This foreclosed property at 135 East Quincy St. in North Adams has been sold.

NORTH ADAMS — A crumbling yellow house on East Quincy Street, long vacant after being foreclosed on and taken over by the city, has been sold to a new owner.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey said she was shocked when the property at 135 E. Quincy St. got multiple offers and then a buyer.

“The back of it is, like, missing,” Macksey said of the house at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Yinhai Zhao of Leverett submitted the highest bid, offering $30,000 in cash for the property. Though the sale does not require City Council approval, Macksey said she brought it before the council for transparency.

With close to $80,000 due in back taxes on the property, including interest, Macksey said the city acknowledges it is taking a loss but is hopeful the individual can flip the property and get it back on the tax roll.

“This house has been vacant for a very long time and we get a lot of complaints from neighbors about it, so it is an eyesore,” she said.

When a property falls behind on taxes, the local government can claim ownership through tax title, or placing a lien on the property until the tax account is repaid.

This foreclosed property at 135 East Quincy St. in North Adams has been sold.

Macksey said she did not know many details about the buyer's plans beyond the fact that it was the highest bid and the property would be rehabilitated.

The city will close on the house later this month and it will go on the tax roll as of 2027 or fiscal year 2028, according to tax collector Jessica Lincourt.

As the fiscal year draws to a close and budget season continues, Lincourt said 45 North Adams properties remain in land court. Four property owners are current on payment agreements, while two parcels are under contract and she expects those sales to be completed before the end of the fiscal year.

In January, the city sold a similarly neglected property at 159 Eagle St. to the owners of the abutting business strip. It’s now being used as additional parking for the business.

“I want to thank the tax collector for being assertive on these [land court sales],” said Councilor Lisa Blackmer. “I’m sure the neighbors will be happy.”