Florida · Duval County
Selling a house in Duval County
Duval County and the City of Jacksonville share a consolidated government, so one set of offices handles records, permits and code for almost the whole county. That makes some things simpler to check than in other Florida counties — and it is worth knowing which office to ask.
Prefer to talk? Call (269) 389-9961. This is Bayfront’s current company number; it is not a Florida-local line.
Photograph © Ebyabe, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized by Bayfront Home Buyers. Not a Bayfront property.
Coverage
Which parts of the county we currently cover.
Bayfront works across Jacksonville and Baldwin. Within Jacksonville we have written area pages for seven ZIP codes:
32206 · 32208 · 32209 · 32210 · 32211 · 32244 · 32254
That is not a fence. If your property is in another Jacksonville ZIP, call and ask — the list reflects which areas we have written up, not the only addresses we will discuss.
About the Baldwin area and the 32234 ZIP
Baldwin is a small town in western Duval County with its own municipal government. The 32234 ZIP is not the same thing as the town: its USPS primary place name is Jacksonville, and it covers Baldwin together with a large rural area of west Duval. If your address is in 32234, it is worth saying whether you are inside the town limits or out in the county, because permits and code questions are handled differently depending on which it is.
Official county resources
Where to check things yourself.
You do not need us to look any of this up for you. These are the offices that hold the records, and all of them are free to search.
- What the county has on the property Ownership, assessed value, building characteristics and sales history at the Duval County Property Appraiser.
- Deeds, mortgages, liens and judgments Recorded documents at the Clerk’s official records — the place to confirm what is actually attached to a title.
- An estate going through probate The Clerk’s probate division handles filings and case records. The Florida Bar’s consumer guide to probate explains the process in plain terms.
- A foreclosure case already filed The Clerk’s foreclosure department holds case information and sale details.
- Permits, and work done without one Building Inspection for permit history and inspections.
- An open code case Municipal Code Compliance explains what the division does and how cases are handled.
- Whether the property is in a flood zone The city’s flood protection information, and the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the official map.
Links to public offices for your own use. Bayfront is not affiliated with any of them, and nothing here is legal or tax advice.
Getting ready
What helps us give you a straight answer
A first conversation goes better with a few basics. None of it needs to be exact, and “I do not know” is a normal answer to any of it.
- Where it is, and who is on the deedThe ZIP, and whether title is in one name, several names, or an estate that has not been settled.
- Roughly how old the house is, and what has been replacedRoof age matters more in Florida than almost anything else, followed by the air conditioning.
- Whether anyone is living thereOwner, tenant, a family member, or empty. Each one changes what is possible and when.
- Anything owed against itMortgage, delinquent property taxes, a code lien, or a contractor lien. These are paid out of a sale, so they are better known early than late.
- Any storm or water damage, and whether it was claimedIncluding work that was started and never finished, and any claim that was denied.
- What you actually want from the saleHighest price, a specific date, or the least involvement possible. Those pull in different directions.
Nothing here is required before you get in touch. It is simply what makes a first conversation useful rather than vague.
Questions we actually get
Duval County questions
Is my ZIP one of the seven you list?
If it is not, call anyway. The seven ZIPs are where we have written the most detailed area pages, not the boundary of what we will discuss. The service area is what decides that, and Jacksonville and Baldwin are both inside it.
The house is in Baldwin. Is that different from Jacksonville?
Baldwin is a separate town with its own government, inside Duval County. For a sale the practical difference is usually which office handles permits and code for your address, which depends on whether you are inside the town limits or in unincorporated county land. It is worth saying which when you call.
There is an open code case on the property. Does that end it?
Usually not. Open cases and code liens are common on older and vacant houses, and they are dealt with through the sale rather than needing to be cleared first. What matters is knowing about it early — Municipal Code Compliance can tell you what is on file.
The estate has not been through probate yet.
That is an ordinary situation, and it does not stop a conversation. What can be signed, and by whom, depends on where the estate has got to. The inherited property page covers what usually has to be settled, and probate questions belong with a Florida attorney rather than with us.
Who answers when I call?
The same people who answer for Michigan and Indiana. The number on this page is not a Jacksonville line, and we would rather tell you that than let you assume otherwise.
General information about selling, not advice about your property. No structured FAQ markup is published pending review.
Related
Where to go next
Tell us where in the county
The ZIP and a rough description of the house is enough to start. If there is an estate, a code case or storm damage involved, mention it — none of it is unusual here.
Tell us about your property Call (269) 389-9961
Sending the form starts a conversation. It is not an offer, and it does not commit you to anything.