Schoharie County recouped a half-million dollars from its auction of tax-delinquent properties Saturday.
And although the county made out well, bidders who crowded the office building lawn in Schoharie scored some good deals as well.
The 47 properties sold for $530,150, less than the $568,100 Treasurer Bill Cherry estimated the auction would bring.
"That's slightly below our predictions, but it's still very acceptable," said Mr. Cherry, who again served as auctioneer.
The unpaid taxes on the properties totaled $380,219, so the county netted a gain of $149,931.
The sale included commercial buildings, vacant land, and land with homes. In general, prices per acre were lower than in past sales, Mr. Cherry said. The average per-acre price several years ago was $1,000 to $1,500; this year, the average was $400 to $500.
"That's the way the market is," Mr. Cherry said.
The property selling for the highest price was a contemporary home on nearly nine acres in Gilboa. It sold for $88,000.
The second highest was a bundle of Fulton properties totaling 74 acres. They sold for $35,500.
The third was nearly 21 acres in Broome that went for $31,000. That sale bucked the trend of low per-acre prices; the parcel sold for $1,479 per acre.
There were also some surprises. A four-acre parcel in Richmondville with only a private 10-foot right of way sold for $10,100--or $2,525 per acre.
"It shows what someone will do if they really want it," Mr. Cherry said.
Another surprise was a landlocked 3.8-acre piece in Sharon available only to adjoining landowners.
"Usually we sell these for $50 or $100," Mr. Cherry said. "But two adjoining landowners were competing for it, and it sold for $6,100."
That price was three times the estimated market price of $1,975.
But successful bidders also got some bargains. A 1.1-acre parcel with a home in Broome sold for $26,000; its estimated market value was $82,000.
Another good deal was a 15-acre piece in Gilboa, next to the contemporary home. The vacant land went for $8,900.
"He got a really nice piece of land with spectacular views," Mr. Cherry said.
Finally, 23 acres on Route 30 in Blenheim sold for $7,100, or $310 per acre.
"That was a nice parcel with 1,300 feet of road frontage," Mr. Cherry said. "That bidder got a good deal."