Orange County NC Website
22 <br /> Alan Dorman said typically when county property is sold, it's because someone <br /> approaches the county with an interest in purchasing. He said Asset Management Services(AMS) <br /> then checks with county departments that may have an interest in the property. If there are no <br /> objections, they ask the interested party to make an offer, and after negotiations, they submit a <br /> cashier's check to the Finance Department. He presented a spreadsheet showing that since 2022, <br /> the county had sold only six properties, mostly small parcels to adjacent property owners. The <br /> exception was 129 East King Street in Hillsborough, which sold for $400,000 after two parties <br /> competed, far exceeding the $160,000 appraisal. He said in his experience, these parcels have <br /> not been valuable to anyone besides the adjacent property owners for a variety of reasons. <br /> Recent Property Sales <br /> Date of Sale Parcel Size Price Reason <br /> 9/6/2022 9779088613 0.12 $500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted <br /> to purchase for instead of getting an <br /> easement <br /> 11/1/2022 9885833971 0.27 $4,000.00 Adjacent property owner wanted <br /> secondary access to his property <br /> 12/5/2022 129 E. King Street 0.24 $400,111.00 Sale of the old Public Defender's <br /> building was bid up substantially by <br /> two different parties <br /> 6/6/2023 900832203 0.45 $1,500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to <br /> gain access to a landlocked <br /> property. <br /> 11/7/2024 9863668236 0.2 $5,000.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to <br /> expand their lot <br /> 5/6/2025 9862246076 0.26 $4,500.00 Adjacent property owner wanted to <br /> expand their lot <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott suggested that it isn't possible to know what is valuable <br /> unless it has been put on the market. She said it is easy if you are not in the business of selling <br /> real property to look at something tiny and think that's not of any real value, but asked why not <br /> have a real process. <br /> Alan Dorman said he received quotes for appraisals for the two properties on the agenda <br /> this evening at a price of $1,500 each. He suggested the county could move forward with these <br /> quotes and add the price to the buyer's fees. <br /> Commissioner Carter said this is another important policy discussion and ask Asset <br /> Management to document a process for county property and how it is brought forward to market. <br /> Commissioner Greene said the upset bid process is one way of getting other buyers to <br /> the table. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott asked if this is the only way that counties can sell property. <br /> John Roberts said there are statutory limits on how counties can sell property. He <br /> explained the statutory limitations on property sales, listing the acceptable methods: <br /> advertisement for sealed bids, negotiated offer with upset bid process, public auction, exchange, <br /> and private sale to a nonprofit for public purpose. <br /> She asked if the county was not allowed to advertise properties that are for sale publicly. <br /> John Roberts said the Board could have a list of county properties that are for sale, but <br /> the actual sale must be in accordance with state law. <br /> Alan Dorman said that he could prepare a list, but pointed out again that many of the <br /> parcels are most valuable to the adjacent property owners. <br />