Frequently Asked Questions

We own and sell thousands of parcels of land and government foreclosure listings within the U.S. and Canada. This land is constantly being turned over, and it is not physically possible for us to visit every property we sell to obtain actual photos. The photos we provide are representative of the area and are not intended to be specific. We urge all prospective buyers to research the property of interest and physically examine it, if possible, prior to bidding or purchasing.

Many times this is how we purchase our property. The photos we provide are representative of the area and are not intended to be specific. Usually, exact aerial photos are available upon request.

Each listing contains all the information we have about that particular parcel of land (e.g., APN, parcel size, location, if any restrictions, roads, dues, taxes, terrain, zoning and county assessor’s phone number). If a plat map or surveyor map is included in the land file, we list that as well. All information contained in each listing came from reliable sources and is accurate to the best of our knowledge. You can use the APN to call the County Assessor’s office and obtain additional specifics about the land. If you do not see a phone number for the assessor’s office in the listing, you can find it in the Due Diligence section of our web site—How to Buy > Researching Before You Buy > State and County Resource reference.

We urge all prospective buyers to research the property of interest and physically examine it, if possible, prior to bidding or purchasing.

Most of the land we sell on our government auction site is raw land, which means it is completely undeveloped and has no buildings or any physical structures on it. If you are want to learn more about the terrain (timber, mountain, desert, coastal, plains, etc.) or features of the land (on or near a body of water, forest, nature preserve, hunting grounds, etc.) that are not provided in our description, you should use the APN to call the County Assessor’s office and obtain additional specifics about the land. If you do not see a phone number for the assessor’s office in the listing, you can find it in the Due Diligence section of our web site—How to Buy > Researching Before You Buy > State and County Resource reference.

If it is a lot for sale (YouTube video) with a home or commercial building, this is different than raw land and will be disclosed in the listing.

If a listing has no bids, we will then recycle it a few weeks later and put it back up for sale. If you find a property without any bids and you don’t want to wait for it to go on sale again, you can contact us directly and make an offer.

No, the interest rate is currently fixed at 12%, and APR is fully amortized. Everyone qualifies; there are no credit checks or pre-qualifications.

There are a number of factors that determine the price we set for a parcel of land, including our cost of the land and whether the land will be sold outright in a straight sale (paid for in one lump sum) or financed over time in a Bid & Assume sale (paid for in monthly installments). We also view competitive prices in the marketplace.

It can be either. We sell land two ways:

You can purchase the property outright and pay one lump sum at the time of closing. You will then receive free and clear title. In that case, your bid is then entire sum you will pay, plus a 17.5% buyer’s premium and a $249 processing fee.

You can purchase the land in a Bid & Assume sale, in which you will finance the sale and make monthly payments on the land at 12% APR plus pro-rated property taxes. You will receive free and clear title when the land is paid off. In that case, your bid is a down payment and is subtracted from the total price, plus you pay a $249 processing fee and a 17.5% buyer's premiun on your down payment only.

Every state has different rules and regulations when it comes to mineral rights. We are not experts on local rules that oversee these areas and we do not represent or warrant these rights. All the information we have on the property is included on the listing page. We can help you find further information about the land, as we recommend you call the County Assessor’s office and provide them with the APN to obtain additional information. If you do not see a phone number for the Assessor’s office in the listing, you can find it in the Due Diligence section of our web site—How to Buy > Researching Before You Buy > State and County Resource reference.

Every state has different rules and regulations when it comes to oil and gas rights. We are not experts on local rules that oversee these areas and we do not represent or warrant these rights. All the information we have on the property is included on the listing page. We can help you find further information about the land, as we recommend you call the County Assessor’s office and provide them with the APN to obtain additional information. If you do not see a phone number for the assessor’s office in the listing, you can find it in the Due Diligence section of our web site—How to Buy > Researching Before You Buy > State and County Resource reference.

Each parcel of land is unique, and usage restrictions will vary. All the information we have on the property is included on the listing page. If you have further questions about the land, we recommend you call the County Assessor’s office and provide them with the APN to obtain additional information. If you do not see a phone number for the Assessor’s office in the listing, you can find it in the Due Diligence section of our web site—How to Buy > Researching Before You Buy > State and County Resources reference.

The length of your payment schedule depends on the purchase price of the property and the amount of your monthly payment. The length of your payment schedule will be stated in your DocuSign contract.

Yes, you can pay off the mortgage at any time without penalty. We do not charge any additional fees, service charges or prepayment fines. This is covered under #8 in the DocuSign Contract.

Yes, if you can let us know what you are interested in (location – state/county, size, item, lot), we would be happy to provide you additional lead time. The more specific you can be, the better.

We provide the local province contact number (similar to the County Assessor in the U.S.). You should be able to call the local province and provide them with the land description and coordinates included on the listing page for further assistance.

You have 4 days to pay your initial invoice. Once received, and depending on the type of purchase, you then receive the DocuSign Contract for land OR a Vesting Form if the land is purchased outright. For other assets, we process and ship within a few business days and include tracking information once shipped, and Transfer of Ownership.

If you purchase outright with one lump-sum payment for your land, you will receive your land Warranty Deed, Property Tax Bill, Conveyance Tax Certificate and Plat Map. instructions on filing your deed with the local county.

If you purchase with financing, you will receive the Standard Agreement of Sale via DocuSign and specifics on your monthly installment payment. You review and sign your Contract, keep a copy for your files and return the original to us in the self-addressed envelope.

Generally there are no restrictions on foreigners buying raw land from us. However, we do request that non-U.S. citizens pay by credit card or wire transfer.

Yes. In fact, if you provided us with your credit card or bank account information when you registered on GovernmentAuction.com, you were automatically enrolled in Auto Pay (through AutoPal) after winning your bid. Your monthly payment is automatically charged to the account on file and we do not charge the $6/month fee we normally charge for processing your payment.

If you did not provide your billing information when you registered, or your billing information has since changed, you can add or update it by logging in to your GovernmentAuction.com account and going to the Profile page. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards, or you may use your checking or savings account to pay.