Land for Sale in Tehama County, CA
Tehama County sits in the northern Sacramento Valley and Coast Range foothills: 2,962 square miles with 65,829 residents (2020 census), Red Bluff as its seat and the Sacramento River running through the middle. Land is farm, orchard, grazing and foothill acreage. Much of it is under California's Williamson Act, which cuts tax but binds the land for years, and this guide explains it.
Tehama County at a glance
- County seat: Red Bluff. Cities: Red Bluff, Corning and Tehama.
- 2020 population 65,829; about 2,962 square miles; about 22 people per square mile.
- The Sacramento River runs through the county, bisecting it.
- Highways: Interstate 5 and State Routes 36 and 99.
- Parts of the Lassen National Forest and the Mendocino National Forest lie in the county.
The Tehama County land market
Buyers look for irrigated farm and orchard land on the valley floor, grazing ranches in the foothills and rural homesites near Red Bluff, Corning and the river. Valley land is priced on soil, water and crop, while foothill and mountain land is priced on access, views and water. Land near I-5 and the towns costs more.
Williamson Act contracts
California's Land Conservation (Williamson) Act lets counties enter contracts with owners of agricultural and open-space land: the owner agrees to keep the land in that use and receives a property tax assessment based on use instead of market value. Contracts are normally a rolling term that renews each year unless the owner or county files a notice of nonrenewal, which starts a roughly nine-year phase-out during which the assessment gradually rises. Early cancellation is allowed only in limited cases and carries a fee set by state law, reported as 12.5% of the unrestricted fair market value, plus any local fee, and more for Farmland Security Zone contracts. The contract runs with the land, so a buyer takes it subject to the restrictions.
I could not find Tehama County's own rules on acreage minimums or fees, so ask the Tehama County Planning Department whether a parcel is under contract, when it renews or ends, and whether building a home or splitting the parcel is allowed. Check the recorded contract in the title report.
Water, zoning and wildfire
Irrigated land depends on water rights, wells or district water, so ask for well logs, pump records and any district assessments. Zoning in the unincorporated county is set by the county, and splitting land usually needs a parcel map and compliance with minimum parcel sizes. Foothill and forest parcels face wildfire risk, so ask about defensible space and insurance. Some parcels sit in flood areas near the river and creeks.
Before you buy land in Tehama County
- Whether a Williamson Act contract applies, its term and what it prohibits.
- Well, water rights and district water for irrigated land.
- Zoning, minimum parcel size and any split restrictions.
- Wildfire and flood exposure and insurance availability.
- Legal access, power and septic.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Williamson Act contract?
A California contract between an owner and the county that restricts land to agricultural or open-space use in exchange for a lower property tax assessment. It normally renews each year unless a notice of nonrenewal is filed.
Can I cancel a Williamson Act contract?
Only in limited cases, with findings by the county and a cancellation fee reported as 12.5% of the unrestricted land value, plus any local fee.
What runs through Tehama County?
The Sacramento River bisects the county, with Interstate 5 along the valley.