Questions a buyer should ask.
Including the ones that are awkward for us. If an answer here rules us out for your use case, better that you know now.
Not answered here? Send the question. If it is a good one it ends up on this page.
Is Surplus AI a surplus funds claim service?
No. We research Florida tax deed surplus and deliver the case file. Contacting owners, preparing claims and representation stay with you and your counsel.
What is a tax deed surplus?
When a property sells at a Florida tax deed auction for more than the opening bid and the statutory costs, the excess is held by the clerk. It is also called surplus funds, excess proceeds or an overbid, and recorded lienholders and the former owner may claim it.
Why is the notice mailing date so important?
Under Fla. Stat. 197.582 the claim window runs from when the clerk mailed notice. Anchoring to the sale date makes a case look like it has more time than it does, which is the most common reason a claim arrives dead.
How do you handle competing lienholders?
We report every recorded encumbrance with book and page, so you can see what may compete for the excess proceeds. We do not rank priority, judge validity or estimate what is recoverable.
Where does the data come from?
Clerk surplus registers and tax deed files, official records, probate dockets and the property appraiser roll. Every field links to the document, page and quoted span it came from.
Is this a consumer report?
No. Deliverables are not consumer reports and may not be used for credit, insurance, employment, tenant screening or any other FCRA-regulated purpose.
What if a field cannot be verified?
It is dropped and the gap is stated. Unsourced values never ship. A blank with a reason costs an analyst a minute; a confident wrong value costs a week.
What does the free sample include?
Twenty-five case files from one county of your choice: surplus amount, owner of record, recorded encumbrances, probate posture, funds location and the day-120 date, each with its source document and quoted span. It arrives within one business day.
Can I get a county you do not cover?
Usually. Adding a county takes about a week: source mapping, a call with the tax deed department, then fifty cases run by hand before any of it is automated.
Audit us before you pay us.
Name a county. We send 25 verified tax deed surplus case files with the evidence attached. Check them against the clerk. If they do not hold up, walk away.