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County staff propose online auctions for tax-forfeited land; buyer pays 5% premium
Summary
Scott County staff proposed using a vendor-operated online auction platform for tax-forfeited properties, saying online sales reach more buyers and add a buyer premium (reported as 5%) at no direct cost to the county; staff described timelines (30-day EMV posting; 60-day repurchase window) and said most deeds would not transfer until payment is complete.
County staff presented a plan to use an online auction platform for tax-forfeited properties and described expected operational changes, timelines and fees.
Rhonda (staff lead for tax forfeiture) told the board the proposal would publish an estimated market value (EMV) online for 30 days and allow the public to bid; after the EMV period counties may run a minimum-bid process. She said the vendor model widely used by other counties charges buyers a premium and that the county would not pay that fee. As Rhonda put it during the presentation: "The buyer, they they do have it in their beautiful. Things that does it's a 5% on the sale." (presentation transcript).
Staff described the county's recent counts and timelines: last year there were as many as 82 parcels in the forfeiture process and staff aimed to reduce that number toward a single-digit backlog through outreach, repurchases and online listing; for the current year staff expected only one or two parcels to reach the forfeiture auction. The board asked about legal compliance (including the Hennepin County case that prompted legislative changes), buyer protections and how deed transfers will be handled; staff said the county will complete transfer paperwork only after payment clears and that vendor support is available to help set up online listings.
Commissioners signaled general support and said the item will return as a request-for-board-action (RBA) for formal approval; staff said they will bring the RBA and more operational details to a future meeting.
