St. Louis County has launched an online auction of tax-forfeited properties for the first time since early 2023. The county is auctioning 55 properties, including buildable lots, recreational land, waterfront properties, and even three islands in Burntside Lake.
Bidding opened last week at publicsurplus.com and will continue through August 29 at 11 a.m. The direct link is: https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/stlouisco,mn/browse/cataucs?catid=15
Sales of tax-forfeited properties were paused in May of 2023 following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that determined Minnesota law regarding handling of tax-forfeited sale proceeds was unconstitutional. The legislature approved new laws during the 2024 session providing new rules for management and sales of these properties.
Because all of the properties in this current auction were forfeited prior to 2016, the new rules do not apply. St. Louis County is planning another online auction Sept. 19-Oct. 3, featuring more newly-forfeited properties, which will be sold in accordance with the new legislation.
Additionally, the county will hold a separate online auction for two waterfront properties from its former shoreland lease program. That auction will run Sept. 6-16. Details can be found at stlouiscountymn.gov/shorelandsales.
For the current auction, a list of properties, as well as a catalog with photos, maps and details about each one, including the starting bid price, is available online at stlouiscountymn.gov/landsales.
To be eligible to bid, a person cannot have any delinquent property taxes on property they already own in St. Louis County. People who have delinquent property taxes must first pay what they owe before purchasing at auction or over the counter from the Available List.
Within St. Louis County, there are nearly 900,000 acres of tax-forfeited land, which the county's Land and Minerals Department is responsible for managing. Most of the land is maintained for resource management; however, the county also encourages the sale of land that is not suitable for management as a way to encourage development and increase the property tax base.
To learn more about the land sale, view properties available for purchase at the auctions or over the counter, or to subscribe to receive email notifications about future sales, visit stlouiscountymn.gov/landsales or contact the Land and Minerals Department at (218) 726-2606 or landdept@stlouiscountymn.gov.
