NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 4, 2016
CONTACT: Dana Kazel, Communications Manager
218-725-5049 (office) • 218-591-2219 (cell)
Tax forfeited land sale is Feb. 11, includes 16 lakeshore properties from former shoreland lease program
St. Louis County will be holding a public auction of tax forfeited properties, which will include 16 lake front properties that formerly had been part of the shoreland lease program. The tax forfeited properties auction will be held on Thursday, February 11, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Public Safety Building, 2030 North Arlington Avenue, Duluth.
The auction features nearly 50 properties from throughout the county, including empty lots and residential and commercial buildings. A catalog with photos, maps and details about each property, including the starting bid price, is available online to view or download at stlouiscountymn.gov/land, or by calling (218) 726-2606. For convenience on the day of the auction, pre-registration is encouraged but not required. Registration can be done online, or by filling out a form that is included in the catalog.
Lakeshore properties are available on Thompson, Bear Island, Linwood and Long lakes, as well as the Whiteface Reservoir. Minimum starting prices range from just under $41,000 for a lot and cabin on Thompson Lake that is accessible only by water, to $193,000 for a lot and cabin with approximately 120 feet of frontage on Long Lake in Makinen. The minimum bid for each property is the appraised value of the land. However, as a condition of sale, the purchaser also is required to pay for any improvements such as a cabin or other structure, plus appraisal and survey costs.
Tax forfeited properties not sold at auction can be purchased on a first come first served basis through the Land and Minerals Department. The price is always the appraised value. The exception to this are the 16 former shoreland lease properties. Currently, based on state statute, these can only be sold at public auction.
Within St. Louis County, there are nearly 900,000 acres of tax forfeited properties, which the county’s Land and Minerals Department is responsible for managing. Most of the land is maintained for forest management, but for smaller parcels located within cities and townships, the county tries to sell them as a means to encourage development and increase the property tax base. Additional auctions will take place on June 9 at the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center (the Depot) and on October 13 at the Miners Memorial Building in Virginia.
To learn more about the February land sale, view parcels available for purchase at any time, or sign up to be notified about future sales, visit stlouiscountymn.gov/land or call (218) 726-2606.
 This property with 126 feet of frontage on Linwood Lake is appraised at $62,000. It formerly was part of the shoreland lease program, but is now available for purchase during the County's Tax Forfeited Properties Auction on Feb. 11.
 This cabin is located on Bear Island Lake. The land is valued at $85,000; and terms of sale also require the buyer to pay $50,000 for the cabin to the previous shoreland lease holder.
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