Lee County sells foreclosed property online through RealForeclose. Covering Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs. Everything below comes from the clerk's own page, read on 2026-09-19.
- Auction site
- RealForeclose
- Sale days
- Monday to Friday online. A few cases are still sold at the courthouse, on Tuesdays only
- Sale time
- 9:00 am online; the remaining courthouse sales start at 11:00 am
- Deposit
- 5% of your anticipated final bid. Deposits must be started on the auction site and the funds must settle in the clerk's account by 4:00 pm the business day before
- Balance
- The balance plus all fees is due by 4:00 pm the next business day, or the deposit is forfeited and the sale is void
Lee County foreclosure auction fees
- Documentary stamps: $0.70 per $100
- Court registry: 3% of the first $500, then 1.5% of the balance
How a Lee 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.
Lee County auction questions
- Where are Lee County foreclosure auctions held?
- Lee County runs its foreclosure sales online through RealForeclose, at https://www.lee.realforeclose.com. Monday to Friday online. A few cases are still sold at the courthouse, on Tuesdays only, 9:00 am online; the remaining courthouse sales start at 11:00 am.
- What deposit is required at a Lee County foreclosure sale?
- 5% of your anticipated final bid. Deposits must be started on the auction site and the funds must settle in the clerk's account by 4:00 pm the business day before.
- When is the balance due after winning a Lee County foreclosure auction?
- The balance plus all fees is due by 4:00 pm the next business day, or the deposit is forfeited and the sale is void.
Before you bid in Lee
Other Florida counties
- Broward
- Hillsborough
- Brevard
- Volusia
- Pasco
- Miami-Dade
- Palm Beach
- Orange
- Pinellas
- Polk
- Seminole
- Duval
- Alachua
- Bay
- Charlotte
- Clay
- Escambia
- Flagler
- Indian River
- Leon
- Manatee
- Marion
- Martin
- Nassau
- Putnam
- St. Johns
- Santa Rosa
- Sarasota
- St. Lucie
- Walton
- Okeechobee
- Baker
- Gilchrist
- Jackson
- Washington
Source: Lee County Clerk. Clerks change deadlines and fees. Confirm before you bid.