The Macon-Bibb County Land Bank Authority (official site) is the second land bank ever created in Georgia, set up in 1996 by the City of Macon and Bibb County. It holds dozens of vacant lots with clear titles, and it sells them on one firm rule: no sale without an approved project.
That makes it a different animal from a shop-by-price inventory. You can browse the live Macon-Bibb listings here, but to buy one you need a plan, a budget and proof you can pay for it.
Georgia's second land bank
According to the Land Bank's Our Purpose page, the authority was "established in 1996 as the second land bank in the State of Georgia through an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Macon and Bibb County." Its job is to acquire the title to tax delinquent, vacant, abandoned, dilapidated and other properties, then turn them into housing, green space and other productive uses.
Once it holds a property, it can inventory, maintain, lease, repair, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of it. It can also extinguish past-due tax liens, which lets developers keep their costs low on affordable housing.
The office is at 688 Walnut Street, Suite 102, Macon, GA 31201, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The phone number is (478) 741-9005.
How Macon-Bibb sells lots
The Available Inventory page says: "Listed below are vacant lots available for purchase. These lots have clear titles and can be purchased for $3,500." It adds that lots are sold at that price after your project is approved by the board, and that "Lots will not be sold without an approved project."
The application is the first step. Your project plan should include:
- A project description
- Improvement specifications, with estimated costs
- A timeline for completion
- An estimated project budget
- Project financing, such as cash, a line of credit or a mortgage preapproval
- Site plans, elevations or renderings, as applicable
The Land Bank's FAQ explains the logic. It acquires property for government agencies, non-profits and individuals "on a project basis," and a project "can be anything from buying the lot next door to your house to buying a commercial building." You must have a plan for the property's use and demonstrate that you have the financial capability to keep it from falling into disrepair.
The inventory page also tells buyers to check availability before submitting an application.
The auction track
Some properties go to auction instead. The Land Bank's Auction Process PDF lays out the steps:
- Properties are listed on the Land Bank's website at the beginning of the month.
- Auctions are held when the Land Bank has acquired a minimum amount of properties to auction.
- The auction is at the Standard Building, 100 Walnut Street, Macon, at 11:00 AM.
- The auctioneer calls out the property address, and interested buyers bid.
- The highest bidder is obligated to pay the bid amount, and payment must be received by 4:00 on the day of the auction.
- Allow 10 business days to receive your title, due to attorney processing and filing.
That PDF does not list registration steps or deposit rules, and an older auction information sheet on the same page describes a different venue and schedule. Treat the dates and terms as something to confirm, and call the office on (478) 741-9005 before you plan to bid.
The buying process
- Find the lot. Search Georgia on the map or open the Macon-Bibb market page to see what is currently listed.
- Check adjacency. If a lot sits next to a property you own, the side-lot path is the strongest use case, and the Land Bank's own FAQ names buying the lot next door as a typical project.
- Call the office. Confirm the lot is still available before you spend time on paperwork.
- Submit the application. Include your project plan, timeline, budget, financing and any site plan.
- Board approval, then closing. Once your complete application is in, it is added to an upcoming board meeting for review. After the board approves your project, the lot is sold at the posted price.
Where Macon fits
Georgia inventory is dominated by the Atlanta metro feeds, including DeKalb, Metro Atlanta and Clayton. Macon-Bibb is smaller and slower: a lot-focused authority with a flat posted price and a project gate, rather than a large catalogue of mixed properties.
That suits a buyer with a concrete small project, like a neighbor extending a yard or a builder with a single infill lot in mind. It suits a speculator with no plan poorly. For the wider picture, read the Georgia buying guide and the Georgia state page.
