SHERIFF SALES

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF SHERIFF SALES:

1. TAX SALES: PROPERTIES ARE BEING SOLD FOR NONPAYMENT OF COUNTY TAXES AND OR COUNTY WATER & SEWER FEES FOR NO LESS THAN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THESE SALES ARE HELD APPROXIMATELY EVERY THREE MONTHS. THESE SALES ARE HELD AT THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX, 555 BAY RD. DOVER, DE  ROOM 203.

2. CITY OR TOWN TAX SALES: PROPERTIES ARE BEING SOLD FOR NON- PAYMENT OF TOWN TAXES. ALL PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED WITHIN A TOWN OR CITY LIMITS AND TAXES HAVE NOT BEEN PAID FOR NO LESS THAN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THESE SALES ARE ALSO HELD AT THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX, 555 BAY RD. DOVER, DE  ROOM 203.

PLEASE DO YOUR OWN LEG WORK, AS TO RESEARCHING THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO HIDDEN LIENS THAT YOU WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IF YOU ARE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

THESE SALES ARE VERBAL BIDDING, PROPERTY GOING TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. NO MATTER WHAT IS OWED IN TAXES, THE PROPERTY IS GOING TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE BID IS DUE THE DAY OF THE SALE. CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK AND CASHIER’S CHECK IS THE ONLY FORM OF PAYMENT THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED. YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COUPLE OF HOURS TO GO TO THE BANK TO SECURE FUNDS. THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE PROPERTY HAS APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS TO PAY THEIR DELINQUENT TAXES PLUS 15% OF THE HIGHEST BID TO REDEEM THEIR PROPERTY. IF FOR SOME REASON THE SALE IS OVERTURNED BY THE COURT, THE HIGHEST BIDDER WILL ONLY RECEIVE BACK THEIR BID, BUT NO 15%. WITHIN THIS 60 DAY PERIOD, YOU WILL ONLY HEAR FROM THIS OFFICE IF THE PROPERTY IS REDEEMED OR IF THE SALE HAS BEEN OVERTURNED BY THE COURT. IF YOU DO NOT HEAR FROM THIS OFFICE, PROCEED TO YOUR ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO HAVE YOUR DEED PREPARED. YOUR DEED WILL BE SENT OVER TO THIS OFFICE FOR THE SHERIFF’S SIGNATURE. AT THIS TIME A CHECK WILL BE MADE OUT FOR OUR 1 1/2% OF THE TRANSFER FEE.
THE SIGNED DEED AND CHECKS WILL BE RETURNED TO YOUR ATTORNEY FOR RECORDING.

3. MORTGAGE FORECLOSURES: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURES ARE USUALLY HELD THE FIRST TUESDAY OR THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. PROPERTIES ARE BEING SOLD FOR NONPAYMENT OF MORTGAGE. THIS SALE IS ALSO VERBAL BIDDING. PROPERTY GOING TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY GIVES THE OPENING BID AND THE BIDDING STARTS FROM THERE. PRIOR TO THE SALE, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE BIDDING IS GOING TO START OR STOP. THERE IS NO REDEMPTION PERIOD FOR THIS TYPE OF SALE. IF YOU ARE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER, WE REQUIRE 20% OF YOUR BID PRICE THAT DAY. PAYMENT AGAIN IS CASH, CASHIER OR CERTIFIED CHECK. YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COUPLE OF HOURS TO GO TO THE BANK TO SECURE FUNDS. THE BALANCE OF YOUR BID IS DUE IN APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS, IN THE SAME TYPE OF FORM. AFTER THE SALE IS CONFIRMED BY SUPERIOR COURT, YOU THEN GO TO YOUR ATTORNEY TO HAVE A DEED DRAWN UP. THE DEED IS SENT TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO BE SIGNED BY THE SHERIFF, AT WHICH TIME A CHECK IS CUT FOR 1 1/2% OF THE TRANSFER FEE. THE DEED ALONG WITH THE CHECK FOR THE TRANSFER FEE IS RETURNED TO YOUR ATTORNEY TO BE RECORDED. IF FOR SOME REASON THE SALE IS NOT CONFIRMED BY THE COURT, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED. THIS TYPE OF SALE IS ALSO HELD AT THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX, 555 BAY RD. DOVER, DE  ROOM 203.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU, THE BUYER, TO RESEARCH THESE PROPERTIES AS TO WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OTHER MORTGAGES OR LIENS AGAINST THE PROPERTY THAT YOU COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IF YOU ARE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER. THIS OFFICE DOES NOT GUARANTEE CLEAR TITLES.

RESEARCH CAN BE DONE AT THE RECORDER OF DEEDS OFFICE, WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE KENT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX, 555 BAY ROAD., DOVER, DE.  ALSO AT THE PROTHONOTARY’S OFFICE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE COURTHOUSE AT 38 THE GREEN, DOVER, DE.

IF YOU PAY YOUR 20% ON THE DAY OF SALE, AND DO NOT COME BACK WITH THE BALANCE OF THE MONIES ON THE ASSIGNED DATE, YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR 20% DOWN PAYMENT. IF YOU ARE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER AND YOU DO NOT COME BACK WITH THE 20% DOWN PAYMENT, OR YOU FOR SOME REASON CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT PURCHASING THE PROPERTY, YOU WILL BE BARRED FROM ALL FUTURE SALES.

ALL SALES ARE ADVERTISED IN THE DOVER POST AND THE DELAWARE STATE NEWS ON WEDNESDAYS. WE HAVE SALE PACKETS IN THIS OFFICE FOR THE PUBLIC TO PICK UP. THERE IS ALSO A COUNTY WEB SITE, WHERE SALES ARE LISTED. WWW.CO.KENT.DE.US

AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2003, A $2,000 CERTIFIED CHECK IS REQUIRED AT THE TIME YOUR WINNING BID IS ACCEPTED. THE BALANCE OF YOUR 20% MAY BE PAID WITH A PERSONAL CHECK.