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Guidelines for Real Estate Sheriff Sales
1. There are two types of Real Estate Foreclosures in Bucks County.
- Mortgage and Judgment defaults on real estate sales are processed through the Sheriff's Office. Sales of this type take place each month on the second Friday at 11:00 a.m., except where holidays occur; then the sale will be on the Thursday before the second Friday.
- Tax Sales are processed through the Tax Claim Bureau; these sales are only for delinquent taxes. Sales of this type take place in September, November and December of each year. For information on these sales, you amy contact the Tax Claim Bureau, 3rd floor of the courthouse, or call 215-348-6274 or 215-348-6275.
2. Sheriff Sales are open to the public with no preconditions.
3. Sheriff Sales are advertised once a week for three successive weeks:
- By posting Sheriff Handbills on the property.
- Advertising in the Bucks County Law Reporter.
- Advertising in a newspaper or general circulation where the property is located.
4. Sheriff Sale lists are printed each month and available one week after the previous month sale. Copies are available for a fee of $1.00 at:
- Sheriff's office-- 55 E. Court St. 1st Floor, Doylestown, PA 18901, (215) 348-6132
- Lower Bucks Government Services Center--7321 New Falls Rd., Levittown, PA 19055
(215) 949-5800
- Upper Bucks Government Services Center-- 515 South West End Blvd, Quakertown, PA 18951 (215) 536-4289
5. Properties will be sold in order listed unless specific request of attorney of record to change to later time.
6. Properties on the list may be adjourned up to one hundred thirty (130) days by the attorney of record, anytime up to the actual time of sale. Properties may be removed at any time, by proper authority.
7. Properties are not available for inspection prior to sale. If however, the property is vacant, please contact the attorney on the writ.
8. The Sheriff does not research properties for debts/liens prior to the sale. We suggest professional assistance such as an attorney or title searcher unless you are capable of searching records to ascertain obligations against any of the listed properties. Some debts and liens on properties require review in the following offices:
Zoning information of the property may be helpful. Also, corporate liens should be checked through Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Harrisburg, PA.
9. In the process of the execution the Sheriff incurs certain costs and fees set by the State Legislature. Average Sheriff costs might be approximately $2,000.00. We will announce the sheriff's costs prior to sale.
10. Commencing at the sale, properties will be sold as listed, one at a time. At each announced sale, the attorney of record will bid "costs" and competitive bidding can proceed--Auction type bidding is the procedure. You may bid as often as you wish, as long as you have 10% of your successful bid in cash or a bank certified check.
11. Be advised that the attorney for the plaintiff will have established an "Upset Price" on the property, (approximately 1 or 2 days before the sale). This figure being the real debt interest, municipal liens and all costs. The attorney will most likely be prepared to bid up to the "Upset Price" if the property is competitively bid.
12. If you plan to bid on a property be certain that you have with you no less than 10% of your highest bid. This amount must be paid immediately after the sale when you come up to sign to condition of sale and must be in the form of cash or certified check. If the amount on your certified check is higher than that 10% bid, the surplus will be applied to the balance due. The balance of the bid must be paid within 10 calendar days from the date of the sale, in the Sheriff's Office. All monies payable to the Sheriff of Bucks County.
13. The 10% is subject to forfeiture if the balance is not paid in accordance with this schedule (in 10 calendar days from date of sale)!
14. The above information is intended to provide answers to questions most frequently asked. The Sheriff assumes no liability for actions or forbearance taken. On the above information, as in all legal matters, the advice of an attorney is desirable.
Sheriff Real Estate Sales Listings
Sheriff's Office
Edward J. Donnelly
Bucks County Court House
55 E. Court Street
1st Floor
Doylestown, PA 18901
Ph: 215-348-6124