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FINDING AND PURCHASING PUBLIC LANDS

Does the Federal Government ever sell public land? The

answer is yes. Lands identified as excess to the public's

and Government's needs or more suited to private ownership

are sometimes offered for sale. This brochure can help

explain the procedures and where to go for details.

First, it's important to understand the Federal

Government has two major categories of property which it

makes available for sale: real property and public lands.

Real Property is primarily developed land with buildings,

usually acquired by the Federal Government for a specific

purpose, such as a military base or office building.

Public Land is undeveloped land with no improvements,

usually part of the original public domain established

during the western expansion of the United States. Most of

this land is in the 11 Western States and Alaska,* although

some scattered parcels are in the East. This land is the

responsibility of the Department of the Interior's Bureau of

Land Management (BLM).

If it's public land you're interested in, read on. We

can help you. If you're interested in real property, you

should contact the General Services Administration (GSA);

it's responsible for selling developed, surplus property.

Addresses of the GSA Regional Offices are listed in the back

of this brochure.

If you're still reading, we can assume you're

interested in the possibility of buying public land from the

BLM. We receive numerous questions about our land sales, and

this brochure is designed to answer many of the questions most

commonly asked. Later on, we'll also tell you where you can

obtain more detailed information.

* Due to land entitlements to the State of Alaska and to

Alaska Natives, no public land sales will be conducted in

Alaska in the foreseeable future.

Q. Where are these public lands?

A. Almost all are in the Western States of Alaska, Arizona,

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,

Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.

There are also small amounts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,

Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,

Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South

Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin.

There are no public lands managed by the BLM in Connecticut,

Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine,

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,

Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Q. Is any of this land available free through homesteading?

A. No. Congress has repealed the Homestead Act.

Q. What lands are available?

A. Although homesteading is a thing of the past, the BLM

does have lands suitable for purchase by private citizens.

These are lands that have been identified as unneeded by the

Federal Government or as better utilized in private

ownership. By law, these lands are made available for sale

at no less than fair market value.

Q. How are these lands selected for sale?

A. The law states that the BLM can select lands for sale if,

through land use planning, they are found to meet one of

three criteria: 1) they are scattered, isolated tracts,

difficult or uneconomic to manage; 2) they were acquired for

a specific purpose and are no longer needed for that

purpose; or 3) disposal of the land will serve important

public objectives, such as community expansion and economic

development.

Q. What do the lands look like?

A. Land types vary widely. Some may be desert; some are

rural. Some are small parcels of just a few acres; some are

several hundred acres in size.

Q. Is any land suitable for farming?

A. Any lands with agricultural potential will be clearly

identified in the sale notice. However, most public lands

have little or no agricultural potential.

Q. On the average, what would public land cost per acre?

A. There is no "average" cost. Each parcel is evaluated

separately through established appraisal procedures, based

on the value of surrounding parcels. Fair market value is

determined for each parcel. No parcel can be sold for less

than fair market value.

Q. How is the land actually sold?

A. The BLM has three options for selling land: modified

competitive bidding where some preferences to adjoining

landowners are recognized, direct sale to one party where

circumstances warrant, and competitive bidding at public

auction. The sale method is determined on a case-by-case

basis, depending on the circumstances of each particular

parcel or sale.

Q. Are there any preferences for veterans?

A. No laws currently exist allowing the BLM to give veterans

any preference for land purchases.

Q. Where can I find out about land that is going to be sold?

A. Your best source is the BLM office with jurisdiction over

the area you're interested in. The BLM State Offices and

their jurisdictions are noted in the back of this brochure.

They can send you sale information. Sale information will

also be published and broadcast in local news media.

Q. Where are land sales held?

A. They are held near the area to be sold, either at the

local BLM office or in a suitable public location. Sales by

the BLM are not held in Washington, D.C.

Q. Are there any restrictions on who can bid on these parcels?

A. Federal law states that the BLM can sell public land only

to U.S. citizens or corporations subject to Federal or State

laws.

Q. Must I appear in person to participate at the sale?

A. Your personal appearance is not required, but it is

always to your advantage to examine the parcel and know

exactly what you are bidding on.

Sales can be conducted by oral bid, sealed bid, or a

combination of both. However, even if only oral bidding is

allowed, you can be represented by an agent.

Details on procedures for a particular sale are

specified in the sale notice available from the BLM. The

notice will specify type of sale, the percentage of the full

price that must be deposited with each bid, and the time

period allowed for full payment. The highest qualified

bidder is eligible to buy the land; the deposits of

unsuccessful bidders are returned.

Q. How is payment made? Is there financing available?

A. A certain minimum percentage of the full price is

required with each bid. If you are the successful high

bidder,the balance must be paid in full to the BLM within a

set period of time before a deed or patent can be issued.

Long-term financing must be arranged through private

lenders.

Q. Once the BLM issues my deed, can I do anything I want with

the land?

A. Yes, according to the terms of the deed and subject to

State or local restrictions. The sale notice will clearly

specify any Federal reservations or conditions of sale. These

might include reserving mineral rights to the Federal

Government, or allowing some currently authorized uses, such

as grazing, to continue for a certain period of time, or

reserving rights-of-way or easements for powerlines,

pipelines, etc.

You are advised to review these conditions carefully so

that you fully understand what your deed does and does not

include.

Q. What about local taxes, zoning, etc.?

A. Once you receive title, the land is subject to all

applicable State and local taxes, zoning ordinances, etc.

Q. Are water, power, and sewer service available on all parcels?

A. You should check with the city or county involved to see

if such services are available.

Q. Are there roads or easements that guarantee I can get to the

property?

A. The sale notice will explain legal access to the property

or any access restrictions. You are advised to check out the

parcel before you buy, including finding out if available

access meets your needs.

Q. I'd like to find out what parcels the BLM currently has listed

for sale. Where can I obtain that information?

A. The BLM State Offices listed on the following pages are

your best source. They can tell you what sales are currently

scheduled and what prospects are coming up. You can write,

call, or visit them periodically for latest details.

If a sale is currently scheduled, information can be

requested from the BLM describing the property and method of

sale.

More detailed information, such as land reports,

environmental assessments, etc., is also available upon

request for a small copy fee.

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE

New legislative authority will be necessary to allow

the sale of national forest system lands. If Congress

authorizes the sale of national forest system lands, details

can be obtained from the Forest Service, P.O. Box 96090,

Washington, D.C. 20090.

TAX DELINQUENCY SALES

Some local governments sell private land on which taxes

have been delinquent to satisfy the tax debt. The Federal

Government has no involvement in these sales. The best

source for information is the local county tax assessor in

the area involved.

STATE LAND PROGRAMS

State governments sometimes sell state-owned land.

Information on these types of sales can be obtained through

the State Lands Office in the State capital.

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

STATE OFFICES

ALASKA:

222 W. 7th Ave., # 13

Anchorage, AK 99513-7599

(907) 271-5555

ARIZONA:

3707 North 7th Street

P.O. Box 16563

Phoenix, AZ 85011

(602) 640-5547

CALIFORNIA:

2800 Cottage Way, E-2841

Sacramento, CA 95825-1889

(916) 978-4754

COLORADO:

2850 Youngfield Street

Lakewood, CO 80215-7076

(303) 239-3705

STATES EAST OF THE

MISSISSIPPI RIVER, plus

ARKANSAS, IOWA, LOUISIANA,

MINNESOTA, and MISSOURI:

Eastern States Office

7450 Boston Boulevard

Springfield, Virginia 22153

(703) 440-1600

IDAHO:

3380 Americana Terrace

Boise, ID 83706

(208) 384-3000

MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA,

and SOUTH DAKOTA:

222 N. 32nd Street

P.O. Box 36800

Billings, MT 59107

(406) 255-2940

NEVADA:

850 Harvard Way

P.O. Box 12000

Reno, NV 89520-0006

(702) 785-6501

NEW MEXICO, KANSAS,

OKLAHOMA, and TEXAS:

1474 Rodeo Road

P.O. Box 27115

Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115

(505) 438-7450

OREGON and WASHINGTON:

1300 N.E. 44th Ave.

P.O. Box 2965

Portland, OR 97208-2965

(503) 280-7158

UTAH:

CFS Financial Center - 301

324 South State Street

P.O. Box 45155

Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155

(801) 539-4100

WYOMING and NEBRASKA:

2515 Warren Avenue

P.O. Box 1828

Cheyenne, WY 82003

(307) 775-6117

OTHER LAND DISPOSALS BY FEDERAL AGENCIES GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION

REGION 1

CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA,

MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN,

MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE,

NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO,

PUERTO RICO, RHODE ISLAND,

VERMONT, VIRGIN ISLANDS, WISCONSIN

10 Causeway Street, Room 1079

Boston, MA 02222

(617) 565-5700

REGION 4

ALABAMA, DELAWARE,

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, FLORIDA,

GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, MARYLAND,

MISSISSIPPI, NORTH CAROLINA,

PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH CAROLINA,

TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA

401 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, GA 30365

(404) 331-5133

REGION 7

ARKANSAS, COLORADO, IOWA, KANSAS,

LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, MONTANA,

NEBRASKA, NEW MEXICO,

NORTH DAKOTA, OKLAHOMA,

SOUTH DAKOTA, TEXAS, UTAH,

WYOMING

819 Taylor Street

Fort Worth, TX 76102

(817) 334-2331

REGION 9

ALASKA, AMERICAN SAMOA, ARIZONA,

CALIFORNIA, GUAM, HAWAII, IDAHO,

NEVADA, OREGON, THE TRUST

TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS,

WASHINGTON

525 Market Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 744-5940

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

1849 C St., N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20240

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the

Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of

our nationally owned public lands and natural resources.

This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water

resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the

environmental and cultural values of our national parks and

historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life

through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our

energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their

development is in the best interests of all our people. The

Department also has a major responsibility for American

Indian reservation communities and for people who live in

Island Territories under U.S. administration.



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