How it works
Each month the Allegheny County Sheriff publishes the properties that will be sold at the sheriff sale as one long PDF written in court shorthand. This site turns that list into something you can search and read.
What we do
- Download the sheriff's official list as soon as it changes.
- Add each property's details from Allegheny County records: bedrooms, bathrooms, size, year built, condition and past sales.
- Translate the court notes we understand well into plain English, such as bankruptcy filings, earlier sales that fell through, and how long a sale has been delayed.
We never publish owners' or defendants' names, or the raw court notes. Each property page links to the official list for the full details.
How the sheriff sale works
- Monthly and online. Sales are held monthly by video conference or live stream. You must register on the sheriff's website at least 7 days before the sale.
- Paying. The winning bidder pays in cash, certified check or cashier's check: either the full amount at the sale, or a 10% deposit (at least $75) the next day and the rest by the following Monday at 10 AM. Miss the deposit and you are banned from future sales. Miss the balance and the property is resold, and the money you paid can be kept to cover the shortfall. Source: sheriff's sale notice, January 2026.
- The deed. About 30 days after the sale, once everything is paid, the sheriff prepares a sheriff's deed. Source: Sheriff's Office.
- As-is. There is no inspection, and some debts on a property may survive the sale. Get a title search before you bid.
Words you'll see
- Tax lien sale
- The owner owes property taxes. A town, school district or the county is forcing the sale to collect them. On the official list this is called "Sci Fa Sur Tax Lien".
- Mortgage foreclosure
- The owner stopped paying the mortgage, and the lender is forcing the sale.
- Plaintiff
- Whoever is forcing the sale: a lender, a town or a school district.
- Cost & tax bid
- The amount the sheriff lists for costs and taxes. The opening bid is announced at the sale by the plaintiff's attorney and can be higher.
- Stayed / on hold
- The sale has been paused, often because of a bankruptcy filing or a court order.
- Postponed
- Moved to a later sale date. Many properties are postponed again and again.
- Money Made
- The amount owed was paid, so the property will most likely not be sold.
- Forfeited
- The winning bidder didn't finish paying. The property goes back to a later sale. Worth asking why.
- Homestead exemption
- A tax break for owners who live in the home. If it's on file, someone probably lives there.
- County assessed value
- The county's value for tax purposes, based on 2012 prices. Usually well below today's market value.
Where the data comes from
The sale list comes from the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office. Property details come from Allegheny County property assessments, published as open data by the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center. The current list was printed Oct 6, 2026, 12:19 PM and checked Oct 15, 2026.
Public records contain mistakes, and the sheriff's list changes up to the morning of the sale. Always confirm with the official list and the plaintiff's attorney before bidding.