Florida's counties run foreclosure auctions, and none of them agreed on a schedule. Some sell often. Some sell once a month. A few hold sales only when the docket warrants it. If you're trying to bid across multiple counties, figuring out when each one sells is half the battle.
We track the Florida counties listed below at AuctionScout, and one of the most common questions we get is simply: when does my county hold auctions? The answer is always "it depends on the county," which isn't helpful. So this guide lists the counties we track, explains how the calendar works, and shows you how to plan a month of bidding across multiple FL counties.
What you need to know first
Florida uses different terminology than Ohio and Pennsylvania
If you're coming from Ohio or Pennsylvania, the first adjustment is vocabulary. Florida does not call these "sheriff sales." In Florida, the Clerk of the Circuit Court (not the sheriff) runs foreclosure auctions. The correct terms are "foreclosure auction" or "foreclosure sale."
This isn't pedantic. If you search for "Florida sheriff sale," you'll find almost nothing useful because that's not what Florida calls them. Search for "Florida foreclosure auction" or "[county name] foreclosure sale" and you'll get the right results.
| State | What it's called | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Sheriff sale | County Sheriff |
| Pennsylvania | Sheriff sale | County Sheriff |
| Florida | Foreclosure auction / foreclosure sale | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
How Florida foreclosure auctions work (quick version)
- A lender files a foreclosure lawsuit in circuit court.
- The court enters a final judgment of foreclosure.
- The Clerk of Court schedules the property for public sale.
- The auction happens online through the RealAuction/RealForeclose platform.
- The winning bidder pays, and the Clerk issues a certificate of title.
The Florida counties AuctionScout tracks run their foreclosure sales online. No courthouse steps, no in-person bidding. This is good news if you're planning to bid across multiple counties, because you don't need to physically be anywhere.
What "assessed value" means in Florida (and why it's misleading)
Ohio publishes a sheriff's appraisal for each property, which is roughly market value. Florida publishes the assessed value from the county property appraiser's office, but this number is capped by the Save Our Homes amendment and homestead exemptions. On a property someone has owned for 15 years, the assessed value could be 40% or less of actual market value.
Don't use Florida's assessed value as your pricing anchor. It will mislead you. AuctionScout's AI valuation draws on comparable sales and multiple national automated valuation models to give you something closer to what a property is actually worth.
Florida counties AuctionScout tracks
Every Clerk of Court office sets its own auction calendar. There's no statewide standard, and schedules can shift, so always verify with the county Clerk's office or check AuctionScout for current dates. The table below lists the Florida counties AuctionScout tracks, with each county's region and a link to its recap page. Check the recap page or the county Clerk's site for how often that county sells.
Note: Washington County exists in both Florida and Pennsylvania. The link above is for Washington County, FL.
High-volume counties generate enough foreclosure inventory to justify frequent sales, which makes them the best places to get practice reps if you're new to FL auctions. Smaller counties batch their sales, and when they do sell, competition tends to be thinner because fewer investors are watching.
How to plan a bidding month across multiple FL counties
Here's how investors who work across counties structure their time.
Week 1: Research and shortlisting
At the start of each month, pull up the auction calendars for every county you're targeting. AuctionScout shows upcoming auction dates and property lists across the Florida counties it tracks, so you don't need to check each Clerk's website individually.
Identify which counties have sales coming up. For counties that sell often you'll have options every week. For counties that sell less often, mark the specific date.
Week 2-3: Due diligence on shortlisted properties
Run your due diligence on the properties you've shortlisted. That means:
- AI valuation and comparable sales analysis (AuctionScout handles this)
- Drive-by inspection if the property is within driving distance
- Title search or at minimum a lien check
- Municipal lien check (water, sewer, code violations)
- HOA status check (Florida HOAs are aggressive about assessments and super-liens)
Florida HOA liens deserve special attention. Under Florida statute, an HOA can claim up to 12 months of past-due assessments (or 1% of the original mortgage balance, whichever is less) as a super-lien that survives foreclosure. This isn't a rounding error on a $300/month HOA.
Week 4: Bidding and follow-up
Place your bids on auction days. Since everything is online through RealAuction, you can bid on a Duval County property in the morning and a Hillsborough County property in the afternoon without leaving your desk.
After winning, the clock starts on payment. Florida requires the winning bidder to pay the balance within a set timeframe (typically 24 hours to a few business days, depending on the county). Have your funds lined up before you bid, not after.
Stacking counties for deal flow
Florida's fragmented schedule actually works in your favor. Watch enough counties and you create steady deal flow. If you're monitoring a mix of counties, you'll see new properties nearly every day.
A practical approach for investors starting out: pick two or three higher-volume counties as your primary markets, then add a few smaller counties as secondary targets. As you learn the neighborhoods and pricing patterns, expand from there.
Key differences from Ohio and Pennsylvania (for out-of-state investors)
If you're an Ohio or PA investor moving into Florida, here's what will trip you up:
Terminology. It's a foreclosure auction, not a sheriff sale. The Clerk of Court runs it, not the sheriff. Use the wrong terms and you'll confuse yourself in searches and conversations.
No sheriff's appraisal. Ohio gives you an appraised value for every property at auction. Florida's assessed value is capped and often well below market. You need independent valuation (comps, AI valuation, Zestimate) because the assessed value will mislead you.
HOA super-liens. Ohio doesn't have HOA super-liens the way Florida does. In FL, unpaid HOA assessments can survive the foreclosure sale. Check HOA status before bidding on any condo or HOA-governed property.
Online everywhere. The Florida counties AuctionScout tracks run their foreclosure sales online through RealAuction/RealForeclose. In Ohio, the transition to online auctions happened over time. In Florida, it's already the standard.
Deposit and payment timelines. Ohio has statutory deposit tiers based on appraised value. Florida's deposit and payment rules are set by each Clerk of Court and can differ county to county. Read the terms for each sale.
Redemption. Florida doesn't have the same redemption structure as Ohio. Once the Clerk issues the certificate of title, the sale is generally final (subject to any objections filed within the statutory window). But objection periods and procedures can vary, so confirm with the specific county.
Common mistakes to avoid
Using assessed value as your pricing benchmark. Florida's assessed values are often 30-50% below market. If you max out your bid based on assessed value, you're probably leaving money on the table. If you use it as your ceiling, you're missing most properties.
Ignoring HOA liens. In condo-heavy counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, HOA super-liens can add thousands to your actual acquisition cost. Check every property.
Assuming all counties follow the same schedule. They don't. A property in a county that you expected to sell this week might not go to auction until next month. Verify dates.
Not having funds ready. Florida counties don't give you a week to figure out payment. Some require full payment within 24 hours. Wire your deposit before the auction, not after you win.
Searching for "Florida sheriff sale." You'll find almost nothing. The correct term is foreclosure auction or foreclosure sale. This sounds minor but it affects what resources and listings you find.
Frequently asked questions
How often do Florida foreclosure auctions happen? It depends on the county. Each Clerk of Court sets its own calendar, and there's no statewide standard. Check the county's Clerk site or AuctionScout for current dates.
Are Florida foreclosure auctions online? Yes. The Florida counties AuctionScout tracks run their auctions online through the RealAuction/RealForeclose platform. No courthouse steps.
What's the difference between a Florida foreclosure auction and an Ohio sheriff sale? Same concept (court-ordered sale of property to satisfy a mortgage debt), different terminology and different agencies. Florida's Clerk of Court runs the sale; Ohio's sheriff runs it. Florida doesn't publish a sheriff's appraisal. Florida has HOA super-liens that Ohio doesn't. The auction platforms are similar (both use RealAuction).
Do I need to be in Florida to bid? No. All auctions are online. You can bid from anywhere with an internet connection. You will need to complete registration with the specific county's auction platform before the sale.
What happens after I win a Florida foreclosure auction? You pay the balance (timeline varies by county, often 24 hours to a few business days). The Clerk issues a certificate of title. There may be a brief objection period. After that, you own the property. Any existing occupants will need to be dealt with through the standard eviction process if they don't vacate.
Track Florida counties in one place
Checking dozens of different Clerk of Court websites every week is a grind. AuctionScout consolidates auction listings, sale results, and AI-powered property analysis across the Florida counties it tracks (listed above).
Try it free for 14 days. No credit card. Set up alerts for the counties you're targeting and get notified when new properties hit the calendar. Takes 30 seconds.
Browse county-level data for any FL county at auctionscout.app/counties.