Following the court order to sell the property, notice of the sale of the property is published. Each jurisdiction follows its own procedures for the public notification of the pending real-estate sale.

Most jurisdictions include some kind of public posting or notification of the real-estate sale at the courthouse. The public notification often includes advertising in the newspapers and legal publications within the county where the property is located.

Even though the property is now scheduled for sale, the owner (borrower and defendant) can still stop the foreclosure process by paying off the loan. Public sales can be prevented up to a specified deadline established by state laws.

Most foreclosed properties are sold by public auction. The highest bidder wins the property and usually only has a very short time (within forty-eight hours) to pay cash for the property. Title to the property usually is given to the buyer by the sheriff or clerk of the court.