Fulton County redeemable tax deed sales investing guide. 20% flat redemption premium, 12-month redemption. Auction details and due diligence checklist.
Fulton County, GA sells redeemable tax deeds via in-person sheriff/marshal sale, with a 12 months redemption window and a statutory redemption premium of 20% flat (+10% each additional year) (a flat premium, not annualized interest). Auction cadence: Periodic — first Tuesday levy sales.
Sheriff/marshal tax sales first Tuesday monthly, excess funds claimable 5 years, judicial in-rem foreclosures.
Aggregated from live Fulton County listings on LienScout Pro. Snapshot refreshes weekly.
Tax-sale data on this page is sourced from and reconciled against Fulton County Sheriff's Office publications for Fulton County, Georgia.
Each statement below is tied to the source it came from and the date that source was last read. Statutory rules are verified against Georgia law; auction logistics are verified against the county office that runs the sale.
| Fact | What applies | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sale type | Redeemable tax deed The purchaser takes a defeasible deed subject to the owner's right of redemption. | O.C.G.A. § 48-4-1 / § 48-4-40 State statute | September 4, 2026 |
| Investor return | Flat 20% redemption premium in year one, plus 10% for each additional year A flat statutory premium on the redemption amount — not annualized interest and not prorated. | O.C.G.A. § 48-4-42 State statute | September 4, 2026 |
| Redemption | 12 months from the sale, and thereafter until the right is barred by notice After 12 months the holder may serve a barment notice to foreclose the right of redemption. | O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40 / § 48-4-45 State statute | September 4, 2026 |
| Auction authority | Fulton County Sheriff's Office (levy sales) | Fulton County Sheriff's Office (levy sales) County office | September 4, 2026 |
| Where it happens | In person — Fulton County Justice Center Tower | Fulton County Sheriff's Office (levy sales) County office | September 4, 2026 |
| Sale cadence | Periodic — first Tuesday levy sales | Fulton County Sheriff's Office (levy sales) County office | September 4, 2026 |
Tax-sale rules last verified September 4, 2026. Rule verification is separate from auction data freshness — always confirm bidding terms with the county before the sale.
Fulton County runs its tax sales through the Sheriff and Marshal on the first Tuesday of each month, on the steps of the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta. Alongside the routine sheriff sales, Fulton is one of the few Georgia counties that also files judicial in-rem foreclosures — a faster statutory track that extinguishes the owner's equity of redemption after final judgment rather than after the standard twelve-month window. That mix makes Fulton's calendar denser than most Georgia counties and creates two very different investor experiences on the same courthouse steps.
Because Fulton actively publishes excess-funds lists (claimable for up to five years post-sale) and files in-rem cases against long-vacant Atlanta parcels, due diligence here has to go beyond the tax bill. Confirm which track the parcel is being sold under, pull the most recent Fulton Superior Court filings for judicial in-rem cases, and check the excess-funds ledger for any prior sale on the same property before you commit capital.
Georgia tax sales in Fulton County are redeemable deed sales held on the first Tuesday of the month at the county courthouse (or the courthouse steps) — some counties run monthly, others quarterly, and Fulton uses in-person sheriff/marshal sales. Bidders register the morning of the sale, show proof of funds, and bid premium-only above an opening bid equal to taxes, penalties, and costs. Winners pay by cashier's check or wire same-day; the Sheriff or Tax Commissioner issues a tax deed within 30–60 days. The property owner (and any interested party) then has 12 months to redeem at flat 20% statutory redemption premium on the first year, plus an additional 10% for each year thereafter — one of the highest statutory returns in the country.
For a Fulton County parcel, start at the Tax Commissioner's search for the current tax balance and the delinquency notice. Pull the Tax Assessor's parcel viewer for owner of record, land + improvement value, zoning class, and last sale date. Run the Superior Court Clerk's Real Estate Index for the last warranty deed, active mortgages, and any liens (Georgia counties expose this via GSCCCA's state-wide search — one search covers all 159 counties). Finish with the county GIS for setbacks and flood overlays and Google Street View for a visual read. If the parcel is inside the City of Atlanta, also check the DeKalb or Fulton code-enforcement portal — municipal liens survive Georgia tax sale.
After you win a Fulton County tax deed, the Sheriff records the deed and delivers a certified copy. You now hold defeasible title — you own it, but the former owner can redeem within 12 months by paying you 120% of your investment (plus 10% for each additional year if they wait). To cut off that redemption right after 12 months, you must send a statutory Notice to Foreclose Right to Redeem via sheriff service to every interested party (owner, lienholders, tenants); the notice is expensive to serve but converts your defeasible deed into indefeasible fee simple 30 days later. Most Georgia deeds redeem inside year one at 20% — the tail that doesn't redeem produces the outsized long-term returns the state is known for.
Fulton County runs the largest redeemable-deed sale in Georgia, held monthly on the first Tuesday at the Fulton County Justice Center in downtown Atlanta. Institutional and semi-institutional bidders dominate Buckhead, Midtown, West Midtown, and Old Fourth Ward inventory — overbids commonly push winning prices well above minimum. Realistic entry points are south Fulton (College Park, East Point, Union City), commercial parcels along MLK Jr. Drive / Metropolitan Parkway, and heirship / tangled-title lots. Georgia's 20% first-year statutory redemption premium and one-year statutory redemption window apply before barment.
Fulton County tax sales operate on a "Redeemable Tax Deed" system. Purchasers acquire a redeemable tax deed, receiving a deed that can be redeemed by the property owner within 12 months. If not redeemed, the purchaser can then initiate foreclosure proceedings.
Investors can expect a flat statutory redemption premium of 20% on the amount paid at the tax sale. The actual return depends on whether the property owner redeems the lien and the timing of that redemption.
Key risks include the possibility of the property owner redeeming the property, thereby ending the investment and returning the principal plus the statutory redemption premium. There's also the risk of incurring additional costs for property management, taxes, and potential legal fees during the redemption period or if foreclosure becomes necessary.
To get started, research upcoming Fulton County tax sales, understand the specific terms and conditions, and ensure you have the necessary funds to bid. It is also advisable to conduct due diligence on the properties and consult with a legal professional experienced in tax sales.