Florida surplus library
Plain-language guidance for former homeowners, heirs, and families navigating money left after a Florida foreclosure sale.
October 29, 2026
An Ohio sheriff sale left more than $153,000 with the clerk on a small junior mortgage, but the home sold subject to the first mortgage, whose balance appears nowhere in the file. Here is why that one line changes what the surplus really means, and the three checks to run before you trust the figure.
Read moreOctober 27, 2026
A Florida tax deed sale left a little over $40,000 in surplus, but a divorce decades earlier had split the ownership in half. The court paid one half and closed the case, and the other half still sits unclaimed.
Read moreOctober 25, 2026
A Cleveland condo sold at sheriff sale for $169,100 on a judgment of about $13,000, and more than $140,000 is still sitting with the clerk, unclaimed. Why the listed amount is not always the amount that was first held.
Read moreOctober 25, 2026
An Ohio sheriff sale left $107,862 with the clerk. A recovery company pushed a 33 percent agreement with a 48-hour deadline, while the owner's own lawyer charged 12 percent with everything included. Here is how that fight ended.
Read moreOctober 24, 2026
Two recovery companies signed two different sisters after the same foreclosure sale in Florida. Only one got paid, and it was not the one that filed first. Why the will mattered more than the race.
Read moreAn Indiana condo sold at sheriff sale for $115,000 on an $11,858 association lien, leaving about $99,000 extra. The former owner got none of it. Here is why a senior mortgage and the words 'subject to' decided everything.
A certificate of disbursements after a Florida foreclosure sale usually pays the plaintiff first and leaves the surplus sitting with the clerk. One recent case shows why that paper does not mean your money is gone.
After an Indiana sheriff sale, extra money can sit with the county clerk for years. A real case shows how a state tax lien was paid first, how heirs with minor children finally claimed the rest, and why the order of payment matters.
Right after an Ohio foreclosure sale, companies may quote a big surplus estimate and ask heirs to sign quickly. One Ohio case shows why that first number can shrink by two-thirds before any money is paid, and what families should check first.
A Florida tax deed sale can leave surplus money for the former owner, but a recorded judgment lien from years earlier may be paid out of that surplus first. Here is how one old $50-a-month judgment reduced an owner's recovery, and what owners should check.
An Ohio homeowner signed her foreclosure surplus over to a recovery company on the day of the sale, then hired a lawyer and claimed the money herself. The court paid the company. Here is what that teaches every Ohio homeowner.
A Florida tax deed sale left more than $300,000 in surplus, two recovery companies signed the heirs, and the federal government took nearly all of it. Here is why, and what to check before you sign anything.
If a company offers to recover the extra money from your Indiana foreclosure sale, the fee should match the work. Real court filings show flat fees, percentages, and the questions to ask before you sign.
After an Ohio foreclosure sale, extra money can sit with the clerk for years. Learn how surplus funds work, why owners miss them, and what to do next.
When an Indiana foreclosure sale brings in more than the mortgage payoff, the extra money is called an overbid. Here is who can claim it, how fast competitors move, and the one piece of paperwork that almost killed a $12,700 claim.
Two companies claimed the same Florida tax-deed surplus. Only one had a valid agreement, and the court picked a clear winner. Here is what that means for you.
A surplus recovery company contacted you about money left over after your foreclosure sale? Learn what these companies do, what they charge, and the questions to ask before you sign anything.
After an Ohio sheriff sale, any money left over is called excess proceeds. Learn who can claim it, what recovery companies charge, and why the HOA gets paid first.
A $13,000 HOA lien led to a $213,000 surplus that sat unclaimed for years. Here is how foreclosure surplus happens, why it goes unclaimed, and how to check whether money is waiting for you.
Your home sold at a foreclosure auction for more than you owed. So why is the leftover money smaller than you expected? Post-sale costs, lender claims, and fees explained in plain language.
After a foreclosure auction, several parties can claim the leftover surplus money. A real Florida case shows how a $267,100 sale's $16,644.42 surplus was split three ways by court agreement.
After a Florida foreclosure auction, surplus recovery companies may ask you to sign over your claim the same day. Here is how the process works, what the paperwork really means, and what happens if you do nothing.
If your Florida home sold at a foreclosure auction for more than you owed, the extra money is called surplus. But your HOA may get paid before you do. Here is how the payout order works.
When a foreclosed home sells for more than the judgment, the leftover money is called surplus. Learn who can claim it, why banks file before the sale, and what slows the payout down.
A Florida condo association foreclosed over an $11,000 lien, the home sold for $51,000, and the leftover money went through a court fight. Here is what homeowners should know about HOA foreclosures and surplus funds.
Your home sold at a foreclosure auction for more than you owed, and a certificate of disbursements was filed. Does that mean the surplus is gone? Not necessarily. Here is what that document really means.
When a Florida homeowner dies before or during a foreclosure, the auction surplus still belongs to the family. Here is who can claim it, why heirs often miss out, and what to do first.
When a Florida foreclosure auction brings in more than what was owed on the home, the leftover money belongs to the former homeowner. Here is how surplus funds work and how to claim them.
Is there a deadline to claim surplus funds after a Florida foreclosure? There is no single hard cutoff, but waiting can cost you the money. Here is what to know.
After a Broward County condo foreclosure left about $30,000 in surplus, two recovery companies got the owner to sign. The court gave the money to the one who signed first. Here is the lesson for homeowners.