Which seller lists sell in Ohio? 83 counties, counted
By Josh MillerUpdated 4 min readAcross the Ohio counties we could measure, the list that sold best was expired and cancelled listings: about 11 of every 100 sold off-market within 12 months, against about 1.3 for a house picked at random. Free and clear owners, the most-mailed list, sold at about 1.5 per 100.
Across 83 Ohio counties with records we could trust, about 1.3 of every 100 single-family homes sold off-market in an arm's-length sale over 12 months, about 47,241 homes, and about 34 of every 100 sales went without an MLS listing. Which of those sellers could you have found on a list first? We counted every list in every Ohio county with enough records to measure.
The count, list by list
| List | Of every 100, sold | Any house, at random | Counties | Owners on it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listing expired or cancelled | 11.2 | 1.3 | 16 | 7,557 |
| Lien filed against the property | 7.9 | 1.4 | 5 | 4,581 |
| Sitting vacant | 4.2 | 1.4 | 25 | 55,031 |
| Behind on taxes, 2 to 4 years | 3.7 | 1.4 | 11 | 11,255 |
| Behind on taxes, 5 or more years | 2.5 | 1.2 | 8 | 17,487 |
| High equity, living elsewhere | 2.0 | 1.4 | 83 | 498,969 |
| Owns it free and clear | 1.5 | 1.4 | 83 | 1,312,481 |
| Owner 65+, living elsewhere | 0.9 | 1.4 | 23 | 80,499 |
Source: GoForClose count of off-market, arm's-length deeds in county records. A county is counted for a list only where the list was big enough to measure; lists measurable in fewer than 3 Ohio counties are left out. Counties whose records don't mark MLS sales are left out entirely.
What stands out
Expired listings lead, liens are close. About 11 of every 100 owners whose listing expired sold off-market within a year, across 16 counties, and about 8 of every 100 with a lien filed, across 5. In Montgomery County, Dayton, liens sold slightly better than expired listings.
Vacant and back-tax houses sell here. About 4 of every 100 vacant houses and 4 of every 100 owners 2 to 4 years behind on taxes sold off-market within a year, both above the national figures. Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, was the rare county where judgments against the owner sold well, about 8 per 100.
The biggest counties
| County | Listing expired or cancelled | Lien filed against the property | Sitting vacant | Owns it free and clear | Any house |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga County | 11.0 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
| Franklin County | 9.9 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| Hamilton County | 15.2 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 1.3 | |
| Summit County | 13.1 | 5.9 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Montgomery County | 9.7 | 10.1 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
Source: GoForClose count of off-market, arm's-length deeds in county records.
How Ohio forecloses
Ohio forecloses through the courts. The lender files suit in the county common pleas court, and after a judgment the house is sold at a sheriff's sale. That sets how long a pre-foreclosure owner has, and how long you should keep writing. What the filing is called, state by state. This is general information, not legal advice.
Check your county
The state number hides real differences between counties. Or see when each list sells in any Ohio county.
Questions investors ask
What is the best motivated seller list in Ohio?
Across the Ohio counties we could measure, expired and cancelled listings: about 11 of every 100 sold off-market within 12 months, across 16 counties. A house picked at random sold at about 1.3 per 100.
How many homes sell off-market in Ohio?
About 47,241 single-family homes sold off-market in an arm's-length sale over 12 months across 83 Ohio counties we could measure, about 1.3 of every 100 homes and 34 of every 100 sales.
Should I mail free and clear owners in Ohio?
Not first. Free and clear owners sold off-market at about 1.5 per 100 within a year across 83 Ohio counties, about the rate of a random house. Lists that start with a filing sold far better.
Does Ohio foreclose through the courts?
Ohio forecloses through the courts. The lender files suit in the county common pleas court, and after a judgment the house is sold at a sheriff's sale.