SCHENECTADY COUNTY — Schenectady County will see a profit of $249,000 on the sale last month of 39 properties it acquired through foreclosure during the last two years.

The county Legislature accepted the proceeds of the Oct. 25 auction at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The county grossed $601,000 on the auction. It retained $249,000 after satisfying delinquent taxes, interest and penalty payments. The money will go into the general fund, according to county finance officials.

Nicholas Barber, director of the county’s Real Property Tax Service Agency, said “These excellent results are due to not only a stable real estate market, but are also due to the diligent efforts of tax collection by county staff and the seasoned expertise of county officials and the auction company.”

The most expensive property, a home in Glenville, sold for $130,000. Two properties sold for $25 with the remainder sold at between $500 and $80,000. Most of the properties were vacant parcels, generally leftover slivers of land from developments.

The amount raised and number of properties sold at last month’s auction are similar to totals of previous auctions, Barber said. However, he said he expects to see an increase in foreclosures in coming years due to the housing market meltdown.

“We are noticing an increase in foreclosure deeds and we are seeing very few closings on new deals,” he said. “We are not going to be exempt from the meltdown.”

The Schenectady County Clerk’s office records every mortgage deed in the county, usually between 5,000 and 6,000 per year, and Barber’s office reviews each one, he said.

The clerk charges a fee to record the deeds, and that stream of revenue declined by more than $800,000 this year from last year’s amount due to a deteriorating economy, county officials said.

The county generally holds an auction every two years because it takes that long to acquire a sufficient number of foreclosed properties to make the effort worthwhile, Barber said. “We have a collection rate of over 90 percent. We do our jobs and work with them, counsel them, help them find funding sources,” he said.

The county initiates foreclosure based on the length of time taxes have remained unpaid. It begins after four years on residential and residential-vacant property and two years on commercial and commercial-vacant property.

The county takes possession because it makes the towns and school districts whole for the unpaid taxes. The city has its own procedure for dealing with foreclosed properties. The county first sees if the municipality wants the property for public use. If not, it goes on the block.

In other business, the Legislature:

u Approved a four-year contract with the U.S. government and Air National Guard to provide air traffic services at the county airport. The proposed contract provides the county with $100,000 more per year but still requires the county to cover 10 percent of tower costs. The government will pay the county $544,426 annually through 2012 to operate the control tower. The lease will increase 3 percent each year.

u Took possession of Tech Park Road at the county airport. The recently built road connects to Fortitech’s industrial site off Rudy Chase Drive. The county built the road with a $150,000 grant from the Metroplex Development Authority.

u Accepted a $5 million, one-time Medicaid payment from the federal government for the county-run nursing home. The county will apply the payment toward operations at Glendale Home. Schenectady is one of several counties to receive the payment through an agreement brokered by the state this year. The county must match the award.