Real Property

Real Property Sheriff Sales are the result or an Order of Sale or Writ of Execution, issued by Superior Court and received from the Superior Court Clerk; the Writ or Order will direct the Sheriff to seize and sell specific property belonging to a judgment debtor in a civil case or judicial foreclosure. After the property is seized and adequate notice has been given to all interested parties, including public notice of the sale, the subject property will be auctioned to the highest bidder.

Real Property Sheriff Sales are held on Friday mornings at 10:00 A.M., on the front steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse (1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA). (If the time set for sale is other than 10:00 A.M., it will not be conducted by the Sheriff and you should contact your information source for questions. Other persons also conduct real property sales in this manner, and they may take place at the same time and place.)

Notice of sales of real property conducted by the Sheriff are usually published in the Port Townsend / Jefferson County Leader for four consecutive weeks prior to any sale. Sometimes, we may publish in another newspaper at the request of the creditor's attorney.

Notices are also posted at the subject property, on the bulletin board inside the Sheriff's Office Administrative/Operations building (79 Elkins Road, Port Hadlock, WA), and on the bulletin board just inside the main entrance to the Jefferson County Courthouse, and in the lobby of one or more offices of the United States Postal Service (usually the USPS Office nearest the subject property). We also maintain a list of current Sheriff Sales on this website as a courtesy; however, neither Jefferson County nor the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office can make any guarantee as to the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of the online listing.

When we conduct the sale, we are selling only the judgment debtor's interest in the real estate. Any property sold is subject to all existing liens and encumbrances, and is sold without any guarantee as to the status of the title or to the physical condition of the subject property.

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. To find out any lien information, you may need to do a title search through a company authorized to do this.

It is important to understand that property sold at a Sheriff Sale may have a Redemption Period, which may last from eight months to one year (some Sales have no Redemption Period). This means that, during the Redemption Period (if any), 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 State Laws (RCWs) pertaining to Redemption.

If you bid at the sale, you must provide cash or cashier's check made payable to the court clerk's office issuing the Writ of Execution or Order of Sale within one hour of the close of the auction,. or the property will go to the next highest bidder. NO EXCEPTIONS. There is usually an opening bid from the judgment creditor; however this figure is not available until a day or two before the sale date.

If you have any questions about Real Sheriff Sales, feel free to contact the Civil Unit at 360-385-9390, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Personal Property

Although less common that Real Property Sales, the Sheriff's Office may also be directed to seize and sell Personal Property pursuant to a Writ of Execution. The types of property sold will vary greatly based on the underlying case.

Per statute, notices are also posted at the subject property, on the bulletin board inside the Sheriff's Office Administrative/Operations Building (79 Elkins Road, Port Hadlock, WA), on the bulletin board just inside the main entrance to the Jefferson County Courthouse (1820 Jefferson Street), and in the lobby of one or more offices of the United States Postal Service (usually the USPS Office nearest the subject property). We also maintain a list of current Sheriff Sales on this website as a courtesy; however, neither Jefferson County nor the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office can make any guarantee as to the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of the online listing.

The sales are held at 10 A.M. at the location where the property is being stored. Please see the sale notice for information on particular sales. If you bid at the sale, you must provide cash or cashier's check made payable to the court clerk's office issuing the Writ of Execution by 2:00 P.M. on the date of the auction, or the sale will go to the next highest bidder. No Exceptions. There is usually an opening bid from the judgment creditor; however this figure is not available until a day or two before the sale date.

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 subject to any liens in place.

If you have any questions, please contact the Civil Unit at (360) 385-9390.