You can buy your own waterfront land at this state-led auction in the Midwest
Have you ever wanted to own an island or waterfront property? Well, pretty soon, you might just be able to in this Great Lakes state.
Hundreds of plots of land are soon to be up for sale by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in a series of auctions, with land ranging from a less-than-one-acre island to plots of land hundreds of acres in size. The auctions are hosted annually by the department, local news station Fox 2 Detroit reported.
"Before parcels ever get to public auction – a management tool the department has used for several decades – we’ve already evaluated all other options, whether it’s a land exchange for land that’s a better fit, or perhaps a situation where it makes more sense for another governmental agency or conservation group to hold the property," Scott Whitcomb, director of DNR's office of public lands, said in a news release.
The auctions are on a staggered schedule for bidding.
What type of land is available?
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has a list of locations set to be auctioned. A full list can be found here, but here are some of the highlights:
Remote lakefront property
Lot #10050: A remote piece of property, this roughly two-acre plot of land is located on the shores of Duck Lake in Gogebic County, part of the state's Upper Peninsula. The parcel includes approximately 100 feet of frontage on the lake, according to the property listing. Bidding for this remote getaway starts at $15,000.
80-acre plot meets zoning requirements to build
Lot #10099: If you're looking to build, this property, which meets zoning requirements do so, is better suited than other parcels up for grabs. Listed at 80 acres in Oceana County, bidding starts at $180,000.
Mini island starts at $3,750
Lot # 10049: This plot of land, less than an acre in size, offers a peculiar location: the middle of a lake some 3.5 miles northwest of Fenton, Michigan. For any prospective buyer, the land is too small to legally build on, but bidding starts at $3,750.
Note: land plot does not appear in the Google Maps embed below.
Riverfront parcel listed at $55,000
Lot #10076: A plot more than 14 acres in size, this lot is placed alongside the Thunder Bay River, with riverfront property up for grabs. Located in Montmorency County in Northeast Michigan, bidding for this property starts at $55,000.
700 feet of lakefront property
Lot #10080: Bidding for this parcel along John Ford Lake in Newaygo County starts at $42,000. Michigan DNR says roughly 10 of the property's 18 acres are under the lake, with no legal access road.
When are auctions for Michigan land open?
According to the state DNR, the first auctions are set to begin Aug. 1, with land in Kent and Oceana counties opening the bidding. Here are all the auction dates:
- Friday, Aug. 1 – Kent and Oceana counties
- Monday, Aug. 4 – Grand Traverse, Lake, Manistee and Wexford counties
- Thursday, Aug. 7 – Lapeer County
- Monday, Aug. 18 – Alger, Luce and Schoolcraft counties
- Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Gogebic and Marquette counties
- Thursday, Aug. 21 – Washtenaw County
- Friday, Aug. 22 – Mecosta, Midland and Newaygo counties
- Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Barry County
- Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Allegan County
- Thursday, Aug. 28 – Ogemaw, Missaukee and Montmorency counties
- Friday, Sept. 5 – Genesee County
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.