Sheriff Sales

Policies & Procedures for Real Estate Sheriff Sales

Please read our Condition of Sale

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 am, 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 may contact the Tax Claim Bureau, 5thfloor of the courthouse, or call 215-348-6274 or 215-348-6275.

2. 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.

3. 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. Interested parties should check the sale list on the website for current updates.

  • Pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. 3129.3 which became effective April 7, 2014, a Sheriff Sale may be stayed, continued, postponed or adjourned to a date certain two times within 130 days of the scheduled sale without formal notice by handbill and writing as required by 3129.2 of the Pa.R.C.P. Counsel will comply with the notice and filing requirements as more fully set forth in 3129.3 (b).
  • Any subsequent postponements will continue to be permitted only by special order of the court. See 3129.3 (a) Copies of all court orders must be provided by counsel to the Sheriff's Office and served by first class mail upon the defendant(s).
  • Failure to comply with the foregoing will result in the sale being stayed.

4. Properties are not available for inspection prior to sale. If however, the property is vacant, please contact the attorney on the writ.

5. The Sheriff does not research properties for debts/liens prior to the sale. Bidders are recommended to obtain 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.

6. 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.  /DocumentCenter/View/11526/Writ-Requirement-package-sheet