The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office has moved their Foreclosure auctions to an online public auction format. The process and procedures under which these sales are completed are on the RealAuction website: https://lancaster.pa.realforeclose.com. The site is available to the public. All prospective bidders should familiarize themselves with the process. For more information click here.
As of July 1, 2025 - The common level ratio is 1.87%. This fee may change in July every year.
The Sheriff's Office maintains a list of all properties to be sold at any given Sheriff Sale in Lancaster County and verifies with the law firms who represent the banks that they have all the necessary documentation to legally sell the property at the Sheriff Sale.
GENERAL TIMELINE OF SHERIFF SALE PROCESS:
- DAY 0 − Sheriff Sales are held the last Wednesday bi-monthly.
- Day 15 − Buyer files PA Realty Transfer Tax statement.
- Day 30 − Buyer pays balance or forfeits their deposit. − Schedule of distribution is posted with Prothonotary Office. − 10 days start now for exceptions to be filed.
- Day 40 − Last day for exceptions to be filed re: Distribution.
- Day 41 − Distribution is made to 3rd parties.
- Day 51 − Buyer receives deed - dated the day of Sheriff Sale.
Attorney Portal (Click here to enter)
The Attorney Portal gives attorneys of record the ability to view sale information pertinent to their filings, update short and long legal descriptions, and upload documents. Attorneys who have contacted our Office and have registered can access the portal located on the left-hand grey bar. If you are not registered and plan to file a case in Lancaster County in the future, please contact us so we may provide access to the portal.
Once a case has been entered into our system, your office will be notified. This notification will provide your law firm ten days to upload both the legal descriptions for this case via the Attorney Portal. If you have any questions, please contact our Real Estate Unit at 717-299-8208.
Ads for Sheriff's Sales of Real Properties can now be found at the following locations:
Lancaster Law Review
Lancaster County Sheriff's Office
Lancaster News Paper (LNP)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Per Pa. Rule of Civil Procedure 3136, the PSOD will be filed in the Prothonotary's Office once it is available. If you are in disagreement with anything that is in or missing from the PSOD, you must object & explain you reasons in detail by filing a written "Exceptions to the Proposed Schedule of Distribution" with the Sheriff's Office no later than ten (10) days after the PSOD is filed; otherwise, you will be deemed to have waived such objections and you will be bound by the PSOD as filed by the Sheriff's Office.