Investors snap up Ohio property tax liens, earning up to 18% interest amid record sales

Since 1998, Ohio has permitted the sale of delinquent property tax liens, and recent data show counties breaking previous records: Cuyahoga County sold $18 million in June, Franklin County $10 million last year, and Hamilton and Warren counties each exceeded a decade’s worth of sales in 2025-2026. Institutional investors from Omaha, Chicago and elsewhere purchase the certificates, gaining the ability to collect the owed amount plus a statutory 18% interest rate and, in rare cases, to foreclose.

County officials argue the program accelerates revenue collection and frees staff to focus on high-risk cases, while some treasurers embed consumer protections like interest caps and exemptions for low-income owners. Opposition from bipartisan legislators, mortgage lenders and consumer advocates highlights the high-interest structure as predatory, prompting proposals to prohibit lien sales on homes and farms. The debate intensifies as new property assessments raise tax bills, fueling a petition to eliminate property taxes altogether and shaping the upcoming gubernatorial race.