foreclosure homes in
Florida

Welcome! Here you’ll find valuable research, videos and property lists to help you with the bidding process.

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Learning Resources

In-Person & Online Foreclosure Bidding Process

There are two ways to bid on foreclosure properties in Florida.
Click on each image for a step-by-step guide.

In-Person Auctions

In-Person Auctions

These auctions are live and require bidders to attend in person. They usually take place at the county courthouse.

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Online Auctions

Online Auctions

These auctions take place on county websites. Bidders must pre-register to participate in these auctions.

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FAQs

Have a question? Scroll down to find answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions

Start on Auction.com, where you’ll find about 1,100 Florida foreclosures at any given time. Our property pages usually have photos, title information, property reports and financial data to assist you. Once you find a property that you like, click on the link to the county clerk’s website for auction details.

You’ll know because properties that are sold online have a button on the property page that says, “Bid at County Site.” If you don’t see that button, then the property will be sold at an in-person auction, which you will need to attend in person. Please check the county website for the date, time and location of the auction.

Both amounts, when available, will be listed on the property page across from the photos and address. You may want to click on the link that says, “What are these terms?” for a definition of “opening bid” and “estimated debt.”

The credit bid, also called the plaintiff max bid, is usually the minimum amount that a lender will accept for a property at a foreclosure auction. Lenders set this amount because it’s the amount of debt that a borrower owes on a property.

On Florida county websites, this amount is called the plaintiff max bid because the lender is the plaintiff, or party who initiates the lawsuit against the borrower to get reimbursed for its losses. On Auction.com, the amount is referred to as the credit bid.

Buyers can use the credit bid or plaintiff max bid to more easily decide which properties to bid on ahead of time.They can develop a strategy in which they only bid on properties with an amount that meets their criteria. Conversely, they can avoid unnecessary trips to the courthouse or auction venue and save time and money.

It’s important to note that having the credit bid revealed on numerous properties ahead of time is practically unheard of. This is an opportunity that buyers should jump on while it’s available.

On Auction.com, if available, the credit bid is located in the bid box in the upper right hand corner of the property details page. On a Florida website, the plaintiff max bid can be found in the property card where you place your bid.

The next step is to pay the remainder of the bid. Most counties require payment within 24 hours. Check the county website for details on when and how to pay for the property. After you pay, you'll usually receive a Certificate of Sale. If there are no encumbrances on the title, the county should issue a Certificate of Title. Please check with the county for details.

If you don’t pay the balance of your final bid within the time allotted, you’re likely to lose your deposit and the sale will be nullified. You may also incur other fees and charges. This can cost you thousands of dollars. Be sure you want to buy the property before you start bidding on it.

No. You’re responsible for any encumbrances on the property, such as unpaid taxes, HOA fees or second mortgages. It’s recommended that you purchase title insurance as part of your due diligence so you can see if there are any liens against the property before you bid on it. You also may want to consult a real estate attorney.
You were directed to a county website because in Florida, state law requires counties to manage their own foreclosure auctions.
You should use Auction.com to search for foreclosures because we have more than 1,100 Florida foreclosures on our site daily. Once you find a property, we usually have photos, title information, property reports and financial data to help with your research.
Sometimes, there’s a time delay between when Auction.com lists a property and when the listing appears on the county website. This occurs when Auction.com gets the property before the county. Check the county website periodically to see when the property is uploaded.

County law dictates how Florida foreclosure auctions are conducted. Some counties offer an online experience, while others require you to attend an in-person auction. The table below lists all of the Florida counties that conduct online auctions.

*Palm Beach County and St. Lucie County use a different company to operate their websites so their registration process is slightly different. Please check each county’s website.

Yes, you can participate in the online county auction. The auction is open to anyone who registers on the county website and has the funds available to purchase a property. If you decide to participate, follow these steps:

  • Agree to the disclosures on the county website
  • Register for the auction
  • Finish your research
  • Place your deposit
  • Bid on the property
  • If you have questions, please refer to the contact information on the county website.

To register, follow the prompts on the county site. It will ask for your name, email address and other identifying information. You’ll also be asked to create a username and password. Be sure to save your credentials so you can log back into the site.

On most county sites, you can go back to Auction.com to do more research by clicking on the green message at the bottom of the property card. Please verify the address and property data to confirm that you’re bidding on the correct property.

No, once you establish your login credentials, you’ll be ready to bid in most counties. Palm Beach and St. Lucie’s counties are the exception because they use a different foreclosure software system.
The deposit is typically 5 percent of your highest bid and is required to be made one day to five days in advance, depending on the county. Make sure you want to buy the property before placing your deposit. And please check the county website for all of the details.

The credit bid, also called the plaintiff max bid, is usually the minimum amount that a lender will accept for a property at a foreclosure auction. Lenders set this amount because it’s the amount of debt that a borrower owes on a property.

On Florida county websites, this amount is called the plaintiff max bid because the lender is the plaintiff, or party who initiates the lawsuit against the borrower to get reimbursed for its losses. On Auction.com, the amount is referred to as the credit bid.

Buyers can use the credit bid or plaintiff max bid to more easily decide which properties to bid on ahead of time.They can develop a strategy in which they only bid on properties with an amount that meets their criteria. Conversely, they can avoid unnecessary trips to the courthouse or auction venue and save time and money.

It’s important to note that having the credit bid revealed on numerous properties ahead of time is practically unheard of. This is an opportunity that buyers should jump on while it’s available.

On Auction.com, if available, the credit bid is located in the bid box in the upper right hand corner of the property details page. On a Florida website, the plaintiff max bid can be found in the property card where you place your bid.
Once the auction starts, you can place your bid. In most counties you will be asked to bid the highest amount that you’re willing to spend. The county will then conduct proxy bidding on your behalf. That means the automated system will check the other bids and enter a bid for you at $100 higher than the next highest bid. When the bidding reaches the highest amount that you’re willing to spend, the system will stop bidding for you. The bidding system is slightly different in Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties, but they also use a proxy system.
You can lower or cancel your bid before the auction begins. Once the auction starts, you can only raise your bid.
Yes. You can request a refund, although it can take two weeks to 12 weeks to receive it, depending on the county. Check your county website for details.
That’s great. The next step is to pay the remainder of the bid. Most counties require payment within 24 hours. Check the county website for details on when and how to pay for the property. After you pay, you’ll typically receive a Certificate of Sale. If there are no encumbrances on the title, the county should issue a Certificate of Title. Please check with the county for details.
If the same bid amount is placed by two bidders before the start of the auction, the person who placed the bid first will be considered the winner.
If you don’t pay the balance of your final bid within 24 hours of winning the auction, you’re likely to lose your deposit and the sale will be nullified. You may also incur other fees and charges. This can cost thousands of dollars. Be sure you want to buy the property before you start bidding on it.
No. You’re responsible for any encumbrances on the property, such as unpaid taxes, HOA fees or second mortgages. It’s recommended that you purchase title insurance as part of your due diligence so you can see if there are any liens against the property before you bid on it. You also may want to consult a real estate attorney.

Learn About Your County

Here’s how to get county information:

  • Click in the pull-down below to find a county that interests you
  • Select a county and you’ll receive the address of that county’s courthouse
  • You’ll also have the option of visiting the county website or browsing properties

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