(1) Whenever the department of transportation determines that any real property owned by the state of Washington and under the jurisdiction of the department is no longer required for highway purposes and that it is in the public interest to do so, the department may, in its discretion, sell the property under RCW 47.12.063 or under subsections (2) through (6) of this section.

     (2) Whenever the department determines to sell real property under its jurisdiction at public auction, the department shall first give notice thereof by publication on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks, with the first publication at least two weeks prior to the date of the auction, in a legal newspaper of general circulation in the area where the property to be sold is located. The notice shall be placed in both the legal notices section and the real estate classified section of the newspaper. The notice shall contain a description of the property, the time and place of the auction, and the terms of the sale. The sale may be for cash or by real estate contract.

     (3) The department shall sell the property at the public auction, in accordance with the terms set forth in the notice, to the highest and best bidder providing the bid is equal to or higher than the appraised fair market value of the property.

     (4) If no bids are received at the auction or if all bids are rejected, the department may, in its discretion, enter into negotiations for the sale of the property or may list the property with a licensed real estate broker. No property shall be sold by negotiations or through a broker for less than the property's appraised fair market value. Any offer to purchase real property pursuant to this subsection shall be in writing and may be rejected at any time prior to written acceptance by the department.

     (5) Before the department shall approve any offer for the purchase of real property having an appraised value of more than ten thousand dollars, pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, the department shall first publish a notice of the proposed sale in a local newspaper of general circulation in the area where the property is located. The notice shall include a description of the property, the selling price, the terms of the sale, including the price and interest rate if sold by real estate contract, and the name and address of the department employee or the real estate broker handling the transaction. The notice shall further state that any person may, within ten days after the publication of the notice, deliver to the designated state employee or real estate broker a written offer to purchase the property for not less than ten percent more than the negotiated sale price, subject to the same terms and conditions. A subsequent offer shall not be considered unless it is accompanied by a deposit of twenty percent of the offer in the form of cash, money order, cashiers check, or certified check payable to the Washington state treasurer, to be forfeited to the state (for deposit in the motor vehicle fund) if the offeror fails to complete the sale if the offeror's offer is accepted. If a subsequent offer is received, the first offeror shall be informed by registered or certified mail sent to the address stated in his or her offer. The first offeror shall then have ten days, from the date of mailing the notice of the increased offer, in which to file with the designated state employee or real estate broker a higher offer than that of the subsequent offeror. After the expiration of the ten-day period, the department shall approve in writing the highest and best offer which the department then has on file.

     (6) All moneys received pursuant to this section, less any real estate broker's commissions paid pursuant to RCW 47.12.320, shall be deposited in the motor vehicle fund.

[2010 c 8 § 10006; 1979 ex.s. c 189 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1979 ex.s. c 189: "This 1979 act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1979." [1979 ex.s. c 189 § 8.]