Jekyll Island: you sell the lease, not the land

All land on Jekyll Island is owned by the State of Georgia and vested in the Jekyll Island Authority. A homeowner holds a long-term residential lease and owns the house and improvements for the term of that lease. Current leases expire between 2049 and 2088. When a lease ends, any improvements still on the land become the Authority's property. An owner can sell for the remaining years of the lease.

On top of Glynn County property taxes, the lease carries an annual rent equal to 0.4 percent of the land's fair market value as set by the Glynn County tax assessor. Owners who rent the house overnight need a rental license from the Authority and pay a percentage of rental revenue. When you ask us for an offer on a Jekyll house, have the lease ready. Its expiration date, its rent terms, and any transfer provisions are the first things the closing attorney reviews, and the years left on the lease are a large part of the value.

Flood insurance and storm exposure

Since FEMA fully put Risk Rating 2.0 in place in April 2023, NFIP premiums are set for each property using distance to water, flood type including storm surge, elevation, and rebuilding cost. Flood maps still decide whether a lender requires coverage. Most rates cannot rise more than 18 percent a year, and an owner can pass a discounted rate to a buyer by assigning the policy at sale. Unincorporated Glynn County, which includes St. Simons Island, holds a Class 5 rating in FEMA's Community Rating System, which takes 25 percent off flood premiums.

Storms tested this coast four times in eight years. Matthew in 2016 flooded every road around Brunswick and cut off access to St. Simons. Irma in 2017 pushed water 3 to 5 feet above ground along the Georgia coast. Idalia in 2023 sent an EF1 tornado through the south and west sides of Brunswick. Helene in 2024 damaged well over a thousand homes and buildings across Georgia's six coastal counties, Glynn among them. If your house has a flood claim history, a policy you could assign, or an elevation certificate, send them. Each one can change the number.

Old Town Brunswick and the islands' planning rules

Brunswick's Old Town neighborhood has been on the National Register as a historic district since 1979. Inside the district, changes to a building's exterior, new construction, and demolition all need a certificate of appropriateness from the Brunswick Historic Preservation Board. That makes a full renovation slower and more expensive, which is one reason Old Town houses that need major work tend to sell as-is.

Outside the city, Glynn County runs separate Islands and Mainland planning commissions, so the board that hears a zoning question depends on which side of the marsh the property is on. County code enforcement gives an owner time to correct a violation. If it isn't corrected, the owner can be cited into Magistrate Court. An open citation does not stop a sale, but send it to us early.

Glynn County property we buy

  • Jekyll Island leasehold houses, at any point in the lease term
  • St. Simons Island houses and condos with flood or wind history
  • Older houses in Old Town Brunswick, including those needing exterior work that requires review
  • Mainland houses in Dock Junction, Country Club Estates, Sterling, and Everett
  • Homes with Matthew, Irma, Idalia, or Helene damage, repaired or not
  • Overnight rentals owned from out of state
  • Inherited coastal property where the estate is open or not yet started
  • Mobile homes and houses on rural mainland lots

Records, closing, and getting an offer in Glynn County

Deeds, security deeds, and liens are recorded with the Glynn County Clerk of Superior Court on H Street in Brunswick. Estates go through the Glynn County Probate Court. The Property Appraisal Office sets fair market value and the Tax Commissioner bills at 40 percent of it. The same land value sets the annual rent on a Jekyll lease.

To get an offer, send the address and, if you have them, your flood policy declarations page, any elevation certificate, claim history, and for Jekyll, the lease. The things that most often move the price or closing date here are a flood policy a buyer can or cannot take over, an open storm claim with insurance money held by a lender, an unopened estate, and on Jekyll, the years remaining on the lease and whatever the lease requires for a transfer. A licensed Georgia attorney closes, and signing can be arranged wherever you live.

Frequently asked questions

Do you buy houses on Jekyll Island?

Yes. You are selling the house and the remaining lease term, not the land. Have the lease ready so the closing attorney can review its term, rent, and transfer provisions.

What happens to a Jekyll Island house when the lease ends?

Under the standard residential lease, improvements still on the land when the lease expires become the property of the Jekyll Island Authority. Current leases expire between 2049 and 2088.

Can my flood insurance transfer to the buyer?

An NFIP policy can be assigned to a new owner at sale, which can carry over a discounted rate. Send us your declarations page so we can factor it in.

Do you buy houses in Old Town Brunswick that need major work?

Yes. Historic Preservation Board review of exterior changes is part of our assessment, not a reason to pass.

Do you buy St. Simons houses with storm or flood damage?

Yes, at any stage of repair, including houses with more than one claim.

I live out of state. Can I sell my Glynn County property remotely?

Yes. Many island and Brunswick owners live elsewhere. The attorney sends the documents to you or sets up a remote signing, and the proceeds are wired.

Glynn County property and court resources

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