JOHNSTOWN - This year's Fulton County property auction will be the first to include some Hamilton County properties.

The auction will be conducted by Haroff Auction & Realty Inc. of Schroon Lake, Essex County, at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Johnstown Holiday Inn.

This year, Hamilton County will add eight properties to the 53 properties Fulton County will try to auction off, for a total of 61 properties. Fulton County officials said the addition of Hamilton County into the auction process is a positive step.

"We expect bigger crowds and a lot of interest," Fulton County Finance Chairman James Callery said today. "It should bring in more buyers, which should bring the prices up."

properties taken by the counties through tax foreclosure will be offered for sale in the auction, which will be conducted jointly by Fulton County Treasurer Michelle Ippoliti and Hamilton County Treasurer Beth Hunt.

In addition to properties available throughout Fulton County, properties will be available in the Hamilton County towns of Benson, Indian Lake, Inlet and Lake Pleasant.

Ippoliti said she could not estimate how much revenue the auction may generate.

"I really won't know until the auction is over," she said.

This will be third annual auction including properties obtained by the county in Gloversville through Operation Green Scene. Ippoliti said 12 Gloversville properties will be up for sale - six with homes and six vacant lots where the county has demolished structures.

Information including the entire list of properties and the auction brochure is available on the auctioneer's Web site, www.haroff.com The site is frequently updated and provides detailed information on each property. A printed auction brochure also is available by visiting any town or village hall within the two counties, the counties' Real Property Tax Services offices or treasurer's offices - in Johnstown and Lake Pleasant -or by calling 1-800-292-7653.

A bidder's seminar will be conducted at 7 p.m. today at the Holiday Inn. Haroff representatives will present the seminar, which could be helpful for those attending a county auction for the first time, the company said in a news release.

Auction registration will be available at the conclusion of the bidder's seminar and also on the morning of the auction starting at 9 a.m.

Successful bidders will be required to place a deposit of $1,000 or 20 percent of the total contract price.

Officials said properties will be sold "as-is," and prospective bidders should complete their research on the properties before bidding.

Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com