Town buys blighted house from county, hopes for new buyer

Hertford Town Council agreed Monday to purchase a foreclosed house that had been declared an eyesore and was at risk of being demolished. Now, town officials hope a buyer will surface to purchase the property and renovate it.

Council agreed to have the town buy the property at 513 West Grubb Street for $8,623.21 from Perquimans County. After sorting out outstanding town and county taxes and fines on the property, the town expects to spend less than that amount for the house.

According to Mayor Ashley Hodges, council’s decision could resolve some of the problems that often arise when properties like 513 West Grubb Street fail to attract a buyer. When no one purchased the house at a foreclosure sale, the property reverted to the county for nonpayment of taxes.

“The current owner fell behind on county and city taxes and racked up $39,000 in lawn mowing fees,” Hodges said. “For someone else to buy it as it is now, they would have to clear all the liens associated with that property and bring it up to code standards.”

Once the town purchases the property from Perquimans County, the town can forgive the thousands of dollars owed in lawn mowing fees and prepare it for sale. The new buyer then won’t face those fees but can proceed with renovating the property.

“We are trying to get it to a point where it’s better and there are no safety concerns from an empty, abandoned house,” Hodges said.

Town Manager Janice Cole said the council’s decision also is a step toward saving a blighted property from having to be demolished.

Town Council has discussed numerous ways to improve Hertford’s stock of blighted properties as a way to increase the town’s appeal to potential new residents. Last month, a UNC School of Government feasibility study showed Hertford is ripe for development of new neighborhoods if the town can resolve challenging problems with its infrastructure. Without the ability to provide sufficient water supply, discussions about developing a new affordable housing project near West Grubb Street have been tabled for now.

Town officials remain focused on finding ways to get abandoned homes renovated. Also important, they say, is improving homes that have deteriorated to the point that they can’t be occupied.

“We are buying (this house) from the county because it is in our town. It is important as to how it looks,” Hodges said.