Lost your home? The auction may have left money — yours.
When a foreclosure, tax, or HOA sale brings in more than the debt, the difference is surplus — and by law it belongs to the former owner, not the bank and not the county. We find it in the record, file the claim, and get you paid.
How home-sale surpluses happen
At auction, the foreclosing party only takes what it is owed — the judgment or tax debt plus allowed costs. Anything the bidding produced above that line is held for the former owner by a court clerk, county treasurer, or sale trustee.
Homes generate the biggest surpluses in this business because equity does: years of payments, appreciation, a hot auction. Six-figure surpluses are not rare on equity-rich properties — and neither are owners who were never told.
Read the full guide- Auction sale price
- $465,000
- Judgment debt + costs
- − $262,000
- Surplus held for the former owner
- $203,000
Illustration of the calculation — every real number we quote is verified against the actual court record first.
Foreclosure (mortgage) sales
Judicial states hold the surplus with the court clerk; trustee states with the sale trustee or treasurer. Either way it is claimable — by sworn claim or court motion depending on the state.
Tax sales
Post-Tyler v. Hennepin (2023), your equity above the tax debt is constitutionally protected. Deadlines are the enemy: some states forfeit tax overages in 1–2 years.
HOA sales
Small debt, whole house — HOA foreclosures produce outsized surpluses over five-figure dues judgments. Often the strongest claims we see.
Homes & land recovery — questions answered
How do I find out if my foreclosure produced surplus funds?
The report of sale or trustee accounting in your case file shows the sale price against the debt. We pull and verify it for free — you see the actual record, not a promise.
The foreclosure was years ago. Can I still claim?
Often yes — many states hold surplus funds for years or move them to unclaimed property where claims remain possible. But several states run short forfeiture windows, so check immediately.
What does the recovery cost?
Nothing upfront, ever. One contingency split of what is actually recovered, capped by statute in states that cap fees (for example, Florida caps assignment compensation at 12%). No recovery, no fee.
Find out in minutes if money is waiting for you.
The check costs nothing and there is no obligation. Tell us what you lost — we search the records and tell you the truth about what we find.