Looking for a land buyer in Ave Maria, FL? SWFL Land (Libera Capital Group LLC) is a direct cash buyer of vacant lots and acreage in Ave Maria and across Collier County. Owners usually get an offer within 24 hours and close through a Florida title company. Wholesalers and agents can submit Ave Maria land deals and usually hear back within 24 hours.
Ave Maria Land We Buy
Ave Maria is a master-planned town, and that shapes what land is actually for sale there. Almost all new homesites inside the town are developed by the town’s developer and sold through its builder partners as house-and-lot packages. Individually owned vacant lots inside Ave Maria are uncommon. Most “Ave Maria land” that private owners want to sell falls into two groups:
- Resale lots inside the town, where an individual owner holds a vacant homesite. These come with stewardship district assessments and the community’s rules, and we review each one case by case.
- Rural and agricultural parcels nearby in eastern Collier County, including tracts along Oil Well Road, Camp Keais Road and toward Immokalee, and Golden Gate Estates tracts to the west.
We also buy inherited acreage, parcels with back taxes, and land with access or wetland questions. For neighboring markets, see how we buy land in Immokalee, Golden Gate Estates and Naples.
How Selling Ave Maria Land Works
- Send us the folio number or address. Collier County identifies every parcel by folio number. You can check your lot’s value first if you like.
- We review the parcel. For land inside the town, we look at the stewardship district assessments and community restrictions. For rural land, we look at uplands, wetlands, access, zoning and flood zone.
- You get a cash offer for your land, usually within 24 hours.
- A Florida title company closes. It searches title, pays off taxes and any liens from the proceeds, and records the deed. You can sign remotely with a notary.
For larger rural tracts, owner financing can sometimes bring a higher total price. Read how it works for the full process.
About Land in Ave Maria
The first town in the Rural Lands Stewardship Area
Ave Maria was founded in 2005 by Ave Maria Development, a partnership of Barron Collier Companies and the Ave Maria Foundation. It is about 36 miles northeast of downtown Naples. It is not an incorporated city. It is a census-designated place, and it had 6,242 residents in the 2020 Census. Ave Maria University moved its first students to the permanent campus in 2007.
Ave Maria was the first town built under Collier County’s Rural Lands Stewardship Area (RLSA) program. The RLSA covers about 185,000 acres of eastern Collier County. It was adopted in 2002 and updated in 2021, with total development capped at 45,000 acres. Landowners give up development rights on sensitive land, called Stewardship Sending Areas, and use the resulting credits to build towns on less sensitive land, called Stewardship Receiving Areas. The Ave Maria Sun reports that Barron Collier Companies and Collier Enterprises control 85% of RLSA lands, and that conservation areas tied to Ave Maria include the Camp Keais Strand to the west.
Still growing
In June 2026, Collier County commissioners voted 4-1 to extend Ave Maria’s Stewardship Receiving Area by 2,042 acres, to 7,970 acres. The approval allows 6,738 more homes, for a maximum of 17,738, plus about 996,000 square feet of new commercial space. Gulfshore Business reported that the expansion is expected to take about 20 years. The developer reported 258 new home sales in the first half of 2026 and more than 5,500 homes sold to date. Its current builders are CC Homes, Del Webb, Lennar and Pulte.
The stewardship district and utilities
Ave Maria’s infrastructure is run by the Ave Maria Stewardship Community District, an independent special district created by the Florida Legislature in 2004 under Chapter 2004-461, Laws of Florida. It covered about 10,805 acres until a 2023 act added 1,001 acres, bringing it to about 11,806 acres. The district plans, finances, builds and maintains roads, stormwater systems, parks and other infrastructure.
Owners inside the district pay annual assessments on their November property tax bill. The district says these have two parts: debt service on district bonds, which is the larger share, and administration and maintenance. A buyer of a resale lot inside the district will factor these assessments into what they pay.
Water, wastewater and reclaimed water come from Ave Maria Utility Company, a private utility that began with 196 residential connections in December 2008 and now serves more than 4,800 connections. That is a big difference from most of eastern Collier, where rural land relies on private wells and septic systems.
Rural land around the town
Outside the town, eastern Collier is ranch land, farm land, preserve and panther habitat. A small parcel inside the RLSA does not carry Ave Maria’s entitlements. RLSA credits and town approvals belong to the large landowners who assembled the stewardship areas, so a small in-holding is usually valued as rural or agricultural land. Wetlands, flow-ways and protected species can limit what can be built. Collier County says a state permit is needed before clearing, filling or digging in wetlands.
Nearby, east of Golden Gate Estates, Collier Enterprises is planning the Rivergrass, Longwater and Bellmar villages along Oil Well Road. Those projects have faced environmental litigation, but new towns can lift demand over time for nearby tracts with good access.
Curious what your parcel near Ave Maria is worth? Try our lot value tool or ask for a cash offer on your Collier County land. We usually reply within 24 hours.
What Affects the Value of Ave Maria Land
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Inside or outside the town | Town lots have central utilities and assessments; rural land usually needs a well and septic |
| Stewardship district assessments | Remaining debt service reduces what a buyer will pay |
| Competition from new builder homes | Resale lots compete with builders’ house-and-lot packages |
| Uplands vs. wetlands | Decides whether a rural parcel can be permitted |
| Road access | Paved frontage on Oil Well or Camp Keais Road beats a dirt or easement road |
| Zoning and RLSA status | Sending-area restrictions or agricultural zoning limit what can be built |
| Flood zone | Sets fill, elevation and insurance costs |
We don’t quote price ranges for this area because sales vary widely between town lots and rural acreage. Learn how buyers price land in our guide on how to comp vacant land.
Common Ave Maria Selling Situations
- Heirs to rural acreage near Ave Maria or Immokalee who live out of state. See selling probate land in Florida.
- Tracts with no legal road access. Read selling landlocked land in Florida.
- Delinquent taxes. Collier taxes are delinquent April 1, and a tax certificate sale follows. See selling land with back taxes.
- Owners of a resale lot who no longer plan to build and don’t want to keep paying district assessments.
- Parcels with code fines for overgrowth or dumping. See selling land with code liens.
Looking Up Your Collier County Parcel
The Collier County Property Appraiser’s site shows the owner, folio number, legal description, acreage, land use and sales history. Ave Maria shares the 34142 ZIP code with Immokalee, so search by folio number or owner name instead of mailing address. The appraiser’s value is a tax value, not a sale price.
The Collier County Tax Collector gives a 4% discount for payment in November, stepping down to 1% in February. Under section 197.333, Florida Statutes, taxes are due November 1 and delinquent April 1. Under section 197.502, a certificate holder can apply for a tax deed once two years have passed since April 1 of the year the certificate was issued. Check flood zones on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center. Our Collier County land guide covers these records in depth, and the Collier County land buying page lists every market we cover.
Ave Maria Land Selling FAQs
Is Ave Maria a city?
No. Ave Maria is an unincorporated planned town and census-designated place in Collier County. Its infrastructure is run by the Ave Maria Stewardship Community District, and Collier County handles zoning and permits.
Can I buy or sell a single vacant lot inside Ave Maria?
It happens, but it’s uncommon. Most homesites are developed and sold by the town developer’s builder partners as house-and-lot packages. Resale lots owned by individuals do exist, and we review them case by case.
What are Ave Maria stewardship district assessments?
They are annual charges on the November tax bill for property inside the Ave Maria Stewardship Community District. The district says they cover debt service on bonds and administration and maintenance.
Does owning land near Ave Maria give me development credits?
Usually not. RLSA credits are created when landowners designate Stewardship Sending Areas, and most RLSA land is held by large landowners. A small nearby parcel is generally valued as rural or agricultural land.
Is Ave Maria still expanding?
Yes. In June 2026, Collier commissioners approved 6,738 more homes and extended the town’s receiving area to 7,970 acres, for a maximum of 17,738 homes.
Does rural land near Ave Maria have water and sewer?
Generally no. Ave Maria Utility Company serves the town. Rural parcels outside it usually need a private well and septic system.
Land Buyers in Ave Maria: Quick Answers
Who buys land for cash in Ave Maria, FL?
SWFL Land, a d/b/a of Libera Capital Group LLC, buys resale lots and nearby rural parcels in the Ave Maria area for cash. Offers usually come within 24 hours, and closings go through a Florida title company. Request an offer.
Does SWFL Land buy Ave Maria land deals from wholesalers?
Yes. Wholesalers and agents can submit Ave Maria-area contracts at swflland.com/submit-deal. We close by assignment or double close and usually respond within 24 hours. See our wholesaler page.
Where can I learn about selling land in Collier County?
Read our Collier County land guide. It covers Golden Gate Estates, Naples, Marco Island, Immokalee, the RLSA, wetlands and taxes.
Sources
- Ave Maria, Florida (Wikipedia, citing 2020 Census)
- Ave Maria Sun: Ave Maria led the way with land stewardship program
- Gulfshore Business: Collier approves major Ave Maria expansion plan
- WINK News: Ave Maria approved for 6,738 more homes
- Ave Maria: Steady growth and investment mid-year 2026
- Ave Maria: New home communities and builders
- Ave Maria Stewardship Community District: About
- Ave Maria Stewardship Community District: FAQs
- Florida House: HB 1027 (2023) bill analysis, Ave Maria Stewardship Community District
- Ave Maria Utility Company: About Us
- Collier Enterprises: Rivergrass
- WGCU: Lawsuit launched to protect Florida panthers from Collier development
- Collier County 311: Wetlands
- ZIP Code 34142 (Ave Maria and Immokalee)
- Collier County Property Appraiser
- Collier County Tax Collector: Property Taxes
- Florida Statutes 197.333: When taxes due; delinquency
- Florida Statutes 197.502: Application for obtaining tax deed
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
Ways to Sell Your Ave Maria Land
- Get a cash offer for your Ave Maria land
- Sell Ave Maria land with seller financing
- Sell Ave Maria land subject-to your existing loan
- Sell inherited or probate land in Ave Maria
Wholesaler with a Ave Maria deal under contract? Send us your land deals.
Helpful Guides for Ave Maria Landowners
Collier County Land Seller Guide
Before you sell land in Ave Maria, read our researched guide to selling vacant land in Collier County. It covers local assessments, property taxes and tax certificates, flood zones, permitting, what drives lot value and how to sell.
Wholesalers and Agents: Send Us Your Ave Maria Land Deals
SWFL Land buys Ave Maria lots and acreage from wholesalers, bird dogs and agents by assignment or double close. Send the parcel ID and your price and we usually answer within 24 hours.