Learn
Selling an older house for the land
Straight answers for long-time owners: what your lot is worth, zoning, trees, historic districts, flood rules, taxes and moving after decades.
What it takes to tear down a house in Tampa BayWhat tearing down an older Tampa Bay house involves: permits, utility disconnects, asbestos surveys and notice, septic and well closure, and timing.The 50 percent rule: why older flood-zone houses become teardownsHow FEMA's substantial improvement and damage rule works, why it can force an older Tampa Bay home to be elevated, and why many become teardowns after storms.Historic districts and teardowns: what owners should knowWhy demolition is restricted in Tampa and St. Petersburg historic districts, which boards review it, and what that means if you own an older home there.When the house needs everythingOld roofs, cast-iron pipes, fuse boxes, aluminum and knob-and-tube wiring: why an older Tampa Bay house gets hard to insure, and when repairs stop paying off.Inherited an older house? How to tell if it's a teardownFor heirs of a long-time Tampa Bay homeowner: how to tell if the inherited house is a teardown, what to do first, and how to decide together as a family.Is your dirt worth more than your house?How to tell whether your Tampa Bay lot is worth more than the house on it: frontage, location, condition, and what builders are putting up on your street.Moving after decades in one homeA practical guide for long-time Tampa Bay homeowners: sorting belongings, involving family, timing the closing around your move, and avoiding pressure.Sell to a teardown buyer or list with an agent?A fair look at listing an older Tampa Bay home with an agent versus selling it as a teardown, including the times when listing is the better choice.Selling after 30 years: what long-time owners should know about taxesA plain guide to taxes when you sell a Florida home you have owned for decades: the home sale exclusion, cost basis, records, and Save Our Homes portability.Got a small house on a couple of lots?Own a small house on two platted lots in Tampa Bay? Learn what lots of record are, when lots can be split, and why zoning decides what a builder can do.Tampa tree rules and what they mean for a teardownHow City of Tampa tree protections, including grand trees of 32 inches or more, affect what can be built on an older lot and what a builder will pay for it.What builders look for in a teardown lotFrontage, depth, corners, alleys, flood elevation, trees, utilities, setbacks, zoning, and nearby new builds: what makes a Tampa Bay lot appeal to builders.
After 30 years
When it’s time, it should be simple.
You don’t need to fix the roof, empty the garage, or figure out zoning. Tell us about the house. We’ll look at the land the way a builder does, make a written offer, and close when your next home is ready.
Our offer is below what a fully updated house would list for, because we buy as-is and pay to clear the lot. If listing would clearly put more in your pocket and you have the time, we’ll tell you.
What’s your lot worth?
Send the address. Alex will call you, usually the same day, and tell you plainly what we can pay and why.