Information on Sheriff Sales

Sheriff sales are now conducted online at https://fulton.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/ and start promptly at 10:00 am.

All persons who want to bid on a property offered by the Fulton County Sheriff's office must register with Realauction. 

Realauction will conduct webinar training classes. Training classes will be held via the internet on a regular schedule. These webinar classes generally last 90 minutes and specifically cover the use of the software. Attendance is by registration only at https://www.realauction.com/training 

If you are interested in a sheriff sale property, please be advised that properties can be withdrawn from the sale up until the sale day/time of auction.

If a property is listed as "TBD" (To Be Determined) in the appraised field, then the property is being sold for delinquent real estate taxes. Please note that delinquent tax sales will still be held in person at the Sheriff's office 129 Courthouse Plaza Wauseon, Oh 43567.

Property must be sold for no less than two-thirds of the appraised value. The appraised value is set based on an exterior appraisal of the property. The sheriff’s office nor any affiliates have access to the inside of said property. When a property is offered for sale at a first auction, remains unsold, a second sale is conducted. All second sale dates are without regard to a minimum bid requirement but are subject to costs, allowances and real states taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Terms of Foreclosure Sale:

All third party purchasers shall make a deposit with Realauction as follows:
If the appraised value of the property is:
Less than $10,000.00 = $2,000.00
$10,000.00 but less than $200,000.00 = $5,000.00
Greater than $200,000.00 =$10,000.00

To be a qualified participant, bidders must submit a deposit for all properties on which the bidder wishes to bid on by the deadlines. The only acceptable deposit types are bank wire transfer or ACH, no cash deposits will be accepted. All wire transfer deposits must be received by 5pm two (2) business days before the auction sale date. All ACH deposits must be initiated by 4pm five (5) business days before the auction sale date. It is the responsibility of the bidder to plan ahead and allow enough time for the deposits to be received by Realauction. For additional information or questions please contact the Realauction Customer Service at (954) 734-7401 or via email at customerservice@realauction.com.

If you are the winning bidder, the Fulton County Sheriff's office will be contacting you after the online sale. The remaining process will be handled by our office. The process after the sheriff sale auction takes an additional 30 to 40 days to complete. Once the confirmation entry is filed with the Court, and our office receives the Sheriff’s Deed, we will contact you again to schedule a time to complete the sale. You must have the balance of the proceeds at that time. Our office will accept a personal check made payable to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

If you purchase a property at sheriff sale, it still belongs to the original owner until the Common Pleas Judge has signed the confirmation of sale. This process usually takes up to 30 days or more. The property is not transferred into your name until the sheriff’s deed has been recorded with the Fulton County Recorder. Please note the judgment creditor and first lienholder each have a right to redeem the property within 14 days of the sale by paying the full purchase price to the Clerk of Courts. The Clerk of Courts shall proceed with the redeeming party considering the successful purchaser of the sale. NOTE: Sheriff Sales can be very risky in terms of money and other concerns. If you have any questions regarding this, you should consult your personal attorney before any real estate purchase from sheriff sale. We cannot advise you of any legal questions you may have. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Can we see the House?

We have no access to the interior of the houses for sale. No arrangements may be made for an internal inspection of the properties. You are urged to check out the property as best you can. The Fulton County Auditor can provide a printout on the property showing the numbers, and types of rooms, etc. or you can access the Auditor’s website at www.fultoncountyoh.com.

How does the Sheriff Sale work? 

Pursuant to HB 390 the sale must be a held online, unless ordered by the Court. Sales are held on the first Thursday of each month at 10:00 am unless otherwise noted, at https://fulton.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/. All parties interested in purchasing a property at sheriff sale need to complete the Purchaser Information form. This form will be completed at time of registration with Realauction.

What happens to the liens on the property? 

Liens are marshaled, (placed in order and paid in order), and paid from the sale proceeds. A deficiency judgment may be granted to the plaintiff against the defendant (homeowner), if enough money is not generated at the sale. The liens are then canceled against the property. The exception is a Federal Lien, (which will be on file at the Fulton County Recorder’s Office). You are urged to check out any liens, and check with an attorney if you have questions. We do not have lien information at the Sheriff’s Office.

What if someone is living in the house? 

If someone is living in the house and will not vacate, the Sheriff’s Office will remove them on issue of a Writ of Possession. You may be responsible for paying the filing fee to obtain the Writ of Possession from the Clerk of Common Pleas Court, and providing manpower to set out their belongings. Again, you should consult an attorney for questions regarding any of this.

Final Note! 

Large amounts of money are involved. Sales are Buyer Beware. You are responsible for checking out the property and judge for yourself if it is suitable for the purpose you intend. Consult with an attorney if you are in doubt!