Bidding Starts: Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 12:00:00 pm ET

ATTENTION:  PLEASE READ THESE CAREFULLY. THERE ARE IMPORTANT CHANGES FROM

PRIOR YEARS!

 AUCTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 INTERNET TERMS:  (in addition to standard terms below) 

1. Bidder Paperwork. Download the “Internet Bidder Registration Packet” by visiting the following webpage, https://www.auctionsinternational.com/liveauctions, complete all required information areas where highlighted by printing and signing legibly.  All completed paperwork must be received by the office of auctioneer/broker no later than 4:00PM on September 25, 2024.  NO EXCEPTIONS.

2. INTERNET BIDDING, through our Provider, is offered as a service to our customers, and bidders shall not hold St. Lawrence County and/or Auctions International, Inc. responsible for any failure due to bidder hardware/software or the loss of internet connection, by the Provider.

STANDARD TERMS: 

Please take notice, the below said Terms and Conditions may be subject to change due to Judicial Order of the Court.

 Parcels to be Sold 

1. The properties contained in this booklet are offered for sale to the highest bidder by the St. Lawrence County Treasurer. Some parcels listed in this book may be withdrawn from the sale prior to the date of the auction and, therefore, may not be available for sale at the auction.

Parcels Sold as is 

2. (a) There are absolutely no representations made by the County, any of the County personnel or Auctions International staff as to the quality of title, lot size, the existence of improvements or the condition of improvement, if any, with respect to any parcel to be auctioned. Buildings have not been inspected for the presence of lead paint or asbestos, or for their structural condition. All parcels are sold AS IS.  Purchasers assume all risks associated with the parcels.  The County will convey by quitclaim deed only.  All bidders are urged to consult an attorney before submitting a bid herein.

   (b) All real property, including any buildings thereon, is sold “as is” and without any representation or warranty whatsoever as to the condition of the property or title and subject to:

1. Any statement of facts an accurate survey or personal inspection of the premises would disclose;
2. Applicable zoning, land use, and building laws and regulations;
3. Federal and state taxes, liens and judgments of record;
4. Easements, covenants, conditions and rights-of-way of record existing at the time of the levy of the tax, the non-payment of which resulted in the foreclosure in which St. Lawrence County acquired title.

  (c)  All informational materials, such as slides, tax maps, deeds, photos, auction listings, auction catalogs, property record cards, etc., are for identification purposes only and are neither a guarantee nor a warranty as to location, dimensions, parcel use and/or size, or anything else.  THE COUNTY, ITS EMPLOYEES, ITS OFFICERS AND ITS AGENTS, TO INCLUDE THE AUCTIONEER, AND THE AUCTION COMPANY MAKE NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS SALE.

 Bidder Registration 

3. All bidders are required to register and provide suitable personal identification prior to the online auction. Auctioneer reserves the right to decline the registration if identification is not sufficient.  Individuals acting on behalf of others, must produce a “Power of Attorney” duly executed and notarized.  If you do not have the signed, notarized form, you will not be able to bid for them.  Incorporated entities (Inc., Corp., LLC, etc.) are required to provide AT REGISTRATION:  1) a copy of the state entity incorporation filing receipt, 2) EIN number and 3) a corporate resolution duly embossed with incorporation seal authorizing the registrant to purchase the real property for said entity.

Delinquent Tax Payers 

4. Any bidder who owns property in St. Lawrence County, and is delinquent in their taxes, shall be prohibited from bidding at the auction. The term delinquent is defined as prior year tax delinquency.  No other person who may be acting as an agent of this bidder shall be allowed to bid at the auction.  Failure to comply with this provision will be grounds for default and forfeiture of any deposits paid.

Buyer’s Premium 

5. If paying by credit card, a non-discounted buyer’s premium rate of eight point seven-seven (8.77%) of the bid amount will be calculated in the total contract price. For payments made with cash or certified funds, a discounted buyer’s premium of six percent (6%) of the bid amount will be calculated in the total contract price.

How Deposit is Paid 

6. $50.00 or 20% of the high bid price, whichever is greater, in addition to the Buyer’s Premium, must be remitted as a down payment by October 7, 2024 upon execution of an Offer to Purchase Form. The deposit must be in credit card (Master Card, Discover Card, or Visa), cash, money order, or guaranteed funds made payable to “SLC Treasurer” and drawn on banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  No exceptions.  Purchaser(s) paying by credit card(s) understand and agree(s) that all deposits collected by credit card(s) will be turned over to the St. Lawrence County Treasurer.  The Purchaser paying by credit card(s) agrees that they shall NOT attempt a charge back on their credit card(s) used in this/these transaction(s) for any reason whatsoever.  In such event that a charge back is initiated by Purchaser and that such attempt is upheld in favor of Auctioneer/St. Lawrence County, Purchaser agrees and authorizes to compensate Auctions International with a $750.00 recovery fee as a new charge to their credit card(s) without requiring additional Purchaser signature(s).  Failure to pay such recovery fee will result in collections action against said Purchaser(s).

CALCULATION OF MINIMUM DOWN PAYMENT REQUIRED IF PAID BY CC

(Requirement is the greater of either $50.00 or 20% of the high bid plus a 8.77% buyer’s premium.)

CALCULATION OF MINIMUM DOWN PAYMENT REQUIRED IF PAID BY CASH OR CERTIFIED FUNDS

 (Requirement is the greater of either $50.00 or 20% of the high bid plus a 6% buyer’s premium.)

Payment of the Balance 

7. The entire balance of the purchase price, the buyer’s premium, and the fees for recording the deed to the high bidder must be paid by cash or certified bank check to the St. Lawrence County Treasurer by 4:00 p.m. on October 28, 2024. Full payment of the balance of the purchase price, buyer’s premium, and the recording fees must be received by the County by October 28, 2024, or the winning bid will be rejected and the deposit will be retained by the County as liquidated damages for failure to complete the purchase.  Upon such failure to pay the balance of the purchase price and recording fees in full by October 28, 2024, the County may accept the next highest bid, or reject all bids and re-sell the parcel.  All checks for the balance of the bid amount must be made payable to the St. Lawrence County Treasurer.

Payment of Recording Fees Required 

8. In addition to the bid price, the bidder must pay by a separate check, at the same time of the payment of the balance of the bid price, the following recording fees to pay for recording the deed:

1. $185 Recording fee for all residential parcels (Property Class 200’s) and Agricultural parcels (Property Class 100’s)
2. $310 Recording fee for all other parcels (Property Class 300’s thru 900’s)

All checks for recording fees must be made payable to the St. Lawrence County Clerk. 

Recording and Delivery of Deed 

9. The County Treasurer will record the deed after the balance of the bid due to the Treasurer, the recording fees and Buyer’s taxes are paid. Title shall pass upon recording of the deed.  Delivery and acceptance of the deed occurs at that time.  The original deed will be mailed to you by the Clerk’s office.  Possession of the property by the successful bidder is strictly forbidden until such time as the deed is recorded. 

Buyer’s Taxes 

10. Buyers will be responsible for the following taxes as of the date of sale.

All current taxes, water and sewer assessments on the premises are to be prorated as of the date of sale.   FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, the “Date of Sale” shall be defined as the date of recordation with the County Clerk of the conveyance into the successful bidder.  Village Taxes (where applicable) shall be adjusted and apportioned for the fiscal year beginning June 1 and ending the following May 31.  School Taxes shall be adjusted and apportioned for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending the following June 30.  All checks for taxes must be made payable to the St. Lawrence County Treasurer. 

Quitclaim Deed 

11. Conveyance to the purchaser will be by quitclaim deed, containing a description of the property as it appeared on the tax roll for the year upon which the County acquired title. 

Personal Property 

12. No personal property is included in the sale of any of the parcels. The lawful disposition of any personal property located on any parcel purchased shall be the sole responsibility of the successful bidder following the recording of the deed.  The County cannot guarantee the title or legal status of manufactured homes, if applicable.  Please consult an Attorney with any legal concerns.

Eviction of Occupants 

13. Eviction of current occupants, if necessary, is solely the responsibility of the successful bidder after recording of the deed.

No Assignments 

14. The purchaser may not assign the right to complete the sale to another person or entity. All deeds shall identify the grantee(s) as the successful bidder(s) as registered at the auction.  No person who is not registered as a bidder may be placed on the deed as an owner.

Agreement to Terms and Power of Attorney 

15. All persons registering as bidders at the auction will be required to execute an acknowledgement of and agreement to these terms of the auction and a non-collusion bidding certificate substantially in the following form (this form will need to be printed, signed accordingly and brought to the County by winning bidder after the online auction closes CLICK HERE):

By signing this document, I certify that I have received the terms and conditions of the auction and agree to be bound by them. 

The undersigned bidder(s) certifies and agrees: 

1)  That the bidder is acting on the bidder’s own behalf and is not bidding on the property for the former owner(s) of the property against whom St. Lawrence County foreclosed or acting on the former owner(s) behalf as an agent or representative, and that after the sale, neither the former owner nor any subsidiary or affiliated entity of the former owner will have any legal or equitable interest in or control of the property or the rents or profits derived from the property. 

2)  That the bidder has no intent to defraud St. Lawrence County of the unpaid taxes, assessment, penalties & charges or any part thereof which has been levied against the property. 

3)  That neither the bidder nor the bidder’s assigns shall convey the property to the former owner(s) against who St. Lawrence County foreclosed within ten years after auction date and, if such conveyance occurs, with the result that the former owners have evaded the obligation to pay real property taxes on the parcel, the purchaser understands that the purchaser may be found to have committed a fraudulent act. 

4)  That I hereby appoint Renee Cole, St. Lawrence County Treasurer, or her duly appointed Deputy, to sign, on my behalf, all deeds and other forms required to be filed and recorded in the office of the St. Lawrence County Clerk for any property I (or my agent) purchase at the auction.

                                                                                                                Notary Public