Broker Alex Silva is an Orlando short sale specialist who works in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Orlando-area courts and foreclosure sales
Around Orlando, the court and the sale process depend on your county.
- Orange and Osceola are in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit.
- Seminole is in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.
- After a final judgment, the clerk auctions the home, generally 20 to 35 days later. Orange and Seminole hold sales online. Osceola holds them in person at its historic courthouse.
Short sales often take several months, so start before a judgment if you can.
If you’ve been served with foreclosure papers
- Respond on time.You usually have about 20 days to file a written response with the court. A short sale doesn’t pause the case. Call a Florida attorney. Alex is a broker, not a lawyer.
- Look for low-cost help.Legal aid and HUD-approved housing counselors often help at little or no cost. In Seminole County, if you live in the home and file a response, mediation generally comes before any judgment hearing. Ask your attorney.
- Get the numbers together.Gather your mortgage, second mortgage, and HOA statements. Ask your servicer for its short-sale (loss mitigation) application. Alex tells you whether a short sale or another option fits.
HOA dues and second mortgages
HOA and condo balances
- Past-due HOA or condo fees are usually a lien. A buyer would owe them too, so they’re paid or negotiated at closing.
- The association’s estoppel certificate lists what you owe. Ask for it early.
Second mortgages and other liens
- A second mortgage or home equity lender must also release its lien. Negotiating that payoff is Alex’s specialty.
- Tax liens and judgments show up in the title search. See selling with a lien.
Alex Silva, broker
Voyance Real Estate is led by its broker and owner, Alex D. Silva, who has more than 30 years in real estate and holds Florida broker license BK3153327.
Short-sale negotiation is his specialty: lender approvals, second liens, and valuation disputes.
He works with homes, condos, rentals, and commercial property across Central and South Florida, in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Orlando short sale questions
Can I still do a short sale if my foreclosure sale date is set?
Sometimes. If it’s your main home, your servicer generally can’t go ahead with the sale while it reviews a complete short-sale application. The application must reach it more than 37 days before the sale, and there are exceptions. Otherwise, the sale usually goes ahead unless your lender or a judge postpones it. Call a Florida attorney now.
Do I pay anything out of pocket?
Usually not. With your lender’s approval, the commission, closing costs, and past-due HOA fees are paid from the sale. The approval letter says whether you must pay anything.
Could I still owe money or taxes afterward?
Possibly. Without a written waiver, a lender may try to collect the unpaid balance, so ask each lender for one. For a home you live in, a Florida court generally can’t order you to pay more than the debt minus the home’s value on the sale date. Forgiven debt can be taxed. Ask a Florida attorney and a CPA before you sign.
Official sources: Orange County Clerk foreclosure help · Seminole foreclosure court (Eighteenth Circuit) · HUD-approved housing counselors
General real estate information, not legal, tax, or financial advice.
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Behind on an Orlando-area home?
Tell Alex your county, what you owe, and any court or sale date.