Purchase Property

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The Detroit Land Bank Authority’s mission is to return blighted and vacant property to productive use. That means, we want to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to purchase property. To accomplish this, we've designed multiple sales programs to suit a variety of buyers. Auction and Own It Now are our largest platform for house sales, while Side Lots and Neighborhood Lots are our main platforms for vacant land. Browse the section below to learn more about the different ways you can purchase DLBA property.

Auction

We auction houses every day on our website from 9 am to 5 pm, except major holidays. Check the listing page to see when the property you're interested in will open for bidding, the highest bidder at the end of the day wins! Bids start at $1000 and eligible buyers can receiveup to 50% discounts, click here to learn more about ways to save. Auction properties are prepped for sale with debris removal and a detailed report on the condition of the structure. All Auction houses are sold "AS IS", read the listing page carefully to learn more about the property. All Auction houses require renovation which will be monitored by Compliance Team; click here to learn more. View current listing here.

Own It Now

Own It Now houses are open for offers 24/7 on our website. The first offer on a property starts a 72-hour countdown clock. When time expires, the highest offer wins! Unlike Auction, you won't see the dollar amount of any competing offers, so start with your highest and best price. Own It Now houses do not receive the same level debris clean out and schedule a Preliminary Inspection Report with the City's Building, Safety, Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED) as soon as you complete the sale to determine what needs to be done to bring your house up to City Code. All Own It now houses are sold "AS-IS", read the listing page carefully to learn more about the property. All Own It Now houses require renovation which will be monitored by our Compliance Team; click here to learn more. View current listing here.

Rehabbed & Ready

If you're looking for a new home that doesn't require renovation, Rehabbed & Ready is the perfect solution! These homes feature stylish renovations by our team and offer buyers peace of mind that the foundation, roof, water and sewer lines, electric, and mechanicals have all been professional assessed and repaired or replaced as needed. Purchasing a Rehabbed & Ready home is similar to a traditional home buying process and potential purchasers are free to select the lender of their choice. Learn more about the program and view current listings here.

Marketed Properties

Some properties aren't a good fit for our Auction, Own It Now, Side Lot or Neighborhood Lot programs, whether its because of the size, scope, location, or other challenge associated with the parcel. Our Marketed Properties program includes opportunities for new builds, small bundles of single-family houses, commercial and residential properties, and land-based projects. These properties are marketed through brokers on the traditional real estate market and potential buyers must submit complete proposals. Our team will evaluate offers and our Board of Directors will vote on the sale to the selected buyer at a public meetings. You can view current listings, read proposal guidelines, and see scoring criteria here.

Side Lots

Our most popular sales platform, the Side Lot program is exclusive to Detroit homeowners! Side Lots are sold for $100 to homeowners with adjacent property. Not every vacant lot is a Side Lot; it must meet several requirements including size and location. Check out our Side Lot FAQs to learn more. You can buy Side Lots online, any time, check current listing here. After six months, eligible unsold Side Lots will move to the Neighborhood Lot program and the price will increase to $250.

Neighborhood Lots

The Neighborhood Lot programs was created in response to community feedback and increased demand for access to vacant land. This program allows Detroit homeowners with a Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) to purchase eligible vacant lots within 500 feet of their home for $250. Buyers must also receive an Endorsement from their local block club, registered community group, City Council member, or the Department of Neighborhood. You can read more about the process here. Launched in October 2020, Our team is continually working to add more Neighborhood Lots listing. View current listings here.

Projects

The DLBA owns a lot of property throughout the City of Detroit, and therefore, not everything is listed for sale. If you're interested in a parcel that isn't part of one of our sales piplines, you can apply to purchase it through the City's Public Property Purchase Application portal. This process is fit for ideas big and small. Applications will be reviewed by our team and any resulting sale will be voted on by our Board of Directors at a public meeting. To start the process, click here.