Land auction to be held

By BRYAN HELLIOS

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Watersmeet — The Michigan county land auction for Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties will be held at noon CDT on Saturday at the Northern Waters Casino in Watersmeet.

Lisa Hewitt, treasurer for Gogebic County, said the county recommends “doing your homework” before purchasing any property, but she added when properties are sold through the foreclosure process most liens are discharged, except IRS and other liens filed by governmental agencies.

She directed interested folks to visit tax-sale.info for information on the available properties and bidding process.

“They have all the bidding rules, all the minimum bids and everything you would need to know for registering,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt said the tax sale is a great opportunity for someone to acquire a project home or a business and invest back into the county.

“Our goal is to just get these properties onto the tax roll,” she said.

Some important changes for this year are certified funds are needed to buy, because cash will not be accepted. Those who owe property tax or a civil fine can not purchase property in the county in which the funds are owed. The site states that under this new law, individuals may face felony prosecution if they bid on any property.

Also, a second round of sales will only be held online and each buyer will be limited to a set number of lots during that round.

Auction participants will need to check-in with an auction clerk and bring a valid photo ID.

Winning bidders are required to pay in full within 30 minutes once the auction ends, according to the website.

When the county has a batch of foreclosed properties, Hewitt said each property is evaluated to determine if it is condemned or blighted.

“We take our time to ensure that we’re offering that property to the county residents in the best possible outcome,” she said.