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Buying and Selling Land

The state of Colorado spans 66 million acres. The Colorado State Land Board is the second largest landowner in our state (second only to the federal government) with 2.8 million acres of working ranches, recreational ranches, commercial buildings, development property in urban locations, water and minerals.

Occasionally we buy and sell land and other real estate for the benefit of our trust. We call it acquiring and disposing of land.

View our disposal map to see what is currently being considered for disposition.

How can we help you?

Contact Matt LaFontaine at 303-866-3454 x3335 or matthew.lafontaine@state.co.us to discuss acquisitions and dispositions.

Acquisitions

We acquire property that generates consistent annual earnings, has the potential for long-term appreciation, or is complementary and accretive to existing holdings.

We're interested in acquiring properties of all asset types, such as:

  • Agricultural ranches
  • Recreational ranches
  • Commercial real estate
  • Lands in the path of future development
  • Water assets
  • Mineral estates
  • Lands that provide access to state-owned properties

Disposals

We rarely sell land or other property assets, and we only do so when it's clear that the reinvestment of the proceeds can provide a greater benefit to the trusts. View lands currently noticed for exchange

Read about a partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD) that affects approximately 75,000 acres of trust land through the DOD's Readiness and Environmental Protections Integration Program (REPI) program. REPI is a federal funding mechanism to manage potential encroachment that can limit or restrict military training, testing, and operations at military installations.  

Earning money for school kids from land

Our agency shares its birthday with the state of Colorado: August 1, 1876.

We were created at statehood when President Ulysses S. Grant signed proclamation 230 to make Colorado the 38th state to join the Union. At that time, we acquired 4 million acres of surface land and mineral estate from the federal government in order to use the land to earn money for Colorado's public schools.Thomas Jefferson originated the concept of reserving land for the benefit of public schools during the 1780s. Learn more about the State Land Board's history.Today we earn $120+ million annually for schoolchildren.

Check out our 90-second video to see why we're proud of our work.