Every year, the Sherburne County Auditor/Treasurer’s office holds a tax forfeited land sale in an attempt to get property back on the tax rolls. 

 

In recent years because of the poor economy, the tax forfeited list was substantial, with 176 parcels listed in 2011 and 179 in 2012 as entire developments went into tax forfeiture.

 

From 2002 and 2006, there were a total of 32 tax forfeited parcels in the county. That number jumped to 83 from 2007 to 2010 before reaching new heights in 2011 and 2012.

 

People stopped buying empty lots because no one had money to build a home. But that began to change in 2012. At the tax forfeit sale that September, 36 lots sold for a total of $339,800, compared with only 12 lots sold the year before. Another 45 lots sold after the auction from people checking the county’s  website and purchasing them outright instead of at auction.

 

Last year, only 34 new properties were added to the existing list, and this year numbers are down again since no new developments went into forfeiture.

 

The Wright’s Crossing development in the City of Big Lake still has 35 lots on the list with an average appraised value of $2,100. Last year there were 45.

 

In the City of Becker there are 33 townhome lots in the River Oaks development with an average appraised value of $1,700.

 

In Big Lake Twp., 107 undersized lots on Birch Lake Beach are available in blocks with bids starting at $4,200.

 

There are 37 lots in the Whispering Ridge development in Livonia Twp. appraised at $7,500 to $9,000.

 

There are about 40 more in the rest of the county, including 20 in Zimmerman, 14 in East St. Cloud, three in Elk River and two in Orrock Twp.

 

Tuesday the Sherburne County Board authorized the auditor/treasurer to hold a tax forfeited land sale Sept. 23, 9 a.m. at the Government Center.

 

All parcels are sold to the highest bidder during the public auction, with the minimum bid set at the appraised value plus any extra charges for special assessments levied after forfeiture.

 

Any parcels that don’t sell are listed on the county’s website and can be purchased at the minimum bid price.

 

The list can be found on line at www.co.sherburne.mn.us/auditor/forfeited.php.