Steuben County is having its annual auction for foreclosed properties next month.

If you’re in the market for a new home, this is your chance to check out over 100 properties. Twenty are located in Corning alone. 

In the effort to collect delinquent taxes, the county holds this yearly auction. When a property owner fails to pay their property taxes, the county essentially fronts that money whether it’s for school, town, village or fire district taxes.

“This is a way to recoup those funds that we’ve already given to the other taxing jurisdictions, so in the end we try to make ourselves whole by selling these properties,” Steuben County Manager Jack Wheeler said.

This year, 125 properties are up for grabs but not all are residential homes. The majority does make up residences, but there are also trailers, vacant lots, and one commercial property: Club Valentine – the first nightclub that opened in Steuben County over 70 years ago according to our newspaper partner The Leader.

It’s not a tax foreclosed property. The county is selling it for Bath Electric, Gas & Water – a municipal utility company that took over ownership of the property.

Last year’s auction raised about $750,000 and the county is expecting to hit between that and one million dollars this year.

The crowd brings out a variety of potential buyers.

“(It brings out) people looking for a starter home… young and older people to either start out in a home or start over in a home,” Pat Donnelly, the finance commissioner of Steuben County, said.  “Also, speculators interested in making a fast buck which is buying something and flipping it.”

The auction is Friday, July 14 at 10:00 A.M. at Campbell-Savona High School located at 8455 Co Rd 125, Campbell, NY 14821.

About 200 people are expected to be in attendance.

For a list of properties, click here.