You won a tax deed. The clerk recorded it. You own the property. So why will a title company not insure a sale to your buyer?
The problem
A tax deed passes ownership by law, but the process behind it is full of steps that can go wrong: a notice mailed to the wrong address, a lienholder that was missed. A title insurer does not want to guess whether every step was done right. So most of them will not insure a resale of a tax deed property until someone has proved the title is clean. Your cash buyer may not care. A buyer with a mortgage cannot close without it.
Fix one: a quiet title action
A quiet title action is a lawsuit. You sue everyone who might claim an interest in the property: the former owner, the old lienholders, anyone the notices went to. If nobody shows up, or nobody wins, the judge signs an order that says the title is yours and clear. Cost in Florida usually runs from about $2,500 to $5,000 in attorney fees plus filing and service costs. Time runs from three to six months, longer if someone fights.
Fix two: a title certification
Some companies review the tax deed file and certify that the process was done right, then a partner underwriter agrees to insure a sale. Tax Title Services is the best known. Cost is about $1,950 for a typical property under $200,000 at the time of writing. Time is about 25 to 45 days. It does not work on every file. If the clerk missed a step, you are back to a quiet title action.
Fix three: wait four years
After four years from the recording of the tax deed, Florida Statute 95.192 bars most challenges to it. Many title companies will insure after that with no lawsuit. Four years is a long time to hold a house you meant to flip.
- Winning bid$30,410 · 77%
- Repairs$6,000 · 15%
- Title certification$1,950 · 5%
- Taxes, insurance and upkeep for 6 months$1,200 · 3%
See the numbers
| Winning bid | $30,410 (77%) |
| Repairs | $6,000 (15%) |
| Title certification | $1,950 (5%) |
| Taxes, insurance and upkeep for 6 months | $1,200 (3%) |
Source: GovDeed planning numbers: the middle of 39 tax deed homes sold Sep 1 to Oct 27 2026, title certification quote, repair and carry estimates · As of October 29, 2026
Where it fits in the math
GovDeed's bid calculator puts $1,950 for title into every tax deed calculation by default. Change it to a quiet title number if the county's file looks messy or the property is worth more than $200,000. The point is that the cost is in the number before you bid, not a surprise after.
Foreclosure buyers have a smaller version of this. The certificate of title is insurable more often, but a surviving senior lien will stop a sale just as fast. Read what survives.