Hillsborough County foreclosure auctions run on RealForeclose at hillsborough.realforeclose.com, Monday to Friday, from 10:00 am Eastern: the deposit is 5% of the winning bid, with the balance due by 12:00 pm the next business day. Fees include: court registry fee; documentary stamps. Read from the clerk's own site on September 19, 2026.
Covers Tampa, Brandon, Plant City.
- Auction site
- RealForeclose
- Sale days
- Monday to Friday
- Sale time
- 10:00 am Eastern
- Deposit
- 5% of the winning bid. ACH transfers take 5 business days to clear, and in-person deposits are accepted until 4:00 pm the day before
- Balance
- The balance is due by 12:00 pm on the next business day
Hillsborough County foreclosure auction fees
- Court registry fee: 3% of the first $500, then 1.5%
- Documentary stamps: $0.70 per $100
How a Hillsborough County foreclosure sale runs
Step 1
The lender sues and records a lis pendens
Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, so every foreclosure is a lawsuit in circuit court. The lis pendens is the public notice that the case exists. This is where we start tracking a property.
Step 2
The judge signs a final judgment
The final judgment states what is owed and orders the clerk to sell the property. The statute calls for a sale 20 to 35 days out, though courts often set it later.
Step 3
The clerk publishes the notice of sale
The sale is advertised for two weeks running. Most Florida clerks then run the auction online through their county RealForeclose site; a handful of smaller counties still sell at the courthouse.
Step 4
Auction day
Bidding starts at the judgment amount and closes fast. You bid with your own cash: the winner posts a 5% deposit at the sale and pays the balance on the clerk's deadline, in most counties by the next business day.
Step 5
Certificate of sale, then ten quiet days
The clerk files a certificate of sale, which ends the owner's right of redemption. Anyone with standing then has ten days to object to the sale.
Step 6
Certificate of title, then possession
With no objection, the clerk issues the certificate of title and the property is yours, as is. If someone still lives there, you ask the court for a writ of possession.
Hillsborough County auction questions
- Where are Hillsborough County foreclosure auctions held?
- Hillsborough County runs its foreclosure sales online through RealForeclose, at https://hillsborough.realforeclose.com. Monday to Friday, 10:00 am Eastern.
- What deposit is required at a Hillsborough County foreclosure sale?
- 5% of the winning bid. ACH transfers take 5 business days to clear, and in-person deposits are accepted until 4:00 pm the day before.
- When is the balance due after winning a Hillsborough County foreclosure auction?
- The balance is due by 12:00 pm on the next business day.
Before you bid in Hillsborough
Next, if you are bidding in Hillsborough County
- Tax Deed Sale vs Foreclosure Auction in FloridaBoth are run by the county clerk, often on the same site, but a tax deed sale and a foreclosure auction follow different statutes and clear different liens.
- Title Insurance After a Florida Foreclosure AuctionA certificate of title carries no warranty. When a Florida title insurer will cover an auction purchase, what it reviews, and when quiet title is needed.
- Florida Foreclosure Surplus Funds: Who Gets the MoneyWhen a Florida foreclosure sells for more than the judgment, the surplus goes to junior lienholders and the former owner, never to the buyer. How it works.
- The Complete SystemEvery step we run before we bid, on real Florida dockets.
- Talk to us firstFifteen minutes, weekdays. Nothing is charged on the call.
Counties near Hillsborough
- Pinellas County
- Manatee County
- Pasco County
- Polk County
- Sarasota County
- Charlotte County
- All 38 Florida counties
Source: Hillsborough County Clerk. Clerks change deadlines and fees. Confirm before you bid.