We Buy Land in Marathon, FL

Updated October 28, 2026 by SWFL Land

Looking for a land buyer in Marathon, FL? SWFL Land (Libera Capital Group LLC) is a direct cash buyer of vacant lots and acreage in Marathon and across the Florida Keys. Owners usually get an offer within 24 hours and close through a Florida title company. Wholesalers and agents can submit Marathon land deals and usually hear back within 24 hours.

Marathon is the Middle Keys city that stretches from the Seven Mile Bridge to Tom’s Harbor. It is incorporated, and it runs its own Building Permit Allocation System, so a Marathon lot follows city rules rather than the county’s ROGO. If you own a vacant lot in Marathon or in the nearby Middle Keys and want to sell, we make written cash offers, usually within 24 hours. There is no commission, we buy as-is from owners anywhere and we close through a licensed Florida title company. Call (239) 686-0823 or request a cash offer.

Marathon Land We Buy

• Vacant residential lots anywhere in the City of Marathon.
• Canal and waterfront lots, including lots in AE and VE flood zones.
• Lots waiting on a BPAS allocation or that have never applied.
• Lots with an allocation, permits in review or completed plans.
• Environmentally constrained parcels with limited building potential.
• Commercial and mixed-use land along the Overseas Highway.
• Inherited, probate, tax-delinquent and liened lots.
• Nearby Middle Keys lots in Key Colony Beach, Duck Key and Conch Key.

How Selling Marathon Land Works

1. Tell us about your lot. Send the Parcel ID or address through our offer form, or call.
2. We research it. We check the jurisdiction, flood zone, BPAS history, taxes, liens and title.
3. You receive a written cash offer. Usually within 24 hours, with no obligation to accept.
4. A licensed Florida title company closes. The title company examines title and handles the closing funds.
5. You are paid at closing. No commission and no listing period.

More detail is on our how it works page.

About Land in Marathon

Where Marathon Is

Marathon was incorporated in 1999. It runs from the east end of the Seven Mile Bridge at about mile marker 47 to the west end of the Tom’s Harbor Bridge at about MM 61. The Seven Mile Bridge spans roughly MM 40 to MM 47 and connects Marathon to the Lower Keys, with Big Pine Key at about MM 30 to 31. Northeast of Marathon are Duck Key (around MM 61), Conch Key (around MM 63) and Layton on Long Key (MM 68.5). The Monroe County Clerk of Court has a Middle Keys office at 3117 Overseas Highway in Marathon.

Key Colony Beach Is a Separate City

Key Colony Beach sits at mile marker 53.5, inside the stretch of highway that Marathon covers, but it is its own city. It was incorporated in September 1957, and Marathon’s boundaries exclude it. Key Colony Beach is one of the five incorporated municipalities in Monroe County. The city reports that all of Key Colony Beach is in the Special Flood Hazard Area, in AE and VE zones, with base flood elevations of 6 to 13 feet (NGVD29), and that it requires 3 feet of freeboard. We buy Key Colony Beach lots too. Just know that its rules come from Key Colony Beach, not Marathon.

Marathon’s Building Permit Allocation System

Like the rest of the Keys, Marathon is inside the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern under Florida Statute 380.0552. Growth is capped by keeping the hurricane evacuation clearance time for permanent residents at no more than 24.5 hours. To stay within that cap, Marathon uses a Building Permit Allocation System (BPAS) for new construction.

In March 2024, Monroe County estimated about 550 buildable vacant lots in Marathon, compared with about 200 in Islamorada and 84 in Key West. In 2025, Senate Bill 180 made up to 900 new allocations possible Keys-wide. The distribution approved by the Governor and Cabinet on Dec. 17, 2025 releases 300 allocations on Jan. 1, 2026 and then 150 every two years through 2035, shared pro-rata among Monroe County, Islamorada, Marathon and Key West. Allocations are limited to one per parcel, and the state gives priority to owner-occupied, affordable and workforce housing.

The details of Marathon’s scoring and cycles are set by the city. If you are deciding whether to hold and apply or sell, contact the City of Marathon planning department for the current rules.

Flood Zones and Elevation

New buildings in the Keys must be elevated above flood levels, and buildings that are substantially improved or damaged must be elevated under the 50% rule. In Monroe County’s minimums under ASCE 24-14, the lowest floor in Zone A must be at least base flood elevation plus 1 ft, and in V and Coastal A zones the lowest horizontal structural member must be at least base flood elevation plus 1 ft. For a lot inside Marathon, confirm the exact elevation standard with the city and check the zone on FEMA’s Map Service Center.

Hurricane History

Hurricane Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key, in the Lower Keys, on Sept. 10, 2017 as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds. Storm history is part of why the Keys manage growth around evacuation time, and it is one of the reasons buyers look closely at elevation and flood zone.

Holding Versus Selling

Holding a Marathon lot while you wait for an allocation means paying property taxes every year, which become payable Nov. 1 and delinquent April 1. Some owners decide to apply and wait. Others would rather turn the lot into cash now. Our article on land exit strategies compares the options.

What Affects the Value of Marathon Land

• Allocation status. A lot with an awarded allocation or issued permit is in a stronger position than one that has not applied.
• Flood zone. VE lots require more costly construction than AE or X lots.
• Water access. Canal, oceanside and bayside lots each attract different buyers.
• Zoning and use. Commercial frontage on the Overseas Highway and residential lots on side streets are valued differently.
• Environmental constraints. Wetlands or protected habitat on a lot limit what can be built.
• Jurisdiction. Marathon, Key Colony Beach and unincorporated keys like Duck Key each have their own rules.
• Title and taxes. Liens, tax certificates and heirship issues need to be resolved.

See our guide to comping vacant land or what your lot is worth for how buyers price land.

Common Marathon Selling Situations

• Waiting on BPAS. You have a lot and do not want to keep waiting for an allocation.
• Inherited Marathon lot. The family owns a lot and nobody plans to build. See selling inherited land.
• Behind on taxes. See selling land with back taxes.
• Code liens. See selling land with code liens.
• Plans changed. You bought to build and life moved on.
• Allocation or permit in hand. You have done the work to get approvals and would rather sell than build.
• Selling a group of lots. You own several Middle Keys parcels and want one buyer for all of them.

Looking Up Your Monroe County Parcel

• Monroe County Property Appraiser: mcpafl.org for Property Search, GIS maps and a Tax Estimator. Record cards list a Parcel ID (format 00526340-000000) and an Account# or Property ID.
• Monroe County Tax Collector: monroetaxcollector.com. Taxes become payable Nov. 1 and delinquent April 1.
• Clerk Official Records: or.monroe-clerk.com for deeds, mortgages and liens.
• FEMA Map Service Center: msc.fema.gov for flood zones.
• City of Marathon: for BPAS status, zoning and city permits on your lot.

Our Florida land due diligence checklist covers the rest.

Marathon Land Selling FAQs

Does Marathon use ROGO?

No. Marathon is an incorporated city and uses its own Building Permit Allocation System. ROGO applies in unincorporated Monroe County.

Is Key Colony Beach part of Marathon?

No. Key Colony Beach is a separate city at mile marker 53.5, incorporated in 1957. Marathon’s boundaries exclude it.

Can I sell a Marathon lot without an allocation?

Yes. We buy lots with or without an allocation, and lots with permits or plans.

Do you buy in Duck Key and Conch Key?

Yes. Both are unincorporated Monroe County communities northeast of Marathon, and we buy land there.

How fast is the offer?

We usually send a written cash offer within 24 hours of getting your parcel details.

Land Buyers in Marathon: Quick Answers

Who buys land for cash in Marathon?

SWFL Land (Libera Capital Group LLC) buys Marathon lots for cash, usually with a written offer within 24 hours, no commission and a closing through a licensed Florida title company. See our Florida Keys (Monroe County) page and nearby Islamorada and Big Pine Key.

Does SWFL Land buy Marathon deals from wholesalers?

Yes. We close by assignment or double close. Visit our Monroe County wholesaler page or submit a deal.

Where can I learn about selling land in the Keys?

Read our Florida Keys land guide for ROGO, BPAS, tiers and your options.

Sources

• Marathon, Florida (Wikipedia)
• WLRN: Marathon building permit allocations, Jan. 25, 2024
• City of Key Colony Beach
• Key Colony Beach 2024 Floodplain Town Hall
• Monroe County MOCO Report 2023
• Florida Statute 380.0552
• Keys Weekly, March 28, 2024
• Key West Citizen: First batch of new building allocations cleared
• Monroe County Building Responsibly Requirements
• NWS Miami: Hurricane Irma
• Monroe County Clerk of Court
• Overseas Highway (Wikipedia)