When a property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the proceeds from that sale are used to pay certain debts and expenses.
If there is money remaining after those obligations have been paid, the remaining amount is generally referred to as foreclosure surplus funds.
Depending on the laws of the state and the facts of the individual case, those funds may belong to the former property owner or to other people who have a legal right to claim them.
Every case is different.
The amount shown in records is not always the amount that will ultimately be paid. Additional claims, liens, court orders, probate matters, or other legal issues may affect the final distribution.
This is one of the reasons it is important to understand the process before making assumptions about how much money may ultimately be available.