to sell after 5 years, or 3 years for nonresidential commercial property. The right of redemption continues until close of business on the last business day before the sale begins.Not applicable
InheritedN/ALand can pass without full probate only through the DE-305 Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value.
LandlockedN/ANot applicable

Run the numbers for California

Own land in California?

Send your county, state and parcel number. We research the parcel and send a written offer. You pay nothing, and every closing runs through a title company.

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Disclosure: this site is published by Liberty Acres, a family-owned land company. We may make an offer on your land.

How selling your California land works

  1. Tell us about your land. Tell us a little about your land. We'll need the county, state and parcel number.
  2. Get your offer. We research the parcel: access, zoning, taxes and recent sales nearby. Then we send you a written offer.
  3. Sign the purchase agreement. Sign the purchase agreement by email, or we mail it to you. It names the price and the closing company.
  4. Schedule closing. We work with a local closing company to manage the entire closing process at our expense.
  5. Get paid. When the closing paperwork is ready, you sign the deed and receive the funds from the closing company directly.

California land selling questions

Is there a transfer tax when I sell land in California?

Yes, counties can charge one. Under Revenue and Taxation Code 11911, a county may impose a documentary transfer tax of $0.55 for each $500 of value. It applies to deeds for land sold in that county. The county recorder will not record the deed unless the tax is paid at the time of recording. Source: California Revenue and Taxation Code Sec. 11911.

Do California cities charge a transfer tax on top of the county tax?

Yes, some do. In Los Angeles County, Culver City, Los Angeles, Pomona, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica charge special rates on top of the county tax. The county recorder collects the tax when the deed is recorded. Ask your title company for the total rate in your city. Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, Documentary Transfer Taxes.

Do I need a Transfer Disclosure Statement to sell vacant land in California?

Usually not. Civil Code 1102 applies the Transfer Disclosure Statement law to single-family residential property. California's agency law (Civil Code 2079.13) defines that term as property improved with one to four dwelling units, and lists vacant land separately. Other laws still apply to vacant land. You must disclose it if the land is in a very high fire hazard severity zone. The same applies to a FEMA flood zone A or V, or an earthquake fault zone. Ask a California real estate attorney which disclosures apply to your parcel. Source: California Civil Code Sec. 1102.

How long before California can sell my land for unpaid property taxes?

It can be as little as three years for vacant land. RTC 3691 lets the county tax collector sell tax-defaulted property after five years. The period is three years for nonresidential commercial property. The law defines that as all property except homes and land used and zoned for commercial agriculture. That can include vacant land, unless your county kept the five-year period. A city, county or qualifying nonprofit can also ask for a sale after three years. Call your county tax collector for your parcel's timeline and the amount needed to redeem. Source: California Revenue and Taxation Code Sec. 3691.

Does selling my California land trigger a Prop 13 reassessment?

Usually, yes. A sale is normally a change in ownership unless a legal exclusion applies. Proposition 13 then requires the county assessor to reassess the property to its current fair market value as of the date ownership changed. The buyer must file a change in ownership report with the county. Source: California State Board of Equalization, Change in Ownership FAQ.

Can I sell my California land if I live in another state?

Yes. Liberty Acres buys land anywhere in the US, so you do not need to live in California to sell to us. We close through a title company and pay back taxes and all closing costs. There are no agents and no commissions.