There's a myth that if a home sells at foreclosure for less than what was owed on the mortgage, the previous homeowner is on the hook for that difference forever. Florida law actually puts real limits on this for owner-occupied homes. A lender generally has just one year from the date the certificate of title is issued to pursue what's called a deficiency judgment — once that window closes, the claim is barred for good. Even within that year, the amount a lender can ask for is capped based on the home's fair market value at the time of sale, not simply the leftover loan balance. This is one of those pieces of the process that quietly disappears once people learn it exists, and it can take real weight off during an already hard stretch. Have you ever come across the term "deficiency judgment" before, or did this side of things surprise you the way it surprises most people?

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