There is a broad selection of substantial properties of interest to the investor or developer included in the first Paul Fosh auction of the year.

Listed in the catalogue for this month's sale for the Newport-based auction house are two former schools, former council offices, a petrol filling station and a large seaside property overlooking the Bristol Channel. Managing director Paul Fosh says the 63 property auction will help the business get off to a good start in 2012 after a 'satisfactory' 2011 ended on a high.

Mr Fosh said: "Last year was satisfactory but not a vintage year, we sold an average of 75 per cent of the lots offered at each of its auctions in the year with some, such as the one in August, topping 86 per cent. It was a tough year for us, as with everyone else in 2011, so we're now looking for better things in 2012. We have had to work extremely hard this year to get the properties into our catalogue and working in the current economic climate the price has to be right for it to sell – and overall we have managed to get quality stock into our catalogues and it has sold."

Mr Fosh said he and his team strive to include a mix of properties at each of his auctions to attract and satisfy a range and variety of buyers. This is exemplified in the first auction of the season on Thursday, February 16, where an assortment of residential, investment and commercial properties are for sale.

A commercial property in the auction is at 34 Godfrey Road in the heart of the city of Newport opposite the city's civic centre and law courts. The large semi-detached building has accommodation over four floors and is currently used as offices. The property has a guide price of £175,000.

A former school with development potential at Quakers Yard, Treharris, just a few miles from the arterial A470 road is in the sale, while the derelict Bethania Chapel at Aberdare, which previously benefited from planning permission to convert to eight flats, has a guide price of £25,000.

A petrol filling station at Dowlais, close to the important Heads of the Valleys road, has a guide price of £25,000 for its commercial ground rent and the four bed Seabreezes, at Porthkerry, near Barry, with a guide price of £200,000 has sweeping sea views across famous Knap Beach and the Bristol Channel. A one-bed mid-terrace cottage, for investment or owner occupation or as a holiday home is at Buckland Row, Mill Street, in Brecon in the heart of the internationally renowned Brecon Beacons National Park, has a guide price of £60,000. There is also an imposing, former 1930s council offices in Merthyr Tydfil, comprising of eight large office suites, a basement and a first floor conference room.

The Paul Fosh auction will be held at the Park Inn Hotel, Circle Way East, Llanedyrn, Cardiff, on Thursday, February 16, starting at 5pm. Email www.paulfoshauctions.com