Upwards of 200 people turned out for Erie County's mid-year property auction Tuesday. Real Property Tax Services Director Joe Maciejewski says, out of 22 properties on the auction block 13 were sold. Maciejewski says, one goal is to show that the county is serious about stopping "serial bankruptcy filers.""We have some, that haven't paid property taxes in thirteen years, that I tried to sell today. And a judge let them file bankruptcy once again. That's a problem," Maciejewski said.
However, on the plus side, that party's newest bankruptcy filing gives the county the evidence that it needs to convince the judge to end the property owner's charade.
Bobby Joe Frost, of Alden, said he wasn't planning on buying a house. But Frost says, a home in Akron was too good to pass up.
"You know the market's good. The assessment on the house is $140,000. And I got it for $11,000. Can't beat that."
Maciejewski says, the sale generated more than $200,000 in revenue that the county would not have collected any other way.