Such sheriff shall also sell the real estate levied on in the county wherein the levy was made, if it can be done, and if it cannot he shall make the sale at the courthouse of his own county.
§ 8.01-214.Where real estate to be sold.
Chapter 3. Actions · Article 19. Actions by the Commonwealth · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceSection 8.01-214 directs the sheriff under a venditioni exponas writ to sell levied real estate in the county where the levy occurred whenever possible, falling back to his own county’s courthouse only if that isn’t feasible.
Full Text of § 8.01-214
Plain-English Summary
Section 8.01-214 does for real estate what Section 8.01-213 does for goods and chattels: it tells the sheriff acting under a writ of venditioni exponas where to hold the sale. The sheriff sells the real estate levied on in the county where the levy was made, whenever that can be done.
Only if selling the real estate in that county cannot be accomplished does the sheriff instead make the sale at the courthouse of his own county. The two sections together keep a sale, whether of personal property or land, as close as practical to where the levy happened, with the sheriff’s own courthouse serving only as a fallback location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the sheriff sell real estate that was levied on under this writ?
In the county where the levy was made, whenever that sale can be accomplished there.
When would the sheriff sell the land somewhere other than where it’s located?
Only if a sale in the county where the levy was made cannot be done — in that case, the sheriff sells at the courthouse of his own county.
Does this section apply to goods and chattels too?
No. Section 8.01-214 covers real estate specifically; Section 8.01-213 covers where goods and chattels received under the same writ are sold.
Is this the same sheriff who received the goods and chattels under Section 8.01-213?
Yes. Both sections describe the sale obligations of the sheriff acting under the same writ of venditioni exponas issued under Section 8.01-211.
Why might it not be feasible to sell the real estate where the levy happened?
The statute does not specify a reason; it leaves that determination to the circumstances the sheriff encounters and provides the courthouse of his own county as the fallback venue.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-777; 1977, c. 617.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
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