Key facts (checked Oct 11, 2026)
- Next posted sales: foreclosure Nov. 5, 2026, 10 a.m.; monition Oct. 27, 2026, 10 a.m. (Kent County Sheriff's Office, checked Oct 11, 2026).
- Location: Kent County Levy Court, 555 Bay Road, Dover, Chamber Room 203; verbal bidding in person.
- Deposit: $4,000 per property by cashier's check, certified check or money order, refunded if you don't win (Sheriff Sales Directive, eff. May 1, 2025).
- Mortgage sales: 20% due by 2 p.m. sale day, balance by the 3rd Monday of the next month; no redemption period.
- Sheriff's Office: (302) 736-2161, Sheriff@kentcountyde.gov.
How does a Kent County home get to sheriff sale?
Delaware forecloses through the courts. For an owner-occupied home, the lender must send a Notice of Intent to Foreclose and wait 45 days, then sue in Superior Court. Eligible owners get free foreclosure mediation. If the lender wins a judgment, the Kent County Sheriff sells the house at auction and the court confirms the sale.
Sources: 10 Del. C. §5062B (45-day notice) and §5062C (mediation, statewide). Unpaid county property taxes follow a separate court process called monition, run with the county's Finance office. You remain the owner until the sale is confirmed and a deed is delivered, and the Sheriff's rules note that owners and tenants are not automatically evicted by the sale itself (Sheriff Auction Rules). For the mediation step, see Delaware foreclosure mediation.
When and where are Kent County sheriff sales held?
Mortgage foreclosure sales are usually held on the first Thursday of every month, unless it's a holiday, and monition (tax) sales about every three months. All sales are in person at the Kent County Levy Court building, 555 Bay Road, Dover, Chamber Room 203, with verbal bidding. The Sheriff's site posts the next dates.
| Item | Kent County rule |
|---|---|
| Mortgage sales | Usually 1st Thursday monthly (next posted: Nov. 5, 2026, 10 a.m.) |
| Monition (tax) sales | About every 3 months; the Finance PDF says the last Tuesday of Jan., Apr., Jul. and Oct. at 10 a.m. (next posted: Oct. 27, 2026) |
| Where | Levy Court, 555 Bay Road, Dover, Chamber Room 203 |
| Registration | Required before every sale, in person on sale day (county pages give 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and a 9:45 a.m. cutoff) |
| Property lists | Online sale list; ads in the Dover Post and Delaware State News about two weeks before |
Sources: Sheriff's Office page, Sheriff Sales Directive, Finance monition sale PDF (checked Oct 11, 2026). Schedules change and properties are often stayed or removed, so confirm with the Sheriff's Office at (302) 736-2161.
How much do you need to bid at a Kent County sheriff sale?
Bidders register with a $4,000 deposit per property by cashier's check, certified check or money order payable to the Kent County Sheriff. At a mortgage sale, the winner pays 20% of the bid by 2 p.m. that day and the balance about 30 days later. At a tax sale, the full price is due by 2 p.m.
| Term | Mortgage foreclosure sale | Monition (tax) sale |
|---|---|---|
| Registration deposit | $4,000 per property | $4,000 per Sheriff's directive; the Finance pages say $2,000 (confirm) |
| Due on sale day | 20% of the bid by 2:00 p.m. | 100% of the bid, less deposit, by 2:00 p.m. |
| Balance | 3rd Monday of the following month | N/A |
| Late balance | $500 late fee | N/A |
| Owner redemption | None | Yes (see below) |
Sources: Sheriff Sales Directive, Auction Rules / Registration Form, Finance: Monition Sale Procedures. The deposit is refunded to bidders who don't win. The Sheriff's commission is 4%, with a $1,000 minimum and $12,000 maximum (Sheriff's Office).
When is a Kent County sheriff sale final?
Not on sale day. For a mortgage sale, the Sheriff's directive says Superior Court confirms the sale on the first Friday after the third Monday of the following month. After confirmation, the buyer's attorney prepares a deed, which the Sheriff signs. Mortgage foreclosure sales have no redemption period afterward.
Source: Sheriff Sales Directive. Objections to a sale must be filed before confirmation, so a homeowner who wants to challenge a sale or close a pending deal has to move before that date, with a lawyer. Delaware's realty transfer tax is paid out of judicial sale proceeds before other obligations (30 Del. C. §5404); Kent's directive says it is split half and half between seller and purchaser, and the Finance PDF describes a 4% total.
How do Kent County tax sales and redemption work?
Delaware law lets an owner redeem a property sold at a monition (tax) sale within 60 days after the court approves the sale, by paying the purchase price plus 15% plus costs. Kent's Sheriff pages describe about 90 days, while the county Finance PDF says 60 days from confirmation. Rely on the statute and confirm your deadline.
Sources: 9 Del. C. §8729; Sheriff Sales Directive; Finance monition PDF. The Finance PDF also says a buyer whose purchase is redeemed gets their money back plus 15%. Redeeming is expensive. If you're behind on Kent County taxes, call the tax office at 302-744-2341 about the balance before a monition is filed, and see behind on property taxes.
How do you claim excess proceeds from a Kent County sheriff sale?
If the sale brings in more than the debts paid from it, the surplus belongs to the former owner or junior lienholders, but you must claim it. Unclaimed money moves from the Sheriff to the Prothonotary of Superior Court, which lists Kent County funds under Project Rightful Owner. Claims require a court petition.
Source: Superior Court, Project Rightful Owner. The court encourages using an attorney. Be cautious with anyone who contacts you offering to recover surplus funds for a large fee; you can ask the Prothonotary directly. We could not find an official claim deadline, so act promptly.
What can a Kent County homeowner do before the sale?
Your options are widest before the sale date: mediation, a loan modification or repayment plan, paying the default, bankruptcy, or selling the house and keeping the equity. Call a HUD-approved housing counselor at 800-569-4287 or the Delaware foreclosure mediation hotline at (800) 220-5424 as early as possible.
A market sale nearly always brings more than a forced auction. Once a foreclosure is filed, deals that let you stay, buy back the home, or have someone take over your payments are regulated under Delaware's Mortgage Rescue Fraud Protection Act (6 Del. C. ch. 24B), which also covers buyers within 20 days before an advertised sale. We buy in Dover, Smyrna, Camden-Wyoming and Milford. Delaware sales close at a licensed Delaware settlement attorney; Maryland and Pennsylvania sales close at a licensed title company or settlement attorney. Call (302) 525-0787.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Delaware sales close at a licensed Delaware settlement attorney; Maryland and Pennsylvania sales close at a licensed title company or settlement attorney.
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Get My Written Offer Call (302) 525-0787Frequently asked questions
When are Kent County sheriff sales held?
Mortgage foreclosure sales are usually the first Thursday of each month, and monition (tax) sales about every three months, at the Levy Court building, 555 Bay Road, Dover. The next posted foreclosure sale is Nov. 5, 2026 at 10 a.m.
How much is the deposit for a Kent County sheriff sale?
$4,000 per property to register, by cashier's check, certified check or money order. Mortgage-sale winners pay 20% of the bid by 2 p.m. that day.
Can I get my house back after a Kent County sheriff sale?
Not after a mortgage foreclosure sale, which has no redemption period. After a tax (monition) sale, Delaware law allows redemption within 60 days of court approval by paying the price plus 15% and costs.
When does Superior Court confirm a Kent County sheriff sale?
For mortgage sales, the Sheriff's directive says the first Friday after the third Monday of the following month.
Where can I see the Kent County sheriff sale list?
On the Sheriff's online sale list linked from kentcountyde.gov, and in the Dover Post and Delaware State News about two weeks before the sale.
Sources
- Kent County Sheriff's Office
- Kent County Sheriff Sales Directive (effective May 1, 2025)
- Kent County Sheriff Auction Rules / Registration Form
- Kent County Finance: Monition Sale Procedures
- Kent County Finance: Monition Tax Sales (PDF)
- 9 Del. C. ch. 87, subch. II (monition; §8729 redemption)
- 10 Del. C. ch. 49, subch. XI (§§5062B-5062C)
- 30 Del. C. ch. 54 (realty transfer tax)
- Delaware Superior Court: Project Rightful Owner
- 6 Del. C. ch. 24B, Mortgage Rescue Fraud Protection Act
General information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Facts checked Oct 11, 2026 against the official sources above. Laws, fees, and schedules change; confirm with the office named or your attorney.
