Who runs each sale
Mortgage and other judgment sales are generally conducted by the county Sheriff. In several suburban counties, tax sales are run by the Tax Claim Bureau. Philadelphia handles delinquent tax collection through City processes and Sheriff sales.
Different rules
Notice requirements, redemption rights and timelines differ. A rule you read about for one may not apply to the other. We do not generalize redemption rights.
Other judgments
Creditors with other court judgments can sometimes force a sale. Those also have their own process.
Surplus differs too
Whether money remains after a sale, and who is entitled, depends on the sale type and court process. Rule 3136 addresses distribution after sheriff sales; tax-sale distributions follow tax-sale law.
How to find out which you face
Read the notice: it names the office and the reason. Call that office to confirm status.
Why mixing the rules is risky
Homeowners sometimes read about a program or right that applies to mortgage foreclosures and assume it covers a tax sale, or the reverse. County mortgage diversion programs, for example, are built around mortgage complaints. Acting on the wrong rules can cost time you may not have. Confirm which sale type you face first, and ask legal aid or a lawyer what applies.
| Question | Mortgage foreclosure sale | Tax sale |
|---|---|---|
| Triggered by | Lender's court case | Unpaid property taxes |
| Typical office | Sheriff | Tax Claim Bureau (suburbs) / City processes |
| Rules | Civil procedure, foreclosure law | Tax-sale law |
| Assume same rules? | No | No |
