Only one Holiday Island lot sells at tax delinquent land auction

Of the 700-plus lots up for sale, all but a handful were in Holiday Island. Of those, only one sold, a vacant lot on Blackfoot Drive. Guy Razer of Holiday Island bought it and another 10.15-acre property in Eureka Springs.

The Holiday Island lot was one of those owned by National Recreational Properties, Inc., whose delinquent lots made up the bulk of the auction and which had been delinquent in county taxes since 2007. In 2010, NRPI defaulted on assessments to the Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District.

Razer said he bought the Holiday Island lot "sight unseen."

"It was the cheapest one. I paid $400 and can play golf." He said he may build a home on it.

Razer was also happy about getting his 10 acres for $2,500, although the minimum bid was $260, with $1,009 due in taxes. He had to bid against another bidder for it.

"Where else can you get 10 acres for $2,500?" he said. "The original sale price was $58,000."

Three other properties sold at the auction, an 11-acre piece in the Hwy. 23 North area of Eureka Springs, 20 acres with a home in Osage and a half-acre lot with a home in Alpena.

Following the sale, nothing more will happen with the remaining unsold lots for 90 days, said Josh Curtis, officer with the State Commissioner of Lands. The lots went into "holding" as of Thursday.

"At the end of 90 days and up to one year, they can be purchased at minimum bid," he said. "After one year, they can be purchased for back taxes. And after two years, we'll acceptable any reasonable offer."

After that, he said, they will stay with the state until sold.