Answer

If your property in Cobb County, Georgia was sold at a tax sale for unpaid property taxes, you may still have the right to redeem it. This right can be exercised by the former owner or anyone with a legal interest in the property, and it can also be sold to someone else before it expires.

If you have lost your property in a Cobb County tax sale, you may still hold a valuable right called the right of redemption. This right allows you, or anyone with an interest in the property, to reclaim ownership by paying the required redemption price within a specific time. Our firm helps former owners understand their options, calculate deadlines and amounts, and document any sale or exercise of the right to redeem.

Why choose us

  • We represent former owners of property sold at a Cobb County, Georgia tax sale.
  • Our office reviews your tax deed and sale paperwork to determine your rights and deadlines.
  • We explain your options clearly, whether you want to redeem the property or sell your right to redeem.
  • We prepare all necessary documents and ensure the process is handled correctly and on time.
  • You can reach us at (561) 933-4747 or visit us at 160 W Camino Real, 589, Boca Raton, FL 33432.

Services offered

  • Review of tax sale documents and notices from Cobb County.
  • Calculation of the redemption price, including all required premiums and costs.
  • Determination of redemption deadlines and notice periods.
  • Preparation of deeds and documents if you choose to sell your right to redeem.
  • Handling the redemption process if you decide to reclaim your property.
  • Guidance on what happens to liens and mortgages after redemption.
  • Coordination with the tax deed purchaser and county officials as needed.

Steps

  1. Gather your documents
    Bring us your tax sale paperwork, notices, and any information you have about the sale in Cobb County.

  2. Review and analysis
    We review the tax deed, sale type, and any foreclosure notices to determine your rights and deadlines.

  3. Calculate the redemption price
    We compute the total amount needed to redeem: the tax sale price, any taxes or assessments paid by the purchaser, plus a 20 percent premium for the first year (or fraction), and 10 percent for each year (or fraction) after that. If a notice of foreclosure of the right to redeem has been served, we add the sheriff’s and publication costs if more than 30 days have passed.

  4. Discuss your options
    We explain whether you can redeem, sell your right to redeem, or take other steps. If you wish to sell, we prepare the deed and ensure you are paid before the deadline.

  5. Redemption or sale
    If you redeem, we handle the payment and ensure the purchaser gives you a quitclaim deed. If you sell your right, we document the transfer and confirm the buyer can redeem.

  6. After redemption
    We make sure the title returns to you and that any liens or mortgages that existed at the time of the tax sale are restored.

Example

Suppose your Cobb County property was sold at a tax sale for $10,000. Within 12 months, you or someone who buys your right to redeem can reclaim the property by paying the purchaser:

  • The $10,000 paid at the sale,
  • Any taxes or assessments the purchaser paid after the sale,
  • Plus a 20 percent premium (here, $2,000) for the first year or fraction,
  • For a total of $12,000 plus any additional taxes or costs.

If more than a year has passed, the premium increases by 10 percent of the original amount for each additional year or fraction. If the purchaser has served a notice of foreclosure of the right to redeem, and more than 30 days have passed, the sheriff’s and publication costs are added. Once redeemed, the purchaser signs a quitclaim deed back to you, and any mortgage or lien that was on the property before the tax sale comes back with it.

Common pitfalls

  • Missing the deadline: The right to redeem lasts 12 months from the tax sale, and after that until the purchaser forecloses the right by serving a notice through the sheriff. If you miss the deadline, your right is lost.
  • Not reading the paperwork: Some Georgia counties use judicial in rem tax foreclosures, which have a 60-day redemption period. The sale documents will state which kind of sale it was.
  • Misunderstanding the redemption price: The premium is 20 percent for the first year or fraction, and 10 percent for each year or fraction after that—not annual interest.
  • Assuming liens are wiped out: Any mortgage or lien that existed at the time of the tax sale survives redemption and comes back with the property.
  • Confusing redemption with excess funds: The right to redeem is separate from any claim for excess funds (the amount bid above what was owed), which is handled by the official who held the sale.

FAQ

Who can redeem property sold at a Cobb County tax sale? The former owner, or anyone with a right, title, interest in, or lien upon the property, may redeem. This right can also be sold to someone else by deed. How long do I have to redeem my property? You have 12 months from the date of the tax sale to redeem. After 12 months, the purchaser may serve a notice of foreclosure of the right to redeem (barment notice) through the sheriff, setting a final deadline at least 45 days after the notice is given. What is the redemption price? The redemption price is the amount paid at the tax sale, plus any taxes or special assessments paid by the purchaser after the sale, plus a 20 percent premium for the first year or fraction, and 10 percent for each year or fraction after that. If more than 30 days have passed since a foreclosure notice, sheriff’s and publication costs are added. Can I sell my right to redeem? Yes. You may sell your right to redeem to another person or investor by quitclaim deed before the deadline. The buyer may then redeem the property. What happens after redemption? The purchaser must sign a quitclaim deed returning the property to you. Any liens or mortgages that existed at the time of the tax sale are restored. What if no one redeems? If the right to redeem is foreclosed by notice, the purchaser’s title becomes absolute. A recorded tax deed also ripens by prescription four years after it is recorded. What about excess funds from the sale? Excess funds are a separate claim with the official who held the sale, usually the Cobb County tax commissioner. They are not part of the right to redeem. Is this the same as mortgage foreclosure? No. Mortgage foreclosure is a different process with different rules. Does this page create an attorney-client relationship? No. This page is general information and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Important information

Attorney advertising. Responsible attorney: Christian Cruz, Esq., Georgia Bar Number 238836. Office: CRUZ LAW FIRM, 160 W Camino Real, 589, Boca Raton, FL, 33432.

This page is general information about Georgia law, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and no such relationship is formed until we have a signed written agreement.

Fee arrangements depend on the posture of the matter and are set out in a written agreement before any work begins. We are glad to explain how fees would work in your situation when we speak.