Florida Lis Pendens: Don’t Let Disputes Delay Your Sale

In Florida real estate, a single legal dispute can bring everything to a halt. A lis pendens is a notice filed in the public records that alerts buyers and lenders that a lawsuit involves your property. Once it’s recorded, your title is blocked. That means buyers walk away, financing is denied, and deals you’ve worked hard to secure may collapse.

The longer a lis pendens stays in place, the greater the risk: property values can drop, carrying costs add up, and your bargaining power fades. What starts as a dispute can quickly turn into months of delay and financial loss.

At Southron Firm, P.A., our attorneys know how to challenge, defend against, and remove lis pendens so you can protect your rights and move forward with your sale or investment. With years of experience handling Florida real estate disputes, we bring the authority and legal skill needed to resolve these cases quickly and effectively.

Protect your property rights and clear your title with proven legal help.

What Is a Lis Pendens?

A lis pendens is a formal notice filed in the public records that tells the world a property is tied to a legal dispute. In Florida, once a notice of lis pendens is recorded with the county clerk, it immediately creates a problem for the property owner. The property is flagged in the public record as being in dispute, and anyone looking to buy or finance it will see the notice during a title search.

For property owners, this can feel like hitting a brick wall:

• Buyers often refuse to move forward with the purchase
• Lenders may deny financing
• Title companies can block closings altogether

A lis pendens goes far beyond inconvenience—it can stall your plans and put your property’s future at risk. In some cases, clearing the record requires filing a quiet title action, which asks the court to confirm rightful ownership and remove any lis pendens tied to disputes over title. At Southron Firm, P.A., we regularly handle quiet title cases to protect our clients’ rights and restore their ability to move forward with their property.

Why Lis Pendens Matters

A lis pendens has real-world consequences for anyone involved in Florida real estate. Once filed, it can stop deals in their tracks and cause major financial setbacks.

Here’s how it affects different groups:

1. Real estate investors – A lis pendens clouds the title and makes it nearly impossible to resell or refinance, tying up capital that could be used for other investments.
2. Small business owners buying property – If you’re purchasing a storefront or office space and a lis pendens appears, lenders may refuse financing and sellers may pull out, leaving your business plans on hold.
3. Developers and contractors – Disputes that trigger a lis pendens can delay construction schedules, stall funding, and create costly carrying expenses that eat into profit margins.

These disputes often lead to serious setbacks: sales collapse, financing is denied, and property titles remain tied up until the issue is resolved. In many cases, legal action such as quiet titles lis pendens is required to clear ownership records and restore confidence in the property.

At Southron Firm, P.A., we have extensive experience resolving lis pendens disputes for Florida property owners, investors, and businesses. From filing motions to discharge to pursuing quiet title actions, we know how to clear titles quickly and protect your ability to move forward with sales, financing, or development.

Don’t let a lis pendens put your investment or business plans at risk.

Common Situations That Trigger a Lis Pendens

A notice of lis pendens can be filed in many different real estate disputes. While every case is unique, some situations come up more often than others in Florida:

• Breach of contract in real estate transactions
• Foreclosure disputes
• Boundary and title issues
• Partnership conflicts involving property

No matter the cause, a lis pendens instantly creates uncertainty. Properties tied to disputes become harder to sell, refinance, or develop—leaving owners with mounting costs and fewer options until the matter is resolved.

Getting legal expertise involved early is the key to resolving these disputes before they cause lasting damage. A lis pendens is not something most property owners or business owners can resolve on their own. It takes a real estate attorney who understands Florida real estate law, local court procedures, and the strategies needed to challenge or remove the filing.

What Happens After a Lis Pendens Is Filed?

When a lis pendens is filed in Florida, the effects are immediate. It becomes part of the public record, impacts the property’s title, and can bring any pending transaction to a halt.

Here is what happens after a lis pendens is filed in Florida:

1. Public record filed – The lis pendens is recorded with the Clerk of Court, such as the Hillsborough County Clerk if the property is in Tampa. This makes the dispute part of the official property record.
2. Title affected – The property’s title is now flagged, which means buyers and lenders see that ownership is under dispute.
3. Transactions stalled – Sales contracts fall through, refinancing is denied, and property transfers are put on hold until the lis pendens is cleared.

Under Florida Statutes § 48.23, a lis pendens serves as formal notice that a lawsuit involves the property. While the law is meant to protect claimants, it can also create months of delay and financial strain for property owners.

At Southron Firm, P.A., we step in quickly to challenge wrongful filings and move to protect your ability to sell, refinance, or develop your property.

A lis pendens won’t go away on its own—waiting only increases the damage. Act now before delays turn into costly losses.

How to Remove a Lis Pendens in Florida

If you’re searching for “how to remove a lis pendens in Florida,” chances are your deal is already at risk. At Southron Firm, P.A., we use proven legal strategies to act quickly and protect your property.

Here are the most common approaches we use:

1. Motion to Discharge – When a lis pendens is filed without proper legal grounds, we petition the court to have it removed. This stops wrongful filings from blocking your sale or refinance.
2. Negotiation and Settlement – In some cases, resolving the dispute directly is the fastest way forward. We negotiate terms that allow the lis pendens to be withdrawn voluntarily so you can move ahead with your plans.
3. Quiet Title Actions – If ownership is disputed or an old claim clouds the title, we file a quiet title lawsuit to confirm your rights and clear the lis pendens for good.

Every case is different, but the goal is always the same: protect your rights and restore your ability to sell, refinance, or develop your property without costly delays.

At Southron Firm, P.A., we’ve successfully used these strategies for Florida property owners, investors, and businesses—helping clients clear titles, close deals, and protect their investments.

How Our Real Estate Attorneys Can Help

At Southron Firm, P.A., we’ve built our reputation on guiding clients through some of the most complex real estate disputes in Tampa and across Florida. Our attorneys have extensive experience with lis pendens cases, from removing wrongful filings to pursuing quiet title actions that restore full ownership rights.

We focus on results that matter:

• Resolving disputes quickly so property sales and refinancing can move forward.
• Clearing titles efficiently after months of uncertainty, giving owners back control.
• Protecting investments by preventing financing delays and lost opportunities.

What sets us apart is not only our authority in Florida real estate law, but also our approach. We explain every option in plain language, keep clients informed at every stage, and move quickly when property deals are at risk.

When you choose Southron Firm, P.A., you gain attorneys who combine legal authority with practical solutions—always focused on protecting your rights and helping you move forward with confidence. 

The sooner we get involved, the sooner you can protect your property, your deal, and your future.