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ATTLEBORO - The media is awash with bad news about the housing market mortgage crisis, bank failures and stock market volatility, but here's a little good news: People looking for a home may be able to get a good deal from the city on two houses it plans to auction next month.

One is a single-family at 22 Lafayette St. and one is, or was, a two-family at 63 Pond St. They were taken by the city for failure to pay taxes and will be sold to the highest bidder at an auction Nov. 6 at city hall.

City Treasurer Ethel Sandbach said the city's goal is to recover the money the city is owed in taxes and utility bills and the money it spent on legal action to acquire the homes.

An auction held in May failed to produce bids for the Lafayette property at a starting bid of $80,000. That price is about $195,000 below the median value of homes in Attleboro and $187,000 below its assessed value of $267,000.

The Lafayette home was built in 1900 and has seven rooms, including three bedrooms and one bathroom. Overall, it has 1,700 square feet of living space. It sits on about a quarter of an acre. The Pond Street home has been assessed as a two-family, but records are not clear about whether it's still a two family.

That home is assessed at $239,400. It was built in 1910 and sits on a little more than one-tenth of an acre. It has 11 rooms, including four bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to records in the assessor's office.

Both homes need work. People interested in bidding can get a look at the homes during open houses on Oct. 25.

The Lafayette home will be open for viewing from 10 a.m. to noon while the Pond Street home will be open for viewing from 1 to 3 p.m.

The auction will be held at city hall Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Bidders need to get a packet of information about the homes, which includes legal documents needed to purchase them. To qualify for participation, bidders must bring a bank check for $10,000 to the auction.

Information packets, which cost $25, will be available at the treasurer's office at city hall starting Wednesday, Oct. 22.

For more information call Sandbach at 508-223-2222, ext. 3214.