How to Read a Sheriff Sale Notice in Allegheny County
If you’ve received a sheriff sale notice for your Allegheny County property — or if you’ve seen one posted, mailed to you, or discovered it in the newspaper — understanding exactly what it says and what it means is critical. Time is short. This guide breaks down what’s in a PA sheriff sale notice and what actions are available to you at each stage.
What Is a Sheriff Sale Notice in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, foreclosure is a judicial process — meaning a court must authorize the sale of your home. A sheriff sale notice is the formal announcement that a court-authorized auction of your property has been scheduled. By the time you receive a sheriff sale notice, the foreclosure process is significantly advanced. This is not the beginning of the process — it typically comes after:
- You’ve missed multiple mortgage payments (usually 3–6+)
- Your lender sent an Act 6 Notice (right to cure)
- Your lender filed a complaint in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
- A judgment of foreclosure was entered by the court
- A Writ of Execution was issued, directing the sheriff to sell
The sheriff sale notice is typically published in a newspaper of general circulation in Allegheny County and mailed to the property owner at least 30 days before the sale date.
Anatomy of an Allegheny County Sheriff Sale Notice
A standard Allegheny County sheriff sale notice contains several key pieces of information. Here’s what each section means:
Case Number and Court Information
The notice will reference a case number from the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas (e.g., “GD-2024-XXXXX” or “MG-2024-XXXXX”). This is the court case where your foreclosure was adjudicated. You can look up case status at the Allegheny County Unified Judicial System portal (ujsportal.pacourts.us).
Property Description
The notice includes a legal description of the property — usually its street address and a formal lot/block description from the deed. Verify this matches your property exactly. Errors in property descriptions are rare but do happen.
The Plaintiff
This is the party that filed for foreclosure — typically your mortgage lender or servicer, or in tax lien cases, Allegheny County or a municipality. The plaintiff’s attorney information will also be listed. This is the entity you or your attorney would contact to discuss reinstatement or payoff.
The Sale Date, Time, and Location
Allegheny County Sheriff Sales are typically conducted by Jordan Tax Service on behalf of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Sales are generally held monthly. The notice will specify the exact date, time, and location. In recent years, Allegheny County has conducted many sheriff sales remotely (online bidding), though procedures can change — confirm current procedures with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office.
The Amount Owed
The notice typically states the amount of the judgment — the total claimed to be owed including principal, interest, attorney’s fees, and costs. This is NOT necessarily the minimum bid at the sale. The minimum bid at a Pennsylvania mortgage foreclosure sheriff sale is typically set at the amount needed to satisfy the first mortgage and costs, though bidding can go higher.
Jordan Tax Service’s Role
Jordan Tax Service serves as the agent for conducting sheriff sales for many Allegheny County municipalities and school districts in tax lien cases. For mortgage foreclosures, they may still be involved in the sale administration. Jordan Tax Service maintains public records of scheduled sales and their outcomes — if you want to see what properties are scheduled, their website (jordantax.com) lists upcoming sales.
What Happens If Your Home Sells at Sheriff Sale
Pennsylvania does NOT have a post-sale redemption period. Once a sheriff sale is completed and confirmed by the court, you lose the property. There is no period after the sale where you can pay to get it back. This is critically different from some other states — in Pennsylvania, the sheriff sale is final.
After the sale, any proceeds above the judgment amount and costs are returned to the former homeowner (if equity exists). However, in many foreclosure cases, the final judgment plus fees approaches or exceeds the property’s value, leaving nothing for the former owner.
Options After Receiving a Sheriff Sale Notice
Receiving a sheriff sale notice does not mean it’s too late. Depending on timing, you may still have options:
Option 1: Reinstatement
In Pennsylvania, a homeowner can stop a foreclosure by paying all past-due amounts (arrears plus attorney’s fees and court costs) through the day before the sale. For mortgage foreclosures, contact the plaintiff’s attorney listed on the notice to request a reinstatement amount. This can be a significant sum — months of missed payments, plus interest and fees. But if you can come up with the funds, reinstatement preserves your ownership.
Option 2: Loan Modification or Forbearance
If you contact your loan servicer directly before the sale, there may still be a modification or forbearance option. Lenders generally prefer not to take properties — the foreclosure process is expensive and time-consuming for them too. A last-minute workout agreement can postpone or stop the sale. Contact your servicer’s loss mitigation department immediately — not after the sale date.
Option 3: Sell Before the Sale Date
This is often the best option for homeowners who can’t reinstate and whose property has equity. A fast cash sale can close before the sheriff sale date, pay off the mortgage, and put equity in your pocket. Even a fast traditional sale may be possible — but with sheriff sales, the timeline is tight and a cash buyer who can close in 14–21 days is often the only realistic option.
We Buy Property has purchased homes from Pittsburgh-area homeowners facing imminent sheriff sales. If you have equity in your home and a sale date on the calendar, call us immediately at (412) 424-6412. The sooner we talk, the more options we have. See our stop foreclosure page for more detail.
Option 4: Bankruptcy
Filing bankruptcy — particularly Chapter 13 — creates an automatic stay that stops a sheriff sale. A Chapter 13 plan can allow you to cure mortgage arrears over a 3–5 year period. However, this requires a bankruptcy attorney, trustworthy execution, and a reliable income to fund the plan. It is not a solution for everyone — discuss with a bankruptcy attorney before this sale date.
Option 5: Let the Sale Proceed
If the property has no equity — owed more than it’s worth — and you can’t reinstate, sometimes the least painful path is letting the sale proceed. The debt is typically extinguished by the foreclosure (though consult an attorney about any deficiency judgment exposure in PA). The credit impact is severe but survivable. This is a last resort, not a first choice.
Tax Sale Notices vs. Mortgage Foreclosure Notices
Pennsylvania has two parallel processes that can result in sheriff sale: mortgage foreclosure (handled through the court system) and tax sale (handled through the county tax claim bureau when property taxes go delinquent). The notices look similar but are distinct processes with different timelines and different rights.
Tax sale notices in Allegheny County come from Jordan Tax Service acting as the county tax claim bureau. If your notice references unpaid property taxes rather than mortgage debt, you’re in the tax sale process — which also has opportunities to stop the sale through payment, though the mechanism is different from mortgage foreclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sheriff Sales in Allegheny County
How much notice do I get before a sheriff sale in Pennsylvania?
At minimum 30 days of public notice before the sale date. However, you’ve typically been in the foreclosure process for months before the sale is scheduled — the formal notice period is the final warning, not the beginning of the process.
Can a cash buyer really close before my sheriff sale date?
Often yes, if there’s enough lead time. We can move quickly — 14–21 days in many cases. If you have 30+ days before your sale date and equity in the property, a cash sale is a real option. Call (412) 424-6412 as soon as possible.
What if I owe more than my house is worth?
A short sale — where the lender agrees to accept less than what’s owed — may be possible, but it requires lender approval and takes time. If you’re close to a sale date and underwater on your mortgage, bankruptcy may be a more realistic option to stop the sale. Consult with a bankruptcy attorney immediately.
Does Jordan Tax Service handle all sheriff sales in Allegheny County?
Jordan Tax Service handles tax-related sales (delinquent property tax). Mortgage foreclosure sales are conducted by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, though Jordan Tax may be involved in administration for certain municipalities.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you’re facing foreclosure, consult a Pennsylvania foreclosure attorney or contact a HUD-approved housing counselor immediately.
If you’re facing a sheriff sale on your Allegheny County property and have equity, We Buy Property can help. Call (412) 424-6412 now — time is the most important variable in this situation. We have 73+ Google Reviews and a track record of closing quickly for Pittsburgh-area homeowners in urgent situations. Learn more about stopping foreclosure by selling or get a cash offer here.