Selectmen move to re-auction foreclosed 207 Boston Post Road property with no minimum bid

Town counsel described the background of 207 Boston Post Road (aka 1 Tiffany Avenue), explaining the property came to the town through tax foreclosure after prior auction attempts produced no bidders. Counsel told the board that a previous auction had been advertised with an $80,000 minimum bid and attracted no acceptable offers; a potential buyer had expressed interest in the mid-$60,000s but that could not be accepted because the prior auction notice established an $80,000 minimum.

Counsel recommended re-auctioning the property without a minimum bid and relying on the market to set the price. He estimated the combined tax and sewer debt at about the mid-$80,000s, noting additional fees for advertising and related costs make the exact breakeven unclear. Board members discussed the property's challenges — a small, awkward lot and an unsafe structure — and the practical difficulties of holding and insuring a vacant property. Selectman Greg Atonio and others said they preferred to put the property back on the market to recover as much of the debt as possible rather than hold it long term. The board authorized the re-auction and directed staff to advertise and coordinate the sale; final disposition remains subject to RTM approval once a sale is negotiated.