The Mayor and City Council shall have power, in addition to the power granted by Article 12 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes of North Carolina, by their unanimous vote to dispose of any real property which the Council has declared to be surplus, in the following manner:
(1) Without bids or advertisement, at private sale, if the property has a market value of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000);
(2) Without bids of advertisement, by exchange for real property of like or greater market value;
(3) No sale or exchange of real property authorized by this section shall be ordered by the Mayor and City Council unless they shall have caused to be published at least once in each of the two calendar weeks immediately preceding the vote authorizing such sale in a newspaper having general circulation in the City a notice of their intention to consider such sale or exchange.