Purchasing Property in a Judicial Sale

1. Know what you are buying. THERE ARE NO REFUNDS!
2. You must do your own research using the information available to the public in the offices throughout the Westmoreland County Courthouse. The Sale date and time are noted on the top of the Sale List, Check the heading of each sale list for the location.
3. All prospective bidders must pre-register as per Act 33 with the Tax Claim Bureau at least 10 days prior to the sale.  If you have not pre-registered, you will not be permitted to bid.  View additional information regarding Pre-Registration.
4. All properties are sold Free & Clear of all property taxes, liens, mortgages, or judgments however properties may not be cleared from any U.S. government liens filed against the property.
5. This is an open auction. Property will be sold to the highest bidder. Starting bids are determined by what the Tax Claim Bureau accrued in costs, to prepare properties for sale and the costs of recording the deed, (recording fee $109.25 plus 2 percent Transfer tax which is based on the assessed value) . Also, a $25.00 fee will be added to the final bid for deed preparation. The FULL AMOUNT OF BID will be due immediately after the sale.
6. All unsold property will be placed in a Repository File (these are properties that will no longer be taxable until someone purchases them). There is a list of all properties in Repository.
7. We make all efforts to notify all lien holders of Judicial Sales. However, if a creditor or lien holder does not get notice properly they may be able to maintain that lien even after the sale.
8. The Judicial Sale List will give you the current owner’s name, case number and map number. All properties are identified with a map number in the Tax Office. The first set of numbers of the map number indicates the district the property is located in. The next 2 sets of numbers refers to the pages of the maps in the Tax Mapping Office, the last set of 3 numbers of the 10 digit map number is the parcel number which is circled on the tax maps. The 99# past the first 10 numbers indicates a Mobile Home only, there is no ground with this property. A 90# past the first 10 numbers indicates Coal rights under the surface only.
9. The Land Bank Statute was enacted by the legislature of Pennsylvania providing language that allows the Land Bank to purchase property at a price agreed by the three taxing bodies. Those Agreements were given to the Tax Claim Bureau Director and are on file in the office. If you have any questions, you may contact the Land Bank Solicitor, Eric Bononi.
10. MUST BE PRESENT DAY OF SALE TO BUY PROPERTY!