If your home was sold at a Pennsylvania tax sale, the law may still give you time and a path to get it back — here’s how the redemption window works.
You’re not alone, and a tax sale doesn’t have to be the end of the story. If you’ve just found out your home was sold, or you’re worried it might be, take a breath first. There’s usually more time and more options here than most people realize.
We’ve been hearing a version of the same question a lot lately: “Can I still get my house back?” It usually comes up after someone searches “right of redemption Pennsylvania” late at night, trying to understand what just happened. Part of the confusion is that two very different processes get lumped together. A mortgage foreclosure sheriff’s sale happens when mortgage payments are missed. A tax sale (sometimes called an “upset sale”) happens when property taxes go unpaid. The rules — and your options afterward — are not the same, so knowing which one applies to you changes everything.
What “Right of Redemption” Actually Means
Redemption (a legal right to reclaim a property after it’s been sold, by paying what’s owed) generally applies to owner-occupied homes sold at a Pennsylvania tax sale — not to homes sold at a mortgage foreclosure sheriff’s sale. If your home was owner-occupied in the 90 days before the sale, Pennsylvania law typically gives you a window — often around nine months from the sale date — to pay the back taxes, interest, and costs, and get your home back.
If your sale was a mortgage foreclosure sheriff’s sale rather than a tax sale, redemption usually isn’t available the same way. That’s exactly why the first step is confirming which kind of sale happened to you, not assuming the worst.
What To Do Next
- Confirm which sale type applies to you. Your county Tax Claim Bureau (in counties like Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester) or, in Philadelphia, the Sheriff’s Office and Department of Revenue, can tell you exactly what kind of sale occurred and what deadline applies.
- Get the exact numbers in writing. Ask for a payoff amount — taxes, interest, and costs — so you know precisely what redeeming would take.
- Act before the window closes. Redemption periods are fixed by law and generally don’t extend for hardship, so timing matters more than almost anything else here.
- Confirm your specific rights with someone qualified. This is general, educational information, not legal advice — a housing counselor or legal aid attorney can confirm exactly how the law applies to your situation.
Free Resources First
- The PA Legal Aid Network can connect you with a free attorney to confirm your redemption rights and deadline.
- HUD-approved housing counselors (find one through PHFA) can walk through your full range of options with you, at no cost.
- United Way 211 can point you toward local emergency and housing assistance across Pennsylvania.
A Partner We Trust
If redemption is an option and you need help pulling together the funds, or you’re exploring refinancing once you’re back on stable footing, we can introduce you to a lending partner we trust. It’s optional, no-pressure, and only worth exploring if it genuinely fits your situation.
You’re Not Out of Options
Whether redemption applies to you or not, there’s almost always more than one way forward — including options for homeowners who ultimately decide selling makes the most sense. Hablamos español; call or text and we’ll walk through it with you in the language that’s easiest.
Schedule your free, pressure-free Strategy Session at WayOutNow.com.
