If you are facing foreclosure in Pennsylvania, it’s important to understand some of the basics, including:
- the most common type of foreclosure procedure (judicial v. nonjudicial) used in Pennsylvania
- how much time you have to respond
- your rights and protections in the process, and
- what happens afterwards (for example, whether you’ll be liable for a deficiency judgment).
Below we have outlined some of the most important features of Pennsylvania foreclosure law. Keep in mind that this is just a summary; we've included statute citations so you can get more details from the laws themselves. And be sure to check out Nolo’s extensive Foreclosure section, where you can find information about all aspects of foreclosure, definitions of foreclosure terms (like redemption and reinstatement), and options to avoid foreclosure.
| Topic | State Rule |
| Common type of foreclosure process | Judicial |
| Time to respond | Foreclosing party must serve 30-day notice of intention to foreclose on homeowner by certified mail. At the same time it must send a separate notice explaining homeowner’s right to apply to Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for assistance. After foreclosing party files foreclosure lawsuit, homeowner has 20 to 30 days to respond. In Philadelphia Common Pleas court and Allegheny County Court, pilot programs mandate a delay between foreclosure judgment and sheriff’s sale to allow for possible conciliation. |
| Reinstatement of loan before sale | Until one hour before the bidding at the foreclosure sale, but a maximum of three times in one year. |
| Redemption after sale | No |
| Special protections for foreclosures involving high-cost mortgages | None |
| Special state protections for service members | Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 51, § 4105 |
| Deficiency judgments | Allowed if foreclosing party files separate lawsuit after sale |
| Cash exempted in bankruptcy | About $11,000 for one person, $22,000 for a married couple under federal bankruptcy exemptions |
| Notice to leave after house is sold | No special provisions for evictions following foreclosure. New owner will likely have to go to court to get an eviction order. Court-ordered evictions usually take two weeks to a month, depending on whether or not former owner responds to the lawsuit. |
| Foreclosure statutes | Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 35, §§ 1680.402c to 1680.409c; Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 41, §§ 403 to 404; Pa. R. Civ. P. 1141-1150 |


