Sheriff Sales & Foreclosure AuctionsHow Deal Check works
Deal Check divides a price by an official value:
- Ohio: the published minimum/opening bid ÷ the county auditor market value (or, if we have not matched the auditor record, the sheriff's court-ordered appraisal). Ohio law (ORC 2329.20) usually sets the first-sale minimum at two-thirds of the appraisal, so many first sales grade Fair.
- New Jersey: no opening bid is published, so we use the approximate amount owed to the lender (judgment/upset) ÷ the town's net assessed value from the state MOD-IV tax list. Towns assess at different ratios, so treat it as a rough guide.
- Kentucky: no opening bid is published, so we use the judgment amount the sale must raise (from the Master Commissioner's notice) ÷ the commissioner's court-ordered appraisal. If a sale brings under 2/3 of the appraisal, the owner can redeem within 6 months (KRS 426.530). Strong: 50% or less; Fair: up to 75%.
- Pennsylvania: the published minimum bid (Philadelphia tax sales) or, if none, the debt amount the Sheriff publishes ÷ an official value: the City of Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment (OPA) market value. Montgomery County assesses at 1996 base-year values, which are far below today's prices, and Lehigh County's assessment lookup is not open to automated use, so Montgomery and Lehigh listings show "Not enough data" (Montgomery's county record is still shown on each listing). Tax sales with no published minimum bid show "Not enough data", because the tax debt is usually far below what the home will sell for. The lender can bid up to what it is owed, so the final price may be higher.
Strong: 50% or less (Ohio) / 50% or less (PA) / 50% or less (NJ). Fair: up to 75% (Ohio) / 80% (PA) / 80% (NJ). PA uses the same limits as NJ because both compare a debt-type number to a tax value. Pass: above that.
A grade drops one step after 3 or more postponements. Not enough data means a number is missing, the official value is under $10,000, or the published price is under 5% of value (usually a placeholder).
Every listing shows its numbers, sources and "as of" dates in a "Why" list.
Not financial advice. Deal Check does not know the condition, occupancy, liens, title problems or back taxes. Inspect, run a title and lien search, and verify with the county before you bid.