Sale and Bidding Information

Foreclosure Sale Fee, Deposit & Payment Procedures

Pursuant to Chapter 45.035, Florida Statutes, clerk fees for a judicial sale are $70 service fee and $70 electronic sale fee. These fees must be paid to the Clerk & Comptroller before the time of sale. The electronic sale fee is due at the time a sale is scheduled or rescheduled. The sale will be canceled if these fees are not paid.

Registering to Bid

Anyone may bid on a property; however, bidders must register to bid on the Realauction website before participating in a sale. Once registered, bidders receive a bidder number and have access to their Realauction bidder's account by signing on with a username and password.   

It is recommended potential bidders place on deposit adequate funds for anticipated bidding for future sales dates. Funds are subject to availability based on the rules defined on the Realauction website. The site provides information for each pending sale, including the court case number and legal description. The Clerk & Comptroller and Realauction are not responsible for the quality or accuracy of any information provided on this site.

Participants must set up a username and password online via the Realauction web site before delivering funds for deposit to the Clerk & Comptroller's Office.

Deposits

Before participating in a sale, the bidder must have on deposit with the Clerk & Comptroller a minimum amount that is at least 5% of the estimated high bid for each property the bidder anticipates bidding on at the sale. The amount of the deposit (5% of the winning bid) will be applied to the winning bidder's final bid amount.

Payment of the 5% deposit may be made in the form of ACH (electronic check), cash, cashier's check, or wire transfer.

ACH deposits require four full business days to settle in the Clerk & Comptroller's account. Deposits made via ACH must be settled and cleared in the Clerk & Comptroller's account before the start of a sale to bid on a property.

Cash or cashier's checks must be delivered to the Clerk & Comptroller's Office, at one of our Court Operations locations, no later than 5 p.m. the business day before the sale. Cashier's checks shall not be more than six months old, and shall be payable to Nikki Alvarez-Sowles, Clerk & Comptroller.

Unacceptable Forms of Payment

Split payments and personal checks are not accepted for deposits.

Winning Bid Payments

Successful bidders will have 5% of the winning bid deducted from the initial deposit and credited toward the total amount due. The successful bidder must pay the remainder of the bid plus the court registry fees (3% of the first $500 and 1.5% of the balance) and documentary stamps (70 cents per $100).

Acceptable Forms of Payment

Payment may be made by wire transfer, cash, cashier's check, or funds transfer from the bidder's Realauction deposit account via the Realauction website. Cash or cashier's checks must be delivered to the Clerk & Comptroller's Office at one of our Court Operations locations. 

All forms of payment for winning bids must be received no later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) the day of the foreclosure sale.

Unacceptable Forms of Payment

ACH payments, split payments, and personal checks are not accepted for winning bid payments.