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If you own a home in Tampa or anywhere in Hillsborough County that's become a burden — an inherited home in probate, storm or water damage, open code-enforcement liens, delinquent taxes, or a foreclosure — you have more than one way forward. We'll walk you through all of them in plain language.
Florida has its own rules and timelines, and the right move depends on your situation, your timeline, and your goals. Depending on what you're facing, that might mean listing on the local market, clearing a probate or title issue, working something out with your lender or insurer, or selling directly to us as-is for cash.
Tell us about the property. A no-obligation cash offer is one of the options we'll cover.
Inheriting a house in Hillsborough County rarely means you can sell it right away. If the home was titled solely in the deceased person's name, it usually has to clear Florida probate before a title company will insure a sale. Florida offers two main paths, and which one applies makes a big difference in how long you wait.
Summary administration is the faster route. It's generally available when the estate's non-exempt value is $75,000 or less, or when the person has been deceased for more than two years. There's no personal representative appointed and no formal creditor process, so these cases often wrap up in a matter of weeks to a couple of months. Formal administration is required for most larger or more recent estates: the court appoints a personal representative, a notice to creditors is published with a three-month claims window, and the property stays under the representative's control until the estate is administered — typically six to twelve months or more.
Florida-specific wrinkles matter too: homestead property has special protections and can pass outside the probate estate, and many Tampa-area homes also carry storm damage, open insurance claims, or code liens that affect both value and timing. (This is general information about Florida's process, not legal advice — confirm the specifics with a Hillsborough County probate attorney.) If you've inherited a property and want to understand your options — listing it, repairing it, or selling as-is — we're glad to walk through them with you at no cost.
Florida is a judicial foreclosure state, so your lender must file a lawsuit and win a court judgment before your home can be sold at auction. Federal rules generally prevent the case from starting until you're more than 120 days past due, and once you're served you have 20 days to file an answer — doing so preserves your defenses and prevents a quick default judgment.
Start to finish, a Florida foreclosure commonly takes about 8 to 14 months, and longer if it's contested. Many Florida circuits offer residential foreclosure mediation, which can open the door to a loan modification or another alternative. The judicial process gives you more time and more protections than non-judicial states — time you can use to weigh reinstatement, a sale, or another path.
Florida handles delinquent taxes through a two-step, multi-year process. First, the county sells a tax certificate (a lien) on the unpaid taxes — usually by June 1 each year. The certificate holder earns interest but cannot take your home right away.
You then have at least two years to redeem by paying the certificate amount plus interest, penalties, and costs. The certificate holder must wait two years from April 1 of the year the certificate was issued before applying for a tax deed; the Clerk of Court then schedules a public tax-deed auction, typically a few months later, with required certified-mail and personal-service notice at least 20 days out. You usually have a long runway to act — but it's finite. (General information, not legal advice — confirm specifics with the Hillsborough County tax collector or a Florida attorney.)
Related guides: Foreclosure · Probate & Inherited · Back Taxes · Liens & Title · As-Is / Repairs
In a hurry to sell your house fast for cash? See Sell My House Fast in Tampa — we buy houses as-is, no fees, close on your timeline.
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