What the public record can't tell you

I spent today checking my own 25 properties against public maps, and I was reminded how much the record leaves out. Here are three things it won't tell you.

1. Offers don't show up

Public records show sales. They never show offers. I have land with standing cash offers, and nothing in the record hints at it. In places where families hold land and don't sell, recorded sales make land look cheaper than it is.

2. One lot can have two zones

I read the zoning at the center of a DeBary lot, and it said Resource Corridor. The city's map, read across the whole parcel, says R-4 and RC. The lot next door has the same two zones and a house on it. If you check one spot, you can walk away from a good lot, or buy a bad one.

3. County value isn't a price

County value is a tax number. On vacant land, it can sit far below what real buyers pay. It can also be a warning: when it's far below similar lots nearby, that's often a parcel you can't build on. You have to find out which one you're looking at.

What to do with this

Before your next bid, pull the three closest recent sales, read the zoning across the whole parcel, and call the county with one question. My free Florida guide has the full checklist.