The former owner; the former owner’s executor or administrator; or any parent, spouse, or child of the former owner may repurchase any property forfeited to the county under tax deed proceedings, so long as the tax title to the property remains in the county. If any city has made a special assessment for public improvements against the property and the special assessment has become delinquent and remains unpaid, the city has a right to purchase the property for cash, at the appraised value, prior to that of any party. Upon appraisal of the property, the county auditor shall give notice to the auditor of any such city and the city has thirty days within which to exercise its priority right to purchase the property under this section. A repurchase by a private party under this section may be for cash or contract for deed made by and between the board of county commissioners and the former owner; the executor or administrator of the former owner; or any parent, spouse, or child of the former owner. The consideration of the repurchase contract with a private party must include:

1.    The total amount required to be paid to effect a satisfaction of tax lien.

2.    The total amount of all subsequent taxes and special assessments with interest, penalties, and costs.

If the fair market value of the property at the time of the repurchase is less than the amount to be paid under subsections 1 and 2, the board shall fix a fair sale price for the property. If a repurchase under this section is by contract for deed, the party making the repurchase must pay at least twenty-five percent of the total contract price in cash and the remainder must be payable in no more than ten annual equal installments. The board of county commissioners shall establish the rate of interest for a contract for deed under this section, not exceeding the prime rate of interest established by the Bank of North Dakota for the month immediately preceding the month in which the contract was entered. A contract for deed under this section must provide that if the repurchaser or the successor in interest fails to pay one or more of the installments when due, with interest, the board of county commissioners may cancel the contract and all payments and improvements made by the repurchaser or the successor in interest will be forfeited to the county as liquidated damages for breach of contract unless otherwise expressly provided. Upon the completion of a cash sale or payments under a contract for deed under this section, the county auditor shall execute and deliver a deed conveying to the repurchaser the entire interest of the county in the property. Upon the execution and delivery of a deed or contract for deed under this section, the property becomes taxable to the repurchaser. In case of repurchase or contract for repurchase of tax deed property during January, the property must be assessed and taxed for that year, and the repurchaser is entitled to the rental and landlord’s share of crops on the property for the year. In case of the repurchase or contract for repurchase of tax deed land after January, the property must not be assessed and taxed for the current year, and the county is entitled to the rental and landlord’s share of crops on the property for the year. The repurchase or contract for repurchase of tax deed farmland is subject to any existing farm lease of the property for the year in which the repurchase or contract for repurchase is made.