For many counties, property taxes contribute a large portion of their revenue. When property taxes are unpaid, these counties face the dilemma of how to turn these properties from $0 revenue to recurring revenue again. Some counties are reviewing the number of properties they own due to delinquent taxes and searching for a solution for how to sell these surplus properties.
Coweta County in Georgia has acquired 173 properties by way of tax sales. The properties range from vacant lots to parcels of 20+ acres. Several properties include improvements, such as one property that has 4 houses on it. Although most of the properties are located throughout the county, several subdivisions include multiple lots. These include Peachtree Plantation, The Grove at Orchard Hills, Bohannon Woods and Four Seasons.
The County has held some of these surplus properties for more than 10 years. It has determined that it is in the best interests of the citizens to sell the properties in a timely manner to return them to private citizens and put them back on the tax digest.
The Coweta County Board of Commissioners has elected to sell the properties by auction and has retained Terry Howe & Associates, Inc. to conduct the auction due to its experience selling government-owned and tax deed properties.
Bidding for individual properties starts at only $100.00, and all properties will be sold to the highest bidder. The County has not conducted a title search on these properties and does not warrant title or convey the right to possession. Each property will be conveyed by quitclaim deed and is subject to right of redemption provided for in O.C.G.A. 48-4-45 et seq. A property may be redeemed by the original owner or successor in title prior to the auction.
Online bidding for the properties will open on or before Friday, October 14, 2016 and will close on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. All available properties and an interactive map can be viewed at www.bidcoweta.com.