Some Florida properties stay in a family for decades. This Port St. Lucie vacant lot had been owned since the late 1970s, back when Port St. Lucie looked very different than it does today. A macadamia tree had been planted on the land in honor of the family, and over time, that tree became part of the story.
But life changes. This became a Canadian seller story about distance, inherited land, buyer challenges and changes, and the need for a local expert.
The owner had a winter residence in Florida, but the property no longer fit the purpose it once had. Like many Canadian sellers and out-of-area property owners, the question became simple on the surface and complicated underneath.
How do we sell Florida land when our life is no longer centered here?
That is where the plan mattered.
The Seller’s Problem
This was not only a vacant lot sale. It was a long-owned Florida property with family history, distance, and extra details that had to be handled carefully. When the lot has been owned by the same family for decades, has a Canadian mailing address, the red flags for land fraud are way up. It creates a set of questions in the buyer’s mind or process questions that a local seller may never think about.
- Who verifies ownership?
- How do buyers know the seller is real?
- How does the title company handle the closing?
- What happens if the buyer cancels?
- Who keeps the sale moving when the seller is not here every day?
Vacant land can attract fraud concerns in Florida, especially when the owner lives outside the United States and the property has been owned for many years. In this case, we had met with the seller face to face and were able to verify the owner before moving forward.
That step protected the process before the sign ever went in the ground.
The Story
This vacant lot was bought by a Canadian family as a future investment to build a home here in South Florida. They bought this vacant lot in the late 1970s when Port St Lucie was still a super small rural town between Miami and Orlando.
A macadamia tree was planted in honor of the family that has matured in the south Florida climate.
But life changed. This buildable lot for a new construction house no longer suited the financial purposes of the owner. They decided to sell.
Their first listing with another got tied up in a long probate process. That listing expired while waiting for that process to complete.
The owners first reached out to us by finding us online when it was clear that they would be open to finding a new real estate agent who knew what could be done with inherited land.
They knew they wanted an agent who was familiar with international sales, the FIRPTA process for foreign sellers, and knew the local real estate market for land well enough that could generate multiple offers.
They saw our role was to help with the real estate side of the sale, keep the process moving, and coordinate with the title company and other professionals involved.
The Journey to Sale started with Challenges
Since they are Canadian sellers who have owned the lot for more than four decades, every inquiry we received was asking if listing this land is a case of vacant land fraud here in Florida.
Read More: how deceased sellers have reached out to us
In this case, we had the opportunity to sit down face to face with the owner while they were at their winter residence in Florida.
Multiple Offers Did Not Mean an Easy Closing
With pricing planned designed to attract multiple offers, the vacant lot listing received multiple offers in three days.
The highest and best offer backed out after 3 days. The buyer discovered they could not close due to circumstances that were not foreseen when the offer was made.
We moved on to buyer number 2, a national builder. During their inspection period, we were told that the corporate officers postponed all land acquisitions. They canceled.
We moved on to buyer number 3, another regional builder. The day before closing, their corporate office made a policy decision that blew up our closing.
We moved on to buyer number 4, who eventually closed.
For a seller in Canada, every cancellation meant another round of questions, another delay, and another reason to wonder if the property would finally close
Walking with the Land Seller
An offer is not the finish line.
Every real estate transaction has its unique circumstances and a unique mix of buyers, sellers, agents, title companies, and other third parties that might get involved.
This one had a prior expiration, probate attorneys, three cancellations, and multiple title companies. It created an emotional journey for everyone. Real estate can be that way.
Our job as real estate agents is to navigate the detours and surprises along the way. Some detours are common. The three we’ve experienced on this transaction have been unexpectedly unique and circumstance-driven.
Some transactions have hiccups like this. Our job is to walk with you to the closing line.
We provide a response, negotiation, and action plan to keep you moving forward as a seller.
Sell Your Florida Property From Canada
If you are a Canadian seller who owns a home, condo, or vacant lot in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Hutchinson Island, or anywhere along the Treasure Coast, your sale may have extra steps to think through.
You may need help with pricing, access, local vendors, title company communication, remote paperwork, and tax-related questions such as FIRPTA. We are Realtors, so we do not give tax advice. Our role is to help with the real estate side of the sale and help you stay connected with the right professionals along the way.
You should not have to guess your way through a Florida sale from another country.
We walk with you through the local steps, the buyer questions, the contract timeline, and the closing process.
Originally published as a sold vacant land story in 2024, this page has been updated as a seller case study for Canadian owners and inherited land sellers.
