Investing guides / Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania tax sale investing: buy the property itself at the county sale

Quick answerPennsylvania sells tax deeds for unpaid property taxes. Redemption: No post-sale redemption after an upset or judicial sale under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law (72 P.S. § 5860.607(g)) in the 65 counties that use it. Exception: in counties/cities proceeding under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law (notably Philadelphia and Allegheny County), the owner may redeem within 9 months of acknowledgment of the sheriff's deed (3 months in second-class counties for certain sales) Sales: Upset sale annually in the statutory September window (no earlier than the second Monday in September, 72 P.S. § 5860.601; e.g. Erie County Sept. 28, 2026), followed by judicial sales and repository sales later in the year Governing law: Real Estate Tax Sale Law, 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.; Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq. (Philadelphia, Allegheny County and electing jurisdictions).

How it works in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania the county sells the property itself at a tax deed auction. Win the bid and the deed is yours — along with the due diligence burden, because sales are as-is and buyer beware.

Interest / penalty: n/a — under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law no lien certificate is sold and no post-sale redemption interest is paid to the buyer; in Philadelphia/Allegheny-type proceedings under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, a redeeming owner pays interest at 10% per year (53 P.S. § 7293)

Redemption: No post-sale redemption after an upset or judicial sale under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law (72 P.S. § 5860.607(g)) in the 65 counties that use it. Exception: in counties/cities proceeding under the Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law (notably Philadelphia and Allegheny County), the owner may redeem within 9 months of acknowledgment of the sheriff's deed (3 months in second-class counties for certain sales)

When sales happen: Upset sale annually in the statutory September window (no earlier than the second Monday in September, 72 P.S. § 5860.601; e.g. Erie County Sept. 28, 2026), followed by judicial sales and repository sales later in the year

Where sales run: GovEase (online — e.g. Bucks, Erie, Armstrong, York, Lawrence and Indiana counties), Bid4Assets (online — e.g. Cumberland, Fayette and Monroe counties), mostly in-person in counties that have not moved online

Governing law: Real Estate Tax Sale Law, 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.; Municipal Claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq. (Philadelphia, Allegheny County and electing jurisdictions)

The investor's edge

Your edge is the max bid: value the property from county records and recent sales, subtract title-clearing and repair reality, and write the number down before the auction opens.

Pennsylvania's two-law split is the trap: RETSL upset-sale deeds are sold subject to surviving mortgages and liens, judicial-sale deeds are sold free and clear, and neither carries a redemption period — while MCTLA sheriff sales do carry a 9-month redemption. Buyer-beware and strict-notice challenges (petition to set aside within 30 days of confirmation) are the main post-sale risks.

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Full legal reference: Pennsylvania tax sale laws. Verified 2026-10-30 against the sources on that page. Educational only, not investment advice.