Bidding at a Foreclosure Sale

This brief explanation is only a guideline. We urge you to seek the advice of legal counsel if you are interested in participating in Public Trustee sales. You should familiarize yourself with the Colorado Revised Statutes under Title 38 governing the Public Trustee and foreclosures of deeds of trusts.

Prior to the Sale

  • Combined Notices of Sale and Rights to Cure and Redeem are normally published as Legal Notices for five consecutive weeks in the Tuesday or Thursday editions of The Fort Morgan Times. The sale date shown in the ad is the first scheduled sale date for the property. The property will not be sold before that date.
  • Sale dates can be postponed, or "continued", at the request of the foreclosing party. Notices of continuances are noted on this website, posted outside the Public Trustee's office, and/or announced on the scheduled sale dates. This information usually becomes available after noon on Monday afternoons.

The Public Trustee Foreclosure Sale

  • Foreclosure sales are conducted each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at the east front door of the Morgan County Administration Building, 231 Ensign Street, Fort Morgan, CO 80701.
  • Persons desiring to bid must register with the Morgan County Public Trustee's office prior to the sale.
  • Once the sale and bid information are presented at the sale, the Public Trustee will entertain verbal bids from any registered bidders present.
  • If the Public Trustee suspects any suspicious activity during the course of the bidding process, the Public Trustee reserves the right to stop the foreclosure sale and seek advice from the foreclosing attorney and/or the county attorney before proceeding.
  • The sale will conclude when a final bid is accepted and payment is tendered.
  • Payment of any successful bid amount must be received by the Morgan County Public Trustee no later than noon on the same day as the sale. If full payment of the bid amount from the highest bidder at the sale is not received by noon on the day of the sale, the next highest bidder who has tendered the full amount of their bid by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the sale shall be deemed the successful bidder at the sale.
  • Funds must be in the form of cash, a Cashier's Check payable to the Morgan County Public Trustee, or by electronic transfer to an account specified by the Public Trustee.
  • A Certificate of Purchase is issued in the name of the successful bidder and is recorded in the Clerk and Recorder's office.
  • A Certificate of Purchase is an assignable document so any and all assignments must be delivered to the Public Trustee in a timely manner.
    • You may wish to consider recording the assignment with the Morgan County Clerk and Recorder.

Redemption

  • Junior Lienor Intents to Redeem must be filed with the Public Trustee within eight (8) business days after the sale.
  • There is no owner redemption period.

Confirmation Deed

  • If no intents to redeem are filed, title to the property will automatically vest as of the close of business in the Public Trustee's office eight business days after the sale.
    • If intents to redeem are filed, title will vest upon the expiration of all redemption periods allowed by law.
  • According to law, the Public Trustee shall execute and record a confirmation deed confirming the automatic vestment of title.