When a property in Ocean City, Sea Isle, Avalon, Stone Harbor or the Wildwoods is foreclosed on, the Cape May County Sheriff sells it at a public auction in Cape May Court House. The rules are nothing like buying through the MLS. You can't go inside, the balance is due in 30 days, and the deed doesn't come with clear title. Here's how it works, straight from the Sheriff's posted conditions of sale.
Where are Cape May County sheriff sales held?
At the Old Historic Court House, 11 North Main Street (Route 9) in Cape May Court House, next to the Superior Court building. Sales run every other Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Get the exact dates from the Sheriff's sales website rather than counting Wednesdays.
This covers Cape May County only. Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate and Longport are in Atlantic County, so those sales go through the Atlantic County Sheriff under its own conditions.
Where do you find the sheriff sale list?
On the Cape May County Sheriff's sales website. Find the property, then click "view details" for the full legal notice, including the plaintiff's attorney and the upset price. The site updates every hour on the hour.
The Sheriff doesn't hand out a list. Notices of sale are also posted at the Sheriff's Office in Cape May Court House.
Check it more than once. Since July 29, 2019, a sale can be adjourned up to five times, 28 days each: two for the lender, two for the owner and one by agreement. A property on this week's list may not sell this week, so confirm the sale is still on before you drive to the courthouse.
How does the bidding work?
It's an open auction. No sealed bids. The lender opens with a $100 bid, and every bid after that is at least $1,000, starting at the upset price the lender announces at the sale. So the $100 opener isn't a real price. The upset price is the real starting line.
The Sheriff decides who the high bidder is and that call is final. If there's a dispute the Sheriff can't settle, the property gets sold again.
How much money do you need to bring?
20% of your winning bid, right after the sale closes. Certified check made out to "The Sheriff of Cape May County," or cash up to $1,000. Personal checks and credit cards are not accepted.
You don't know where the bidding will end, so the county's advice is to decide your top bid ahead of time and bring a certified check for 20% of that number.
The balance is due within 30 calendar days of the sale, with interest on the unpaid balance starting the 11th day after the sale. Deed recording fees are paid by you to the County Clerk when the deed is recorded.
Miss the deadline and it gets expensive. The property is sold again, you're responsible for any loss and the expenses, and the Sheriff keeps your deposit until a court order decides where it goes.
What do you actually own after a sheriff sale?
A Sheriff's Deed, and it does Not give you clear title. The property is sold subject to easements of record, unpaid taxes, assessments, and water and sewer liens, whether they're known at the time of sale or not. Clearing those is on the buyer.
That's why the Sheriff's own page recommends a title search before you bid. Private title companies do them for a fee. Check the town's tax office for back taxes too, and keep in mind the judgment figure in the notice doesn't include interest, costs or the Sheriff's fees.
The owner can also still get it back. In most cases the owner has 10 calendar days after the sale to redeem the property, and the Sheriff announces that before the sale.
Can you see the inside before you bid?
No. Sheriff sales are for the real property only. The Sheriff's Office doesn't know whether a building is even on the lot, and it can't give anyone permission to go in.
If someone lives there, removing them is your job, through a writ of possession or landlord tenant court. Every sale is subject to the rights of any occupants or tenants. New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act protects residential tenants, including ones without a written lease, and a foreclosure alone generally isn't grounds to remove a legitimate tenant.
What is the Community Wealth Preservation Program?
A New Jersey law (A5664, signed January 12, 2024) that changes who gets the first shot at some residential sheriff sales. The owner, the owner's next of kin, or a qualifying tenant can buy at the upset price without bidding, if they meet the requirements. A qualifying nonprofit community development corporation gets the second refusal. If either right is used, the property never goes to auction.
The program also lets someone who will live in the home for at least 84 months bid with a 3.5% deposit instead of 20%. They need photo ID, proof of 8 hours of HUD-certified homebuyer education, and a pre-approval if they're financing. It excludes anyone buying for investment, which rules out most second-home buyers.
As of April 9, 2025, Cape May County isn't accepting nonprofit bids under the program because of pending legislation. Anyone can still bid under the standard rules. If you plan to use the program, the Sheriff's Office asks you to contact them before the sale.
Are there foreclosures for sale in Ocean City right now?
Rarely. Most Ocean City owners have enough equity to sell before the bank ever gets involved, so the bank owned list is usually empty. I keep a live page of foreclosure and bank owned listings in Ocean City that shows anything that hits the MLS, plus what's closed as bank owned.
If the owner hasn't lost the house yet, a short sale is the other way these change hands, and you get to inspect.
Common Questions About Cape May County Sheriff Sales
How often are sheriff sales held in Cape May County?
Every other Wednesday at 1:00 pm at the Old Historic Court House, 11 North Main Street, Cape May Court House. Exact dates are on the Sheriff's sales website.
How much deposit do you need at a Cape May County sheriff sale?
20% of the winning bid, right after the sale, by certified check payable to The Sheriff of Cape May County or cash up to $1,000. The balance is due within 30 calendar days.
Does a sheriff's deed give you clear title?
No. The property is sold subject to easements of record, unpaid taxes, assessments, and water and sewer liens. The Sheriff recommends a title search before you bid.
Can the owner get the property back after the sheriff sale?
In most cases, yes, within 10 calendar days of the sale. The Sheriff announces this before the property is sold.
Can a sheriff sale be postponed?
Yes. A sale can be adjourned up to five times, 28 days each: two for the plaintiff, two for the defendant and one by mutual agreement.
The Bottom Line
A sheriff sale can be a good buy, but you're buying a deed and a list of unknowns. Get the title search, check the back taxes, bring certified funds and confirm the sale is still on before you go. Naturally, talk to a New Jersey real estate attorney before you bid.
If you'd rather buy at the shore with an inspection and clear title, I'll set up a search that sends you bank owned and price-reduced listings the day they hit the MLS.
Want the search set up?
Adam D'Annunzio, Broker Associate, Keller Williams Realty Jersey Shore
Text/Call 609-604-5958 · Office 609-399-5454
Source: Cape May County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Sales, reviewed October 2026. The county's page is a summary of the procedure and the rules can change, so confirm with the Sheriff's Office before you bid.