- Who sends it
- The sheriff or other officer who held the sale gives it to the buyer and records a signed copy with the county. You may see a copy or find it in the county records
- What it starts
- Your three month redemption period, counted from the sale date (12 months for agricultural real estate) under Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103
- Do this first
- Get a copy, note the sale date and bid amount, and ask the buyer or the sheriff for a written redemption figure
What this document is in Wyoming
Under Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-102, when a home is sold by foreclosure by advertisement or by a court foreclosure, the sheriff or other officer does not give the buyer a deed. Instead, the buyer gets a written certificate describing the property and the amount paid or bid.
The certificate must say that the buyer is entitled to a deed when the redemption period ends, unless the property is redeemed first. The officer records a signed and acknowledged copy with the county.
The buyer can sell the certificate to someone else, and that person gets the same rights (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-108). The national guide to a certificate of sale explains how similar papers work in other states.
What it does and does not mean
- It is not a deed. The buyer does not own your home yet.
- It is not an eviction notice. You keep possession and any rents for three months after the sale, or 12 months for agricultural property (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-104(e)).
- During that time the buyer may enter only parts of the property no one is living in, to keep it from falling apart (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-111(b)).
- If you redeem, the sale and the certificate become void and you get a certificate of redemption (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103(a)).
- Before a sheriff's deed is recorded, the lender may rescind the sale by recording a notice of foreclosure sale rescission, which brings the loan back (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-115).
The deadlines and how to count them
- Your redemption period is three months from the date of sale, not from the date the certificate was recorded (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103(a)).
- It is 12 months if the mortgage covered agricultural real estate, which the law defines mainly as a parcel over 80 acres outside a city, town or subdivision, or farm land adding up to 80 acres or more (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103(b), (c)).
- To redeem you pay the sale price or bid, plus interest at 10 percent a year from the sale date, plus any taxes, assessments and prior lien payments the buyer made, with interest. You pay the buyer or the sheriff or officer who sold the home.
- If you do not redeem, judgment creditors and lienholders get 30 more days to redeem. If no one redeems, the buyer or the certificate holder is entitled to a sheriff's deed (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-104(a), (d)).
- The buyer becomes entitled to possession when your three months end (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-104(e)).
What to do this week
- Get a copy of the certificate from the county clerk's records or from the officer who held the sale. Write down the sale date and the bid amount.
- Mark the date three months after the sale on your calendar. That is the last day of your redemption period and your right to stay.
- Ask the buyer or the sheriff in writing for the exact redemption amount and how it must be paid. Ask for an updated figure close to the date you plan to pay.
- If you plan to refinance, borrow from family or sell, start now. Three months goes fast.
- If the sale brought more than the lender was owed, watch for the Sale Results letter and claim any surplus.
- If you cannot redeem, plan your move before the three months end, and call Legal Aid of Wyoming at 1-877-432-9955.
Help and warnings
Legal Aid of Wyoming and the Wyoming Judicial Branch legal help page can point you to free help. The Wyoming foreclosure help page lists more. Wyoming law also makes you liable for any deficiency after a sale by advertisement (Wyo. Stat. § 34-4-113(c)); see deficiency judgments in Wyoming.
- Investors may offer to buy your right to redeem or your surplus. Read every paper carefully and talk with legal aid before you sign.
- Pay redemption money only to the buyer or the sheriff or officer named on the certificate, and get a written receipt and a certificate of redemption.
The rest of the Wyoming process
See how foreclosure works in Wyoming, the timeline, ways to stop it and free help in Wyoming, or read the national guide to this letter.
Common questions
How long do I have to redeem my Wyoming home after the sale?
Three months from the date of sale under Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103(a), or 12 months if the mortgage covered agricultural real estate. You may stay in the home during that time under Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-104(e).
How much does it cost to redeem in Wyoming?
The amount paid or bid at the sale, plus 10 percent yearly interest from the sale date, plus any taxes, assessments and prior lien payments the buyer made after the sale, with interest (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-103(a)). Ask for a written figure.
When does the buyer get a sheriff's deed in Wyoming?
Only after your redemption period and 30 more days for creditors pass with no redemption (Wyo. Stat. § 1-18-104(d)). Until then, the buyer holds only a certificate of purchase.
Other Wyoming letters
- Notice of Intent to ForecloseA Wyoming Notice of Intent to Foreclose is the first paper in a foreclosure by advertisement and sale. Wyoming law requires it before the lender can start publishing a notice of sale. It does not set a sale date, but the newspaper notice can start as soon as 10 days after it is mailed.
- Notice of Foreclosure SaleA Wyoming Notice of Foreclosure Sale gives the date, time and place your home will be auctioned. It is mailed to you by certified mail before it first appears in the newspaper, and it must run once a week for four weeks in a row. You still have three months to redeem after any sale.
- Sale Results (Notice of Excess Proceeds)In Wyoming, if a foreclosure sale brings in more money than the lender is owed, the lender must mail you the sale results within 10 business days. Getting this letter usually means there may be surplus money. The surplus is paid to you on demand, after costs, the mortgage and timely claims from junior lienholders.
- Notice to Quit PremisesA Wyoming Notice to Quit Premises, often called a three day notice to quit, tells you to leave the home. After a foreclosure sale, the buyer must serve it at least three days before filing a forcible entry and detainer (eviction) case. It is not a court order, and only a court can order you out.
- Forcible Entry and Detainer (Eviction) SummonsA Wyoming Forcible Entry and Detainer (Eviction) Summons tells you the date, time and place of a circuit court trial on whether the buyer can take possession of the home. You do not have to file a written answer to take part, but you do need to show up. If the buyer wins, the officer can carry out a writ of restitution within two days.