Tax foreclosure auction sells 70 properties for $218,000

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 1, 2001 by ALICIA HENRIKSON Capital-Journal

"Hopefully, the new owners will take care of it."

--- RICH ECKERT,

Shawnee County counselor

By ALICIA HENRIKSON

The Capital-Journal

Shawnee County has at least 70 properties that county officials now are hoping property taxes will be consistently paid on.

The county had a Judicial Tax Foreclosure Auction earlier this week in Ag Hall on Kansas Expocentre grounds.

Shawnee County counselor Rich Eckert said the more than 70 properties sold at the auction fetched $218,000. He said about 175 to 200 people attended the event and out of that about 130 people bid on the properties on the auction block.

"Having these properties purchased is a huge benefit," Eckert said.

Former owners of the property sold hadn't paid taxes on the property for at least three years.

Eckert said hopefully the new owners will consistently pay taxes on the properties.

Also, if the past owners weren't paying the property taxes, Eckert said there is a good chance the former owners weren't taking care of the land, which would bring down the value of the property and the property around it.

"Hopefully, the new owners will take care of it and that will raise the value of that property and the property adjacent to it," Eckert said.

The process to get to the auction took about nine months and included notifying the former owners of the land about delinquent taxes and the auction.

The highest bid came in on property at 805 S.W. MacVicar. The land went for $17,000. The other two top properties were 104 S.W. Courtland Ave. and 504 S.W. Buchanan, which went for $16,000 and $15,500, respectively.

Eckert said some of the land was purchased by area churches and by people in the community for personal use. Other property purchased was donated to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which has been in Topeka for 15 years.

Rodd Miller, president of the local Habitat for Humanity board, said a benefactor of the organization did give property to the group. He said the land will be used for upcoming building projects.

"It really helps when people are willing to donate land to Habitat," Miller said. "Building a house can cost quite a bit of money."

Miller said the cost to build most of their homes averages at about $55,000. He said when anyone is willing to donate time in building a house or buying the land and supplies, it is a benefit.

According to Miller, Habitat for Humanity usually builds four or five houses each year, but he said this year the organization probably will build six.

He said Habitat has about 60 houses that people are making payments on at this time.

Alicia Henrikson can be reached at

(785) 295-1192 or ahenrikson@cjonline.com.