It is supposed to take 70 days to record deeds under the state rules of civil procedure, but under Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, some buyers have waited a year or longer, leaving often vacant and tax-delinquent properties in limbo. A debt-acquisition firm filed a motion for sanctions against the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office in Common Pleas Court, claiming that it bought a property at auction in May 2024 and has yet to receive the deed. “For approximately two years since the sheriff’s sale, plaintiff is still paying ongoing taxes and preservation costs to protect the property without the benefit of legally possessing the property,” according to the complaint filed by Amos Financial LLC, based in Illinois. Another firm has also filed suit against the sheriff’s office, saying that it paid nearly $1 million for eight properties between December 2025 and early last month, but that Bilal’s staff has ignored “repeated requests” to even begin the process of transferring ownership.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/22/2026