Ohio Tax Foreclosure Sales

I've never been to any type of auction, so I'm a little intimidated. I know that big businesses and others who are experienced in real estate attend these things. But my q is, should I try to buy the guy's house before the auction date, will it be a better chance at getting the property. And how do I go about thisa My area of Ohio has a high foreclosure rate, but I also find auctions of local tax. My goal is to first find a house and renovate it myself, then try the other two after my first sale. Someone in real estate or does for a living please give me some advice! I know a little about how to verify the sale price of houses, and other privileges. But where do I go from herea

You can try to redeem, and pay for the privilege in the process. This way, you're not bidding against anyone directly, but you can be sure there are others who try to do the same thing as you.