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Lake County foreclosure auctions are held in person at the Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., Tavares, Monday to Friday, from 11:00 am: the deposit is 5% of your bid, immediately at the time of the sale, with the balance due by 4:00 pm the same day. Fees include: court registry (the clerk's fee); documentary stamps. Read from the clerk's own site on November 3, 2026.

Covers Clermont, Leesburg, Tavares.

Where
In person at the Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., Tavares
Sale days
Monday to Friday, when a sale is scheduled. Sales are generally in the first-floor Jury Assembly Room, east wing
Sale time
11:00 am
Deposit
5% of your bid, immediately at the time of the sale. Cash, cashier's check, money order or attorney trust account check only; no personal checks, and no cashier's checks dated more than two months back
Balance
Unusually short: the balance plus costs is due by 4:00 pm the SAME DAY as the sale, unless the final judgment states otherwise. Miss it and the deposit is forfeited

Lake County foreclosure auction fees

  • Court registry (the clerk's fee): 3% of the first $500, then 1.5% of the rest of your bid
  • Documentary stamps: $0.70 per $100 of the final bid

How a Lake County foreclosure sale runs

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Lake County auction questions

Where are Lake County foreclosure auctions held?
Lake County holds its foreclosure sales in person at the Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., Tavares. Monday to Friday, when a sale is scheduled. Sales are generally in the first-floor Jury Assembly Room, east wing, 11:00 am. The clerk publishes the sale list at https://www.lakecountyclerkfl.gov/departments/courts-management/civil/real-property-mortgage-foreclosure/foreclosure-sales-calendar/.
What deposit is required at a Lake County foreclosure sale?
5% of your bid, immediately at the time of the sale. Cash, cashier's check, money order or attorney trust account check only; no personal checks, and no cashier's checks dated more than two months back.
When is the balance due after winning a Lake County foreclosure auction?
Unusually short: the balance plus costs is due by 4:00 pm the SAME DAY as the sale, unless the final judgment states otherwise. Miss it and the deposit is forfeited.

Before you bid in Lake

Next, if you are bidding in Lake County

Counties near Lake

Source: Lake County Clerk. Clerks change deadlines and fees. Confirm before you bid.