Land Being Auctioned Off Across Michigan

Hundreds of acres of land are up for grabs in Michigan, with officials looking to put dozens of lots up for auction this summer.

The sale is an annual event run by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to raise proceeds from surplus land, which can then be reinvested by the agency to acquire other parcels of land across the state. The properties are usually sold off by the DNR when they are no longer worth managing, have limited access, or have been found to be unsuitable for what the state had originally intended.

The event kicks off in August and will run until early September. Lakefront and riverfront properties are available, as well as swathes of forests. In total, some 91 lots will be available to buy within weeks and sold to the highest bidder.

The smallest site measures under an acre, while the largest boasts 160 acres of land. More than 30 properties measure 40 acres or larger and are located all across the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula.

The lots vary wildly in terms of their charms and their price tags.

For example, water lovers or those keen on fishing may want to snap up a parcel of land on Trout Lake in Chippewa County, which boasts 1.1 acres and has a minimum price of $27,500. Some 200ft of frontage lines the lake, but there are a few drawbacks. “Schwesinger Creek flows through the property and debouches into Trout Lake. The creek presents a building obstacle as there are poorly drained muck soils near the stream,” the listing says.

Buyers on a tighter budget could purchase a 0.6-acre plot for $9,000 in Cheboygan County that offers land “surrounded by 3 private landowners […] legal road access […and] level well-drained loamy sandy soils.”

While those with more cash in the bank may opt to drop a cool $320,000 minimum spend on 77.3 acres of “rolling” land in Livingstone County.

The first of the auctions takes place on August 2 and the final sale will be on September 5. The dates for the respective auctions are:

• Friday, Aug. 2 – Eaton and Livingston counties.
• Tuesday, Aug. 6 – Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties.
• Wednesday, Aug. 7 – Dickinson, Houghton, Marquette, Menominee and Ontonagon counties.
• Thursday, Aug. 8 – Crawford, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Otsego and Roscommon counties.
• Friday, Aug. 9 – Antrim and Charlevoix counties.
• Tuesday, Aug. 13 – Alpena, Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties.
• Wednesday, Aug. 14 – Grand Traverse and Manistee counties.
• Wednesday, Aug. 21 – Arenac and Midland counties.
• Thursday, Aug. 22 – Macomb and St. Clair counties.
• Tuesday, Sept. 3 – Berrien County.
• Thursday, Sept. 5 – Genesee County.

Bidders should pre-register at www.tax-sale.info, where they may also obtain more information about the auction. The bidding will kick off at 10:00 a.m. on each date, and bidders will be able to see the current highest bid for each property until the auction closes at 7:00 p.m. and the winning bid is revealed.

Michigan is not the only state selling off land.

Buyers may want to consider looking further afield, as unusual property sales often hit the headlines.

Florida’s Bird Key island was put on sale for $31.5 million recently, leaving nature lovers fearing for the fate of the centuries-old wildlife retreat.

And, just two months ago, a trio of Scottish islands was put up for sale. The islands boasted their own lighthouse and pub as well as a handful of cottages. The listing said the owners would only accept offers in excess of £2.5 million ($3.14 million).