- Who sends it
- The parish sheriff, served on you the same way as a citation, at least 7 days before the sale, not counting holidays
- What it starts
- A deadline in the notice, at least 4 days before the sale, to tell the sheriff who your appraiser is
- Do this first
- Read the deadline in the notice and call legal aid or a lawyer the same day
What this document is in Louisiana
When the judge signs the order for seizure and sale, it says whether the home will be sold with or without appraisal. Many Louisiana mortgages contain a waiver of appraisal. If the lender does not use that waiver, La. R.S. 13:4363 requires the sheriff, not less than 7 days before the sale (not counting holidays), to serve written notice on you and on the lender. The notice tells each side to name an appraiser to value the property and to tell the sheriff by the time stated in the notice.
What it does and does not mean
- It means your home is being sold with appraisal. If you never get this notice, check the order for seizure and sale in the court file to see whether appraisal was waived.
- At the first offering the home cannot sell for less than two-thirds of the appraised value. If no one bids that much, the sheriff must advertise again and the same waiting period must pass (La. C.C.P. art. 2336).
- If the home is sold at a second offering for less, your debt is still reduced by at least one half of the appraised value, after higher-ranking liens (La. C.C.P. art. 2336).
- A sale after appraisal is the only way the lender can get a deficiency judgment after executory process, unless another law says otherwise (La. C.C.P. art. 2771). If appraisal is waived, the rest of the debt is treated as paid as your personal debt (La. R.S. 13:4106). See deficiency judgments in Louisiana.
The deadlines and how to count them
- The notice must be served at least 7 days before the sale, not counting holidays.
- You must tell the sheriff who your appraiser is by the time in the notice, which must be at least 4 days before the sale, not counting holidays.
- Your appraiser's written appraisal must reach the sheriff at least 2 days before the sale, not counting holidays (La. R.S. 13:4363(A)).
- Holidays include Sundays and the days listed in La. R.S. 1:55, and in some parishes every Saturday. When in doubt, count the earlier date.
- If you miss the deadline, the sheriff appoints an appraiser for you (La. R.S. 13:4364).
What to do this week
- Decide right away whether to name your own appraiser. Ask legal aid or a lawyer whether it makes sense in your case.
- If you name one, tell the sheriff's civil division in writing before the deadline and keep proof.
- If the two appraisals are close (the lower is at least 90 percent of the higher and they differ by no more than $250,000), the sheriff averages them. If not, the sheriff appoints a third appraiser whose decision is final (La. R.S. 13:4365).
- Keep working with your servicer and a free counselor. You can still stop the sale by paying the full judgment, interest and costs before the home is adjudicated (La. C.C.P. art. 2340).
- Read a sheriff's sale date is set in Louisiana and the notice of seizure page.
The rest of the Louisiana process
See how foreclosure works in Louisiana, the timeline, ways to stop it and free help in Louisiana.
Common questions
What happens if I ignore a Louisiana notice to name an appraiser?
The sheriff appoints an appraiser for you (La. R.S. 13:4364). The sale still goes ahead with appraisal, and the appraised value sets the minimum bid at the first offering.
Why does the appraisal matter if I am losing the house anyway?
Because it affects whether and how much you may owe afterward. A deficiency judgment after executory process is possible only if the home was sold after appraisal (La. C.C.P. art. 2771), and a low sale at a second offering still credits you with at least half the appraised value (La. C.C.P. art. 2336).
I never got an appraisal notice in my Louisiana foreclosure. Is that normal?
It can be. If the lender used the waiver of appraisal in your mortgage, there is no appraisal and no notice. In that case La. R.S. 13:4106 says the lender cannot come after you for a shortfall as a personal debt. Check the order for seizure and sale in the court record.
Other Louisiana letters
- Notice of seizureIn most Louisiana foreclosures, the sheriff's notice of seizure is the first official paper you get. A judge has already signed an order to seize and sell your home without a trial. The notice gives the sheriff's sale date, starts a 15-day window to appeal, and tells you about free housing counseling.
- Notice to vacate (to an occupant after a sheriff's sale)After a sheriff's sale, Louisiana law treats you as an occupant, not an owner. The buyer must deliver a written notice to vacate that gives you 5 days to leave. It is not a court order. If you stay, the buyer must go to court, or ask the clerk for a writ of possession.
- Rule to show cause why possession should not be delivered (eviction)If you stayed after the 5-day notice to vacate, the buyer can have you cited to a quick court hearing called a rule to show cause. The hearing can be held as soon as the third day after you are served. If the judge rules for the buyer, you have 24 hours to leave before a warrant issues.
- Citation and petition (deficiency or ordinary foreclosure suit)Most Louisiana foreclosures skip the citation step. You get one only when the lender sues in an ordinary proceeding, either to foreclose or, after a sheriff's sale, to collect a shortfall. A citation gives you 21 days after service to file an answer.
- Post-tax-lien-auction noticeSince January 1, 2026, Louisiana parishes auction a tax lien certificate on unpaid property taxes instead of selling your home. This notice says the certificate holder plans to sue. You keep your home for now and can end the lien by paying the termination price to the tax collector.
Sources
- La. R.S. 13:4363, Appointment of appraisers
- La. R.S. 13:4364, Sheriff to appoint appraiser
- La. R.S. 13:4365, Third appraiser
- La. C.C.P. art. 2336, Minimum price; second offering
- La. C.C.P. art. 2724, Fieri facias articles applicable
- La. C.C.P. art. 2771, When deficiency judgment obtainable
- La. R.S. 13:4106, No deficiency after sale without appraisement
- La. C.C.P. art. 2340, Payment of debt prior to adjudication
- La. R.S. 1:55, Legal holidays