Cottage Site Transactions

State endowment trust land has been leased for use as residential sites, known as cottage sites, since the early 1900s. Over the past several decades cottage site lessees have expressed a desire to purchase the endowment land they lease, thus unifying the estate (ownership) of both structure (cottage) and land (site). In 2010, the Land Board voted to divest ownership of cottage sites at Priest Lake and Payette Lake and directed IDL to develop the voluntary auction for ownership (VAFO) process. In 2018, the Land Board approved a plan that would allow for additional VAFO auction cycles through 2024.  A plan for future Auction Cycles between 2025 and 2039 was approved by Land Board Commissioners in the 2025 Cottage Site Plan. 

Updates: Cottage Site Auctions

• The next auction for leased lots at Priest Lake will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at the Best Western, CDA Inn, 506 W Appleway Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. 
• The next auction for leased lots at Payette Lakes will be held on Friday, August 23, 2024 at Waters Edge Event Center, 287 E. Shore Dr. Eagle ID 83616.
• Information on leased sites for 2024 VAFO Auction(s) can be viewed at Bottles Real Estate Auctions on July 15, 2024 for Payette Lakes and to mid-August 2024 for Priest Lake.

Voluntary Auction for Ownership

• The applicant must be the current cottage site lessee in good standing.
• The auction is a public, oral, competitive auction.
• Each site is actively marketed prior to the auction date.
• Anyone can participate in a direct sale auction after going through the application process.

Unleased Land Auction

• There are no unleased lots at Priest Lake or Payette Lakes for the 2024 Auction Cycle.  
• The auction is a public, oral, competitive auction.

Land Exchange

The IDL director suspended all pending and future land exchange proposals involving cottage sites from consideration or further evaluation until the legal and policy related concerns about cottage site land exchanges can be further examined.

On-Line Bidding Option for VAFO Auctions 

IDL no longer offers on-line bidding for the VAFO Auctions.