Government Auctions

[TDK]

Anyone dealt with government auctions at all? They auction off junk the government has repossessed and/or just owns and doesn't want. Like cars seized by police, stuff like that. I have friends-of-friends who have, I'm told, gotten way awesome deals from government auctions on cars or houses or whatever, and there's a few sites around that display government auctions: Everything from land to cars to fuckin' x-ray machines or whatever.

Some of it is reasonable, though cheap, and some of it just seems way too good to be true. Like this one site, which seems otherwise reputable, has plots of land (with or without houses on them) for a dollar ("closing fee" of $625 or whatever, but it actually does take a lot of money for processing fees buying real estate and junk, I'm told). All my research into this has turned up nothing that says it is not reputable, and even the seller of many of the $1 land plots seems fairly reputable, even if they make a few english mistakes here and there. Normally that would make me think they were scam artists, but I've looked around and seen nothing else to make me suspect that.

What do you guys think? About government auctions and especially about the $1 land plots.

[rpgdemon]

The $1 land plots are, generally, REALLY crappy places, either location-wise, land-wise, house-being-falling-apart-wise, and/or this-place-is-vandalized-and-robbed-every-afternoon-wise, from what I've heard.

[TDK]

That's what I figured. So long as they actually EXIST, I'm okay with it.

[Magus]

In the future, when there are 9 billion people the only thing of value...will be land. For the ability to grow a vegetable garden will be the only thing separating us from all the dead people.

Also when you go to pay property taxes on that land, I mean, it's valued at $1, I don't think there is going to be a huge investment in this. It's all about being like "man, I own this half-acre lot beside the tire yard, hell yeah time to park a camper and live the high life of a man of property".

Also, if the Republicans continue us on the path they are treading, you will be guaranteed to have a vote when they revert us back to where only landowners can vote (hopefully they don't manage to stick the "be a white man" clause back in there as well, or that would substantially reduce people's chances...)

[rpgdemon]

Tax actually could be more than a dollar. You'd have to have it assessed and such.

[Magus]

Well if it's like a hundred bucks a year or whatever, it's still a pretty cheap camping ground, getaway hideout from the coppers (just make sure to sign the deed in a fake name), or long-term investment (for example, one could hope the tire yard catches on fire and you could sell it as a "beautiful one-acre fixer-upper with gorgeous sunsets. Warm in winter!")

[TDK]

hopefully they don't manage to stick the "be a white man" clause back in there as well, or that would substantially reduce people's chances...)

Its cool, I'm white.

And yeah, most of the listings actually say what the annual property tax is. I think one of the $1 lots I looked at had an annual tax of $8.

[rpgdemon]

See man? Clearly a rip off. :P

[Bells]

do you have to be a US citizen to buy one of those?

Cause... y'know "i own a couple of acres of Land in the USA" it's a nice pickup line, specially if it's true. International land ownership is a fastlane to get laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaid

[Azisien]

$1 plot, $8 tax? Shit, I'll buy a few acres just for fun. Walmart will want the land eventually. Cash out!

[TDK]

My thinking exactly. :P

[Osterbaum]

I repeat Bell's question. I want in on this.

[TDK]

NPF Timeshare: Located in scenic Bumfuck, Arkansas!

[Osterbaum]

I know nothing about Arkansas, but man I could own property there!

[Premmy]

I know nothing about Arkansas

Then you know EVERYTHING about Arkansas.