Ohio Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement (Investor PDF)
An investor-ready purchase and sale agreement drafted for Ohio transactions, plus a plain-English summary of what Ohio law expects in a residential purchase contract. Free PDF, no signup required.
Ohio Purchase and Sale Agreement
Free PDF • Updated July 2026
Part of our free real estate investor forms library.
What Ohio Requires in a Purchase Contract
These are the contract and disclosure requirements our research identified for Ohio residential transactions, with statute citations. Requirements change; always confirm the current rule before closing.
Residential Property Disclosure Form
ORC 5302.30
Seller of 1-4 unit residential real property must complete the Residential Property Disclosure Form prescribed by the Ohio Director of Commerce (Division of Real Estate) and deliver it to the buyer; buyer may rescind the contract by written, signed, dated notice within 3 business days after receiving the form, but only until the EARLIER of closing or 30 days after offer acceptance; no rescission right if the form was received before the buyer submitted the offer
Applies to: transfers of residential real property with 1-4 dwelling units; exemptions in ORC 5302.30(B)(2) (court-ordered, foreclosure/writ of execution, bankruptcy trustee, eminent domain, fiduciary, co-owner and family transfers, new construction never occupied, etc.)
Wholesaler Disclosure (residential property wholesaling) Verbatim language required
ORC 5301.95 (SB 155, signed 12-1-2025, effective 3-2-2026); licensee discipline ORC 4735.18
A wholesaler (any person entering a purchase contract for 1-4 unit residential property who assigns or novates the contract, on either the grantee or grantor side, without holding legal title) must give the record owner a STANDALONE disclosure, separate from the purchase contract, in boldface type of at least 12 points, signed and dated by both the owner and the wholesaler BEFORE the purchase contract is executed; content per publisher summaries: wholesaler does not represent the seller, intends to assign the contract or resell for profit, may separately charge the end buyer, may lack funds to close without an assignment, the agreed price may be below market value, and the owner should seek independent legal/professional advice; if not provided, the seller may cancel at any time before title transfers (non-waivable, waiver clauses void), earnest money must be returned within 30 days of cancellation, and the violation is an unfair/deceptive act under the Consumer Sales Practices Act (ORC 1345.02) with AG enforcement, actual damages plus up to $5,000 noneconomic damages, and possible treble damages; SB 155 also amended ORC 4735.18/4735.24 (licensee discipline)
Applies to: 1-4 unit residential property purchase contracts assigned or novated for compensation; exemptions for assignments to blood relatives and to parent/affiliate/commonly controlled entities; effective 3-2-2026
Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Verbatim language required
42 U.S.C. 4852d; 24 CFR part 35 subpart A; 40 CFR 745.113 (subpart F)
Pre-1978 housing sales contracts must contain the verbatim Lead Warning Statement, seller's disclosure of known lead hazards, list of records provided, buyer acknowledgment, a 10-day inspection opportunity or waiver, agent statement, and signatures
Applies to: pre-1978 target housing only
Ohio Regulates Wholesaling
ORC 5301.95 (SB 155, effective 3-2-2026); ORC 4735.01/4735.02 (license act); ORC 4735.18(40) (licensee discipline)
Disclosure regime, not licensing: wholesaling 1-4 unit residential contracts is legal without a license when acting as principal, but requires the standalone pre-contract boldface disclosure to the record owner with both signatures; noncompliance gives the seller a non-waivable cancellation right until title transfer, 30-day earnest money return, and CSPA liability (AG enforcement, damages, possible treble). Unlicensed wholesalers still may not advertise the property itself - only the contract interest (ORC 4735.02). Licensed agents who wholesale face additional commission discipline under ORC 4735.18(40).
See how Ohio compares in our wholesaling laws by state table.
Ohio Closing Practice at a Glance
| Deed convention | General warranty deed (statutory short form, ORC 5302.05) is customary for arm's-length residential sales; limited warranty deed (ORC 5302.07) common in REO/builder sales |
| Transfer tax | Real property conveyance fee: mandatory statewide fee of $1.00 per $1,000 of value (ORC 319.54(G)(3)) plus permissive county transfer tax of up to $3.00 per $1,000 (ORC 322.02) - most counties levy it, making $2 to $4 per $1,000 typical |
| Customary payer | seller - ORC 319.202 provides the grantor shall pay the conveyance fee and any county transfer tax |
| Attorney closing | Attorney not required for a typical closing. Title agency / escrow closing state; attorneys not required or customary for routine residential closings (attorneys still commonly prepare deeds) |
| Witness and notary | Deeds must be signed by the grantor and acknowledged before a notary or other authorized officer (ORC 5301.01); the former two-witness requirement was abolished effective 2-1-2002 - acknowledgment only. Recording requires the county auditor's conveyance fee statement (DTE Form 100 or 100EX) and transfer stamp before the recorder accepts the deed (ORC 319.202). |
More Investor Resources
Disclaimer: This template and summary are provided free for reference and educational purposes. Clearway Home Buyers is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by downloading or using these forms. Real estate law varies by state and by transaction. Review any form with a licensed Ohio attorney before use. Read the full disclaimer.
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