California holds significant excess proceeds from tax-defaulted property sales. State rules require attorney involvement for direct contracting — we work with California-licensed attorneys to recover what's owed to you.
Free to check. No obligation. You pay nothing unless we recover funds for you.
California is unusual among states: it is illegal for a non-attorney finder to contract directly with a former owner for surplus fund recovery. The legislature wrote the rules this way to protect property owners from predatory finders, and we respect that — every California claim we work on goes through a California-licensed attorney.
Tax-defaulted property sales generate the bulk of California excess proceeds. Counties hold an annual public auction for parcels that have been delinquent for five or more years. When a parcel sells for more than the delinquent taxes, penalties, and costs, the difference is the 'excess proceeds' that the former owner — and certain lienholders — can claim.
Mortgage foreclosure overages are rarer in California because the state is overwhelmingly a non-judicial foreclosure jurisdiction (trustee's sales). The trustee distributes any surplus directly under California Civil Code § 2924k, with priority going to junior lienholders before the former owner.
Not every property sale generates a surplus, and the rules vary by source. Here's what we look for in California.
When a tax-defaulted parcel sells at the county's annual public auction for more than the minimum bid, the surplus is held by the County Tax Collector. Claims are made on a county-specific 'Claim for Excess Proceeds' form.
Surplus from a trustee's sale is distributed under Cal. Civ. Code § 2924k. The trustee notifies known parties of interest, then disburses according to lien priority. Unclaimed funds are deposited with the court.
California has its own timelines and rules. Here are the key facts that drive a successful claim.
We monitor all 58 California counties — these are just the largest.
We work on contingency. If we don't recover funds, you owe us nothing.
Funds flow through Escrow.com. We follow each state's finder rules — including California's.
You always have the right to file a claim independently in California, at no cost.
It takes 30 seconds. Enter your name and we'll search our database of unclaimed surplus funds across California foreclosures and tax sales.
California law restricts non-attorney finders from contracting directly with former owners for excess-proceeds recovery. The intent is consumer protection. We partner with California-licensed attorneys so claims are filed correctly and your rights are preserved.
Generally one year from the date the tax deed to the purchaser is recorded. Miss the window and the funds escheat to the county and ultimately the State Controller's Unclaimed Property division.
Lienholders of record at the time of sale have priority — typically in the order their liens were recorded — followed by the former owner. We perform a lien search before filing so we know what to expect.
'Excess proceeds' is the term for surplus from a tax sale or trustee's sale, held at the county or with the foreclosure trustee. 'Unclaimed property' is what excess proceeds become after the claim window closes — held by the State Controller and subject to a separate (slower) claim process.
Yes. You have the absolute right to file directly with the County Tax Collector at no cost. Our service is for owners who want professional help navigating the lien-priority analysis and paperwork.