OH HB586

Allows judgment creditors to elect private selling officers (licensed auctioneers and real estate agents) to conduct public auctions of real property, as an alternative to sheriff-conducted sales.

Private selling officers may accept pre-auction bids from judgment creditors and lienholders who were parties to the action, and cannot require deposits from them.

Permits judgment creditors to instruct private selling officers to postpone sales for up to 180 days, and allows sales to be conducted online or at any physical location within Ohio rather than requiring courthouse sales in the property's county.

Appraisal, publication, and other sale expenses plus private selling officer fees are paid by the judgment creditor or from the judgment creditor's portion of sale proceeds, and are excluded from redemption amounts and deficiency judgments.

Changes property appraisal process from inquest of three freeholders to using fair market value from county auditor records, unless court authorizes separate appraisal for good cause.