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📍 Hillsborough County · Tampa, Florida

Facing foreclosure in Hillsborough County? You have more options than you think.

Free, honest help for Hillsborough County property owners facing tax or mortgage foreclosure — plus how to claim surplus funds you may be owed after a sale. House or land, keep it or sell it. No pressure, no fees.

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The quick facts

Hillsborough County foreclosure — what you need to know

Foreclosure typeFlorida is a judicial state — mortgage foreclosures go through the Circuit Court.
Who runs the saleHillsborough County Clerk of Courts (online foreclosure & tax-deed auctions).
Surplus funds held byHillsborough County Clerk of Courts — claimable by the former owner.
Surplus deadlineFormer owner has priority, generally within 60 days of the clerk's notice (Fla. Stat. §45.032).
Tax deed surplusHeld by the Clerk after a tax-deed sale (Fla. Stat. §197.582).
⚙️ Sample page — Hillsborough County data shown for illustration. In production every county page is auto-populated & kept current from our county data engine, then attorney-reviewed.
Know all your options

Every path forward in Hillsborough County,
explained honestly

There's rarely just one answer. Here are the real options Hillsborough County property owners have — including the ones that don't involve us at all.

Keep your property

Loan modification, repayment plans, forbearance, or a Hillsborough County tax payment plan may let you keep it. We'll point you to free, HUD-approved counselors near Tampa who help with this.

Stay in place

Sell on the market

If you have time and equity, a traditional sale in Tampa may net you the most. We'll tell you honestly when this is your best move — even though it isn't us.

Maximize price

Recover surplus funds

If your Hillsborough County property already sold at auction for more than you owed, that extra money may belong to you — not the bank or the county. Most people never claim it.

You may be owed money

Sell fast for cash

Need to move quickly or beat the auction date? A direct cash sale — house, land, or commercial in Hillsborough County — can close in days. One option we may offer directly, clearly disclosed, never pushed.

Speed & certainty

Deed in lieu / settlement

Handing the property back, or settling the tax debt, can sometimes protect your credit better than a full foreclosure. We'll explain when it makes sense in Hillsborough County.

Protect credit

Just get clarity first

Not ready to decide? That's okay. Start by understanding the full Hillsborough County picture before you do anything at all.

No pressure
Every kind of property

Help for every property type
in Hillsborough County.

House, land, or commercial — the process differs, and so does the surplus. We cover all three here, in Hillsborough County and across Florida.

House foreclosure in Hillsborough County

Mortgage foreclosure on a home in Tampa or nearby — your rights, the Circuit Court timeline, and how to keep it or sell before the sale.

Land foreclosure in Hillsborough County

Vacant lot or acreage behind on taxes? Tax-deed foreclosure on Hillsborough land works differently — and surplus funds are common here.

Commercial foreclosure in Hillsborough County

Storefront, office, or multi-unit in trouble? Your options for commercial property in Hillsborough County, including a fast, clearly-disclosed cash sale.

💰 The money most Hillsborough owners never claim

Did your Hillsborough County property sell for more than you owed?

When a property in Hillsborough County sells at a mortgage-foreclosure or tax-deed auction for more than the debt owed, the leftover — called surplus funds — is held by the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts and often belongs to you, the former owner.

But there's a catch: the clock is ticking — generally 60 days from the clerk's notice under Fla. Stat. §45.032 — and others comb these records to claim it first. Most owners never even know it exists.

Check if you're owed money in Hillsborough County
$0+
Typical surplus left unclaimed after a foreclosure or tax sale*
*For illustration. Actual amounts vary widely by property, sale, and county. We'll help you find out what (if anything) you may be owed in Hillsborough County — at no upfront cost.
0FL Counties Covered
60Day Surplus Window
$0Cost To You
Hillsborough County courthousePhoto: TampAGS, for AGS Media / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Local · Hillsborough County

Foreclosure in Hillsborough County

Home to Tampa, this is Florida's fourth-most populous county, and foreclosure cases here are heard in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court with the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller managing the file and the sale. Foreclosure auctions are conducted entirely online at hillsborough.realforeclose.com, with sales held every weekday at 10 a.m. and bidders required to register and place a deposit in advance. Knowing the schedule and how the online sale works gives you time to consider your options, from reinstating the loan to negotiating with the lender or claiming any surplus left after the sale.

CourtThirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
ClerkHillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Population1,581,426 (2024)
AuctionsOnline — hillsborough.realforeclose.com

Hillsborough County's main trial court is the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa, named for the county's first African-American county court judge and dedicated in 2004.

Official Hillsborough County resources: Clerk of Court · foreclosure auction portal

Questions

Hillsborough County foreclosure FAQ

Is Hillsborough County a judicial foreclosure county?+

Yes. Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, so a Hillsborough County mortgage foreclosure goes through the Circuit Court and the sale is conducted by the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts.

How do I claim surplus funds after a foreclosure in Hillsborough County?+

If a Hillsborough County property sells for more than was owed, the surplus is held by the Clerk of Courts. Under Fla. Stat. §45.032 the former owner has priority to claim it — generally within 60 days of the clerk's notice. You file a claim with the Hillsborough County Clerk with proof of prior ownership.

Can I still sell my house in Hillsborough County after foreclosure starts?+

In most cases yes — you can sell any time before the foreclosure auction, and a sale that pays off the debt stops the foreclosure. We'll help you understand the Hillsborough County timeline.

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💡 Free official help: Reach a HUD-approved housing counselor near Tampa at no cost — 1-800-569-4287 or the CFPB counselor finder. Hillsborough County foreclosure & tax-deed sales are administered by the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts. We always point you to these — even though they aren't us.