Yeah I think an overhaul of the land Auction would be a big help...

[Detroit Stylin]

If this is old news I apologize in advance...

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110...RO01/102040358

[hamtown mike]

I'm a big fan of first right of refusal to adjacent property owners.

Here's how, in my little crazy head, it would work:

All properties up for auction will have a yard sign identifying that it is on the block placed on the property. [[Doing so would alleviate a number of issues including improperly listed properties, illegal renting of property and more)

Owners would then know that the property is on the block.

On the day before the auction and for a few hours prior on the day of the auction adjacent landowners who can produce title to a property immediately adjacent to the one for auction can buy that property for $500 cash on the spot. All remaining properties would then be auctioned.

Seems too simple.

I know I'd be annoyed if a speculator bought a property next door to me especially if I had no or very little way of knowing the property was available.

[Johnnny5]

I'm a big fan of first right of refusal to adjacent property owners.

Here's how, in my little crazy head, it would work:

All properties up for auction will have a yard sign identifying that it is on the block placed on the property. [[Doing so would alleviate a number of issues including improperly listed properties, illegal renting of property and more)

Owners would then know that the property is on the block.

On the day before the auction and for a few hours prior on the day of the auction adjacent landowners who can produce title to a property immediately adjacent to the one for auction can buy that property for $500 cash on the spot. All remaining properties would then be auctioned.

Seems too simple.

I know I'd be annoyed if a speculator bought a property next door to me especially if I had no or very little way of knowing the property was available.

Adding a notification mailing to every property owner within a certain distance would be prudent as well. I have a feeling signs alone would have a tendency to mysteriously disappear.

[hamtown mike]

sometimes in Detroit the mail has a mind of its own. As it is now the city does not need to notify anyone directly. I think the signs would be much cheaper than mailing in the long run due to their reusability. Plus you would only need to track down the addresses of the properties being sold not the addresses of the nearby property owners who more than likely no longer live in state.

Using the signs would be a key way to give those who are still here, those living in the city a heads up reducing the out of state speculation the original poster would like to see come to an end.