Foreclosed house on West Superior may be sold by city after all

The old dilapidated house at 430 W. Superior St. may have a buyer after all, but more negotiations are probable for the City of Wayland.

The Wayland City Council sought bids to purchase the foreclosed house and property, across the street on Vine from the Free Methodist Church. Though one potential buyer withdrew after examining the inside of the house, one still remains.

The City Council Monday night voted 6-0 to table the proposed agreement until further information can be obtained on just what the buyer proposes to do. Though there was talk before by Council Members Tracy Bivins and Tim Rose to have the house demolished, it was agreed having sold and fixed up is a much better option.

“I’d hate to have us tear down this house and then have an empty lot there 10 years from now,” said CouncilmanRick Mathis.

City Manager Mike Selden agreed, saying, “The ultimate goal is to get that lot fixed up rather than sink another seven to eight thousand dollars into demolishing it.”

The city last May bought the house and ill-groomed property from Allegan County for $7,500 with casino revenue sharing funds. It had been foreclosed on after having been vacant for at least three years.

Councilwoman Lisa Banas, who was absent Monday evening, earlier this year said she preferred to have the house and property sold, but she didn’t want to have someone continue making it a rental property with no improvements. She said she’d like some guarantee the purchaser would be make it a primary residence.

“I just don’t want somebody to put $5,000 into it and then rent it out and let it continue to be an eyesore,” Banas said.

Citizen Leslie Gonzales, who was in the audience during the meeting, told the council she personally knows the potential buyers and indicated they plan to fix up the house and property and make it a primary residence. She was told they and the city will be continuing talks on a final price and any conditions.

PHOTO: This foreclosed house and property at 430 W. Superior St. was up for sale by the city, with a minimum bid of $7,500, the same price for which it paid the county last May. Any price over $7,500 will be collected by the county.