A long gap between revaluations

Cherokee County reappraised in 2020, and its next scheduled revaluation is 2028. Property here has been taxed on 2020 values through years of rising prices, and when values reset, the change usually arrives in one step.

That timing matters for heirs and landlords deciding whether to hold. Whatever you decide, delinquent taxes do not have to be paid before a sale. They come out of the closing proceeds.

Hiwassee Lake, Apalachia, and TVA

Hiwassee Lake and Lake Apalachia are TVA reservoirs, handled by TVA's office in Murphy. Docks, boathouses, and shoreline stabilization need a Section 26a permit, and that permit does not carry over automatically to a buyer. The new owner applies, and a dock that does not match its old permit takes longer to approve.

We buy lake houses with older docks, unpermitted changes, and eroding banks. Send any TVA paperwork you have, or tell us you don't have any.

Murphy, Andrews, and the rural county

Murphy and Andrews have older frame and brick houses near downtown, many with original wiring, galvanized plumbing, and crawlspaces that stay damp. Low-lying lots along the Hiwassee and Valley rivers carry flood zone questions that affect insurance.

Outside the towns, wells, septic systems, and manufactured homes are the norm. Scattered tracts of Eastern Band of Cherokee trust land in the county are not sold on the open market. We buy the privately owned property around them.

Cherokee County property we buy

  • Lake houses on Hiwassee and Apalachia with old or unpermitted docks
  • Older houses in Murphy and Andrews
  • Houses on low-lying lots near the Hiwassee and Valley rivers
  • Manufactured homes on owned land
  • Rural houses on wells and septic, including failed systems
  • Inherited houses and family land
  • Rentals, occupied or vacant

Records, courts, and closing in Cherokee County

Murphy is the county seat. Deeds are recorded with the Cherokee County Register of Deeds, the clerk of superior court in Murphy handles foreclosure hearings and estate files, and the county assessor sets values. TVA's Murphy office handles shoreline permits for the local reservoirs.

A licensed North Carolina attorney handles the closing. If contractors have worked on the house recently, mention it, since North Carolina mechanics' liens can relate back to when the work began.

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2028 revaluation change your offer?

No. Our offer reflects the property. The revaluation only affects what you would pay in taxes if you keep it.

Will you buy a Hiwassee Lake house with an unpermitted dock?

Yes. TVA permits do not transfer automatically anyway, so we look at the dock's status and price the house as it is.

Do you buy manufactured homes in Cherokee County?

Yes, on owned land, whether or not the home has been retitled as real property.

Do you buy in Andrews?

Yes, along with Murphy, Marble, and the rest of the county.

Can you buy a house near the river that's in a flood zone?

Yes. Flood insurance requirements are a lender's problem, not ours.

Cherokee County property and court resources