By Josh McKnight | The McKnight Team
Almost two weeks after a cyber attack hit Delaware County, phones and internet are back at the courthouse and the Government Center. Public records access is not all the way back. The county said it responded by shutting down its network to protect sensitive information and critical systems. That was the right call for security. It is a real problem for anyone trying to close on a house.
If you are under contract in Delaware County right now, read this before your settlement date sneaks up on you.
What Is Still Broken
Mark Barone, a real estate broker and appraiser, told CBS Philadelphia that his work has been at a standstill. He uses public records data for tax assessment, appraisal work, sketch plans, and more, and he cannot get to it. A county spokesperson said there was a lot he could not discuss, including whether ransom demands were made.
That is the honest state of things. Some systems are up. The records people in this business depend on every single day are still hard to reach, and nobody has given a firm date for full restoration.
Why Public Records Decide Whether You Close
Almost every step of a real estate transaction touches county records. The title company searches the chain of ownership to make sure the seller can actually sell. It checks for liens, unpaid taxes, and judgments against the property. The appraiser pulls assessment data and comparable sales. At the end, the deed gets recorded with the county, which is the moment the transfer becomes official and public.
Take those records offline and the whole chain slows down. Title clearance takes longer. Appraisals take longer. Settlement dates start to slide.
This is not a Delaware County problem in the sense that the county did something wrong. It is a reminder that a real estate closing depends on a lot of quiet infrastructure that nobody thinks about until it stops working.
What to Do If You Are Under Contract
Call your title company today and ask a direct question. Have you hit delays on Delaware County searches, and are you seeing them clear? A good title officer will tell you straight.
Build cushion into your settlement date. If you are negotiating a contract right now on a home anywhere in Delaware County, do not pick the tightest possible timeline. Give yourself an extra week or two.
Talk to your lender early. If your rate lock or financing contingency is on a tight clock, ask about an extension before you need one. Extensions are cheap and easy when you request them early. They are expensive and stressful when you request them the day before closing.
Sellers, do not schedule the moving truck for the exact day of settlement. Give yourself a buffer.
Delays cost money. The median sale price in Delaware County was $366,900 in May 2026, down 2.2 percent from a year earlier, according to Redfin. In a market that is already flat, a deal that drags on for two extra weeks is a deal that gives buyers time to get nervous. Momentum matters.
What This Means for You
If you are buying or selling in the Delaware County real estate market this summer, plan for friction. Choose a title company that is already working through this and knows the workarounds. Ask your agent to check on the status of the search weekly, not the week of closing. Move any paperwork you can control to the front of the process so that when the records come back, you are not the one holding things up.
The market is still moving. Homes are still selling. The transactions that close on time this month will be the ones where somebody was paying attention.
We work across Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Delaware counties, and we watch this stuff so you do not have to. Whether you are looking at a place in Media or a home in Doylestown, the process is only as strong as the people managing it.
Thinking about buying or selling in Delaware County? Let’s talk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Delaware County cyber attack delaying home closings?
It can. The county shut down its network after the attack, and public records used for title searches and appraisals have been hard to reach. Anyone under contract in Delaware County should confirm the status of their title search early rather than assume the timeline is safe.
Can you still get a title search done in Delaware County?
Title companies are working, but access to county records has been limited, which slows the search. Ask your title company directly whether they are experiencing delays and how they are handling them.
What happens if my closing gets delayed?
Most agreements of sale allow for extensions if both sides agree. The risk is that a rate lock expires or a financing contingency runs out, so contact your lender as soon as a delay looks possible.
How long will Delaware County records be affected?
The county has not given a firm timeline for full restoration and has said there is information it cannot share. Assume delays until your title company tells you otherwise.
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