The sheriff may have a real estate deputy to take charge of all matters relating to sheriff's sales of real estate and distributions of the proceeds thereof, whose appointment shall be made and be revocable as provided for the chief deputy. The deputy shall have full power to perform all duties incumbent upon the sheriff in like manner as the chief deputy with like effect in law as if such official acts had been done by the sheriff in person. The duties shall include the execution and acknowledgment of sheriff's deeds for real estate upon receipt of the purchase price thereof. Nothing in this act shall operate to relieve the sheriff or the sheriff's sureties from liability upon their official bonds.