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Ohio · Weigh your options

How to stop a foreclosure in Ohio

Ohio does not give every homeowner a legal right to catch up and stop a foreclosure, so your options depend on acting early in the court case. You can answer the complaint, ask for court mediation, work with your servicer, and, until the court confirms the sale, redeem by paying the full judgment. Nothing here is a promise of a result.

Ask for help in Ohio Free HUD counselor: (800) 569-4287

Reviewed against Ohio law and official sources on October 12, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Ways to stop or delay a foreclosure in Ohio

  • Ask your servicer for loss mitigation

    As early as possible, and at least before the sale

    Send a complete application for a modification or other workout and keep proof of what you sent. Under federal rules, a timely complete application can limit what the servicer may do while it is reviewed.

  • File an answer

    Within 28 days after you are served

    Your answer tells the court what you dispute and keeps you in the case. Ohio Legal Help has a free foreclosure answer form. If you need more time, file a motion for extension of time to answer before the deadline.

  • Request foreclosure mediation

    After you answer or ask for more time; possible up to confirmation of the sale

    Send the Request for Foreclosure Mediation to your court's mediation department, not the clerk. The Supreme Court of Ohio says there are no hidden fees and the case keeps going until you reach a final agreement. Bring recent pay stubs and two months of bank statements.

  • Ask for reinstatement in writing

    Before the sale

    Ohio has no general statute giving you a right to reinstate, so whether you can catch up depends on your mortgage and your servicer. Ask the lender's attorney for a written reinstatement quote.

  • Ask the court to stay the sale

    Before the sale

    You or your lawyer can file a motion asking the judge to stay the sale for a good reason, such as a pending modification. A lawyer or legal aid can tell you whether your reasons are strong enough.

  • File for bankruptcy

    Before the sale is confirmed

    A bankruptcy filing triggers a federal stay that stops the case. It affects all your debts, so talk to a bankruptcy lawyer or legal aid first.

  • Redeem before confirmation

    Any time before the court confirms the sale

    Deposit with the clerk of the court of common pleas the full judgment, all costs, and 8 percent yearly interest on the purchase price from the sale date. The court then sets the sale aside.

    Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.33

What Ohio law gives you

The right to catch up and stop the sale

Limited right

We did not find an Ohio statute that gives every homeowner a right to catch up on missed payments and stop the case. Whether you can reinstate depends on your mortgage contract and what your servicer agrees to, so ask for the reinstatement amount in writing. Separately, state law lets you redeem by paying the full judgment before the sale is confirmed.

Foreclosure mediation

Program available

There is no single statewide program. The Supreme Court of Ohio created a foreclosure mediation model in 2008, and individual common pleas courts adapted it, so availability, forms and deadlines differ by county. Contact the court handling your case or use the Supreme Court's county contact list. The court's page says the Dispute Resolution Section can be reached at 614.387.9420.

Minimum bid at the first auction

A foreclosed home cannot be sold at the first auction for less than two-thirds of its appraised value. This protects some of your equity and limits how large a deficiency can be.

Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.20

Two-year limit on deficiency collection

A deficiency judgment on a one or two family home used as a residence becomes unenforceable two years after the sale is confirmed.

Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.08

Notice of excess sale funds

If the sale brings in more than is needed to pay the judgment and costs, the clerk must send you a notice explaining how to claim it. A 2025 update lets clerks also reach you by website posting or text message if mail fails.

Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.44

Court must confirm the sale

A sale is not final until the judge checks that it followed the law. The court can delay confirmation to give an owner time to redeem.

Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.31

The options your servicer can offer

Common questions in Ohio

Does asking for mediation stop my Ohio foreclosure?

No. The Supreme Court of Ohio says the foreclosure keeps going until you and your lender reach a final agreement, and taking part in mediation is not the same as filing an answer. Keep meeting every court deadline while you mediate.

Can I get Ohio foreclosure mediation after a judgment?

Sometimes. The Supreme Court of Ohio says a case can be mediated up to the point the sale is confirmed, but it is much harder after a judgment. Call the mediation contact for your county right away.

What do I have to pay to redeem my home in Ohio?

Under Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.33, you deposit with the clerk the full amount of the judgment, all costs, and 8 percent yearly interest on the sale price from the sale date to the deposit. You must do it before the court confirms the sale.

Step by step

More on foreclosure in Ohio

Understand the process

What is happening and how much time there is.

Weigh your options

What can stop it, and what happens if it goes ahead.

Get help now

Who to call, and what to do when a sale is scheduled.

Back to the Ohio overview

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Sources for this page

  1. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.153, Official public sheriff sale website
  2. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.53, Return of writ
  3. Supreme Court of Ohio: Foreclosure Mediation Resources
  4. Ohio Legal Help: Foreclosure timeline in Ohio
  5. Franklin County Sheriff: Real Estate Sale FAQ
  6. Summit County Sheriff: Eviction Process
  7. Union County, Ohio: Sheriff Sales
  8. Ohio Rev. Code Chapter 2329, Execution Against Property
  9. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.26, Notice of date, time and place of sale
  10. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.33, Redemption by judgment debtor
  11. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.08, Limitation of enforcement of deficiency judgment
  12. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.44, Excess payable to debtor
  13. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.52, New appraisement, second auction
  14. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.31, Confirmation and order for deed
  15. Ohio Rev. Code § 2329.20, Two-thirds of appraised value
  16. Ohio Rev. Code § 4710.02, Debt adjusting fees
  17. Ohio Legal Help: Foreclosure
  18. Supreme Court of Ohio: Foreclosure Mediation Program Model Overview
  19. OHFA news release: Save the Dream Ohio Winding Down (September 6, 2023)