Town officials hope buyer will materialize for vacant house

Just a month ago, a long vacant house at 513 West Grubb Street was available for purchase but no one stepped forward to buy it.

Hertford Town Council is hoping the second time the house goes up for sale, a buyer will seize a golden opportunity to not only buy it but also renovate it and get it ready for occupancy.

Last week, Town Council passed a resolution that moves the town closer to welcoming bids from prospective buyers for the house.

“The resolution was for us to go forward with the negotiations to negotiate an offer, an upset bid,” Town Manager Janice Cole said. “We purchased it from the county for $8,600 but we added some of the attorney fees that were involved.

“The resolution indicates the purchaser would have 120 days to bring the exterior of the building up to code and then the full year to do the interior,” she said.

The house’s previous owner fell behind on both Perquimans County and town taxes. The owner also racked up $39,000 in lawn mowing fees. The town paid to have the grass cut and then put a lien on the property to collect those costs.

Had someone purchased the property at that time, they would have been expected to clear all the liens and bring it up to code.

But once the town purchased the property from Perquimans County, the town was able to forgive the thousands of dollars owed in lawn mowing fees and prepare it for sale. As a result, the new buyer won’t have to pay those costs but can proceed with renovating the property.

Town officials say taking the step of buying dilapidated properties like 513 West Grubb Street could resolve one of the most persistent problems in Hertford — vacant, unsightly houses — and add to the town’s available housing stock.