Lorain County surplus funds: how to check the list and claim what's yours

If a home in Lorain County (county seat: Elyria) sold at a foreclosure or tax sale for more than was owed, the leftover money may belong to you. Here's exactly who holds it, how to check for free, and how to claim it.

County contacts verified July 2026
In Lorain County, Ohio, surplus funds from a mortgage foreclosure sale are held by the Lorain County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas), and excess funds from a tax foreclosure are held by the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts). The money legally belongs to the former owner, but it is not mailed out automatically. You must file a claim, and you can check whether money exists for free by calling (440) 329-5624.
Mortgage foreclosure surplus
Lorain County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas)
Tax sale surplus funds
Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts)
County phone
(440) 329-5624
Cost to check yourself
$0. It's public record
How sales happen
Online via RealAuction for mortgage (civil) foreclosures; delinquent-tax sales held in person by verbal auction
Our cost to you upfront
$0. Attorney and filing costs are on us

Is there a Lorain County surplus funds list?

Lorain County does not publish a public surplus fundslist online. That doesn't mean no money is held. It means you have to ask. Call the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts) at (440) 329-5787 with your name and the property address (the call is free), or request a free record checkand we'll confirm what the county is holding.

When are Lorain County sheriff sales, and how do I see the results?

Online via RealAuction for mortgage (civil) foreclosures; delinquent-tax sales held in person by verbal auction. Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. when scheduled (both civil online sales and in-person tax sales). Location: Online at lorain.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov; in-person tax sales in the Commissioners Public Hearing Room, 4th Floor, Lorain County Administration Building, 226 Middle Ave., Elyria, OH 44035. Sale listings and results are public. See the official Lorain County sale site. Every result matters for one reason most people miss: if a home sold for more than the debt owed, the difference belongs to the former owner. That's the surplus funds this page is about. Full details: Lorain County sheriff sale: schedule and results.

How to check if you're owed money from a Lorain County sale

  1. Look up your foreclosure case for free: Lorain County Clerk of Courts online records search (cases since 1988, free, 24/7). Search by your name and note the case number and sale amount.
  2. Call the county directly: the Lorain County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas) at (440) 329-5624 or the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts) at (440) 329-5787. Ask whether excess or surplus funds are being held from your sale. This call is free, and you owe nothing to anyone for making it.
  3. Prefer someone to check for you? We'll review the public record at no cost: request a free review. No upfront costs, ever.

How mortgage foreclosure surplus works in Lorain County

Leftover money after a Lorain County sheriff's sale stays with the Clerk of Courts in your foreclosure case, and the county's own foreclosure FAQ names the filing: the person who owned the home at the time of sale files a 'motion to distribute balance of funds' with the Clerk of Court. You can prepare that motion yourself for free with Ohio Legal Help's form tool and file it at the Justice Center, 225 Court Street, Elyria. Confirm what your home sold for and whether a balance exists by calling the Clerk's office — the court publishes (440) 329-5475 for cost questions.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 2329.44), when a sheriff's sale brings in more than the judgment and costs, the balance belongs to the former owner, and the clerk must send notice when the surplus is $500 or more. The claim is made by motion in your original foreclosure case. You can confirm any of this directly with the county at (440) 329-5624. We encourage it.

Official form: Motion to Distribute Balance of Funds (free statewide template: Ohio Legal Help 'Motion for Foreclosure Excess Funds').

How tax-sale surplus funds work in Lorain County

Lorain County still sells tax-delinquent homes in person — Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners' hearing room at 226 Middle Avenue, Elyria — with bidding starting at the taxes and court costs owed. If your home sold for more than that, the leftover money starts in your court case, and unclaimed amounts are paid into the county treasury under Ohio R.C. 5721.20, where they are permanently forfeited if not claimed within the statutory window (about three years). Call the Treasurer at (440) 329-5787 to ask whether excess funds from your parcel's sale exist — you can check for free.

According to publicly available Ohio statute (R.C. 5721.20), excess from a tax foreclosure is held for the former owner, but unclaimed money can be permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. This is the one deadline in Ohio you cannot miss. You can confirm any of this with the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts) at (440) 329-5787.

You can do all of this yourself, for free.The county will never charge you to check, and you don't need anyone's permission to file your own claim. Where we help is when it gets complicated: a deceased owner, competing liens, missed deadlines, or a court hearing. Our licensed attorneys handle the entire claim with no upfront costs: attorney fees, filing fees, and court costs are on us, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Good to know in Lorain County

  • Mortgage (civil) foreclosure sales are online at lorain.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov, but tax-delinquent sales are still held in person — Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., Commissioners Public Hearing Room, 4th floor, 226 Middle Ave., Elyria.
  • The Common Pleas Court's own foreclosure FAQ names the exact filing for leftover sale money: the owner at the time of sale files a 'motion to distribute balance of funds' with the Clerk of Court.
  • Clerk of Courts case records going back to 1988 are searchable free, 24 hours a day, at coc.loraincountyohio.gov — you can watch your own foreclosure docket for the confirmation of sale and any surplus entry.
  • Two published hotlines answer sale-money questions: Sheriff's costs (440) 329-5515 and Clerk's costs (440) 329-5475.
  • The Lorain County Auditor runs a separate 'tax surplus / unclaimed funds' program (downloadable spreadsheet, updated 4/29/2026) for tax overpayments — that is different from foreclosure surplus, which sits with the Clerk of Courts in your case.

We help former homeowners throughout Lorain County, including Lorain, Elyria, North Ridgeville, Avon Lake, Avon, Amherst.

Related guides

Nearby counties: Butler County, Cuyahoga County, Delaware County, Franklin County, Hamilton County, Lucas County, or see all of Ohio.

Lorain County questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

Lorain County doesn't publish a public list online. Call the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts) at (440) 329-5787 with your name and property address (the call is free), or request a free record check from us and we'll confirm what the county is holding.

Mortgage foreclosure surplus is held by the Lorain County Clerk of Courts (Court of Common Pleas) in the original foreclosure case (per publicly available Ohio statute R.C. 2329.44). Excess money from a tax foreclosure is handled through the Lorain County Treasurer (unclaimed tax-sale excess under R.C. 5721.20; funds start in the court case with the Clerk of Courts) (R.C. 5721.20). You can confirm either directly with the county at (440) 329-5624, and we encourage it.

It depends on which kind of sale it was. Mortgage-foreclosure surplus stays with the clerk until 90 days after the last notice, then moves to the county treasurer, who holds it for the owner; under R.C. 9.39, money unclaimed there for five years reverts to the county's general fund. Tax-foreclosure excess is stricter: according to R.C. 5721.20, it is permanently forfeited three years after it is paid into the county treasury. Don't wait. Confirm your dates with the county, and read our deadline guide.

Yes. You never need to pay anyone to find out if money exists or to file a claim. The county process is free apart from routine court costs. Our guide on claiming surplus funds yourself walks through it. Where claims get complicated (a deceased owner, competing liens, missed notices), our attorneys handle everything with no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Heirs can usually claim, but the money is treated as part of the estate, so counties and courts typically require probate paperwork before paying anyone. See our guide for heirs. This is one of the situations where attorney help matters most, and ours costs nothing upfront.

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