Orange · Seminole · Osceola · Lake · Volusia
Facing foreclosure in Florida? You have more time than you think.
I'm Michael Long. I explain how the Florida foreclosure process actually works, what your deadlines are, and what paths are open to you — including the ones I'm not part of. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure toward any particular outcome.
Where you actually are
Florida is a judicial state. That means months, not weeks.
A bank cannot take a Florida home without going through a judge. Here is every step of the process, in order — and the one step where ownership actually changes.
Default and demand letters from the lender.
Latin for "lawsuit pending." It's a public filing — which is why your mailbox suddenly filled up.
You generally have 20 days to file a written answer. This is the most time-sensitive deadline in the whole process.
No response can mean a default judgment. A response means the case moves forward on the merits.
Timing depends heavily on how backed up your county's docket is.
The auction date is set here.
Conducted online through the clerk in most Central Florida counties.
A short window to file objections.
Ownership transfers here — not before. Every step above this one is a step where you still have choices.
Ownership changes hereA separate court step, carried out by the sheriff with notice. Nobody arrives unannounced.
If the sale brought more than what was owed, that money may belong to you.
Uncontested, this typically runs several months from start to finish. Contested, it can run past a year. Every case is different — this is how the process generally works, not a prediction about yours.
What's actually available
Six real paths — and I only handle one of them.
When you're behind on your mortgage, it feels like the decision has already been made for you. It hasn't. Most of the paths below don't involve me at all, and I'd rather you know about all of them than only hear about the one I'm in.
No obligation
What a conversation with me looks like
We talk
Tell me what's happened. I listen without judgment — I talk to people in your exact spot every week, and not one of them is a failure.
I tell you where you are
Which stage of the process you're in, what the real deadlines are, and how much time you genuinely have. Most people have more than they think.
I lay out every path
All of the options above, and which ones realistically fit your numbers and your timeline. Including the ones that have nothing to do with me.
You decide
If that's an attorney, a modification, or listing with an agent, good. If it's selling to me, I'll make you an offer and you're free to shop it.
About me
I buy houses. Here's why you should still talk to me.
Let me get ahead of the obvious question. I'm a real estate investor. Sometimes a homeowner decides selling is their best move, and sometimes they sell to me. That's how I make money and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
Here's what that means in practice: most of the people I talk to don't sell me anything. They reinstate, they hire an attorney, they work something out with their lender, or they list with an agent. That's most conversations, and I'm fine with it — not because I'm a saint, but because this is a small industry across five counties and my name is the only thing I've got.
What I won't do: charge you a fee, tell you I can stop your foreclosure, or tell you selling is your only option when it isn't.
- I know the Florida process. Judicial foreclosure, county by county — lis pendens through certificate of title.
- I'm local. Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, and Volusia. I know how these dockets actually move.
- I charge homeowners nothing. No fees, no upfront costs, no exceptions.
- I'll tell you when it isn't me. That's most of the time.
Talk to me
The sooner you understand your options, the more of them you have.
Every path on this page has a deadline attached. That's not a sales tactic — it's how the court process works. A conversation costs you nothing and commits you to nothing.
Prefer to call or text?
(407) 580-7186Or email michael@lioncrestsolutions.com