DeKalb County Property Tax Help for Homeowners
Behind on property taxes in DeKalb County? You have options — before a tax sale, and for 12 months after one.
If you've fallen behind on property taxes on a home in DeKalb County — in Decatur, Stone Mountain, Tucker, Lithonia, Clarkston, Chamblee, Brookhaven, Doraville, or anywhere else in the county — you are not out of options, and you don't have to sort it out alone. In DeKalb County, unpaid property taxes don't just sit there: the Tax Commissioner's office can issue a tax execution against your property and sell it at a public tax sale on the courthouse steps in Decatur.
The good news is that Georgia law builds in time and choices at every stage. Before a sale, there are more paths available. Even after a sale, you have a 12-month right to redeem your property. What matters is acting while those choices are still open. Georgia Tax Aid helps DeKalb County homeowners understand exactly where they stand and what each path would look like — the review is free, and there is no obligation.
Behind on property taxes? You have options.
Every situation is different. When we talk, we walk through the paths that fit yours — including catching up on the taxes yourself if that's realistic. There is never a fee to talk and no obligation.
1. Stay in your home
In some situations, we can purchase the home and lease it back to you, so you can remain in the home while the tax problem is resolved and the property is brought current.
2. More time to transition
If you expect to move within about a year, a temporary rental arrangement can give you time to plan your next step instead of facing a rushed sale on the county's schedule.
3. Sell and move on
A direct sale to our team: the back taxes are handled at closing, you avoid the tax sale and its added costs, and you choose a closing date that works for you.
How DeKalb County tax sales work
In DeKalb County, property tax sales are run by the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner's Office — the elected Tax Commissioner is Irvin J. Johnson. Understanding how the county's process works is the first step to protecting your home:
- A tax lien attaches to your property on January 1 each year, and it stands ahead of other liens. On December 31, the Tax Commissioner issues a tax execution — called a Fi. Fa. — against properties whose taxes are still delinquent.
- Tax sales are held on the first Tuesday of the month, generally from April through December, on the front steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse at 556 North McDonough Street in Decatur. The Tax Commissioner's office can add or cancel a sale, so dates are never guaranteed until the sale is advertised.
- Before a sale, notice is published once a week for four weeks in The Champion Newspaper, DeKalb County's legal organ. There is no mailing list for tax sales — the county posts the properties scheduled for sale on its official Tax Sale Property Listings page, and the advertised newspaper notices are the public record of what will be sold.
- Bidding starts at the total of the taxes and costs owed on the parcel, and the property goes to the highest bidder, who receives a tax deed.
- A tax deed is not the end of the story. Georgia law gives the owner a 12-month right of redemption after the sale: you can recover the property by paying the redemption price — the amount paid at the sale, plus any taxes the purchaser has since paid, plus a 20% premium for the first year (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-40 and § 48-4-42). The purchaser gets no rent or use of the property during that year.
- Once the 12 months pass, the purchaser can move to bar — permanently cut off — your right of redemption. That is why the redemption year matters so much: inside it, you hold the right. After it, the leverage shifts.
Questions about your exact balance or redemption amount go to the Tax Commissioner's office at (404) 298-4000. And if you've received a notice — or you're not sure where your property stands — call us at (678) 329-9288 and we'll look at your dates with you.
DeKalb County questions we hear most
When is the DeKalb County tax sale?
DeKalb County holds tax sales on the first Tuesday of the month, generally from April through December, on the front steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur. The Tax Commissioner's office reserves the right to add or cancel a sale, so if your property is at risk, don't assume a quiet month means you're safe — check your status.
How do I know if my property is scheduled for a tax sale?
Sale notices are published once a week for four weeks before the sale in The Champion Newspaper, the county's legal organ, and the county posts upcoming properties on its official Tax Sale Property Listings page. There is no mailing list, which means a property can be headed to sale without a letter ever reaching you. If you're behind and unsure, ask — we can help you check where your property stands.
My DeKalb property was already sold at a tax sale. Can I still get it back?
Possibly — Georgia gives you 12 months from the sale date to redeem the property by paying the amount paid at the sale, plus any taxes the purchaser has paid since, plus a 20% premium for the first year. After 12 months, the purchaser can bar your right of redemption for good, so this is the one deadline in the process you cannot afford to let pass quietly. Reach out quickly and we'll review your timeline.
Do I have to sell my house?
No. The first step is understanding your situation and your options. For some DeKalb homeowners, catching up on the taxes or redeeming the property is realistic, and we'll tell you that honestly. If a sale makes sense, you still choose the path — staying in the home under a leaseback, taking time to transition, or selling and moving on.
What does it cost to talk to you?
Nothing. A review of your situation is free, and there is no obligation and no pressure to accept any option we discuss.
Are you part of DeKalb County government?
No. Georgia Tax Aid is a private service of DR Investing Group LLC. We are not a government agency, we are not affiliated with the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner's office, and we are not a law firm or financial advisers. The information on this page is general information about the DeKalb County and Georgia tax sale process, not legal or financial advice for your specific situation.
← Back to the Georgia Tax Aid homepage — including help for homeowners in Gwinnett, Fulton, Cobb, Clayton, Henry, and Hall counties.
To see if you qualify, give us a call at (678) 329-9288 or fill out the form below
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