The ruling on the zakah of lands that people have owned for years

Q: I was granted a piece of land by the government, and I held it in my possession for about four years without paying its zakah. After that, I sold it and did not pay the zakah. Do I owe anything?

A: If a person is granted land by the government or by someone else and takes possession of it, or if he buys it from Zayd or 'Amr and takes possession of it, he is in one of two situations: If he intends it for trade and sale, he must pay its zakah once a lunar year has passed after his intention to sell, based on its value. It is appraised by people of expertise; he seeks their help and then pays its zakah by giving one-quarter of one-tenth. Thus, the zakah of gold, silver, and trade goods is one-quarter of one-tenth.
And for grains and fruits, it is one-half of one-tenth if they are watered using the cost of machines and the like, and it is one-tenth—one share out of ten—if they are watered without such cost, such as those watered by rivers, springs, and rain. For camels, sheep, and cattle, there is a specific, known zakah, detailed in the hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), if they are grazing or intended for trade. Therefore, the Muslim must look at what he has of lands and other assets. If he intends to sell them, he must pay their zakah once a lunar year has passed, based on their value. He appraises them and then pays the zakah of the value by giving one-quarter of one-tenth: from every one hundred riyals, two and a half; and from one thousand, twenty-five. This is one-quarter of one-tenth for gold and silver, and for these paper currencies that are known and in use now.
Trade goods, such as lands, cars, and other items intended for buying and selling, are appraised when a lunar year has passed over them. Once appraised, he pays the zakah of the value according to what the land, car, or other item is worth at the completion of the lunar year, provided that all of it is for sale and not for personal use or rental.
The second situation is that he intends to sell what he has, but rather he intends to build a residence on it, or to build houses for rental, or shops which he rents out. In that case, there is no zakah on the property itself; rather, he pays zakah on the rent when a lunar year has passed over it, just as he pays zakah on the other money he has when a lunar year has passed over it.