What you’ll pay: the Sheriff’s terms, quoted
The Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale set the deposit, the buyer’s premium and the payment deadlines. Here they are word for word. We don’t add them up: what you pay depends on the kind of sale, the property and your bid, and the Sheriff’s current page is what counts.
Read the current Conditions of Sale yourself before you bid. The Sheriff’s own pages have differed on the deposit (see where they differ), and the terms can change.
Tax sales
From the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, a page marked “EFF 4/9/2021”. They cover tax delinquent and tax lien sales.
The deposit
“All bidders must complete the Bid4Assets online registration process to participate in the auction (“Auction”). All bidders must submit a One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) deposit (“Deposit”) plus a Thirty-Five Dollars ($35.00) processing fee to Bid4Assets before the start of the Auction. Such single Deposit shall be associated with the Auction held as of this date (“Auction Date”) and shall allow a bidder to bid on all of the properties that are listed on the Auction Date.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 3. As read on October 12, 2026.
Opening bid, down payment, buyer’s premium and balance
“The opening bid for all tax delinquent properties will be One Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($1,600.00). The opening bid for tax lien auctions will vary (see auctions for details). By close of business the day after the auction, the purchaser is responsible for 10% of the purchase price for each property purchased or $600 whichever is greater. Plus a buyer’s premium of 10% of the total purchase price of each property purchased. The purchaser shall pay the balance of 90% of the purchase price for each property purchased plus a $35 processing fee by 5:00 PM EST on the fifteenth (15th) calendar day following the Auction Date unless that day falls on a holiday or weekend day, then the balance is due on the next business day by 5:00 PM EST. Payments are due as stated above, NO EXTENSIONS AND NO EXCEPTIONS.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 5. As read on October 12, 2026.
If a payment is missed
“Failure to comply with the Conditions of Sale including, but not limited to, the failure to pay the remaining balance by any due date (the 10% down payment due date is the day following the auction; the 90% balance due date is 15 days after the auction date) and complying with all post-sale instructions required by the Sheriff and Bid4Assets, shall result in a default (“Default”) and the down payment shall be forfeited by the bidder.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 6. As read on October 12, 2026.
Costs after the sale
“The highest bidder shall be responsible for any and all post-sale costs that are imposed by law, which are incurred by the Sheriff. Please be advised that Realty Transfer Taxes have been calculated and included in the bid amount.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 7. As read on October 12, 2026.
Certificate of compliance
“The winning bidder must file a certificate of compliance with the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office. If the Sheriff’s grantee is to be anyone other than the winning bidder registered with Bid4Assets, a notarized written assignment must be filed with the Sheriff’s Office of Philadelphia. Both the bidder and the assignee must file a certificate of compliance with the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office. Failure of either the bidder or the assignee to obtain a certificate of compliance will be treated as a failure to meet the conditions of sale and result in the forfeiture of the 10% deposit.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 14. As read on October 12, 2026.
Mortgage foreclosure sales
From the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, a page marked “Last Updated 3/30/2021”.
The deposit
“All bidders must complete the Bid4Assets on-line registration process to participate in the auction (“Auction”). All bidders must submit a Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) deposit (“Deposit”) plus a Thirty-Five Dollars ($35.00) non-refundable processing fee to Bid4Assets before the start of the Auction. Such single Deposit shall be associated with the Auction held as of this date (“Auction Date”) and shall allow a bidder to bid on all of the properties that are listed on the Auction Date. The Deposit will be applied to the 10% down payment required for all purchased properties. If the Deposit exceeds the 10% down payment required for all purchased properties, the excess will be applied towards the total balance due. If the 10% down payment required for all purchased properties is greater than the $10,000.00 Deposit, the balance due to reach the 10% down payment amount is due by 5:00PM on the next business day after the auction date.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, paragraph 3. As read on October 12, 2026.
The reserve price
“The plaintiff’s attorney shall submit the plaintiff’s upset price (“Upset Price”) to Bid4Assets, via the attorney online portal, at least one (1) hour prior to the start of the Auction. The Upset Price is the least amount the plaintiff will accept for a property. The Sheriff’s costs will be added to the Upset Price to determine the reserve price for the auction. The reserve price is the minimum dollar amount the Sheriff will accept for the sale to go to a third-party bidder. Bidders will not know what the reserve price is, but they will see when the reserve price has been met.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, paragraph 5. As read on October 12, 2026.
Down payment, buyer’s premium and balance
“If the reserve price is met, the highest bidder shall be the purchaser. By close of business the next business day after the auction, the purchaser is responsible for 10% of the purchase price for each property purchased plus a buyer’s premium of 1.5% of the total purchase price of each property purchased. The purchaser shall pay the balance of 90% of the purchase price for each property purchased plus a $35 processing fee by 5:00PM EST on the fifteenth (15th) calendar day following the Auction Date unless that day falls on a holiday or weekend day, then the balance is due on the next business day by 5:00PM EST.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, paragraph 7. As read on October 12, 2026.
If a payment is missed
“Failure to comply with the Conditions of Sale including, but not limited to, the failure to pay the remaining balance by any due date (the 10% down payment due date is the day following the auction; the 90% balance due date is 15 days after the auction date) and complying with all post-sale instructions required by the Sheriff and Bid4Assets, shall result in a default (“Default”) and the down payment shall be forfeited by the bidder.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, paragraph 8. As read on October 12, 2026.
Costs after the sale
“The highest bidder shall be responsible for any and all post-sale costs that are imposed by law, which are incurred by the Sheriff. Please be advised that the Realty Transfer Taxes have been calculated and included in the bid amounts.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Mortgage Foreclosure Conditions of Sale, paragraph 9. As read on October 12, 2026.
Where the Sheriff’s pages differ
The Conditions of Sale and the Sheriff’s FAQ don’t give the same deadline for the deposit. The Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales:
“All bidders must submit a One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) deposit (“Deposit”) plus a Thirty-Five Dollars ($35.00) processing fee to Bid4Assets before the start of the Auction.”
Source: the Sheriff’s Conditions of Sale for Tax Sales, paragraph 3. As read on October 12, 2026.
The FAQ:
“Submit a single deposit via certified funds by wire transfer or certified check at least one week before the bidding opens for the auction.”
Source: the Sheriff’s FAQ about online sheriff sales. As read on October 12, 2026.
The FAQ also describes the tax-sale down payment more briefly than paragraph 5 above:
“Buyers must pay the balance of 10% of the purchase price plus a 10% buyer’s premium (on the total purchase price) by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the first business day following the auction.”
Source: the Sheriff’s FAQ about online sheriff sales. As read on October 12, 2026.
When two official pages differ, ask the Sheriff’s Office or Bid4Assets which applies to your sale, and read the terms on that sale’s own Bid4Assets listing.
Not on this page
Taxes, water and other debts recorded against the property are a separate question from these payments. See Look up taxes and water and What survives the sale.