Facing Foreclosure · Bethlehem, PA

Selling a House Facing Foreclosure in Bethlehem

Foreclosure feels sudden even when the missed payments built up for months. For a Bethlehem homeowner the key early document is the Act 91 notice. It points to state help and starts a 33-day clock for applying. If the case moves on, Northampton County sells properties at the courthouse in Easton under terms the county posts online.

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Modest New Jersey split-level during a mortgage foreclosure

A Kaizen Home Buyers offer is cash for the house as-is, with nothing to fix and no commission to an agent. Expect an offer inside 24 hours. Closing takes 14 to 30 days, or waits for a date you set. When a house has equity, selling before the auction can keep that equity with you. A housing counselor or attorney should look at your options in parallel.

What’s different in Bethlehem

What a Northampton sale looks like

The county says all sheriff sales begin at 10 a.m. in County Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of the courthouse. Bids rise in steps of at least $1,000. A buyer either pays in full at the end of the sale or leaves a deposit of 10 percent of the bid or the Sheriff's costs, whichever is higher, with the balance due by the 21st calendar day. The county also says the buyer takes the property as is, subject to liens the sale does not discharge. The county says a buyer at a judicial sale takes only the title there is to sell. That is a reason to ask a lawyer what liens sit on your house before you decide how to proceed, since a sale you arrange may have to clear them.

Where to ask questions

The Sheriff's office is at 669 Washington Street, Easton, and lists 610.829.6500 and weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. When the county's date page was reviewed on October 24, 2026, it showed no sales matching its filters, so do not assume a date from memory. Ask the office or your lawyer for the current listing, and write down the docket number and the plaintiff's attorney. Write down the Sheriff's Office number and call after you are told a date, because the county page showed no sales when it was reviewed. Keep the attorney's name and your docket number nearby when you call, so the office can find your file quickly.

State help before the sale

PHFA says that applying within 33 days of the Act 91 notice date stops the lender from further action while the application is handled. Free counseling is available to Pennsylvania residents at 1.855.827.3466. After meeting a counselor you have 30 days to submit, and PHFA has up to 60 days to decide. The home must be owner-occupied and the delinquency must come from circumstances beyond your control. If a counselor tells you HEMAP does not fit your situation, ask what else is available. Selling the house is one of several paths, and a counselor can compare it with a loan workout using your actual payoff and your actual numbers.

Checklist before you sell

  • The Act 91 notice, the complaint and every letter from the lender or its law firm
  • Docket number, plaintiff's attorney and the sale date, if one is set
  • A written payoff with a line-by-line breakdown
  • Recent mortgage statements and proof of income changes
  • Tax and utility bills for the address
  • A note on repairs the house needs, such as roof, heater or water in the basement
  • Names of a housing counselor and an attorney you plan to call

How Kaizen can help

Send us the address and the sale date, if you have one. Our Bethlehem record flags aging systems in older homes, so we ask about them. We price the house as it stands, with no repairs on your side. Lay that number next to your payoff to see whether you walk away with money, owe a shortfall or still need your lender's approval.

Signing a contract with us does not postpone a sheriff sale. The plaintiff's attorney or the court has to do that, and you should get it in writing. We can choose a closing date that leaves room before the sale when the title work allows. Call or text Kaizen Home Buyers at 267-329-0084.

Facing Foreclosure in Bethlehem: questions

Is there a program that can stop the case?

PHFA describes a Residential Mortgage Diversion Program for owner-occupied homes, but its page does not say which counties take part now. Ask your attorney whether Northampton County does. PHFA lists 1-800-635-4747 for questions.

Can I sell while the foreclosure is pending?

Often yes if the lender is paid at closing. Ask the attorney and the title company how the payoff is requested and documented.

What happens to liens at a sheriff sale?

The county says a buyer takes the property as is and subject to liens that are not discharged. That is a reason to get a lawyer to review the title.

Where can I get free legal help?

The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network publishes a guide to preventing mortgage foreclosure and points to local help. Start there if you cannot afford a lawyer.

Keep reading

We buy houses in BethlehemFacing Foreclosure: full guideHow to Sell an Inherited House in Northampton County (Probate Guide)Facing Foreclosure in Northampton County, PA: Sheriff Sale GuideSelling an Inherited House in BethlehemSelling Your Bethlehem House Before a MoveSelling a Tired Rental Property in BethlehemFacing Foreclosure on a Philadelphia Home: Your OptionsFacing Foreclosure in Upper Darby: Your OptionsFacing Foreclosure in Chester, PA: Your OptionsFacing Foreclosure in Norristown: Your OptionsFacing Foreclosure in Abington Township: Your OptionsFacing Foreclosure in Plymouth Meeting: Your Options

Sources

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm details with the office or a professional.

  1. Foreclosure: Act 91 Notice and HEMAP (Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, undated page)
  2. Sheriff Sale Terms and Conditions (Northampton County, PA, current page, not dated)
  3. Kaizen process steps (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-10-23)
  4. For many struggling mortgage borrowers with home equity, selling their home could be an alternative to foreclosure (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, undated)
  5. Sheriff Sale Dates (Northampton County, PA, current page, not dated)
  6. City service-area content (Kaizen Home Buyers, 2026-06-30)
  7. Residential Mortgage Diversion Program (Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, 2026-10)
  8. Preventing Mortgage Foreclosure (Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PALawHELP), reviewed 2026-08-26)

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