Highlands County, Florida

Hybrid109,778 residentsLive auctions →

County research last verified 2026-07. Office holders, platforms, and deposit rules change — re-confirm anything time-sensitive.

Sale typestate default

Hybrid

Redemption periodstate default

Lien: 2 years before deed application allowed. Deed: none once issued.

Investor returnstate default

Lien: 5–18% (bid-down, 5% minimum return rule)

Governing statutestate default

Florida Statutes Ch. 197

Notes

Florida dual-track: Tax Collector sells certificates and county-held certificates via RealTaxLien (highlandsfl.realtaxlien.com); Clerk runs tax deed sales. Beginning January 2026, all tax deed sales are online Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. at highlands.realtaxdeed.com (previously in-person at Government Center Board Room, Sebring). Lands Available list for unsolds. Tax deed applications via RealTDA when certificate is 2–7 years old; applicant earns 1.5%/month until sale/redemption.

Auction logistics

Format

Online

Frequency

Designated Wednesdays starting 10:00 a.m. online (bi-weekly pattern historically); certificates annually June window

Platform

RealAuction RealTaxDeed — Highlands County tax deeds ↗

Deposit rules

Register and fund bidder deposit on RealTaxDeed before sale. Standard FL pattern: greater of 5% of high bid or $200 non-refundable deposit applied to purchase; balance with costs due per platform/Clerk terms (certified funds). Sold AS IS; Clerk does not guarantee marketable title. Contact Tax Deeds Division 863-402-6565.

Title risk

Liens that survive the sale

Florida tax deed generally clears many junior liens; federal tax liens and certain governmental interests can survive. Independent title search required.

Quiet title

Common after Florida tax deed for insurable title before resale/refinance.

Deal maths for Florida

Assessment ratio: 0.85× of market value
Typical quiet title: $1,800–$5,000 · 5 mo
Recording and transfer: $500

Florida assesses at just value, but Save Our Homes / Amendment 1 caps compress assessed below market on long-held homesteads.

Offices and records

Tax collector

Highlands County Tax Collector — Tax Deed Process / certificates ↗

863-402-6683

Clerk of court

Highlands County Clerk of Courts — Tax Deeds ↗

863-402-6565

Property appraiser

Highlands County Property Appraiser ↗

GIS / parcel map

Highlands County Property Appraiser / GIS ↗

Areas trending up

Directional read from dated market analysis — not a guarantee, and not a substitute for your own comps.

Sebring / downtown lake edge

County-seat and hospital employment with lake-recreation demand

Avon Park / US-27 corridor

Relative affordability and retail/service jobs along primary north-south spine

Lake Placid / south Highlands

Second-home and retiree demand around lakes with constrained waterfront inventory