Michigan DNR Auction for State-Owned Land Begins

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that 45 parcels of state-owned land in six Michigan counties will be offered for sale by sealed-bid auction at www.michigan.gov/landforsale.

The parcels, located mainly in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan including Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Gladwin, Mackinac and Schoolcraft counties, have been reviewed by the DNR and approved for sale as surplus land.

These properties range in size from less than an acre to 120 acres. They vary in character from riverside and lakeside parcels to forested properties to a parcel within the city of Sault Ste. Marie adjacent to a golf course. A parcel with an existing communications tower and a property with Lake Michigan frontage are also being offered.

“This annual auction is part of the Department of Natural Resources’ long-term approach to land management,” said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. “We work very hard to find the right balance between ensuring ample opportunity for public recreational access to state lands, while also providing an easy way for individuals to buy land for their own personal use.”

Information on the auction and on other land available for purchase, including photos, property descriptions, terms and conditions and instructions to submit a bid, is available at www.michigan.gov/landforsale by clicking on Land Auction.

Sealed bids must be postmarked by midnight on Aug. 8, and will be opened on Aug. 17. There is a minimum bid for each parcel.

Property information and bid forms are also available upon request to the Real Estate Services Section, P.O. Box 30448, Lansing, MI 48909-7948 or by calling 517-241-2742.

Stokes said the DNR’s Land Consolidation Initiative, an ongoing review of state-owned land, gives the department the chance to look at properties that are outside the boundaries of state parks, forests, game areas and recreation areas to determine if they are surplus to management needs.

Proceeds from land sales are used to improve recreation opportunities for the public and to enhance management capabilities on existing state land.

Any parcels not sold through the auction process are posted to the www.michigan.gov/landforsale website and offered for sale year-round. Currently, 140 properties, ranging in size from less than an acre to 200 acres, are available for purchase on the website on a first-come, first-served basis. The majority of these parcels are located in northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, but there are also several properties for sale in the southeast and southwest Lower Peninsula. A number of properties are not easily accessible by the general public.

The state reserves aboriginal antiquities and may reserve mineral rights on the parcels being sold. The DNR recommends all purchasers do their own research as to suitability of the parcel for the purpose intended, and conduct a personal inspection of the desired parcels whenever possible. The DNR makes no representation or claim as to fitness for purpose, access, condition or restrictions.