Selling Acreage in Eads, TN: What to Prepare First

Selling a home on acreage in Eads, TN is a different project from selling a house on a subdivision lot. The land is a large part of what a buyer is evaluating, and the questions that come up are about boundaries, septic systems, wells, access and taxes as much as kitchens and paint colors. A little preparation before the sign goes up can save weeks later. Here is a practical list of what to pull together.

Start With Where the Property Actually Sits

Eads is an unincorporated community, and the 38028 zip code reaches across the county line. Most of Eads is in Shelby County, while the eastern part of the zip code extends into Fayette County toward Hickory Withe and Fisherville. Some land near Eads has also moved in and out of Memphis city limits over the years. A portion south of US 64 near Grays Creek was deannexed from Memphis and returned to county jurisdiction on January 1, 2020.

That matters because the county and any city jurisdiction determine which assessor, which tax rate and which permitting office apply to your property. Before you list, confirm the county, the parcel number or numbers, and whether the property is inside any city limit. If your land is made up of more than one parcel, decide early whether you are selling them together.

Survey, Boundaries and Access

On a subdivision lot, the corners are rarely in question. On ten or twenty acres with a tree line, a creek and an old fence, they often are. Buyers and their lenders will want to know exactly what is being conveyed. It helps to locate:

• Your most recent survey, and the deed with its legal description.
• Any recorded easements, such as a shared driveway, a utility line or a neighbor's right of access.
• Road frontage and how the driveway connects to a public road. Many Eads properties sit off US 64, Airline Road and Collierville-Arlington Road (State Route 205), or Seward Road.
• Information on ponds, barns, shops, fencing and gates, including approximate ages.

If the survey is decades old or you cannot find one, it is worth talking about whether a new one makes sense before listing. It is much easier to resolve a boundary question on your own schedule than in the middle of a contract.

Septic and Well Records

Many homes on acreage around Eads rely on a septic system, and some have a private well. Buyers nearly always ask about both. In Shelby County, the Health Department handles permits for building, altering or repairing a subsurface sewage disposal system. For property on the Fayette County side, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation takes applications for septic-related services through its website.

Before you list, try to gather the original septic permit if you have it, the location of the tank and field lines, the date the tank was last pumped, and any repair history. If you have a well, note its location and any water test results or equipment service records. If you do not have paperwork, the permitting office may be able to tell you what is on file. Having this ready shows a buyer that the property has been looked after and keeps the inspection period from stalling.

Greenbelt Status and Rollback Taxes

This is the item that surprises people most often, so it is worth a careful look. Tennessee's greenbelt law allows qualifying land to be taxed on its current use rather than its full market value. According to the University of Tennessee's Municipal Technical Advisory Service, the minimum size is generally 15 acres for agricultural or forest land and 3 acres for open space.

If land that has been in greenbelt is converted to a use that no longer qualifies, rollback taxes come due. That is the difference between the reduced taxes and what would have been owed at full value, covering three years for agricultural and forest land and five years for open space. A sale can trigger this depending on what the new owner plans to do with the land and whether they apply to continue the classification.

If your Eads property is enrolled, call the county assessor's office before you list and ask what the rollback amount would be. Then talk with your closing attorney about how the contract should address it. Who ends up responsible is something to settle in writing up front, not at the closing table.

Preparing the Land and Setting Expectations

Buyers looking at acreage want to walk it. Mowing a path along the property line, clearing brush from around the pond or barn, and marking corners with flags all help someone understand what they are seeing. Clean out outbuildings, make sure gates open easily, and gather any information on recent work such as a new roof on the shop or a rebuilt dam.

Good photography matters here too. Aerial images that show the house in relation to the pasture, the woods and the road give buyers the context that a front-porch photo cannot.

Acreage tends to draw a smaller pool of buyers than a typical subdivision home, and each property is its own comparison. That means pricing takes more care and the timeline can be longer. It also means the right preparation carries more weight. A complete file with the survey, septic and well information, tax status and a list of improvements answers most questions before they are asked.

If you are thinking about selling land or a home on acreage in Eads, whether this season or a few years from now, I am happy to walk the property with you and talk through what to gather. There is never any obligation, and I would be glad to help however I can.

Kelly Day, SRES, SRS, AHWD, PSA, RENE
Multi Million Dollar Club
Broker Lic # 365811
simpliHOM
901-289-9227
855-856-9466
[email protected]
https://memphishouselistings.com