Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

First, the 50,000 down payment should be in either a real estate agent's or attorneys escrow account, should not be transferred tot he seller until the parties go to settlement. As the lien against the home prevents you getting clear title you can probably get out of the sale and get your money back. Alternatively, you should get a lawyer to speak to the lienholder (probably a bank) and see if they are willing to remove the property from the Sheriff's sale, and allow the original deal to go through, provided the unpaid proceeds go to the lienholder. If the property is "under-water", the bank may not agree, but on the other hand, may be happy to get the money from sale in exchange for removing the lien. The bottom line is that you should contact an attorney to determine exactly what the situation is, and what your options are.