When will my home be sold?

In South Carolina, the foreclosure sale date must be ordered by a judge. The foreclosure sale is a public auction, and the home will be sold to the highest bidder. After the Court issues a Judgment of Foreclosure, a Notice of Sale will be published in a local newspaper for the three weeks leading up to the sale date.

Generally, foreclosure sales are held once a month, most commonly on the first Monday of the month, but the dates can vary by county.  You can check with the local Master in Equity’s office or Clerk of Court for your county to find out when foreclosure sales are held in that county. 

It is not possible to say when a house will be sold early in the case, because a judge must set the sale date. If you do nothing after you are served with the Summons and Complaint, you likely will have at least four months from the date you are served. 

If you request Foreclosure Intervention or contest the foreclosure by asserting legal defenses you have, this can extend the length of the foreclosure process.  Know that the police will not show up unannounced at your door to throw you out if you have been served with the Summons and Complaint within the last 30 days. 

Once the foreclosure sale is final, you will no longer be the owner of the house. When the sale becomes final depends on whether or not the mortgage company has asked for a Deficiency Judgment (see below for more details on what that is). If the deficiency was waived, the sale is final as of the date of the auction. If a deficiency has been requested, then the sale does not end on the date of the original auction.  The bidding will remain open for thirty days, and the highest bidder at the end of that time will win the auction.