"These times bring good investment opportunities," said Paul Zekos, president of The Zekos Group.
PALMER – The town is holding its second tax-title auction of the year on Tuesday, in the hope of generating more revenue for the town and returning five dormant properties to the tax rolls.
The auction will be held at noon, with registration starting at 11:30 a.m., in the Town Building on Main Street. It is being run by The Zekos Group of Shrewsbury, and a list of the properties, along with photographs, can be found at its website, www.zekosgroup.com.
"These times bring good investment opportunities," Paul T. Zekos, president of The Zekos Group, said.
Treasurer-Collector Paul A. Nowicki said approximately $176,000 is owed in back taxes on the properties.
During the January auction of seven properties, the town took in $220,000; a total of $175,000 was owed.
The featured properties are: 42 Commercial St. in Thorndike, a single-family Colonial with an assessed value of $129,300; 61 Bennett St. in Thorndike, a single-family home next to the river assessed at $148,000; a 5.7-acre parcel at 5 Carriage Drive ($95,800); a 6,800-square-foot vacant lot at 1532 North Main St ($49,300).; and four parcels totaling 7.8 acres at Breton Street and Calkins Road ($10,900).
A $5,000 deposit to bid is required for all properties. All the properties were taken by the town during the tax-title process.
Nowicki said due to aggressive tax collection, there is approximately $900,000 in outstanding taxes owed to the town, down from a figure of approximately $2 million a year ago.
"People are seeing that the town is auctioning these properties," said Nowicki, adding that has spurred some into taking action and paying their back taxes before the town can initiate the tax-title process in the land court.