Trouble Selling Judicial Sale Property. What is your input?

[Rod Smith]

Does anybody here have experience with selling and closing a sale on a property purchased at a Judicial or Repository Sale ?

Can you give tips as to what to do to make the Title Clearing process easier?

I do understand that Title Companies expect you to wait one year after the initial purchase.  Then complete a title examination. Check for Lien holders that may not have been notified. Then seek clear title...... Is this correct?

What type of title or deed is issued after this process?

What is your opinion on this subject? 

Thanks to all who respond... Rod

[Steve Babiak]

Originally posted by @Josh Caldwell:

you should have the title search done before you buy it, to make sure you you are not stepping into a land mine. 

generally there is a redemption period after you buy it, during that time period, nobody in their right mind will buy it from you, because the previous owners can in theory come and buy it back from you for what you paid. I think it is 6 mos in PA. 

After that time, you should be able to transfer a clear title.

Regarding redemption in PA. It sounds like the OP purchased this from the county Tax Claim Bureau (TCB) - so there would be no rights of redemption if that were the case. If the property were purchased at a sheriff sale for delinquent taxes, then there is a possibility of redemption rights, and if so the time is 9 months to redeem from the date that the sheriff's deed is recorded (maybe it's different for Allegheny County - I'm not sure).

As to clear title, it seems that title companies expect a "quiet title" action to occur for them to insure a TCB purchase that is being re-sold. If a sheriff sale purchase that is being re-sold, then the redemption period has to pass  (but the title companies use 12 months from the date of the sheriff sale based on title company bulletins that I have read).

I'll ping @Chris K. and @David Krulac to get their expert insights too.