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- 951K Residents
- $64B County GDP
- $67,504 GDP per Capita
Erie County
Erie County
Erie County is anchored by Buffalo (county seat and largest city), New York's second-largest metro and the eastern terminus of Lake Erie. The economy mixes M&T Bank, healthcare (Kaleida, Catholic Health, Roswell Park), University at Buffalo, manufacturing (Tesla Gigafactory NY, Moog), professional sports (Bills, Sabres), and a fast-revitalizing waterfront / medical campus economy. The County Clerk (Michael P. Kearns) operates from 92 Franklin Street.
Property in Erie
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in Erie.
Erie is the largest WNY homeowner market with one of New York's most affordable big-city housing stocks.
- STAR / Enhanced STAR, senior, veteran, disability, and Cold War veteran exemptions apply.
- Property tax cycle: school bills September; county/town bills January.
- City of Buffalo runs its own tax-enforcement track and reassesses periodically.
- Tax-foreclosure redemption under RPTL Article 11 (two-year window); City of Buffalo follows its own schedule.
- Foreclosure surplus rights under RPAPL § 1361.
- Watch for City of Buffalo rental registry, lead-paint compliance, and historic-district approvals.
Investing in Erie.
Erie is one of New York's most active distressed-property and value-add multifamily markets.
- Tax-foreclosure auctions: Buffalo runs its own; Erie County runs the rest of the towns/villages.
- Judicial foreclosure auctions held at the Erie County Courthouse, Buffalo.
- Land records search via Erie County Clerk online records (eAccess).
- Real Property parcel lookup at erie.gov.
- NYSCEF case search for lis pendens.
- Watch for City of Buffalo lead ordinance, rental registry, vacant-property registry, and water/sewer liens.
After a Erie foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Erie uses New York's judicial foreclosure process and runs in rem tax foreclosure under RPTL Article 11.
- Mortgage foreclosures filed in Supreme Court, 8th Judicial District.
- Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale executed by court-appointed Referee.
- Surplus money proceedings under RPAPL § 1361.
- Erie County holds in rem foreclosure for towns/villages; City of Buffalo holds its own annual In Rem Auction.
- Post-Tyler v. Hennepin reforms require return of tax-foreclosure surplus to former owner.
- Notices published in The Buffalo News.
Courts and records in Erie.
- Erie County Courthouse — 25 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202 — 8th Judicial District
- Erie County Hall — 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo (County Clerk)
- Supreme Court & County Court — Erie County Courthouse
- Family Court — 1 Niagara Plaza, Buffalo
- Surrogate's Court — 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo
- 8th Judicial District (Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming)
- Appellate Division, 4th Department — 50 East Avenue, Rochester
- County Clerk — Michael P. Kearns — 92 Franklin Street — (716) 858-8785 — erie.gov
- Real Property Tax Services — 95 Franklin Street — (716) 858-8333
- Department of Finance — 95 Franklin Street — (716) 858-8400
- Sheriff — 10 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo — (716) 858-7618