Got a Builder Offer on Your Forsyth County Land?

If you own acreage in Forsyth County, you have probably gotten one: a letter, a postcard or a phone call asking whether you would consider selling. Some come from national home builders, some from land companies that buy to resell. Answering is not a mistake. Answering before you know what your land is worth can be.

The buyer already knows your land

By the time a letter reaches your mailbox, the buyer has usually looked at your parcel on the county map, checked the zoning, estimated how many lots it could hold and thought about sewer. We know because we have spent years on that side of the table, sourcing more than $600 million in land for builders and developers. The letter is written by someone who has done the homework. The question is whether you have.

What happened on Cross Roads Road

On February 19, 2025, the Cason family and Jerry Gresham sold 35.33 acres at 6815 Cross Roads Road to Southvine Homes for $3,050,000. On September 4, 2025, Southvine sold the same 35.33 acres to Stanley Martin Homes for $11,352,000. The land carried a legacy Res6 zoning from 2006, and the plan on file shows 87 attached and 47 detached homes.

We do not know what either party knew, and the second sale came with a development plan behind it. But it shows how much of a tract’s value can sit in its zoning and its plan, and how easy that is to miss from the owner’s side. The full record is in our 2025 land sales report.

What to check in any offer

How the price is set. A price per acre and a price per lot can describe very different deals. Some contracts pay per approved lot, so the final number depends on what the county approves. Know which one you are looking at.

The due diligence period. The buyer will want time to survey, test and engineer the land. Ask how long, how much earnest money goes up, and when it stops being refundable.

The rezoning assumption. If the price depends on a rezoning, find out to what. A rezoning typically takes four to six months in Forsyth County, and higher density is hard to win right now. If a builder tells you they plan to take your land to Res3, ask them to show you a recent approval. Our guide to the residential districts explains why.

When you actually get paid. Most developers will not close until the county issues a land disturbance permit, and then typically close within about 30 days. That can put closing many months after you sign. Our post on selling Forsyth County land to a developer walks through each stage.

Whether the contract can be assigned. Some buyers tie up land and then assign the contract to someone else. Know who you will actually be closing with.

Your conservation use covenant. If your land is in one, a sale to a builder breaks it, and the penalty is twice the tax savings for every year in the covenant, plus interest. Decide who pays it before you sign, not at the closing table.

Cash offers and land companies

Some offers come from companies whose business is buying land below what it will bring later. A quick, simple sale can be worth something to you, and sometimes it is the right call. Just know how far the offer sits from the market before you take it.

How to answer the letter

Do not sign anything yet, and do not tell the buyer your number first. Send the letter or the offer to us. We will tell you what we think the land is worth, whether the offer is in range, and what we would ask for. If it is a good offer, we will tell you that too. It costs you nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Is a builder's letter a real offer?

Usually it is an invitation to talk, not a binding offer. A real offer comes as a contract with a price, a due diligence period, contingencies and a closing timeline, and those terms matter as much as the price.

Should I tell the builder what I want for my land?

Not until you know what it is worth. The buyer has already studied your parcel, so get an independent opinion of value first.

How long does it take to close with a builder?

It depends on the contingencies. If the land needs rezoning, that step alone typically takes four to six months in Forsyth County, and most developers close within about 30 days after the county issues a land disturbance permit.

Can Crawford Lands review an offer I already have?

Yes. Send it to us or call 404 983 6710. We will tell you what we think the land is worth and whether the offer is in range, at no cost.

Sources

Crawford Lands, Forsyth County Land Sales Report 2025 (6815 Cross Roads Road, recorded deeds): https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/forsyth-county-land-sales-report-2025

Crawford Lands, Selling Forsyth County Land to a Developer: The Process Explained: https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/selling-forsyth-county-land-to-a-developer-the-process-explained

Crawford Lands, Forsyth County Zoning Codes Explained: Residential Districts: https://www.crawfordlands.com/news/forsyth-county-zoning-codes-explained-residential-districts

Crawford Lands, LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Georgia, license #81852. This article is general information, not legal, tax or appraisal advice. Zoning rules and county policies change; confirm anything you rely on with Forsyth County Planning and Community Development, your attorney or your CPA. Contact us.