One sign of an improved economy is the willingness of people to buy land and build new homes.

 

That was the case Thursday as about 30 people showed up to bid on properties in Sherburne County’s tax forfeit sale at the Government Center.

 

The sale included 52 parcels in different parts of the county. By the time the bidding was over, 41 of those parcels sold for a total of $236,100.

 

Typically at a tax forfeit sale, when the economy is strong, developers try to cash in by purchasing numerous lots at low prices. And there were plenty of low-cost lots in Thursday’s sale.

 

But many of the bidders were looking for single lots for their own use, or areas of land for personal use.

 

Jordan Hollum won the bid for one lot in the Aspen Hills Development at $21,500. He was familiar with the area and wanted the .62-acre lot for a future home.

 

“That’s all I came here for,” he said.

 

The base bid price was $9,000, but three different people kept bidding the price up. Hollum outlasted them.

 

“I was looking to spend $20,000, so it wasn’t too bad,” he said. “I’ll live there some day.”

 

Joe and Luke Corrigan bought a 42.58-acre parcel in northern Becker Twp. for $23,000, a little more than the $20,000 minimum.

 

They’re not developers who are looking to turn a profit. They want it for themselves.

 

“We actually hunt right next to it. It butts up to hunting land,” said Joe. “Some day Luke will probably build a house on it.”

 

Developers weren’t interested in the parcel, which is mostly swamp and has an easement for a county ditch.

 

“The building site is quite a way off the road and it has wetland issues,” said Joe. “You’d have to buy wetland credits to build.”

 

Plenty of lots sold for above minimum bid price. One parcel at Birch Lake Beach in Big Lake started at $2,750 and sold for $4,000. The other Birch Lake Beach property had an opening bid of $4,700 and eventually sold for $12,500.

 

Bidding for one lot in Elk River started at $15,000 and ended at $39,000.

 

Many small lots with minimum bid prices of $1,500 in the Wright’s Crossing development sold in the $4,000 to $8,000 range.

 

Auditor/Treasurer Diane Arnold said it was a very good turnout.

 

“Most of the lots (78%) sold today,” she said.

 

The only negative for the sale was property in East St. Cloud. No one bid on any of the seven lots in Sterling Heights Development, valued between $10,000 and $20,000 each. That’s probably because each lot also had an additional $15,000 special assessment attached to the base bid.

 

Those seven lots and any others that didn’t sell will be re-assessed and included in next year’s sale.