In previous articles about Lancaster County sheriff sale notices, addresses of properties intended for sale have been listed as they are published in the form of legal notices in the publication of general circulation.

But what is the outcome of the individual property at or prior to the sale?

That information is posted at the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Website. The most recent sale was slated for September 28, 2011; click here to see the disposition of properties for that sale. Click here for the schedule of dates for filing, sale dates and continuance dates.

Several of the properties initially included in the September 28 sale were “continued” to a future date and some were accorded “writ stayed” status. And what does “Writ Stayed” mean?

Writ Stayed

When a writ, or specific written order, is stayed, the court has decided to stop a particular action, typically the foreclosure process as a whole. This often occurs when the court has initially agreed with the lender and given the writ for foreclosure, but the borrower produces new information regarding his loan. Sometimes the borrower finds money to pay the loan off, or wants to notify the court of illegal actions taken by the lender. In this case the court will often “stay” or pause a writ while the evidence is examined, in which case the property is not foreclosed until the court can make a decision.

Advantages and Considerations

If the court stays a writ of foreclosure, this is often good news for both the borrower and lender. It usually means that the issues have been resolved on both sides. However, borrowers should not depend on this sort of legal action to save their houses. The best time to stop a foreclosure process is before the lender brings the matter to court — when the lender is still willing to accept a loan restructuring or other options. Court fees and lost time make the legal process expensive, even if the writ is stayed.  (SOURCE: e-how.com)

The following LEGAL NOTICES were published in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal,/New Era on Friday, September 30, 2011:

• ATTENTION: KEVIN M. NOLL, 208 Poplar St., Columbia Borough, tax acct #110-73991-0-0000, YOUR PROPERTY IS ABOUT TO BE SOLD WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT FOR DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES. YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE SOLD FOR A SMALL FRACTION OF ITS FAIR MARKET VALUE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT YOU MUST DO IN ORDER TO SAVE YOUR PROPERTY FROM BEING SOLD, PLEASE CALL YOUR ATTORNEY, THE TAX CLAIM BUREAU AT (717) 299-8233, OR THE COUNTY LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE AT (717) 393-0737. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lancaster County Tax Claim Bureau will hold a Continued Tax Upset Sale on November 14, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. at the Lancaster County Government Center 150 N. Queen Street, 7th Floor Room 701 of your property to obtain the delinquent real estate taxes, costs and expenses on your property due the various taxing districts. The sale of any property may, at the option of the Bureau, be stayed if any owners or any lien creditor of the owner, on or before the date of the sale enters into a written agreement with the Bureau to pay 25% of the amount due on all tax claims and tax judgments plus interest to date and agreeing therein to pay the balance of said claims and judgments and interest and costs thereon in not more than three installments (the last installment to include all costs) all within one year of the date of said written agreement, in the manner provided by the Real Estate Tax Sale Law.
• NOTICE OF JUDICIAL TAX SALE TO OWNERS OF PROPERTIES DESCRIBED IN THIS NOTICE AND ALL OTHERS HAVING ANY CLAIMS, LIENS, JUDGMENTS, MORTGAGES, CHARGES AND EST-ATES OR ANY OTHER INTERESTS WHATSOEVER IN SUCH PROPERTIES: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE LANCASTER COUNTY TAX CLAIM BUREAU WILL HOLD A JUDICIAL TAX SALE ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2011 AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE LANCASTER COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, 150 N. QUEEN STREET, 7TH FLOOR ROOM 701, LANCASTER PA 17603 FOR THE COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT REAL ESTATE TAXES AS REQUIRED BY THE REAL ESTATE TAX SALE LAW (72 P.S. 5860.610 ET SEQ) OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES:

7. 29 North 4th St., Columbia Borough Owner: Doolittle Investments, LLC Tax Acct. #110-10169-0-0000 Docket #CI-11-03744. – 13. 441 Cherry St., Columbia Borough Owner: Hoffmaster, Thomas E. Tax Acct. #110-74860-0-0000 Docket #CI-11-04170. – 16. 844 Barber St.,Columbia Borough Owners: Knighton, Lee & Sylvia J. Tax Acct. #110-87948-0-0000 Docket #CI-11-04237. – 18. 1001 Plane St., Columbia Borough Owner: Kollmar-Kitch, Ursula C. Tax Acct. #110-82873-0-0000 Docket # CI-11-05719. –  26. 833 Houston St., Columbia Borough Owner: Schickling, Michael P. Tax Acct. #110-59375-0-0000 Docket #CI-11-05789.

CONDITIONS OF SALE Payment in full by cash, certified check, or money order payable to County of Lancaster at the time the property is struck down to the highest bidder. The property so struck down will be settled for before the next property is offered for sale. The Tax Claim Bureau reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids in accordance with the Real Estate Tax Sale Law and these Conditions of Sale. If the conditions of sale are not adhered to, the property shall be re-exposed to sale immediately or at the latest, before the end of the tax sales. All sales will be final, and no adjustments will be made after the property is struck down. Buyers will be required to pay, in addition to their bids, the cost for recording each deed, and the cost of such transfer tax stamps as may be necessary. Deeds will be prepared by the Bureau and recorded. The above properties are being sold pursuant to Orders of Court according to 72 P.S. 5860.610 et seq, free and clear of all tax and municipal claims, mortgages, liens, charges and estates, except separately taxed ground rents. It is strongly urged that prospective purchasers examine the docketed Prothonotary file and title to any property in which they may be interested and consult with an attorney with regard thereto. Every reasonable effort has been made to keep the proceedings free from error; however, in every case, the property is offered for sale by the Tax Claim Bureau without any guarantee or warranty whatsoever, either as to existence, correctness of ownership, size, boundaries, location, structures or lack of structures upon the land, liens, title, or any matter or thing whatsoever. Prior advertisement for these properties was made in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal-New Era and the Lancaster Law Review on August 6, 2010. All bidders will be required to fill out and sign a bidder registration form and will be required to present a photo ID in order to bid. Purchasers bidding on a property on behalf of another individual or entity must present a fully executed Power of Attorney that has been recorded in the Recorder of Deeds Office prior to the time of completing the bidder registration form. If an individual is planning to bid in the name of a corporation, partnership, LLC or any other business entity, said individual must have the appropriate official documentation to show proof of authority to bid on behalf of said entity. Signing the bidder registration form constitutes acknowledgment of full and complete understanding of these Conditions of Sale and Agreement to be bound thereby. Prospective purchas-ers are also notified that the Real Estate Tax Sale Law requires a successful bidder to provide certification to the Bureau within twenty (20) days following any sale that the successful bidder is not delinquent in paying real estate taxes to any of the taxing districts where the property is located and that the successful bidder has no municipal utility bills that are more than one (1) year outstanding. Prospective purchasers are advised to read and be prepared to comply with 72 P.S. 5860.619a. BY: THE LANCASTER COUNTY TAX CLAIM BUREAU