We Buy Houses for Cash in Columbus, OH

Columbus sits in Franklin County, where sheriff's sales run mostly online each Friday and several county offices share the 373 South High Street address. Swifty Home Buyers, a nationwide cash buyer, makes offers on Columbus houses and small rentals from Clintonville to the South Side. A sale to Swifty means a firm offer with no financing contingency, no agent commission and no repair requests, on the property in its current condition, and you pick when to close. Fees and programs change, so confirm with each office. This is general information, not legal advice.

Areas we cover: Clintonville, University District, Franklinton, Hilltop, North Linden, South Linden, Milo-Grogan, Short North, Downtown, German Village, Brewery District, Near East, South Side, Southwest, Westland, Northland, North Central, Northeast, Mideast, Far East, Greater Southeast, Far South, West Scioto, Far West Side

The Franklin County Sheriff says its online auction begins each Friday at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on the Realauction platform, and that sales are not held on federal holidays. When a court orders an in-person sale, it is held at the courthouse, 373 S. High Street. The Sheriff lists minimum deposits of $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 set by law, and says the balance is due thirty days after confirmation of the sale. The Sheriff's FAQ says no keys are provided, properties cannot be inspected before purchase, and the defendant can redeem until confirmation is filed. ORC 2329.20 says no tract of land is to be sold on execution for less than two-thirds of its appraised value, with limited exceptions. The Real Estate Sales Unit is at (614) 525-4231.

The Probate Division handles estates, guardianships, trusts and name changes at 373 S. High St., 22nd Floor, Columbus 43215. The county lists hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, phone 614-525-3894, and e-filing through the court's website. Ohio's disclosure statute, ORC 5302.30, exempts transfers ordered by a probate court and transfers by a fiduciary administering an estate, so heirs who sell through an executor may not have to complete the seller form. The estate attorney can say who has authority to sign and what the court must approve first.

Under ORC 743.04, a municipality may certify unpaid water rents to the county auditor, where they become a lien on the property served and are collected like taxes. The city's tenant billing FAQ says unpaid sewer charges are certified on the property's county taxes, and that Columbus City Code makes the owner responsible when a tenant's billed account goes unpaid. Columbus Water and Power offers a search at unpaidcharges.columbus.gov by address or parcel ID, and its customer service line, 614-645-8276, is staffed weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Your title company will usually check these before closing.

• A Linden or Hilltop homeowner whose house is on the Friday sheriff's sale list and who wants to compare a private sale with the auction.
• Heirs to a Columbus house working through Probate Court who want a clean exit from a property no one lives in.
• A landlord with a few Columbus rentals who would rather sell than take on the new city rental registry.
• An owner of a vacant house near the Near East or South Side with code notices and a tax balance building up.
• A seller with an old sewer or water balance showing up on the county tax bill.

• Selling a house in Ohio
• Sell as-is
• Inherited house
• Foreclosure

• Franklin County Sheriff: Real Estate Sales
• Franklin County Sheriff: Real Estate Sale FAQ
• Ohio Revised Code 2329.20: Minimum sale price
• Ohio Revised Code 2329.31: Confirmation of sale
• Franklin County Treasurer: Foreclosure Resources
• Franklin County Treasurer: Land Bank Program
• Supreme Court of Ohio: Franklin County Foreclosure Mediation request form
• Franklin County: Probate Court
• Franklin County Auditor: Transfer and Conveyance FAQ
• Franklin County Auditor: Conveyance fee calculator
• Franklin County Auditor: Transfer and conveyance standards (PDF)
• Franklin County Auditor: Conveyance fee exemptions
• Franklin County: Recorder
• Ohio Revised Code 5302.30: Residential property disclosure
• Ohio Department of Commerce: Residential Property Disclosure Form
• City of Columbus: Building and Zoning Services Records Research
• City of Columbus: Code Enforcement
• City of Columbus: City Council Housing Initiatives (registries)
• Ohio Revised Code 743.04: Municipal water rents
• City of Columbus: Tenant Billing FAQs
• City of Columbus: Unpaid Sewer and Water Charges search
• City of Columbus: Area commissions and neighborhoods

Last reviewed: September 2026. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Rules vary by county and municipality and change over time; talk to a local real estate attorney or title company before you decide.