Selling a House in Sanford

We buy houses in Sanford and surrounding Central Florida communities. This page covers what is specific to Sanford: historic district approvals, the city’s lien amnesty program and the county offices based in town.

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Quick answer

Sanford is one of the oldest cities in Central Florida, and two local facts shape many sales here. If the house is in one of the city’s historic districts, exterior work needs city approval before it starts, which affects what you or a buyer can do to it. And if the property carries old code enforcement liens, the city currently runs a lien amnesty program that may reduce them. Check both before you decide how to sell.

What is different about Sanford

Historic districts and the Certificate of Appropriateness

The city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior work, including repairs, new construction and site work, on a historic landmark or a property in one of its covered historic districts, before the work begins. Smaller items are reviewed by staff, and larger ones go to the Historic Preservation Board at a public meeting. The Georgetown district has a narrower rule, focused on demolition and new construction. A building permit may be needed as well.

For a seller, this means two things. Repairs you make before listing may need approval first, including items that would not need a building permit elsewhere. And a buyer planning to renovate will price in the review process. The city’s Historic Preservation page has the district maps, the application steps and the board’s schedule.

The lien amnesty program

Sanford’s Code Enforcement page links to a lien inquiry and to a Lien Amnesty Application. According to the city’s current application form, the program accepts applications through 2030 and charges a non-refundable application fee. It does not cover everything: special assessment liens, the city’s costs for abatement work such as lot mowing, debris removal or demolition, and utility liens are not eligible. Read the form for the full conditions, because eligibility usually depends on the property being in compliance.

If you have inherited a Sanford house with years of accumulated fines, this is worth looking at before you accept any offer, since a reduction changes what the house nets you. Our guide to selling a house with code violations or liens in Florida explains the statewide rules behind these liens.

Permits are online only

The city’s Building Division takes permit applications through its online portal and no longer accepts paper applications or plans. Proof of ownership is required for every permit, which can be an obstacle for heirs whose names are not yet on the deed. See our guide to selling an inherited house in Florida for how title passes after a death.

The county offices are here

Sanford is the Seminole County seat, so the county courthouse and the Clerk of the Circuit Court are in town. If you are dealing with a probate case, a foreclosure or an eviction on a Seminole County property, this is where it is filed and heard, and where you can ask the clerk’s office procedural questions in person.

Official property resources for Sanford

Selling costs and considerations

Older Sanford houses, particularly wood-frame homes from the early 1900s, can need work that is expensive to do properly: foundations and piers, wiring, plumbing, windows and roofs. In a historic district the materials and methods may also be specified. Get a realistic estimate before deciding to renovate for sale. Insurance is a further question, because some carriers are reluctant to write older frame houses, and a buyer who cannot insure cannot finance. The usual selling costs apply as well: commission on a listed sale, which is negotiable, title and closing costs, and carrying costs until closing.

As-is versus a traditional sale

A restored historic home is a specialty property and can do very well with the right buyer on the open market. An as-is sale is worth comparing when the house needs structural or system work, when liens have to be resolved from the proceeds, or when the house has been vacant and is deteriorating. Use the cash sale vs traditional sale calculator to see what each route would leave you.

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Matthew Buys Houses is a private home buyer and is not affiliated with the City of Sanford, Seminole County or any government office. Programs, fees and procedures change, so confirm details with the office itself. This page is general information, not legal advice.