Georgia's Special Session Could Cut Homestead Property Taxes
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-05
Georgia lawmakers return for a special session starting June 17, 2026, with property tax relief added to the agenda. Senate Bill 33 would cap primary-home assessment growth at inflation and let counties trade a 1-cent sales tax for lower or eliminated homestead property taxes. Roughly 110 counties, potentially including Richmond, could put the swap on a November 2026 ballot.
| Factor | Traditional Listing | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Property tax exposure while the home sits on market | Seller keeps paying rising property taxes until closing, whatever the county eventually decides | Net price locked for the seller before repairs are scoped, so the wait on a tax vote doesn't factor in |
| Certainty while legislation is pending | Sale price can move if buyers price in expected tax changes | A real FHA or conventional buyer's own lender funds the purchase at a price set upfront |
| How the fee is handled | Built into negotiated concessions at closing | Paid as a separate line item on the closing statement, not a markup on price |
What Georgia's Special Session Is Actually Proposing
Governor Brian Kemp expanded the agenda for a special legislative session starting June 17, 2026, to include property tax relief alongside redistricting and election ballot QR codes. Senate Bill 33 sets up two main tools. A Homestead Assessment Cap would cap the taxable assessment growth on an owner-occupied primary home at the rate of inflation, so a home's taxable value can't spike faster than inflation even if the market value jumps. A Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, LHOST, would let a county trade a 1-cent sales tax for reduced or eliminated homestead property taxes, with a Floating Local Option Sales Tax, FLOST, as an alternative that spreads smaller relief across all property owners instead. School property taxes stay untouched either way, and renters get no direct relief. County commissioner analysis cited in the reporting suggests roughly 110 counties could use the sales tax swap to eliminate county and city homestead property taxes, with a ballot question possible as early as November 3, 2026, if lawmakers pass the enabling legislation this session.
Why This Matters for Richmond County Homeowners
'The best tax is the tax that somebody else pays. If you can export some of your tax burden to people that don't live here, that's great,' said Clint Mueller of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, describing the sales tax swap's appeal. Emory University's Usha Rackliffe put it more plainly: 'Think of it as a trade-off. It's a fiscal trade-off.' For a Richmond County homeowner watching their tax bill climb faster than their income, that trade-off is real but not immediate. Nothing changes until the special session passes enabling law and, separately, Richmond County commissioners and voters choose to adopt it locally. A homeowner facing a payment crunch this year or next can't count on relief landing before then.
What a Richmond County Seller Can Do Right Now
Waiting on a legislative session and a countywide vote is not a plan for a homeowner whose tax bill is already outpacing what they can carry. Confirming whether Richmond County intends to place LHOST or FLOST on a future ballot is worth a call to the tax commissioner's office, but that's a multi-year horizon, not a fix for a bill due this quarter. A seller who needs certainty now can request a locked net-price offer from a real estate investment company like Cash Flow Deals before repairs are scoped, with a real FHA or conventional buyer's own lender funding the purchase and title transferring once, directly from seller to buyer.
Common questions
What is Senate Bill 33?
It's the Georgia bill under consideration in the June 2026 special session that would cap primary-home tax assessment growth at inflation and let counties adopt a 1-cent sales tax swap for homestead property tax relief.
Would this eliminate property taxes for Richmond County homeowners?
Only if Richmond County commissioners and voters choose to adopt LHOST or FLOST through a countywide ballot vote, potentially as soon as November 3, 2026. It is not automatic statewide relief.
Does this help renters in Richmond County?
No. Per the reporting and Emory economist Usha Rackliffe, the relief targets owner-occupied homestead property, so renters would see no direct benefit.
When does the special session start?
June 17, 2026, under Governor Brian Kemp's expanded special session agenda.
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What this means for your options
Local market conditions like this affect how easily a traditional, financed sale closes. The risk doesn't disappear, it just shows up later in the process, usually at inspection or appraisal.
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.