If online auctions feel like eBay — a timer, a number going up, a button you click from your couch — Philadelphia Sheriff Sales are something else entirely.
This is the courthouse. Real deputies. Open bidding in a room full of people who’ve been doing this for years. And properties that can go for a fraction of what you’d pay on the open market — if you know what you’re doing.
I’ve been obsessed with figuring this out, so here’s everything I found.
What Is a Sheriff Sale, Exactly?
When a homeowner is unable to pay their mortgage or property taxes, the property is taken over and sold at a public auction known as a Sheriff’s Sale. DAYNA WILSON REALTOR
The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office runs these auctions on behalf of the court. The goal isn’t to get top dollar — it’s to recover what’s owed to the lender or the city. That’s why prices can look shockingly low. The bank just wants their money back. They’re not trying to profit.
Philadelphia Sheriff Sales generally occur on a monthly basis, typically on the first or second Wednesday of each month. Philadelphia has one of the most active sheriff sale markets in the country — in 2023 alone, approximately 1,200 properties were sold at sheriff sales due to mortgage foreclosures, not counting tax lien sales. HubzuHubzu
That’s a lot of inventory. And most people have no idea how to access it.
Philadelphia Now Does It Online — Through Bid4Assets
Here’s something that surprised me: Philadelphia Sheriff Sales are no longer just a walk-into-the-courthouse situation. Philadelphia County now conducts its sheriff foreclosure auctions through Bid4Assets, an online platform. Zillow
This is actually good news for beginners — you don’t have to show up in person to participate. You can research, register, and bid from your laptop.
The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office also conducts free monthly workshops where you can learn how to buy a property at a Sheriff Sale and get your questions answered by an official Deputy Sheriff. Classes are offered in English and Spanish.
Honestly — if you’re seriously considering this, go to one of those workshops first. Free information directly from the people running the auction? That’s a no-brainer.
Step by Step: How Philadelphia Sheriff Sales Work
Step 1: Find the properties
The list of upcoming Sheriff Sale properties is published in advance. You can find it on the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office website (phillysheriff.com) and on Bid4Assets. Properties are listed with basic information — address, the creditor who’s foreclosing, and the minimum bid if there is one.
This is where your research starts. For every property you’re interested in, you need to:
- Pull the deed and title history through the City of Philadelphia’s records
- Check for outstanding liens (water bills, tax liens, contractor liens)
- Drive by the property — you cannot do a full interior inspection before bidding
- Run your ARV and renovation estimate
It is the sole responsibility of the buyer to research any potential liens, encumbrances, or easements, recorded or not recorded. Nobody is going to hand you a clean title summary. You have to do this yourself — or pay an attorney to do it. Zillow
Step 2: Register and deposit
Create a Bid4Assets account — the process is quick, free, and easy. Only certified check, money order, or wire transfer are accepted for deposits. ACH, direct deposit, credit card, or money transfers will be rejected. Zillow
Only one deposit is required per auction date — this single deposit allows you to bid on all auctions closing on that particular date. Zillow
Allow up to 48 business hours for your deposit to be acknowledged. You will be notified by email when you are cleared to bid. Zillow
Plan ahead — don’t wait until the night before the auction to get registered.
Step 3: Bid — with discipline
You must have 10% of your bid in cash or certified check at the sale. Amerisave
The balance of 10% of the total purchase price must be paid by 5:00 PM ET on the first business day following the auction. The remaining balance is due within 15 calendar days from the auction date. No exceptions. Zillow
If the payment policy is not followed, the winning bidder will forfeit their deposit and may be banned from future sales. Zillow
This is not Hubzu where you have 30 days to sort out your financing. The clock moves fast. Have your hard money lender lined up and ready to move before you bid on anything.
Step 4: You win — now what?
Within a month or two after the sale, the sheriff will post a schedule of distribution. If there are no objections to the proposed distribution, the property will be deeded to you. Amerisave
Note: the vast majority of sheriff’s sales are postponed from the first listing or stayed by bankruptcy. This is extremely common. A property you’ve been researching for weeks can get pulled from the auction the morning of. Don’t fall in love with any single property — always have backups. Amerisave
The Risks Nobody Talks About
Liens that survive the sale
This is the big one. Not all liens get wiped out when you buy at a Sheriff Sale.
Lien holders not notified of the sale 30 days in advance are not ordinarily discharged. IRS liens may require additional steps for the sheriff’s sale to discharge the lien. Amerisave
Translation: you could win a property at auction and then discover you also inherited $30,000 in IRS debt or contractor liens. This is why a title search before you bid is not optional — it’s essential.
The previous owner might still be inside
The prior owner may not leave voluntarily, leading to delays and additional costs. Amerisave
If someone is living in the property when you buy it at Sheriff Sale, you cannot just change the locks. You have to go through a formal eviction process in Pennsylvania — which takes time and money. Budget for this possibility.
You’re buying completely as-is
The successful bidder buys the property as-is. No inspections, no contingencies. You’re bidding based on what you can see from the outside and whatever public records tell you. What’s inside is a mystery until you own it. Amerisave
Add a 25-30% buffer to your renovation estimate. Always.
What Makes Philadelphia Sheriff Sales Different
Philadelphia has a few quirks worth knowing:
The city has its own tax lien sale process separate from mortgage foreclosures — so you’ll see both types of properties in the system. Tax lien properties can sometimes be acquired for much less, but they also tend to come with more complicated title issues.
Philadelphia also has strong tenant protections — if a property is occupied, the eviction process here is slower than in many other states. Factor that into your timeline.
And Philadelphia’s older housing stock means you’re more likely to encounter lead paint, old wiring, and deferred maintenance that doesn’t show up until you’re mid-renovation.
None of this makes Sheriff Sales a bad idea. It just means you go in with eyes open.
Is This Right for a Beginner?
Honestly? Sheriff Sales are higher risk than online platforms like Hubzu — but potentially higher reward too.
The properties that come through the courthouse have often been in the foreclosure process for years. Properties foreclosed in recent years had been in the foreclosure process for an average of nearly two years — sitting vacant, unmaintained, possibly vandalized. TikTok
That’s also why the prices can be so low. The market is discounting all that uncertainty.
My approach for now: attend a free Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office workshop first. Get familiar with Bid4Assets. Research a few properties without bidding — just to practice the process. Build the muscle before you put real money on the line.
The opportunity is real. The risk is real. The preparation is what tips the balance.
Part 3 compares online auctions and Sheriff Sales side by side — which one makes more sense for a first-time investor, what the actual risk profiles look like, and how to decide which path fits where you are right now.
Use the Sheriff Sale Bid Calculator below to run your numbers before auction day.