Chatham County's Delinquent Tax Sale: What Owners Should Know
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-05
The Savannah Business Journal reported on May 27, 2022 that Chatham County added advance online registration ahead of its June 7, 2022 tax sale. Chatham County's Tax Commissioner runs these sales every month for properties with delinquent property taxes, as required by Georgia law. That monthly sale is still running today.
| Factor | Traditional Listing | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline before a tax sale deadline | 60-90+ days to list, negotiate, and close | Net price locked upfront, faster path to a closed sale |
| What happens to sale proceeds | Seller nets whatever is left after repairs are renegotiated | Net price locked before repairs are even scoped |
| Who buys the home | Open market buyer, financing not guaranteed | A real FHA or conventional homebuyer, funded by their own lender |
What happened in Chatham County
The Savannah Business Journal reported on May 27, 2022 that Chatham County's Tax Commissioner's Office opened advance online registration for its monthly tax sale, with the next sale set for Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Georgia law requires counties to hold these sales to collect delinquent property taxes. Chatham County still runs the same process today: the Tax Commissioner's Office, now led by Sonya L. Jackson, holds sales the first Tuesday of the month, with the next one set for September 1, 2026, at the Savannah Civic Center's Bryan Room rather than the courthouse steps used in 2022. Once a property is publicized for tax sale, an owner has very little room to reverse the process, which is why the Tax Commissioner's Office points delinquent owners toward resolving the debt well before the published sale date.
How a property gets to tax sale in the first place
A property lands on the tax sale list after property taxes go unpaid long enough that the county levies against it. That's a separate track from a mortgage going delinquent, but the two often move together: a homeowner who can't keep up with their mortgage frequently falls behind on property taxes at the same time, since both draw from the same stretched household budget. By the time a property shows up on a published tax sale list, the owner is already deep into a financial hole that a quick sale, not a public auction, is usually the better way out of.
Why this still matters for a Chatham County homeowner today
ATTOM Data's June 2026 foreclosure report shows Georgia running one filing per 3,420 housing units, with Bryan County, just next door to Chatham, among the state's counties carrying the heaviest filing activity. Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey puts the 30-year fixed rate at 6.66% as of July 30, 2026, a rate environment that makes refinancing out of a delinquency far harder than it was even a few years ago. A homeowner already behind on property taxes, with a mortgage rate reset looming, is exactly the profile the monthly Chatham County tax sale exists to catch.
What an owner can do before the tax sale list is published
Once a property is advertised for tax sale, options narrow fast and the owner loses control of the timeline. Before that happens, a seller can request a locked net-price offer from a real estate investment company, well ahead of any published sale date. The buyer's own lender funds the purchase, title transfers once directly from seller to buyer, and the net number is locked before repairs are scoped, so a seller isn't negotiating against the clock the way they would be once a tax sale notice goes out.
Common questions
How often does Chatham County hold a tax sale?
Monthly, on the first Tuesday, when a sale is scheduled. The Tax Commissioner's Office added advance online registration ahead of the June 7, 2022 sale, per the Savannah Business Journal, and the same monthly process continues today.
Where is the Chatham County tax sale held now?
As of 2026, sales are held on the second floor of the Savannah Civic Center in the Bryan Room at 301 W. Oglethorpe Avenue in Savannah, a change from the courthouse steps location used in 2022.
Can I get my property back after it's sold at a Chatham County tax sale?
Recourse is very limited once a tax sale happens, which is why the Tax Commissioner's Office points delinquent owners toward resolving the debt before the sale date rather than after.
Does falling behind on property taxes mean I'm also behind on my mortgage?
Not necessarily, but the two often happen together since both draw from the same household budget. A homeowner behind on either should treat it as an early warning sign, not wait for both to compound.
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What this means for your options
Rising mortgage delinquency is often the first sign of a softening local market. Homeowners who move before their equity position weakens keep more control over the outcome.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. A no-obligation offer, usually within one business day.
See your no-obligation cash offer before you decide anything.