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County explains land-auction process after first in-person sale with new forfeitures
Summary
Board members and staff reviewed results from the county’s recent land auction — the first in-person auction including new forfeitures — and outlined how unsold parcels move to a minimum-bid online process.
Pine County officials discussed results and process details from a recent land auction that combined in-person bidding with online procedures for tax‑forfeited properties.
County staff said the in-person portion of the auction included new forfeitures offered at estimated market value; many attendees chose not to bid during the in-person event and instead waited to see if properties would later be listed at the minimum bid. The county explained that unsold properties will be listed at a minimum bid starting Oct. 21 (per the timeline discussed) and offered through an online platform where bidders have a set auction period. The county’s online auctions have typically been open for seven days; if bidding occurs near the close, a short extension (roughly five minutes) is applied to allow competing bids.
If a winning bidder fails to follow through, county staff said the bidder is barred from the min-bid platform and the county may offer the sale to a backup bidder who indicated willingness to complete the purchase. When a min-bid sale closes, buyers have 10 days to remit payment to the state (per MNBid procedures) and then must pay county closing fees such as recording and deed taxes directly to the county or by mail.
County officials noted that on prior min-bid offerings one parcel sold for higher than its estimated market value, and staff warned prospective buyers that waiting for the min‑bid process does not guarantee a lower price. The board acknowledged the auction as a tool for moving forfeited properties back into private ownership.
