Ohio

Ohio is one of the simpler states for residential closings. The state-level real-property conveyance fee is $1.00 per $1,000 of sale price (about 0.10%), customarily paid by the seller. Counties may add a permissive conveyance fee of up to $3.00 per $1,000, most counties have adopted this, producing a typical combined rate of $4.00 per $1,000 (about 0.40%) on most transactions. The seller customarily pays the entire amount.

Closings are handled by title companies, with attorneys involved on a case-by-case basis (more common in higher-value or unusual transactions, less common in routine residential deals). The practice in Ohio is generally less attorney-heavy than neighboring Pennsylvania or New York.

What property taxes look like

Ohio property taxes are administered at the county level, with school districts typically the largest single component. Effective rates vary across the state's 88 counties, with most falling in the 1.5%–2.5% range. Assessment cycles run on a six-year update with three-year intermediate adjustments, which can produce stair-step changes in tax bills as reassessment years cycle through.

The Ohio homestead exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners reduces the taxable value of a primary residence by $25,000 (with the original value subject to inflation adjustments over time). Eligibility requires age 65+ (or permanent disability) and an income limit that adjusts annually. The exemption is filed with the county auditor.

There's also a 2.5% reduction on owner-occupied homes (as a rollback against most school-district levies passed before 2014), and the 10% rollback for all real property (against most school-district levies). Both are administered automatically once owner-occupancy is established with the county auditor; new buyers should confirm with their auditor that their primary-residence status has been recorded.

What buyers should know

The Ohio Association of Realtors publishes the standard residential purchase agreement, which most transactions use. Inspection contingencies typically run 10–15 days. Earnest money is held by the listing or buyer's brokerage in trust accounts.

Title insurance is not state-promulgated; premiums vary by insurer. The owner's title insurance policy is customarily paid by the buyer in Ohio (this is one of the points where Ohio practice differs from some neighboring states where the seller pays).

The buyer's share of closing costs is dominated by lender fees, title insurance, recording fees, and the prepaid-and-escrow setup. Without a state mortgage tax, the financing-side closing costs are lower than in some neighboring states.

What sellers should know

Sellers face the conveyance fee as the largest state-level cost (typically 0.40% combined state-and-county). Required disclosures include the Ohio Residential Property Disclosure Form, covering known material defects, environmental conditions, and HOA matters. As-is sales don't waive the disclosure requirement.

Ohio state cap-gains tax is graduated, with the top rate at roughly 3.99% (taxed as ordinary income). Sellers with gains above the federal § 121 exclusion pay federal LTCG + state + NIIT, with combined effective rates in the 22%–28% range on the taxable portion at typical incomes.

The three metros: Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati

Ohio is structurally a multi-market state. The three largest metros operate as effectively separate housing markets with different price ranges, growth dynamics, and demographic patterns.

Columbus (Franklin County) has been the fastest-growing of the three since 2020, driven by Intel's $20B+ semiconductor plant build (announced 2022, Licking County), continued Ohio State University employment, and state-government concentration. The Columbus market has tightened meaningfully, pulling prices well above the state median. The suburban ring (Dublin, Westerville, Powell, Upper Arlington) and the gentrifying near-downtown neighborhoods (Short North, German Village, Italian Village) compete on materially different price points.

Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) carries the cheapest pricing per square foot of any major US metro and an active "Rust Belt revival" narrative led by Cleveland Clinic medical-industry employment, downtown adaptive-reuse residential development, and migration of remote workers from coastal cities seeking affordability. The west-side suburbs (Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village) carry distinctly different price dynamics than the east-side (Shaker Heights, Beachwood, Cleveland Heights), and the inner-city neighborhoods continue restructuring after decades of demographic change.

Cincinnati (Hamilton County) is the smallest of the three by transaction volume but carries a distinctive historic-housing inventory (Over-the-Rhine, Mount Adams, Hyde Park, Mariemont) and benefits from cross-river economic ties with Northern Kentucky. Property-tax mechanics differ materially across the river; Cincinnati buyers may want to compare cross-river alternatives if commute logistics permit.

Beyond the homestead exemption described above, owner-occupied homes in Ohio automatically receive a 2.5% non-business rollback credit and a 10% rollback credit on most school-district levies passed before 2014, applied by the county auditor once owner-occupancy is established. New buyers should confirm with their county auditor that their primary-residence status has been recorded after closing.

How closing typically works

Closings happen at the title company's office, typically taking 1–2 hours. The title company prepares the closing disclosure (with the lender), the settlement statement, and the deed; both sides sign their respective documents; funds wire; the deed records at the county recorder. The conveyance-fee statement gets filed alongside the deed.

For complex transactions, contract disputes, or estate-related closings, an Ohio-licensed real estate attorney can review the relevant documents. For routine residential closings, the title company's closing officer is typically the only professional needed.