Real estate title glossary
What is referee's deed?
Definition
In New York, a referee's deed is the deed a court-appointed referee signs to convey a property sold at a judicial foreclosure auction.
New York forecloses through the courts: after judgment, a referee runs the sale and delivers the deed to the winning bidder, often the lender.
How it shows up in a title search
In ACRIS a referee's deed signals a completed foreclosure; a HeritageDeed report highlights it in the chain.
Guides that go deeper
- How to Read ACRIS: A Practical Guide to NYC Property RecordsACRIS indexes NYC recorded property documents from 1966. Search by BBL, join the Master, Legals and Parties tables, and read a document type code.
- Sheriff Sale: How It Works and What Happens to Liens AfterwardA sheriff sale is a court-ordered public auction of property. How it works, what happens to liens, and how to find sheriff's deeds (2,235 in Philadelphia).
- Lis Pendens: What It Means When You Find One on a PropertyA lis pendens is a recorded notice that a lawsuit affecting title is pending. What it does, where it is filed, how to tell if it is still active.
Related terms
Source: New York RPAPL 1351 Judgment of foreclosure and sale. Plain-English summary of general US usage; state law varies, and this is not legal advice.