Foreclosures · OH

Ohio foreclosures by county

Short answer: Ohio forecloses through the courts, and the process ends at a sheriff sale, typically 6 to 12 months after the first filing. Filings are recorded in each county's land records office (the recorder, register of deeds or clerk, depending on the county). Below is every Ohio county, each with its own page on pre-foreclosure filings, the sheriff sale and the owners to reach before it.

Counties covered

88

Each with its own foreclosure page.

Process

Judicial

Ends at a sheriff sale.

After the sale

None after the sale

Until the court confirms the sale, not after.

Every Ohio county

Largest first, by Census population.

CountyCounty seatPopulation
Franklin County foreclosuresColumbus1,330,000
Cuyahoga County foreclosuresCleveland1,250,000
Hamilton County foreclosuresCincinnati830,000
Summit County foreclosuresAkron540,000
Montgomery County foreclosuresDayton537,000
Lucas County foreclosuresToledo428,000
Butler County foreclosuresHamilton390,000
Stark County foreclosuresCanton375,000
Lorain County foreclosuresElyria313,000
Warren County foreclosures256,059
Delaware County foreclosures237,966
Lake County foreclosuresPainesville232,000
Mahoning County foreclosures225,786
Clermont County foreclosures214,123
Trumbull County foreclosures200,300
Licking County foreclosures184,898
Medina County foreclosures184,625
Greene County foreclosures172,347
Fairfield County foreclosures167,762
Portage County foreclosures163,839
Clark County foreclosures134,985
Wood County foreclosures133,077
Richland County foreclosures124,853
Wayne County foreclosures116,632
Miami County foreclosures111,950
Allen County foreclosures100,866
Columbiana County foreclosures99,823
Ashtabula County foreclosures96,906
Geauga County foreclosures95,362
Tuscarawas County foreclosures92,048
Muskingum County foreclosures86,582
Ross County foreclosures76,046
Hancock County foreclosures75,016
Erie County foreclosures73,841
Scioto County foreclosures71,798
Union County foreclosures71,721
Marion County foreclosures64,976
Belmont County foreclosures64,692
Jefferson County foreclosures63,900
Knox County foreclosures63,848
Athens County foreclosures63,218
Pickaway County foreclosures62,158
Sandusky County foreclosures58,866
Washington County foreclosures58,332
Huron County foreclosures58,168
Lawrence County foreclosures55,829
Seneca County foreclosures54,730
Ashland County foreclosures52,420
Darke County foreclosures51,462
Shelby County foreclosures47,952
Logan County foreclosures46,085
Auglaize County foreclosures45,922
Madison County foreclosures45,531
Holmes County foreclosures44,668
Brown County foreclosures44,292
Highland County foreclosures43,785
Mercer County foreclosures42,648
Fulton County foreclosures42,028
Clinton County foreclosures42,019
Crawford County foreclosures41,626
Preble County foreclosures40,801
Ottawa County foreclosures39,692
Champaign County foreclosures38,907
Defiance County foreclosures38,644
Guernsey County foreclosures38,219
Coshocton County foreclosures37,003
Williams County foreclosures36,554
Morrow County foreclosures35,927
Perry County foreclosures35,682
Putnam County foreclosures34,206
Jackson County foreclosures32,723
Hardin County foreclosures30,402
Van Wert County foreclosures28,887
Gallia County foreclosures28,886
Fayette County foreclosures28,782
Adams County foreclosures27,671
Henry County foreclosures27,536
Hocking County foreclosures27,429
Pike County foreclosures27,065
Carroll County foreclosures26,460
Meigs County foreclosures21,491
Wyandot County foreclosures21,394
Paulding County foreclosures18,755
Noble County foreclosures14,269
Harrison County foreclosures14,042
Morgan County foreclosures13,532
Monroe County foreclosures13,051
Vinton County foreclosures12,545

Ohio foreclosure at a glance

The essentials for finding and working foreclosures. The full process, owner rights and law detail are in the Ohio foreclosure laws guide.

Ohio foreclosure reference
ProcessJudicial. Every residential foreclosure runs through the courts.
The auctionA sheriff sale, conducted by the county sheriff.
Typical timeline6 to 12 months from first filing to sale, uncontested.
Where filings are recordedIn each county's land records office (the recorder, register of deeds or clerk, depending on the county).
RedemptionUntil the court confirms the sale, not after.
DeficiencyAllowed.
DefaultMissed payments anda breach letterCase filedComplaint filed andlis pendens recordedJudgmentThe court orders theproperty soldSheriff saleThe winning biddertakes the property
The Ohio foreclosure sequence: typically 6 to 12 months from first filing to the sheriff sale, uncontested. Confirmation usually lands within weeks of the auction, closing the redemption door quickly.

Ohio foreclosure FAQ

Where are Ohio foreclosure filings recorded?

The lis pendens is recorded in each county's land records office (the recorder, register of deeds or clerk, depending on the county), and the case itself sits on the docket of the court that hears it. The deed after the sale is recorded in the same place. Each county page below says where to look and what each document shows.

Are Ohio foreclosure auctions sheriff sales or trustee sales?

Sheriff sales. After the court's judgment, the county sheriff auctions the property. Upcoming sales appear in published notices and often on each sheriff's own sale list, county by county. The notice sets the deposit, the payment deadline and any opening bid.

How do I get an Ohio pre-foreclosure list?

Counties record the filings but rarely publish them as a list. Pre-foreclosure lists are compiled from those records. LowBaller covers all 88 Ohio counties: scan any ZIP to see owners in pre-foreclosure and at auction, ranked by how close the sheriff sale is and how much equity they hold.

How long do Ohio owners have before the sheriff sale?

Typically 6 to 12 months from the first filing, uncontested. Confirmation usually lands within weeks of the auction, closing the redemption door quickly. During that time the owner keeps title and can sell, which is why the weeks after a filing are when a private offer matters most.

Can I buy an Ohio home before the foreclosure auction?

Yes, from the owner directly. Until the sheriff sale the owner holds title, so a sale that pays off the loan stops the foreclosure. You can inspect and run title, which the auction rarely allows, and an owner with equity keeps the difference instead of losing it at the sale.

Keep going

See who is in pre-foreclosure in your Ohio county today.

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Informational summary, not legal advice. Foreclosure process, timelines, redemption and deficiency rules are summarized at the state level and change by statute and court rule. The published notice of sale controls every date and term. Homeowners facing foreclosure should speak with an attorney or a HUD-approved housing counselor.