About Sheriff's Sales

In compliance with the August 28, 2025 order in MER-C-94-24, the right of refusal for the Community Wealth Preservation Program will be extended only to defendants, next-of-kin, or tenants. To register for this program (CWPP), please contact our office via email for more details.

What is a Sheriff's Sale?
A sheriff’s sale is a public auction of real property which takes place at the end of the foreclosure process.
A foreclosure occurs when payments have not been made on a mortgaged property. As a result, the lender files suit in Superior Court to terminate the property owner’s rights of possession so that the lender may sell the property to recover its loss. If the lender prevails, the court then directs the sheriff to schedule the property for sale. 

When and Where
Sheriff's Sales are held every other Wednesday (excluding holidays) promptly at 2:00 p.m., with Bidder Check-In at 1:45 p.m. Sheriff's Sales are conducted in the Ceremonial Courtroom located on the 2nd floor at 1 N. Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. A complete schedule of this year's sales can be found here.

Bidding & Bidder Instructions
To be eligible to bid at a Sheriff's Sale, you must complete a Bidder Registration Form and submit to our office via email by 12:00 noon on the Tuesday prior to the Sale Day. One completed form will be applicable for the entirety of the 2026 year. We will not accept Bidder Registration Forms on the day of or at Sheriff's Sales. You will receive an email confirmation once your form is submitted and will be added to our bi-weekly email list. You will then receive an email on the Sale Day around 12:00 noon with the most recent upset prices and properties that are scheduled for sale. Please refrain from calling our office on the Sale Day for updates. Bidders may also click on the Search Sheriff’s Sales link in the left-hand menu bar and click “VIEW DETAILS” next to the individual properties to find specific information pertaining to the property of interest.
 
General Information You Need to Know
Sheriff's Sales are not for the inexperienced. 
Prospective purchasers/bidders should familiarize themselves with the sales process and seek legal advice prior to bidding.

• Foreclosure sales are for real property only; the Sheriff’s Office does not know what structures, if any, are on the property.
• Up until the sale actually takes place, the defendant (owner) is entitled to his privacy therefore, prospective purchasers will not be able to enter or inspect any buildings that may be located on the property to be sold.
• The owner has no legal obligation to allow anyone to examine the property prior to the sale and may not take kindly to uninvited visitors.
• The Sheriff’s Office does not know the conditions of the titles or tax information.
• It is strongly recommended that potential bidders determine if any prior liens exist, via use of a title search, since payment of same will be the responsibility of the purchaser. Some liens must be paid no matter when filed, such as tax liens, sewer and water liens, etc.
• The status of a property may change at any time, even after a sale has occurred, by court order.

How the Sales Work
Our Standard Conditions are applicable to all Sheriff’s Sales. Please familiarize yourself with these conditions prior to completing a Bidder Registration Form.

• Sales of real property are “open type” auctions (no sealed bids).
• A minimum bid of $100.00 is required.
• The property is sold to the highest bidder.
• The successful bidder must pay a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the total bid price at the time of the sale. This is called a bid deposit.
• The bid deposit must be paid by cash, certified check or Treasurer’s/Bank/Cashier’s check.
• As there is no guarantee you will win the bid, checks should be made payable to yourself. If you win the bid, you will endorse the check and sign it over to the Sheriff of Gloucester County.
• If the full bid deposit is not given at the time of the sale, an announcement voiding the sale will be made at the sheriff’s sale and we will immediately proceed to sell the property again.
• The purchaser will receive a Sheriff’s Deed after full payment is finalized. Any deed or post-sale questions may be directed via email.
• The deed may not give clear title to the property. In order to obtain a clear title, all liens, taxes or encumbrances must be satisfied. This is why we recommend a title search be performed beforehand.
• It is the sole responsibility of the purchaser to record the deed and pay the applicable fees in the Gloucester County Clerk’s Office.

Notice of Sales/Advertisements
All Sheriff's Sales for real property are advertised weekly in the legal section of The Sentinel for four consecutive weeks prior to the initial date of sale. Sales are also advertised for four consecutive weeks in a second online newspaper that serves the area in which the subject property is located. 
Effective March 2026, pursuant to NJ Senate Bill S4654, all advertisements may be viewed on this website and also on the Secretary of State's Legal Notices page.

Adjournment Information
Defendants are entitled to two (2) adjournments per foreclosure docket. Adjournment requests may be made to our office in-person by completing the following form (Defendant Adjournment Form) and remitting payment of $28 per adjournment in exact change or money order. Personal checks are not accepted. The Defendant will receive written confirmation of the adjournment request which will include a new Sale Date.

The Plaintiff is also entitled to two (2) adjournments.

Are you a homeowner facing foreclosure?
Help is available to homeowners through New Jersey’s free Foreclosure Mediation Program. This program aims to assist homeowners avoid foreclosure by proposing workout and payment arrangements that balance the interests of the borrower and lender. You may apply for this program online or by calling 1-888-989-5277

Your Rights
A homeowner may, at any time prior to the sale, try to save his home or property interest in several ways. The homeowner may try to reinstate the delinquent amount owed, pay the judgment in full, obtain another loan, etc. That information can be obtained by contacting the Plaintiff or their attorney.

• A homeowner may request an adjournment as outlined above.
• A homeowner has a ten-day period after the sale during which time he/she may redeem the property. Redemptions may be extended only as a result of a court order.
• A property is not considered transferred until the deed has been fully executed and delivered to the winning bidder. The homeowner has the legal right to redeem their property within a 10-day redemption period after the Sheriff’s Sale has been conducted.
• Until that time, the property remains private, regardless of whether it appears to be occupied or vacant. Winning bidders do not have any legal right to access the property until they have received the executed deed AND obtained a signed and executed Writ of Possession through the court system.
• Tenant’s Rights Information can be found here.
• Foreclosure Scam Information can be found here.
• Surplus Funds Information can be found here.