For additional information contact Jodi Moody at (740) 452-3637 ext. 6126 or by email .
Disclaimer: The Muskingum Co. Sheriff’s Office is not responsible for defects or omissions in advertising, condition of sale property (i.e. mold, mildew, foreign objects, etc.), outstanding debt, liens, mortgages, unpaid utilities, etc.
Sheriff’s sales are conducted at the Muskingum Co. Courthouse, located at the corner of 4th and Main in downtown Zanesville. Sales are held on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. The status of any sales can be changed any time up to the time of sale. Sheriff’s sales are normally advertised in the Tuesday edition of the Times Recorder for a minimum of three (3) consecutive weeks.
Yes, the property must bring at least two-thirds (2/3) of the appraised value or it cannot be sold.
Third parties will pay based on the appraised value of the property
$2,000 for properties valued less than or equal to $10,000
$5,000 for properties valued between $10,000 and $200,000
$10,000 for properties valued at more than $2000,000
Unless ordered by the Court, the sale must be a public sale. You or your agent must appear to bid. All bidding is done at the sale. No prior or sealed bids are taken. There is no prior registration. Make sure you can meet the terms of sale. This is a Court function. If the sale is not completed you are subject to being held in contempt of court.
The Sheriff’s Office does not have information on liens and taxes. It is the responsibility of the prospective purchaser to check into properties for back taxes, delinquent utility bills, liens and/or additional costs. You are urged to consult an attorney if you have questions. The Sheriff’s Office cannot give legal advice.
The purchaser shall be responsible for costs, allowance, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
The Sheriff’s Office does not have keys for the properties being sold.
The attorneys prepare the deed. It usually takes 6-12 weeks. When we receive the deed we will call the buyer to come in with the balance due.
No. The property still belongs to the original owner even though the order of sale has been issued from the court. If you purchase a property at Sheriff’s Sale and have a ten percent deposit down, it still belongs to the original owner until the Common Pleas Court Judge has signed the confirmation of sale. This process may take up to 30 days or more. The buyer purchases any foreclosed property caveat emptor, which means “let the buyer beware” or that you are buying the property sign unseen. The appraisals of these properties are completed without an interior inspection. Neither the Sheriff’s Office nor the appraisers are responsible for the condition of the property at the time the purchaser takes possession.
You may enter the property once the court has confirmed the sale, you have paid for the property in full, you have received the deed and the deed has been recorded and conveyed. Until that time you may not enter the property, change the locks, have occupants removed, mow the yard, etc. (Entering the property without permission of the owner or occupant is a violation of Ohio Revised Code Section 2911.21, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $250.00 fine.)
After the confirmation has been filed, you have paid in full and received your deed, and have recorded and conveyed the deed, you may contact the occupants and advise them they need to vacate the premises. If they still refuse then the buyer needs to file a writ of possession with the Muskingum Co. Clerk of Courts and in turn the Muskingum Co. Sheriff’s Office will serve the occupants with an order to vacate. If they still refuse to vacate, the buyer then needs to contact a moving company and a locksmith, and the moving company will move out the old occupants at the buyer’s expense. The Sheriff’s Office will stand by if this occurs, but usually the occupants leave prior to filing with the Clerk’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office does not have the authority to order the defendant to let someone inside. The mortgage companies in this area are aware of the problems trying to appraise without going inside. The buyer must contact the mortgage company to work out those details.
The Sheriff’s Office does not schedule or attend closings. It is the responsibility of the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent to pay the balance in full when contacted by the Sheriff’s Office. When the balance is paid the purchaser will received a Sheriff’s Deed.