Frequently Asked Questions - Foreclosure

Can I get a list of properties being foreclosed?
The Court does not maintain a list of properties in foreclosure. Foreclosure cases are Civil Action cases and they are indexed in the names of the individual(s) authorized to make the sale and the debtor's names. You may use the computers in our record room to search for foreclosure cases. The best way to find information about properties going to foreclosure is to look at the legal notices posted in local papers. The notices provide contact information to the auctioneer.

Where are your foreclosure auctions held and at what time?
The Clerk's Office does not schedule foreclosure auctions. Before selling the property, the individual authorized to make the sale shall publish notice of the time, place, and terms of the sale in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the action is pending. Many auctions take place on the front steps of the courthouse, because it is a familiar point of reference. However, each sale is unique. Persons interested in attending a sale should look in the legal notices for the sale information and contact the person responsible for the sale to make sure that the sale will be held.

How can I find out if the sale is going forward or if the sale was held?
The Clerk's office will have no knowledge of whether a scheduled sale will go forward or be rescheduled. Until a report of the sale is filed with the Courts, the Clerk's Office will not be able to tell you if the sale was actually held. The person authorized to make the sale has up to 30 days to report the sale to the Court. Questions regarding a sale can be directed to the person(s) authorized to make the sale whose name and contact information appear in both the advertised publication and any posted or mailed notices.

Can I file a Request for Mediation in my Foreclosure Case?
If your case was filed July 1, 2010 or later, and the action is to foreclose a lien on owner-occupied residential property, you may be eligible for mediation. Maryland Annotated Real Property Code 7-105.1 sets out property foreclosure procedures, including information about filing a Request for Mediation. The forms to Request Mediation will be sent to you from the lender's attorney at the same time that they provide you with a Final Loss Mitigation Analysis. The Court does not have the forms.

A request for foreclosure mediation may be filed up to 15 days after the mailing of the final loss mitigation affidavit. A Request for Foreclosure Mediation shall be accompanied by a filing fee of $50.00. The court may reduce or waive the filing fee if the mortgagor is eligible for a reduction or waiver under the Maryland Legal Services guidelines.

Request to Waive the Filing Fee for Foreclosure Mediation

When is my home going to be sold?
The individual(s) authorized to make the sale will publish the date of the sale of your property in the legal notices of a local newspaper. The notice of the sale shall be published at least once a week for three successive weeks, the last publication shall be not more than one week before the sale. A notice of the time, place, and terms of the sale will also be sent by both certified mail and by first class mail, not more than 30 days and not less than 10 days before the date of the sale, to the borrower, the record owner of the property and the holder of any subordinate interest in the property.

My home was sold. Is the deed still in my name?
After the court has finally ratified a sale and the purchase money has been paid, the individual making the sale shall convey the property by deed to the purchaser or to an assignee of the purchaser. When the new deed has been recorded, the new owner of the property will be reflected in the State Department of Assessment and Taxation's records. To see their records, go to their website. Click on Search Court records and click SDAT Real Property Search, Real Property Data (at bottom of page). To search assessment records, you must enter the county and street address.