*Note: This blog was updated in February 2025 to reflect new changes to the Sheriff Sale.
We’ve been attending the Marion County Sheriff Sale since 2005.
And – wow – do we have stories to tell.
But for now, let’s start with the basics.
Consider this your “Marion County Sheriff Sale 101“—a straightforward, no-frills guide to how it works.
Quick disclaimer: We’re not lawyers, and we’re not foreclosure experts. This is just a high-level overview of the process to help you get your bearings. Let’s dive in.
What is The Sheriff Sale?
The Marion County Sheriff Sale is simply a foreclosure auction.
It’s not a tax sale. Marion County has those too, but it’s a completely different sale with its own rules.
Basically, the Sheriff Sale is the final step in a lien-holder’s foreclosure process. As part of the foreclosure requirement, the lien-holder, generally a bank, puts the property for sale using the Civil Sheriff’s Department.
- The bank, as a result of the process, gains title through a Sheriff’s Deed.
If anyone in the public attends the sale and bids on the property, it’s sold to the highest bidder. - In the second scenario, the bank obviously doesn’t gain title, but receives the proceeds of the sale up to the judgment amount.
Real Sheriff Sale Scenario:
Joe buys a home and uses a local bank to obtain a mortgage.
The mortgage amount is $100,000.
Joe loses his job, gets sick, etc., and falls behind on his mortgage payments.
Calls are made.
Demand letters are sent.
Joe still doesn’t pay.
The bank will then open a foreclosure action against Joe.
This involves a lawsuit, where a judge will hear from both parties (assuming Joe shows up) and then makes a ruling.
Let’s assume all that occurs and the bank wins the foreclosure lawsuit, is awarded a judgment against Joe for $95,000, and the judge sets the house for sale at an upcoming Sheriff Sale.
Federal law generally requires lenders to wait until the borrower is at least 120 days late before filing a foreclosure lawsuit. In Indiana, the borrower must be provided the opportunity to enter into “settlement conference” with the lender in an attempt to modify or get current with the mortgage.
Pre-Sheriff Sale
The Marion County’s Sheriff’s Department organizes a list of homes each month for sale.
There are some major foreclosure attorneys in the state who each month provide all the details required for the sale.
In some (few and far between) cases, the attorney may order a Broker Price Opinion (BPO). This is when a Real Estate Broker will visit the home and provide a current market value.
In a lot of other cases, the bank will instruct the attorney to run the home through the sale at the full judgement amount to get rid of it quickly.
The List
A month before each sale, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department releases a list of properties heading to auction. You can access it online through GovEase.com—where it’s available 30 days in advance.
The list includes key details like:
- Property Address
- Defendant (Homeowner in foreclosure)
- Plaintiff (Typically the lender or lienholder)
Attorney handling the case - Cause Number (case identifier)
- Judgment Amount (what’s owed on the property)
You do not have to register to access the list on GovEase, and it’s updated in real time—so check back frequently for removals, as properties can be pulled from the sale up until the last minute.
Pre-Sale Bidding Requirements
To participate in the auction, bidders must register here. You must register at least ONE week in advance for each auction. You must also have a YEARLY registration on file. A deposit is required to confirm participation.
Requirements of registration change frequently. Be sure to check the official Sheriff Sale Website to register and ensure you meet all requirements.
The Bids
Once you’ve reviewed the list and completed your registration, it’s time to get serious about the properties on your radar.
Before placing a bid, it’s crucial to research each property thoroughly. The sheriff’s sale is not for the faint of heart—you need to go in prepared.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Title Search: Ensure there are no outstanding liens or encumbrances. The last thing you want is to win a property only to discover it comes with additional debt attached.
- Property Inspection: Visit the property, if possible, to assess its condition. While interior access is unlikely, a drive-by can give you insight into its general state and the neighborhood.
- Understanding Occupancy: Determine if the property is occupied. If so, you may need to go through the eviction process, which can be time-consuming and costly.
Once the opening bids are posted, you’ll have time to analyze each property and decide if it’s worth pursuing.
How deep you go into research depends on your strategy:
- Some investors create detailed spreadsheets tracking renovation costs, potential resale value, and rental income projections.
- Others… wing it.
Regardless of your approach, the key is understanding your risk tolerance and having a max bid in mind before auction day. The last thing you want is to get caught up in the heat of bidding and overpay for a property that turns into a money pit.
The Sale
Gone are the days of crowded courtrooms and in-person bidding wars.
All Marion County Sheriff’s Sales are now conducted entirely online through GovEase.com. This shift to a digital format makes the process more accessible but also requires a different level of preparation.
Sheriff sales take place on the third Friday of every month, except in December, when no sale occurs. The auction runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with properties auctioned one at a time in consecutive order—meaning you can’t bid on multiple properties simultaneously. You’ll have to wait for each auction to close before the next one begins.
The bidding will continue in $1,000 increments until the home is sold. If a home does not receive any bids, the bank will receive the title to the home.
Note: Never spend more money than you have on deposit. This may result in suspension from the sale.
You Bought a Home! Now What?
If you are lucky enough to purchase a home, you can take possession right away assuming the home is vacant.
If it’s occupied, there is a whole set of rules you have to follow which we won’t detail in this blog.
Several days later you’ll retrieve a Sheriff’s Deed from the Sheriff’s Department.
The Current Climate of the Sheriff Sale
Personally, we haven’t found any success at the Sheriff Sale in recent years.
When we started out you could find some really great deals. Since then, the list has substantially declined in number and quality.
There are investors, generally who are there with large funds, who will essentially pay retail prices.
In short- the list is small and the competition is overwhelming.
But, hey, if you enjoy the auction environment, enjoy doing lots of research, enjoy running around reviewing properties, enjoy running to your bank to get money, enjoy running downtown to attend the sale only to never get a property, I highly recommend it.
T&H has recently published a podcast discussing the Sheriff Sale with Gary Apter owner of Apter Properties if you would like to learn more about the process and listen to various experiences we have had.
Or look below for a library of resources dedicated to the Marion County Sheriff Sale.
