Foreclosures in Pennsylvania

Foreclosure Review

• Mortgages are the only form of security instrument recognized in Pennsylvania.
• Mortgages must be foreclosed judicially.
• Judicial foreclosure of mortgages in Pennsylvania differs in several ways from judicial foreclosure in other states.
• Review of a judicial foreclosure requires review of the docket of the foreclosure action and some of the filings. Key documents are:
  • The court docket
  • The Complaint and any amended complaints
  • Any Sheriff returns of service
  • The Judgment of Foreclosure
  • The Writ of Execution
  • The 3129 Affidavit and any supplements thereto
  • NOTE: This list does not cover all of the requirements to ensure a valid foreclosure, but the basics that should be reviewed by a title examiner.
• Foreclosure is commenced with a Complaint filed at the county level in the Court of Common Pleas.
  • The Complaint must name as party defendants any parties who signed the mortgage as mortgagors and the record or real owners of the property. If the mortgagor is deceased, the personal representative, heir or devisee of the deceased party must be named. A mortgagor that is no longer a record owner may be left out as a defendant if the appropriate language is included in the Complaint releasing such person from liability. See Pa. Rule of Civil Procedure 1144.
  • The Complaint must name the IRS/USA or any branch of the federal government required to be named as a party defendant per federal law.
  • Other junior lien holders do not need to be named as party defendants but must be served with notice of the foreclosure and sale (see below).
  • Senior liens cannot be discharged in a foreclosure.
• Note that no Lis Pendens document is filed in the public records for a foreclosure even though it is commonly done with other lawsuits affecting real property in Pennsylvania. Any Lis Pendens filed in a foreclosure action will not have any effect on third parties.
  • Liens filed by other junior lien holders after the Complaint will still attach to the property.
  • Foreclosure attorneys will need to obtain updated foreclosure searches in order to serve additional parties until the Writ of Execution is filed in the case.
  • Once the Writ of Execution has been filed, any junior lien holders filing after that date are not entitled to service of any notices.
• Initial service on any party defendants must be done personally unless otherwise allowed by the rules of civil procedure.
  • Typically initial service will be done by the county Sheriff.
  • Service can be verified by reviewing the docket, or, if the docket is not clear, by reviewing the completed writs of service in the case file.
  • Once initial service has occurred, service of notices is done on party defendants by certified mail and posting the property.
• Service on any junior lien holders who are not party defendants must be by certified mail.
  • Service is typically handled by the foreclosure attorney.
  • Service can be verified by reviewing the 3129 Affidavit filed by the foreclosure attorney which usually includes copies of the certified mail receipts.
  • There may be multiple 3129 Affidavits in each case file due to junior liens being filed against the property prior to the Writ of Execution (see above).
• Failure to name and serve any party defendants may invalidate the foreclosure.
• Failure to serve any junior lien holders will result in their liens surviving the foreclosure.
• NOTE ON 3129 AFFIDAVITS: The Rules of Civil Procedure require notice on all junior lien holders including for liens that cannot be discharged by foreclosure such as real property taxes. As a result, the 3129 Affidavit must show service on these parties. Do not assume that because a party was given service in the foreclosure that the lien will be discharged at the conclusion of the foreclosure. Also, in an abundance caution, many foreclosure firms will name all governmental and other entities that could potentially have liens on the property even if no liens are found in a title search. Do no be surprised to find service on several branches of state and local government that do not have any liens of record.
• Once a Judgment of Foreclosure has been entered by the court, a Writ of Execution can be issued.
• Once the Writ of Execution has been issued, the property can be schedule for Sheriff Sale.
• Properties are sold publicly at Sheriff Sale in the county courthouse each month. Anyone may bid including the "attorney on the writ" who represents the foreclosing lender.
• There is no right of redemption in any parties once the sale has been completed except for those given for federal liens.
• Once the sale is finalized, the Sheriff's office will prepare a deed, sometimes called a "Deed Poll" to convey the property to the winning bidder.
• Title becomes vested in the purchaser at the foreclosure sale when the Sheriff's Deed is recorded. This may take several months in some counties.
• Actions to eject holdover tenants including the foreclosed borrowers must be pursued in a separate action from the foreclosure. The civil court records in the Prothonotary or its equivalent must be checked even after foreclosure has been completed to ensure that there are no pending ejectment actions.

COVID-19 Moratoria

Local

Delaware County

By various Emergency Court Orders, all Sheriff's Sales were postponed from March 20, 2020 until April 16, 2021. New Notice under 3129.2 was specifically NOT required.

Philadelphia County

By administrative Orders, in residential mortgage foreclosure actions, where the Sheriff's Sale was originally scheduled between March 17, 2020 and August 31, 2021, a special Motion must be filed to obtain Court permission to proceed to sale after September 1, 2021. The Motion should set forth the basis why the Property does not fall under a moratorium. The Motion and Order should be reviewed. Ostensibly, sales originally scheduled for after September 1, 2021 (or sales that were stayed and then re-scheduled after September 1, 2021 by filing of a new Writ of Execution) were not subject to this procedure, but the action may otherwise violate a local, state, or federal moratoria (such as the filing of the Complaint or entry of Judgment).