Ohio counties hold millions in unclaimed overages from sheriff's sales and tax foreclosures. If your property was sold for more than what you owed, the difference belongs to you.
Free to check. No obligation. You pay nothing unless we recover funds for you.
Ohio is a judicial foreclosure state, which means every foreclosure runs through the Court of Common Pleas in the county where the property sits. After the sheriff's sale, any amount that exceeds the mortgage balance, court costs, and tax liens is held by the County Auditor and then transferred to the County Treasurer pending a claim.
Tax foreclosures follow a similar path. Ohio uses both tax liens and tax deeds, with a one-year right of redemption. Once a tax-foreclosed parcel sells for more than the delinquent taxes plus costs, the surplus is held for the former owner — but only for a limited window before it escheats.
The clocks in Ohio are short. Mortgage surplus generally has a 90-day window before being moved to the state's unclaimed funds division (where finder fees are capped at 10% with a two-year wait). Tax surplus has roughly three years before escheat. Acting early is the difference between a full recovery and a fraction of one.
Not every property sale generates a surplus, and the rules vary by source. Here's what we look for in Ohio.
When a foreclosed home sells for more than the mortgage debt and costs, the difference is held by the County Auditor. The former owner, junior lienholders, and sometimes heirs can claim. ORC § 2329.44 governs distribution.
When a tax-foreclosed parcel sells at auction for more than the delinquent taxes, penalties, and costs, the surplus is held for the former owner. ORC § 5721.20 governs the claim process.
Surplus that wasn't claimed in time moves to the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Unclaimed Funds. Finders working escheated funds must register with the state and are capped at 10%.
Ohio has its own timelines and rules. Here are the key facts that drive a successful claim.
We monitor all 88 Ohio counties — these are just the largest.
We work on contingency. If we don't recover funds, you owe us nothing.
Funds flow through Escrow.com. We follow each state's finder rules — including Ohio's.
You always have the right to file a claim independently in Ohio, at no cost.
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It depends on the source. Mortgage foreclosure surplus generally has about 90 days at the county before moving to state unclaimed funds. Tax sale surplus has roughly three years before it escheats. Once funds reach the state, finder fees are capped at 10% and there is a two-year wait period.
No. You always have the right to file directly with the County Auditor or Treasurer at no cost. Ohio does not require attorney representation, though our team works alongside Ohio-licensed attorneys when contested distributions or heirship issues arise.
After a sheriff's sale, surplus typically sits with the County Auditor before being transferred to the County Treasurer. After escheat, funds are held by the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Unclaimed Funds.
For escheated unclaimed funds held by the state, Ohio caps finder fees at 10%. For county-held surplus that has not yet escheated, fee arrangements are governed by contract — courts review for reasonableness, but there is no fixed statutory cap.
Yes. Ohio's intestacy rules and probate process allow heirs to step into the shoes of a deceased former owner. Documentation of death, heirship, and (often) a small-estate affidavit or letters of authority will be required.
The court resolves competing claims. Junior lienholders, mechanic's lien holders, junior mortgages, and the IRS may all assert priority before the former owner sees a dollar. We perform a lien search before submitting claims so there are no surprises.