1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 244.279, before ordering the sale at auction of any real property, the board shall, in open meeting by a majority vote of the members, adopt a resolution declaring its intention to sell the real property at auction. The resolution must:

(a) Describe the real property proposed to be sold in such a manner as to identify it.

(b) Specify the minimum price and the terms upon which it will be sold.

(c) Fix a time, not less than 3 weeks thereafter, for the auction to be held:

(1) At a public meeting of the board at its regular place of meeting, at which sealed bids will be received and considered; or

(2) On an Internet website or other electronic medium.

(d) If the auction is to be held on an Internet website or other electronic medium, specify:

(1) The Internet website or other electronic medium;

(2) The manner in which electronic bids will be accepted; and

(3) The period during which bids will be accepted.

2. Notice of the adoption of the resolution and of the time, place and manner of holding the auction must be given by:

(a) Posting copies of the resolution in three public places in the county not less than 15 days before the date of the auction; and

(b) Causing to be published at least once a week for 3 successive weeks before the auction, in a newspaper qualified under chapter 238 of NRS that is published in the county in which the real property is located, a notice setting forth in bold face type:

(1) A description of the real property proposed to be sold at auction in such a manner as to identify it;

(2) The minimum price of the real property proposed to be sold at auction; and

(3) The places at which the resolution described in subsection 1 has been posted pursuant to paragraph (a), and any other places at which copies of that resolution may be obtained.

If no qualified newspaper is published within the county in which the real property is located, the required notice must be published in some qualified newspaper printed in the State of Nevada and having a general circulation within that county.

3. If the auction is held at a meeting of the board:

(a) At the time and place fixed in the resolution for the meeting of the board, all sealed bids which have been received must, in public session, be opened, examined and declared by the board. Of the proposals submitted which conform to all terms and conditions specified in the resolution of intention to sell and which are made by responsible bidders, the bid which is the highest must be finally accepted, unless a higher oral bid is accepted or the board rejects all bids.

(b) Before accepting any written bid, the board shall call for oral bids. If, upon the call for oral bidding, any responsible person offers to buy the real property upon the terms and conditions specified in the resolution, for a price exceeding by at least 5 percent the highest written bid, then the highest oral bid which is made by a responsible person must be finally accepted.

(c) The board may either at the same session or at any adjourned session of the same meeting held within the next 10 business days:

(1) Make a final acceptance of the highest bid; or

(2) Reject any and all bids, either written or oral, and withdraw the real property from sale if the board deems such action to be for the best public interest.

4. If the auction is held on the Internet or other electronic medium:

(a) At the time and place fixed in the resolution for holding the auction, any person may submit a bid in the manner and on the Internet website or other electronic medium specified in the resolution. Bidding must remain open for the period of time specified in the resolution.

(b) The county and the employees of the county are not liable for the failure of a computer, laptop or tablet computer, smartphone or any other electronic medium or device, including, without limitation, hardware, software or application, computer network or Internet website, which prevents a person from participating in the auction.

(c) The board shall, at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board after bidding has closed:

(1) Make a final acceptance of the highest bid; or

(2) If the board deems the action to be for the best public interest, reject any and all bids and withdraw the real property from sale.

5. Any resolution of acceptance of any bid made by the board must authorize and direct the chair to execute a deed and to deliver it upon performance and compliance by the purchaser with all the terms or conditions of the purchaser’s contract which are to be performed concurrently therewith.

6. All money received from sales of real property must be deposited forthwith with the county treasurer to be credited to the county general fund.

7. The board may require any person requesting that real property be sold pursuant to the provisions of this section to deposit a sufficient amount of money to pay the costs to be incurred by the board in acting upon the application, including the costs of publication and the expenses of appraisal. This deposit must be refunded whenever the person making the deposit is not the successful bidder. The costs of acting upon the application, including the costs of publication and the expenses of appraisal and any related costs, must be borne by the successful bidder.

8. If real property is sold in violation of the provisions of this section:

(a) The sale is void; and

(b) Any change to an ordinance or law governing the zoning or use of the real property is void if the change takes place within 5 years after the date of the void sale.

(Added to NRS by 1987, 203; A 2003, 424; 2007, 2830; 2019, 1034)