Unsold ‘tax sale’ house picked up for $7,500

Somebody got a deal on this property on County Road 31 in Glen Becker, Ont. in South Dundas. The township received an unsolicited bid of $7,500 after no one bid on it during a tax sale last fall. The township agreed last week to accept the bid in order to stem the costs of interest and legal fees and have the property developed, thus bringing in tax dollars again. (Photo/Google Maps)

MORRISBURG – A casual ask by a person in South Dundas turned into a real deal.

A property at 4973 County Road 31 had been in arrears for unpaid taxes and between the taxes and legal costs the amount owing ballooned to nearly $19,000 – almost half of that in interest and legal fees.

Treasurer Shannon Geraghty explained to council last week that the land in Glen Becker was put on the market under a public tender in October but the municipality received no bids.

Geraghty said the municipality received an unsolicited bid for $7,500, which will cover the taxes owing to the county, the education taxes and a portion of the municipal taxes.

South Dundas agreed to write off its “direct hit” to its tax budget of $4,200 using part of its $25,000 budget for tax write-offs.

“So, one, we can collect back the taxes from the counties and the education and, as well, we can sell this property and then we can gain some tax dollars in the future,” Geraghty told council.

Geraghty explained to Cornwall Newswatch the property had been part of an estate and that the building needs “a lot of TLC.”

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