Not every state is equally good for surplus funds recovery. Some states publish data online, have high auction volume, and allow reasonable fees. Others make the data hard to access or cap your earnings. Here are the best states for surplus funds recovery in 2026, ranked by opportunity.
Tier 1: Highest Opportunity
Florida is the top state for surplus funds recovery. Every county clerk publishes surplus funds from tax deed sales, often as downloadable PDFs or searchable databases. The volume is massive. Florida has 67 counties conducting annual tax deed sales, and the state’s high property values mean larger surplus amounts. Florida regulates recovery fees by statute — verify the current rules with a licensed Florida attorney before drafting any fee agreement. Browse Florida surplus funds lists →
Georgia offers one of the most centralized systems in the country. Superior Court clerks manage surplus funds, and the state’s 159 counties provide a deep pipeline. Georgia is a popular starting state for new agents because the process is well-documented and consistent across counties. Georgia regulates recovery fees by statute — confirm the current cap and any thresholds with a licensed Georgia attorney before drafting any fee agreement. Browse Georgia surplus funds lists →
Texas has enormous volume due to its size and population. County tax offices conduct annual constable sales. The data requires county-by-county requests in most cases. Confirm the current Texas regulations on recovery fees before drafting any fee agreement — rules and any caps change. Browse Texas surplus funds lists →
Tier 2: Strong Markets
Ohio publishes surplus from sheriff sales in many counties. The state has a mix of urban counties (Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton) with high volume and rural counties with less competition. Explore Ohio surplus funds →
California has some of the largest individual claims due to high property values. Excess proceeds from tax-defaulted property sales can be $50,000 or more. The process is more complex (claims often go through a formal court petition), but the payoff per deal is significant. Explore California surplus funds →
Colorado posts treasurer’s deed surplus online in many counties. Confirm the current Colorado claim window and fee regulations directly with the relevant county or a licensed Colorado attorney before drafting any agreement. Explore Colorado surplus funds →
New York has massive volume in the NYC boroughs and surrounding counties. Erie County offers a searchable online database. Claims are filed through county clerks or Supreme Court, and individual claims can be very large. Explore New York surplus funds →
Tier 3: Growing Markets
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Arizona, Washington, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina all have active surplus funds programs with varying levels of online accessibility. These states tend to have less competition from other recovery agents, which can mean higher conversion rates on outreach.
States like Oklahoma and Missouri publish resale and excess proceeds data in select counties and offer solid deal flow for agents willing to build county relationships.
Maryland and Virginia are worth watching. Both have significant unclaimed surplus (Baltimore City alone holds over $6M), and the markets are underserved by recovery agents.
What Makes a State Good for Recovery
When evaluating a state, look at these factors:
Data accessibility. Can you get surplus lists online, or do you need to submit records requests? Online data means faster lead acquisition and lower costs.
Auction volume. More tax sales and foreclosures mean more surplus funds to recover. Large urban counties generate the most volume.
Fee regulations. States with no cap let you negotiate freely. States with caps still offer good income but require working more claims to hit your revenue goals.
Claim windows. States with longer windows give you more inventory to work over time. Shorter windows mean fresher data but a smaller total pool of available claims. Confirm the current windows with a licensed attorney in each target state.
Competition. States where surplus funds recovery is well-known (Florida, Georgia) have more competition. Less-known states may have lower volume but higher conversion rates because owners have not been contacted by multiple agents.
Start Where the Data Is Easy, Expand from There
If you are new to surplus funds recovery, start with Florida, Georgia, or Texas. The data is accessible, the volume is high, and the processes are well-documented. As you build your systems and confidence, expand into Tier 2 and Tier 3 states where competition is lighter. Make sure to form an LLC before operating across multiple states, and consider a virtual assistant to help manage the added volume. Browse all state surplus funds directories →