Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, Real Estate
100 South Broad Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19110
215-686-3565
Runs mortgage and tax sheriff sales online through Bid4Assets. Walk-in hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Official pagePhiladelphia County guide · Foreclosure & sheriff sale
Facing Foreclosure in Philadelphia County: Diversion Program and Sheriff Sale Guide
Philadelphia handles residential foreclosure differently from most Pennsylvania counties. The Court of Common Pleas adopted a Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program in 2008, and an owner-occupant usually gets a face-to-face conference with the lender's attorney before a judgment can be entered. Sheriff sales are then run online. This page explains the order of events and where a cash sale might fit.
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Many Philadelphia owners facing this are in older rowhomes with back taxes, code items or inherited ownership problems. Those details change your options, so read every letter and court paper you have received. This is general information, not legal advice. A housing counselor or a real estate attorney should review your case.
Step by step in Philadelphia
- 1
Read the Act 91 notice
The lender starts HEMAP by issuing an Act 91 notice. PHFA says that if you apply timely, within 33 days of the date of the notice, the lender can take no further action. Eligibility requires an owner-occupied home, a delinquency from circumstances beyond your control, and the ability to resume full payments within 24 months. PHFA's number is 1.855.U.Are.Home (827.3466).
- 2
Get a free housing counselor
PHFA says Pennsylvania residents can get free housing counseling for mortgage trouble. In Philadelphia, the court program says the Department of Housing and Community Development provides a counselor free of charge, and the program refers owners to the Save Your Home Philly Hotline before their conference. Call early. Counselors help prepare the paperwork lenders ask for.
- 3
Attend the conciliation conference
When a lender files a residential owner-occupied foreclosure case, the court schedules a conference and issues an order that prevents the plaintiff from entering judgment until the conferences are concluded. Conferences run on Thursdays in Courtroom 676 at City Hall. Skipping one can cost you the chance to work something out, so go and bring your counselor's paperwork.
- 4
Use the legal help the program lists
The court names attorneys from Community Legal Services, Philadelphia Legal Assistance, SeniorLAW Center and the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program as available to talk through legal issues. A lawyer can tell you whether a defense, a payment plan or a sale is the better path for your file.
- 5
Know how a sheriff sale starts
Philadelphia explains that when a homeowner cannot pay a mortgage or property taxes, the property can be sold at a public auction called a sheriff's sale. The Sheriff's Office handles both mortgage foreclosure sales and tax delinquent sales, each with its own conditions of sale. The sale is held online through Bid4Assets.
- 6
Confirm the date and the debt
Check the exact docket, the sale date and which kind of debt is behind the sale. Sales can be postponed by court order, as the Sheriff's website shows. Only the plaintiff's attorney, the sheriff or the court can confirm that a sale is stopped. A buyer's offer does not do that on its own.
- 7
Decide on a sale only after you have payoff numbers
Ask the lender or its attorney for a written payoff. If your home is worth more than the debt, a sale before the auction can protect your equity. If it is worth less, ask a housing counselor or attorney about lender approval and other options first.
Typical timeline
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Act 91 notice, HEMAP application | 33 days from the date of the notice |
| HEMAP application after counselor meeting | 30 days to submit after meeting a counselor; PHFA then has 60 days to decide |
| First conciliation conference | About 60 days after the foreclosure case is filed |
| Judgment | Cannot be entered until the conferences conclude |
| Kaizen cash offer and closing | Offer in 24 hours; close in 14 to 30 days or on your date |
Philadelphia offices you may deal with
Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program
Courtroom 676, City Hall, Philadelphia
Conciliation conferences before judgment for owner-occupied homes. Contact the Save Your Home Philly Hotline for a housing counselor.
Official pagePennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
1.855.827.3466
Act 91 and HEMAP questions, plus free housing counseling referrals. Customer Solutions Center 1.855.U.Are.Home (827.3466).
Official pageYour selling options
You have more than one path. A loan workout, HEMAP, a payment plan negotiated through the diversion conference, a listing with an agent, or a sale to an investor can each make sense depending on your equity and your timeline. Listing with an agent can bring the highest price when the house is in good shape and there is time to show it. A rowhome with deferred repairs or code items may take longer.
Kaizen buys as-is for cash. We make an offer within 24 hours, charge no agent commission, require no repairs, and can close in 14 to 30 days or on your date. We cannot promise to stop or delay a foreclosure sale. Talk to your lender's attorney, your counselor and your own attorney about timing before you sign anything. Call 267-329-0084.
Philadelphia foreclosure questions
Can I sell my Philadelphia house while it is in foreclosure?
Yes, an owner can generally sell before the property sells at sheriff sale, but the payoff, the sale date and the court case all matter. Get a written payoff from the lender and talk to an attorney or housing counselor. Only the plaintiff's attorney, the sheriff or the court can confirm a sale is postponed or stopped.
What is the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program?
It is a Court of Common Pleas program adopted in 2008. For owner-occupied residential cases, the court issues an order that prevents the plaintiff from entering judgment until the conciliation conferences conclude. Conferences are held Thursdays in Courtroom 676 at City Hall, at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
How are Philadelphia sheriff sales held?
Through the Sheriff's Office online, using Bid4Assets. The office handles both mortgage foreclosure and tax delinquent sales, each with its own conditions of sale. The Real Estate line is 215-686-3565.
What is an Act 91 notice?
It is the notice a lender sends to start the Homeowners' Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) process. PHFA says that if you apply within 33 days of the notice date, the lender can take no further action while the application is handled. You must be an owner-occupant, and PHFA reviews your situation.
Does Kaizen buy houses in foreclosure in Philadelphia?
Kaizen makes as-is cash offers and can close in 14 to 30 days or on your date, with no repairs and no agent commission. Whether a sale can finish before a sheriff sale depends on your lender, the payoff and the court record, and we do not control those. Your attorney should confirm the plan.
Related Philadelphia pages
Sell your house fast in Philadelphia CountyHow to Sell an Inherited House in Philadelphia County (Probate Guide)Facing Foreclosure on a Philadelphia Home: Your OptionsWhat is an Act 91 notice in Pennsylvania and what should I do when I get one?How long does foreclosure take in Pennsylvania?How much notice do I get before a sheriff sale in Pennsylvania?Can I sell my house after a sheriff sale is scheduled in Pennsylvania?Can I stop a sheriff sale in Philadelphia?What is HEMAP and who qualifies in Pennsylvania?Facing Foreclosure in Delaware County, PA: Sheriff Sale GuideFacing Foreclosure in Montgomery County, PA: Online Sheriff Sale GuideFacing Foreclosure in Bucks County, PA: Sheriff Sale GuideFacing Foreclosure in Chester County, PA: Sheriff Sale Guide
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm details with the office or a professional.
- Foreclosure and sheriff sales (City of Philadelphia, undated page)
- Sheriff and lien sales (City of Philadelphia, undated page)
- Sheriff's Office real estate sales (Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, page lists a 2025 postponement order)
- Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program (First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, undated page)
- Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program (Philadelphia Legal Assistance, undated page)
- Foreclosure: Act 91 Notice and HEMAP (Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, undated page)
- County market notes (Philadelphia County) (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-07-15)
- Kaizen process steps (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-10-23)
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