TITLE 48 REVENUE AND TAXATION

Section 4. Tax Sales, 48-4-1 through 48-4-112.

ARTICLE 5 AD VALOREM TAX FORECLOSURES

48-4-81. Sale procedures; time; minimum bid; finality; right of redemption by owner; execution of tax deed; report of sale.

1. Following the hearing and order of the superior court in accordance with Code Section 48-4-79, a sale of the property shall be advertised and conducted on the date, time, place, and manner which are required by law of sheriffs' sales. Such sale shall not occur earlier than 45 days following the date of issuance of such order of the superior court.
2. Except as otherwise authorized by law, the minimum bid price for the sale of the property shall be the redemption amount. In the absence of any higher bid, the petitioner may, but shall not be obligated to, tender its own bid in an amount equal to the minimum bid price and thereby become the purchaser at the sale.
3. From and after the moment of the sale, the sale shall be final and binding, subject only to the right of the owner of the property to redeem the property from the sale upon payment into the superior court of the full amount of the minimum bid price of the sale. Such right of redemption of the owner shall exist for a period of 60 days from and after the date of the sale and shall be in accordance with the following provisions:
   1. Redemption by an owner in accordance with this subsection shall result in a dismissal of the proceedings. Immediately following such redemption by an owner, if the property was sold to a third party at the sale, the petitioner shall refund to such purchaser the full amount paid by such purchaser at the sale;
   2. For purposes of redemption under this subsection, "owner" shall mean the owner of record of fee simple interest in the property as of the date of filing of the petition, together with such owner's successors-in-interest by death or operation of law. This right of redemption shall not otherwise be transferable; and
   3. This right of redemption shall automatically terminate and expire upon failure to redeem in accordance with the provisions of this subsection within the 60 day period following the date of the sale.
4. If the property is not redeemed by the owner in accordance with subsection (c) of this Code section, then within 90 days following the date of the sale, the petitioner shall cause to be executed on behalf of the petitioner and delivered to the foreclosure sale purchaser a deed for the property in substantially the form set forth in subsection (g) of this Code section, together with such real estate transfer tax declaration forms as may be required by law.
5. Within 90 days following the date of the sale, the petitioner shall file a report of the sale with the superior court, which report shall identify whether a sale took place, the foreclosure sale price, and the identity of the purchaser.
6. In the event that the foreclosure sale price exceeds the minimum bid amount at the foreclosure sale, the petitioner shall deposit into the registry of the superior court the amount of such surplus. Such surplus shall be distributed by the superior court to the interested parties, including the owner, as their interests appear and in the order of priority in which their interests exist.

(g) The form of the deed provided for in subsection (d) of this Code section shall be substantially as follows:

When recorded, please CROSS-REFERENCE: return to: Deed Book ______, page ______, ________________________ ______________ County, Georgia Records ________________________ ________________________ STATE OF GEORGIA COUNTY OF ______________

TAX DEED

This indenture (the "Deed") made this ____________ day of ____________________________, ______________, by and between ________________________, a ________________________ ("Grantor") and ________________________, a ________________________ ("Grantee").

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, on the ____________ day of ____________________________, ________, during the legal hours of sale, Grantor did expose for sale at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash before the courthouse door in ____________ County, Georgia, the Property (as hereinafter defined) at which sale Grantee was the highest and best bidder for the sum of $______________ and the Property was then and there knocked off to Grantee for said sum. The sale was made by Grantor pursuant to and by virtue of the power and authority granted to it in that certain Order granted ____________________________, __________, Case No. ____________, Superior Court of ______________ County, Georgia (the "Order"). Said sale was made after advertising the time, place, and terms thereof in the ____________________________________, published in ____________________________, Georgia, in the aforesaid county, and being the publication in which Sheriff's advertisements for said county are now published, once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to said sale on the __________, __________, __________, and __________ of ____________, ____________, and said advertisement in all respects complied with the requirements of Code Section ______________ of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Notice of the time, place, and terms of the sale of the Property was given pursuant to Code Section ______________ of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Said sale was made for the purpose of paying the ad valorem taxes owed to ________________________________________, the interest and penalties on said indebtedness, the expenses of the sale including attorneys' fees, all of which were mature and payable because of failure of the owner to pay the ad valorem taxes owed. NOW, THEREFORE, Grantor, acting under and by virtue of the Order and pursuant to Code Section ________________________ of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, for and in consideration of the facts hereinbefore recited, has bargained, sold, and conveyed and does hereby bargain, sell, and convey unto Grantee, its successors and assigns, the following described property (herein referred to as the "Property"); to wit: All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in Land Lot __________ of the __________ District, ____________ County, Georgia, and being more particularly described on Exhibit "A" attached hereto and by this reference made a part hereof. This Deed is given subject to all restrictions and easements, if any, to which the Deed is junior and inferior in terms of priority, and any and all tax liens which pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 48-2-56 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated are superior to the rights conveyed herein relating to the Property. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, the Property unto Grantee, its successors and assigns in fee simple. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Grantor, has caused its duly authorized officer to sign and seal this Deed as of the day and year first above written. ________________________________________________________________ Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of: ________________________________________ Unofficial Witness By: ____________________________________________________ (SEAL) Its: ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________ Notary Public Commission Data: ____________________________ (NOTARIAL SEAL)

EXHIBIT A

Description of the Property

__________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Together with all right, title, and interest running with the above-described property but not taxed under a separate tax reference number as delineated on the tax maps of the petitioner for the year(s) for the taxes being foreclosed.

(Code 1981, §48-4-81, enacted by Ga. L. 1995, p. 272, § 1.)