Broward County sells foreclosed property online through RealForeclose. Covering Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach. Everything below comes from the clerk's own page, read on 2026-09-19.
- Auction site
- RealForeclose
- Sale days
- Weekdays
- Sale time
- Check the clerk's calendar for each sale
- Deposit
- 5% of the winning bid, due by 3:00 pm on the business day before the sale
- Balance
- The balance is due by 12:00 pm on the next business day
What the clerk adds on top
- $70 clerk sale fee
- Court registry fee: 3% of the first $500, then 1.5%
- Documentary stamps: $0.70 per $100
How the 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.
Source: Broward County Clerk. Clerks change deadlines and fees. Confirm before you bid.