Crow Wing County, Minnesota

Tax Deed68,642 residents

County research last verified 2026-07. Office holders, platforms, and deposit rules change — re-confirm anything time-sensitive.

Sale typestate default

Tax Deed

Redemption periodstate default

3 years from judgment (5 years for homestead/ag land)

Investor returnstate default

N/A — outright deed transfer

Governing statutestate default

Minnesota Statutes Ch. 280–282

Notes

Minnesota tax-forfeited land county with an active online program. Crow Wing County (Brainerd Lakes) Land Services sells forfeited parcels under Minn. Stat. § 282.01 via Public Surplus online auctions plus over-the-counter tracts. Confirmed 2026 online window: August 14–24, 2026 (closes 7:00 PM Aug 24); sales tract list and terms on crowwing.gov/269/Land-Sales. Create a Public Surplus account before bidding. OTC list is first-come first-served through Land Services (218-824-1010). AS IS / no title warranty; surplus-proceeds claims process applies to qualifying initial auctions (e.g. claim window noted through Nov 14, 2026 for certain 2025 forfeitures). Lake, wetland, and seasonal occupancy DD is essential in Brainerd Lakes inventory.

Auction logistics

Format

Online (Public Surplus) plus over-the-counter inventory sales

Frequency

Periodic online auctions (e.g. Aug 14–24, 2026) plus ongoing OTC tract list; confirm current calendar on Land Sales page

Platform

Public Surplus — Crow Wing County tax-forfeited land ↗

Deposit rules

Register on Public Surplus and follow the published Land Sale Terms and Fees PDF. Full payment and state deed/recording fees apply per notice; OTC requires payment in full to Land Services staff. Confirm buyer premium, assurance surcharge, and wire/check rules before the close of each auction.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Forfeiture then public sale generally cuts off most junior private liens; federal liens and some assessments can survive. County expressly disclaims clear title. Full title search mandatory.

Quiet title

State deed helps; quiet title still common for improved lake-seasonal and occupied residential parcels when insurers want comfort.

Deal maths for Minnesota

Assessment ratio: 1× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $250

Minn. Stat. § 273.11 subd. 1: "all property shall be valued at its market value." Class rates under § 273.13 are applied afterwards to compute tax capacity and do not reduce the assessed value. The estimated market value is also what § 282.005 uses to set the opening price at a tax-forfeited sale.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Crow Wing County Land Services — Land Sales ↗

218-824-1010

Clerk of court

Crow Wing County Recorder (land records) ↗

Property appraiser

Crow Wing County Land Services / property records ↗

GIS / parcel map

Crow Wing County interactive map / tract viewer ↗

Areas trending up

Directional read from dated market analysis — not a guarantee, and not a substitute for your own comps.

Brainerd / Baxter commercial corridor

Regional retail, medical, and service employment with the most liquid SF in the lakes region

Gull Lake / lake-recreation fringe

Seasonal and second-home demand with scarcity of waterfront-adjacent lots

Nisswa / Pequot Lakes edge

Tourism and resort-economy housing demand north of Brainerd