Guide hub · Tax deed sales · Pinellas & Hillsborough
Every guide we have on Florida tax certificates and tax deed sales in Pinellas and Hillsborough, in the order you’ll need them.
The short answer
Florida runs one tax deed clock, applied county by county. Taxes go delinquent April 1, a tax certificate is sold by June 1, and two years after that April 1 the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed (Florida Statutes 197.502). The Pinellas Tax Collector says the auction follows 3–6 months after the application. Until a deed is issued, anyone can stop it by paying the Tax Collector in full (197.472). Find your stage below.
4.9★ on Google · 15 reviews · AL Cakici, owner · 433 Central Ave, 4th Floor, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Prefer to talk? Call or text (727) 258-3540
Get your cash offer
The letters in your mailbox tell you where you are. Each stage links to the guide that answers it.
Not sure which applies? The tax deed timeline tool places your dates on the clock, and our full walk-through covers both counties.
The statute is the same in both counties; the offices and calendars aren’t. Read on each office’s own page on November 7, 2026:
| Pinellas | Hillsborough | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax certificate sale | On or before June 1, online (RealAuction). Pay by 4:30 p.m. the business day before the sale to keep a certificate from being issued. | The last Saturday of May. Partial payments aren’t accepted once taxes are delinquent. |
| Warning before a deed application | Courtesy letters each February to owners in jeopardy of a tax deed sale. | Not described on the Tax Collector’s delinquent-tax page; don’t wait for one. |
| After the application | About 3–6 months to auction. Once tax deed begins, all outstanding taxes, fees and interest must be paid. | The owner can redeem the application any time before the property is sold at public auction. |
| Auction | Online, scheduled by the Pinellas Clerk. | Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., online, through the Hillsborough Clerk. |
One rule matters more than the rest: a signed sale contract doesn’t stop an auction. Only cleared funds at the Tax Collector do.
A homestead exemption doesn’t stop a tax deed sale. It changes the opening bid: on property assessed as homestead, the opening bid adds one-half of the latest assessed value (197.502(6)(c)). That can leave money over after the sale, but it isn’t paid to the former owner automatically; our walk-through explains how a surplus is claimed. With equity in the house, selling or redeeming before the sale almost always leaves the owner with more.
If paying isn’t realistic, a sale is the one path where the money comes from the house instead of from you. AL buys from the office at 433 Central Ave in downtown St. Petersburg. We buy many homes with our own cash; on some deals we partner with a vetted local investor, and we tell you upfront, in writing, before you sign. What’s owed is paid through a licensed Florida title company at closing. We are not real estate agents or attorneys; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Taxes go delinquent April 1 and a certificate is sold by June 1. Two years after that April 1 the certificate holder can apply for a tax deed (Florida Statutes 197.502), and in Pinellas the auction follows about 3–6 months later, per the Tax Collector.
Yes, by paying the Tax Collector everything due before the sale. Florida law lets a person redeem a certificate any time before a tax deed is issued (197.472); the Hillsborough Tax Collector says an owner can redeem any time before the property is sold at public auction.
No. On homestead property the opening bid adds one-half of the latest assessed value (197.502(6)(c)), which can leave a surplus, but the sale still happens unless the taxes are paid first.
On Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., online, through the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court’s auction site.
No. The Hillsborough Tax Collector says partial payments are not accepted for delinquent taxes.
No. HomeSellerCashOffer is not a real estate agent or broker. We buy houses as Tampete Homes LLC, many with our own cash; on some deals we partner with a vetted local investor, and we tell you upfront, in writing, before you sign. Closings run through a licensed Florida title company.
AL Cakici · Owner, HomeSellerCashOffer (Tampete Homes LLC)
AL buys houses in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, many with company funds and has personally purchased and assisted with 100+ transactions over 10+ years across the country. He is not an attorney; this page is general information drawn from the sources listed above, not legal advice. Facts checked against those sources on the dates listed.
“I was skeptical at first when these guys approached me about my home, but they were very knowledgeable and straightforward. They did all the work. These guys know what it means to do good business, which is unfortunately rare nowadays.”
“Alpkan is one of the few investors I’d gladly work with again. He’s honest, straightforward and a great communicator.”
“As an investor myself, I get bombarded from people trying to buy my houses. AL and his team were miles above anybody else that’s approached me, super knowledgeable, professional and transparent. Recommend to anyone that wants top tier service.”
Straight answers first. If selling isn’t your best move, he’ll say so.
Get My Cash Offer →