imkittymyers at hotmail dot com
Monday, July 25, 2005
WHAT DID BARNUM SAY?
That's DakotaPundit's graphic. I look at that stretch of prairie and see quiet, unhurried living, and, especially, a dry climate, all of which appeal to me. It's a beautiful scene, but that's just me. DakotaPundit has linked to an article about suckers who have bought some North Dakota land online, sight unseen, and are disappointed. She says, "That North Dakota land you're buying is basically worthless."
People from all over buying 'ghost town' property
Nearly 150 people from 28 states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have been buying lots in this prairie town 25 miles south of the Canadian border over the past two years. Many of them have never laid eyes on it.
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Online bidders have paid as little as $100 and more than $1,000 for the lots, valued by the county tax assessor at $30 apiece.
The annual tax on each lot is so low - 59 cents in 2004 - that it actually costs the county more in postage to mail out the tax notice and a receipt, said county Treasurer Evelyn Kalk.
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Francis Kreais wasn't pleased to see his purchase when he visited his Omemee lot in May. He eventually filed a complaint with the North Dakota attorney general's office.
The 45-year-old retired general contractor bought a 25-by-140-foot lot from Finance All for $1,000 last August. Kreais , who has a business office in Las Vegas, said he wanted to build a small house on the property to have a place to stay as he travels the country.
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Even if Kreais still wanted to build a house on the lot, he couldn't: In platted areas such as Omemee, the county says buildings must be set back at least 25 feet from lot lines.
"Of course, the lots are only 25 feet wide," Peterson said.
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"They simply told me it was my responsibility to do the due diligence, and you got exactly what you paid for, and there's no refunds," he said.