Real Property

Real Property Auctions

Click For Upcoming Sheriff Sales - Real Property

Sheriff’s Sales are ‘judicial foreclosures’ (or executions) on real property to satisfy a money judgment. The order to sell comes from the Superior Court Clerk. We are selling only the judgment debtor’s interest in the real estate and the property is subject to all existing liens and encumbrances. We have limited information about the sale property since we do not need to know any information other than the address and legal description to conduct our sales. It is not possible for potential purchasers to view the interior of the structure prior to the sale.

The property sold may have a Redemption period from eight months to one year. Redemption means that the owner may pay back the amount bid at the sale plus interest, taxes, etc. in order to ‘redeem’ the property and become the owner again. If you have legal questions about this procedure, you should contact your attorney for direction, or read the Revised Code of the state of Washington pertaining to Redemption.

Sheriff sale notices and notices regarding postponements of sales are posted in the King County Courthouse lobby, as well as in the first and fourth floor entrances of the King County Administration Building. Sheriff's notices of sale of real property are published in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper once per week for four consecutive weeks prior to the sale.

If you are the winning bidder, you must provide the Sheriff with a cashier’s check made payable to the "King County Superior Court Clerk" no later than two hours post auction or it will be offered to the next highest bidder. Winning bidders who do not tender payment may be disqualified from future bidding.

ALERT: Update to bidding requirements effective April 15, 2023 

A $5,000.00 non-refundable deposit in the form of a cashier’s check payable to the “King County Superior Court” will be required to participate in any real property auction. If you are the winning bidder, immediately following the auction you’ll be required to surrender the non-refundable deposit and sign the Deposit Requirements Acknowledgment. Within two hours of the auction, you must pay the balance of your winning bid in the form of a cashier’s check made payable to the "King County Superior Court Clerk" or it will be offered to the next highest bidder and your non-refundable deposit will be tendered to the Clerk of the Court to be applied to the judgment. Winning bidders who do not tender payment may be disqualified from future bidding. If you’ve been disqualified from bidding on Sheriff’s auctions in the past, you may once again participate effective April 15, 2023.

Personal Property

Click For Upcoming Sheriff Sales - Personal Property

Personal Property Auctions

The sales are generally held at 10:00 a.m. at the location where the property is being stored. Please see the sale notice for information on particular sales. Sheriff sale notices and notices regarding postponements of sales are posted in the King County Courthouse lobby, as well as in the first and fourth floor entrances of the King County Administration Building.

The property may be viewed ½-1 hour prior to the sale. If you are the winning bidder at the sale, you must provide the Sheriff with cash or cashier’s check made payable to the court clerk’s office issuing the Writ of Execution, or the sale will go to the next highest bidder.

If you are the successful bidder, we will provide you with a Bill of Sale. There is no right of redemption in personal property sales; however, the items are sold as-is and subject to any liens in place.

Related Information

Washington Administrative Code
Revised Code of Washington
King County Superior Court

Fees charged

ALERT:  Mileage rate increase for 2024

Click on this link for fees effective February 20, 2024. Updated fees for restitutions in Seattle metro and elsewhere in King County found by clicking here.

Fees are payable in advance. Acceptable methods of payment are cash, check, or money order. No 2nd party checks are accepted. Check or money order should be made payable to "King County Sheriff." 

Effective July 3, 2023, ACH (eChecks) and Debit/Credit cards will be accepted ONLY at the King County Courthouse (516 Third Ave, Seattle) Location. 

• Fee for ACH (eCheck) payments - flat fee $1.00 per eCheck processed
• Fee for Credit/Debit cards - 2.35% of the total due, with a minimum fee charge of $2.00

Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. In-person assistance available 10:00am to 2:00pm.