FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

We do not currently purchase properties outright. Abandoned, blighted, and tax-delinquent properties are transferred to us by the city once they have taken possession of it and the Department of Development Services has made a determination about the property.

Upon transfer HLB immediately secures the property to minimize further damage.

If there is a specific property in your neighborhood that you have concerns with, first find out who owns it (you can do this via the City Assessor’s website) and reach out to your NRZ (you can find this out on Hartford NEXT’s website) and the Office of Community Engagement for assistance in addressing property issues with the property owner.

If the parcel is not owned privately but is owned by the city, you can contact the Department of Development Services, share your concerns and ask about their intentions for it. They are the department that makes recommendations for parcels to be transferred to HLB.

Please visit the Properties page of our website to see all available properties. We do not sell properties that are not currently in our inventory. If a property in Hartford is not listed as “Coming Soon” or “For Sale” on our website, we do not own that property and can’t sell it to you.

HLB properties that are listed “For Sale” may be visited by Potential Bidders ONLY during the scheduled Open Houses. Open House dates and times are posted on our website and social media and distributed via our email newsletter. You can sign up for our newsletter here.

If no Potential Bidders show up within the first 30 minutes of a scheduled Open House, the Open House is effectively canceled, and HLB staff will close up the property and depart. The Open House will not be rescheduled.

Yes. One of the first questions we ask on the RFQ is if you attended an Open House for the property you are bidding on. We do cross check the appplications against the Open House Waivers and sign-in sheets.

To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of our property tours on our YouTube page.

YES.

Sign the Waiver in advance: All Open House attendees MUST complete the electronic HLB Waiver PRIOR to entering any HLB property: Click here to access the Waiver.

Time: Give yourself enough time to thoroughly view the property, including the land around it. Do not arrive five minutes before the end of the scheduled Open House; our staff will not keep the building open beyond the scheduled period.

Equipment: All Open House attendees MUST provide their OWN:

• Mask (these properties may contain dust, mold, mildew, and animal droppings).
• Flashlight (there is no electricity at these properties).
• Measuring tape (to take measurements).
• Notepad and pen (to take notes).
• Boots (these properties may contain construction debris, broken glass, tree branches, standing water, animal droppings, etc.).  Absolutely NO open-toed shoes, sandals, flip-flops, etc. Please see the Open House Waiver form for more safety information.

To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of our property tours on our YouTube page.

Once you have inspected a property, visit our Properties page to complete the RFQ. RFQs are linked on each individual property’s page.

You may visit HLB vacant lots at your convenience. Please note that new construction on vacant lots must be in accordance with the city’s Planning & Zoning ordinance (single family, two-family, mixed use, etc.).

On the HLB listing page for the specific property and the City Assessor’s website. If you will be visiting one of our properties during an Open House, we encourage you to print out or screenshot the listing page for that specific property so you can reference it during your visit and while you are completing the Request for Qualification (RFQ) Application. We do not provide property detail handouts at the Open Houses. Here is a link to our Properties page.

This information is included on the HLB listing page for the property and the City Assessor’s website.

We do not own the property next door and we have no information on it. You can look up information on individual properties on the City Assessor’s website.

We estimate these properties have been vacant for five years or more. To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of our property tours on our YouTube page.

We do not have that information. To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of our property tours on our YouTube page.

“Safe” is subjective. Where one person feels comfortable, another may not. We suggest checking out the crime statistics for the area with HPD, attend some NRZ meetings, and talk to the neighbors. Visit the neighborhood at various times of day and night, weekends, etc. to help you get a “feel” for it.

Visit hartfordnext.org to see NRZ boundaries and obtain meeting and contact information.

Our properties are sold by us, “as is”, with no warranties, during a public bidding process. Because of the nature of our inventory our properties are usually in a certain state of disrepair and are not suitable for immediate occupancy or quick DIY “flips”. You can read more about How a Land Bank Works and How to Purchase a Land Bank Property on the Land Bank 101 menu tab of this website.

To ensure fairness to all bidders, we cannot determine that for you. You must assess the property (start on the City Assessor’s website and/or hire a professional appraiser to accompany you to one of the Open Houses), and estimate the scope of work and costs for your proposed renovation. To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of our property tours on our YouTube page.

Many of the current developers bidding on these properties have been developing properties for years or are graduates of our Developer Cohort Training Program. If you are not sure you will be able to properly analyze and calculate scope of work, total development budget and construction budget you may want to consider applying to be in the next Developer Cohort. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the next application period opens.

We need to know you have the funds to complete redevelopment of the property. We want all our awarded developers to succeed! You can select a financial institution of your choice.

We cannot determine that for you. It depends on the quality of the renovations/redevelopment, the neighborhood, and current real estate market. When you reach the point of selling a property, we suggest finding a reliable realtor to assist with assessing market value, and when you submit your RFP you will be required to submit comparison reports (“comps”). You can get a rough idea of property values in any given area by checking Redfin, Zillow, and other real estate sites.

HLB does not provide any financial assistance for investment properties. We offer gap financing only for our Homeownership Opportunity properties.

HLB specifically requests proposals for owner-occupied development on certain properties, meaning that the selected developer will rehabilitate a single-family property to sell a homeowner, or rehabilitate a multi-family property to sell to an owner who will themselves occupy one of the units. Our goal is to increase homeownership in Hartford. For Homeownership Opportunity properties, HLB may be able to assist qualified developers with gap financing.

HLB does not sell or transfer homeownership opportunity properties “as is” directly to prospective homeowners. Because of the nature of our inventory, our properties are typically in an advanced state of disrepair and are not suitable for immediate occupancy or quick DIY “flips”. The average new homeowner is not experienced with rehabbing blighted properties and typically does not have the financing in place for the necessary redevelopment. We are committed to working with local developers to bring these properties back to life for a future homeowner. You can read more about How a Land Bank Works and How to Purchase a Land Bank Property on the Land Bank 101 menu tab of our website.

Often, the cost to redevelop a distressed urban property and make it ready for occupancy is greater than the amount that can be recouped in a market-priced sale. This “appraisal gap” is why many distressed rental properties are never repaired or rehabbed.

With our gap financing program, HLB will fund the gap between the mutually agreed Total Development Cost (TDC) of the property and the mutually agreed price at which it will be sold to a homeowner. For example, if a property is estimated to cost $400,000 to redevelop, and based on the market, the redeveloped property will sell for $250,000 to a homeowner, HLB will “bridge the gap” with a $150,000 check at the closing to make the developer whole. HLB staff work with the developer to ensure the mutually agreed TDC and potential resell value. In addition, for our Homeownership Opportunity properties, the developer may use their own realtor, or, to save on the sales commission, use the local realtor that HLB provides to list the property and work to find a future homeowner. HLB works very closely with its Homeownership Opportunity developers!

At this time, we offer gap financing only on properties that we have identified as Homeownership Opportunities. Additional terms and conditions apply.

No, but it is highly recommended that you have some construction experience given the level of deterioration of the properties. If you don’t have construction experience, it is important that you partner with someone who does.

To get an idea of the condition many of these properties are in, watch one of the property tours on our YouTube page.

No. We review all applications first for completeness and then evaluate the remaining applications equally. Each application is evaluated fairly by HLB staff and the Real Estate Committee.

We favor Hartford and Greater Hartford developers over developers who do not reside in the area or who reside out of state. HLB is committed to advancing racial equity and justice in the city of Hartford. The Land Bank programs are designed to increase wealth among residents of color in the city of Hartford, including our development and homeownership opportunities. Each application is evaluated fairly by HLB staff and the Real Estate Committee.

• All Developers who wish to bid on an HLB property must submit a completed HLB Request for Qualification (RFQ) Application, which asks questions about Hartford residency, outstanding liens or judgments, past development experience, and other qualifying questions. No late submissions are accepted.
• HLB staff review the submitted RFQs. All Developers who pass the RFQ process are invited to submit a completed HLB Request for Proposal (RFP), which consists of a detailed scope of work, total development budget and construction budget, and proof of financing. No late submissions are accepted.
• The HLB Real Estate Committee evaluates each RFP, selects a bid winner, and then recommends that bidder to the full HLB Board of Directors, who then vote to accept or not accept the recommended bid.
• Once the HLB Board has voted, HLB Staff notify all bidders of their bid status (accepted/not accepted).
• HLB’s attorneys contact the winning bidder to coordinate all the paperwork to close the sale.
• The entire process can take up to four months.

Please visit the Properties page of our website to see all available properties. We do not sell properties that are not currently in our inventory. If a property in Hartford is not listed as “Coming Soon” or “For Sale” on our website, we do not own that property and can’t sell it to you.