01 / About

A firm built for what happens after the foreclosure.

Read our full story →

Every year, thousands of American families lose their homes to foreclosure and walk away believing the matter is closed. In many cases it is not. When a property sells at auction for more than the outstanding mortgage and fees, a surplus is generated. By law, that surplus belongs to the former homeowner.

The problem is systemic. The funds are held by county clerks, courts, or trustees. They are not mailed out. They are not advertised. Most displaced homeowners never learn the money exists. After a statutory window, those funds often escheat to the state.

Sterling Claims Group exists to close that gap. We locate surplus funds, verify entitlement, prepare the filings, and pursue disbursement on your behalf. Always on contingency, never a dollar paid up front.

02 / Process

Four steps. No fee unless we recover.

We handle the research, paperwork, court filings, and follow-through. Your part is a phone call, a signed retainer, and the wait. Timelines vary by jurisdiction and fund complexity, most claims take 90+ days.

Step 01

Discovery and verification

We confirm that surplus funds exist on your former property, and that you are the rightful claimant. You receive a written summary with the amount, the holder, and the deadline before we ask for anything.

1 to 3 days
Step 02

Engagement on contingency

If you decide to proceed, we sign a plain-language retainer. Our fee is a capped percentage of what we recover. Nothing is owed if the claim fails, and nothing is owed if you decline.

Same day
Step 03

Filing and representation

We prepare the motion or claim package, coordinate with the court or trustee, address any competing liens, and appear on your behalf where required. You are kept informed at each milestone.

Weeks 1 to 8
Step 04

Disbursement

When the order is entered, funds are released. The net amount, after our capped fee and any required disbursements, is delivered to you by check or wire with a full accounting attached.

90+ days ยท varies
See the full process →
03 / Results

Measured in dollars delivered,
not promises made.

A snapshot of our practice to date. Figures reflect net funds disbursed to clients after our contingency fee and court costs. Every case is different, and past outcomes do not predict future ones.

$0
Recovered for clients
0
Families represented
0 days
Typical disbursement window, varies by case
0
Contingency, nothing owed unless we recover
04 / Clients

Quiet outcomes for people
who needed them.

Every case we accept is real and handled with discretion. Below are clients who agreed to share their experience. Identities lightly modified for privacy.

I didn’t know the money existed. A letter from Sterling arrived, explained it plainly, and months later I had a check for more than I expected.

Marcus D. Atlanta, GA

After losing the house I assumed that chapter was closed. Sterling handled the court filings, kept me updated, and the disbursement eventually arrived. No drama.

Janine R. Phoenix, AZ

I was skeptical. They had me on a call with counsel inside a day, sent a plain-English retainer, and never asked for a dollar up front. The net figure they quoted is the figure I received.

Robert H. Tampa, FL
Identities lightly modified for privacy

To the families we serve —

When a home is lost to foreclosure, most people believe that chapter is simply closed. The locks change, the boxes get packed, and everyone moves on. What too few people know is that in thousands of these sales, the home sells for more than what was owed. That extra money. The surplus. Legally belongs to the former homeowner.

Not the bank. Not the county. You.

But the system doesn’t make it easy. Notices get sent to addresses nobody lives at anymore. Deadlines pass quietly. Legal language buries the truth. And in the meantime, families who deserve that money move on without ever knowing it existed.

I built Sterling Claims Group because that’s not right.

We work on behalf of displaced homeowners. Only displaced homeowners. We don’t charge anything upfront. We don’t get paid unless you get paid. And we do the work — the filings, the court appearances, the follow-through — so you don’t have to navigate a process that was never designed to be navigated by a normal person in the middle of rebuilding their life.

If there’s any chance you might be owed funds from a foreclosure or tax sale, reach out. The review is free. The conversation is confidential. And if we can help, we will.

You worked hard for that home. You deserve what’s rightfully yours.

Christian Staum signature
Christian Staum · Founder, Sterling Claims Group
07 / Industry Warning

Before you work with anyone,
watch for these red flags.

Every industry has bad actors. Here’s how to spot them.

i.

They ask for money upfront.

A legitimate surplus recovery firm never charges you before you receive your funds. If someone wants a retainer or processing fee before you’ve been paid, walk away.

ii.

They pressure you to sign immediately.

Real professionals give you time to review documents, ask questions, and consult a family member or attorney. Urgency is a manipulation tactic, not a service standard.

iii.

They guarantee a specific amount.

Nobody can promise an exact recovery figure before reviewing court records and state procedures. Guarantees before a real review are a warning sign.

iv.

They have no physical address or verifiable history.

Check for a real business address, a working phone number, and public records. A legitimate firm has a traceable footprint.

v.

They ask you to sign a power of attorney without explanation.

You should never sign a document that transfers your authority without understanding exactly what it covers, for how long, and at what cost.

vi.

They contact you out of nowhere with urgent claims.

If someone calls or shows up at your door claiming to know about money owed to you and pressures you to act now, verify independently before sharing any information.

At Sterling Claims Group, we do none of these things. Ever.

05 / Estimator

Is there surplus in your file? Run the numbers.

Enter what you remember from the auction and the payoff. The estimator shows the overage that may belong to you. Illustrative only. We verify the exact figure against court and trustee records before a retainer is ever signed.

$
$
$
$
Estimated Sterling fee (adjustable)

When a foreclosed property sells at auction for more than the outstanding mortgage, taxes, and court-approved fees, the excess is called a surplus or overage. By statute, that balance belongs to the former owner of record. Not the lender. Not the county.

Most jurisdictions require the rightful claimant to file a formal motion or petition to receive a disbursement. Notice, if given at all, is often a single mailing to the foreclosed address, where the homeowner no longer lives. Funds sit untouched until claimed or, after a statutory window, escheat to the state.

We work on contingency. A capped percentage of recovered funds, payable only when the money reaches you. Nothing is owed if the claim is unsuccessful, and nothing is owed if you choose not to proceed after reviewing our findings.

Timelines vary by jurisdiction and the complexity of the fund itself. Most claims take 90+ days from filing to disbursement. Contested matters, competing liens, probate, or multi-heir situations can push the window out further. We give you a realistic estimate up front and flag changes as they arise.

A fair question. State consumer-protection offices warn against operators who demand up-front fees, pressure homeowners to sign, or quote recovery amounts before verifying entitlement. We do none of those things. Our retainer is plain-language, our fee is capped, and you can independently verify the existence of surplus funds with your county clerk before agreeing to anything.

Request a confidential review

If a foreclosure left your name on record,
there is a reasonable chance funds are waiting.

A short form, a quick verification, and a straight answer. No pressure. No fee unless we recover.

Start My Free Review → Call 314-471-3627