Answers to Some Questions Asked About the Sheriff's Sales

1. Opening bids start at 2/3rds of the appraisal value (this is a verbal bid). No property can be sold for less than 2/3rds the appraisal value.
    

2. Terms: 10% deposit at the time of bid, (if you do not have the down payment on your person at the time of the bid, property will be re-bid). Balance due 30 days after confirmation.
    

3. NO PERSONAL CHECKS accepted by Sheriff's Office. 10% down payment of Successful Bid CASH, (IF LESS THAN $10,000.00), BANK CHECK, or CERTIFIED CHECK at time of bid. Checks can be made payable to the Geauga County Sheriff or to yourself and endorsed over to the Sheriff if you are the successful bidder.   If the leinholder is the successful bidder in lieu of the above deposit requirements, you will need a deposit that is equal to the conveyance fee.  The conveyance fee is $4.00 per thousand of the sale price (rounded to the next hundred) plus 0.50 per parcel.  Example:
   
   Sale price - 106,667(106,700 x 0.004= 426.80 + 0.50= 427.30)
    

4. Deeds are issued after the confirmation of sale, when the balance of the purchase price is received by the Sheriff's Office. When the deed is received, it must be transferred by the PURCHASER to show ownership. Contact the Recorder's Office for more information.
    

5. You cannot view the inside of the properties for sale. They are owned by the defendants, and the Sheriff's Office does not have access to these properties. You buy "AS IS".
   
   

6. Information about the lot size, number of rooms, year built, etc. can be obtained from the Auditor's Office for a small fee using the permanent parcel number. Federal tax liens are filed in the Geauga County Recorder's Office, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main St, City of Chardon 1st floor, and case files are located in the Clerk of Courts Office, 2nd floor Courthouse 100 Short Court, City of Chardon (www.co.geauga.oh.us click on Departments), and can be researched in the respective offices. Legal descriptions for delinquent tax land can also be found in the Clerk of Courts' Office.
    

7. Property taxes will be prorated by the Geauga County Treasurer’s Office and paid out of the proceeds of the sale.  Tax amount will include arrearages and a prorated estimate to the sale date plus sixty days.
    

8. Delinquent tax properties are NOT appraised. They are sold for DELINQUENT TAXES, COSTS, AND PENALTIES. The property is offered for sale two (2) times. If it is not sold on the first sale date, it will be offered again at a later date.
    

9. The purchaser is responsible for a $50.00 deed fee to be paid to the Sheriff.
    

10. DON'T WANT TO COPY ALL THE SALE INFORMATION???
    Mortgage Foreclosure Sales and Delinquent Tax Sales are advertised in the Geauga Maple Leaf, 100 Center St., P.O. Box 1166, Chardon, OH 44024 on Thursdays. (THE MAPLE LEAF PUBLISHES RESULTS OF THE SALES THE FOLLOWING WEEK AFTER THE SALE), 1 (800) 814-6634 OR (440) 285-2013, OR the WEB SITE: www.co.geauga.oh.us. (A sale's list check once a month should keep you current.)
     

11. Sheriff's Land Sales are held at 10:00 AM on Thursdays or date scheduled at the Geauga County Courthouse, 100 Short Court St, Chardon, OH.