(a) Where real property to be sold in execution consists of an interest in a single tract of land which lies in more than one county, the writ shall be directed to the sheriff of one of those counties and the plaintiff shall file a petition with the court of that county for leave to sell the same at execution.
Rule 3131.Sale of real property located in more than one county.
Adopted March 30, 1960 · Last amended December 16, 2003 · Last verified June 30, 2026
In one sentenceWhen a single tract of land lies in more than one county, the writ goes to the sheriff of one county and the plaintiff petitions that county’s court for leave to sell, and the court fixes how much land is sold, where, and how the proceeds are distributed.
Full Text of Rule 3131
(b) The petition shall set forth
(1) a description of the real property;
(2) whether the property is severable and whether the portion within either county can be sold separately without prejudice to the remainder; and
(3) the estimated value of the property within each county and if the value in any county is insufficient to satisfy the judgment, a statement of how much of the property in adjoining counties is required to be included in the order of sale.
(c) The court may enter judgment upon the pleadings or take evidence by deposition or otherwise, shall order the extent of the real property which shall be subjected to execution, describing it by metes and bounds, shall designate the place of sale, and shall control the distribution of the proceeds of sale. The court may apportion the proceeds so as to satisfy prior lienors, including those having a lien upon a portion of a single tract which lay in a different county and which was not sold on execution.
(d) If the order of the court directs a sale to include land in another county, a copy of the pleadings and the order of the court shall be filed by the plaintiff in the office of the prothonotary of such other county and indexed therein. Notice of the sale shall be advertised in each county.
Plain-English Summary
A farm or parcel that straddles a county line raises a venue problem for an execution sale. This rule channels the whole sale through one county.
The writ is directed to the sheriff of one of the counties, and the plaintiff files a petition in that county’s court for leave to sell. The petition describes the property, says whether it can be split without prejudice, and gives the estimated value in each county.
The court then orders the extent of land to be sold, describing it by metes and bounds, designates the place of sale, and controls distribution — including apportioning proceeds to prior lienholders, even ones whose lien sat on a portion in a different county that was not sold. A copy of the pleadings and order is filed and indexed in the other county, and the sale is advertised in each.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is land that crosses county lines sold at execution?
The writ goes to one county’s sheriff, and the plaintiff petitions that county’s court for leave to sell. The court orders the extent of land sold, the place of sale, and the distribution.
Does the other county need to know about the sale?
Yes. A copy of the pleadings and the court’s order is filed and indexed in the other county, and notice of the sale is advertised in each county.
Amendment History
The provisions of this Rule 3131 adopted March 30, 1960, effective November 1, 1960; amended April 20, 1998, effective July 1, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 2026; amended December 16, 2003, efective July 1, 2004, 34 Pa.B. 9. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (255365) to (255366).
Source & verification. Rule text, the Official Note, and the amendment
history are reproduced verbatim from the Pennsylvania Code, Title 231, the official compilation
of rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Last verified June 30, 2026. ·
Official text
Also known as: land in more than one countymulti-county execution sale