Use these Georgia foreclosure procedures to avoid or stop
home foreclosure.
Georgia Code Annotated, Book 20, Section 67-115 et seq.; 67-201,
67-401, 67-701,67-1503 et seq.
Judicial Foreclosure Available: Yes
Non-judicial Foreclosure Available: Yes
Preferred Method
Non judicial foreclosure through the power of sale clause in a
deed of trust, mortgage or Georgia security deed is preferred.
Judicial Foreclosure
Judicial foreclosure may be done by filing a petition in Superior
Court describing the case, the amount of money owed and the property to be
foreclosed. Upon the filing of the petition, the court will grant a "rule"
directing that the unpaid principal, interest and costs be paid to the court.
The rule must be published two times per month for two months. As an
alternative to publication, the notice can be served on the borrower, the
borrowers agent, or the borrowers attorney, at least 30 days before
the money has to be paid in court.
Non-judicial Foreclosure
Although Georgia permits non-judicial foreclosure, such as sale
are in derogation of common law, and therefore, the lender can only foreclose
if the terms and conditions of the loan documents are strictly observed.
Preliminary Notices
No sale is value unless the sale is advertised and conducted at
the usual time, place and manner in which sheriffs sales are conducted in
the county in which the real estate is located.
Mailing
A foreclosure notice must be mailed certified mil, return receipt
requested to the debtor no later than 15 days prior to the date of the
foreclosure sale. The time period begins the day the letter is postmarked. The
notice must be mailed to the address given to the lender by written notice from
the borrower. No waiver or release of the rights to notice is valid if it was
signed at the same time as the original loan papers; however, a quit claim deed
conveying title voluntarily in lieu of foreclosure is valid.
Advertising
The notice must be published once a week for four weeks
proceeding the foreclosure day. Notice must be published in the newspaper in
the county where the sheriffs sale are normally advertised.
Sale Procedures
The sale itself must be make by public auction on the first
Tuesday of the month between 10:00 am and 4:00 p.m. at the courthouse.
Deficiency
Under Georgia law, a non judicial foreclosure cannot, by itself,
serve as the basis to pursue a borrower for a deficiency. In order to obtain a
deficiency judgment, a lender must report the sale to the Superior Court of the
county in which the property is located and seek confirmation and approval of
the sale within 30 days after the sale.
Confirmation and Approval of Sale, A Prerequisite to a
Deficiency
The court must hold a hearing before confirming or approving the
sale. The borrower must be given notice at least five days before the hearing.
The borrower must ordinarily be served personally with the notice, although
service by mail can be recognized if the borrower failed to allege non-receipt
of the notice. Before the court can issue an order confirming and approving the
sale, the court will require evidence that the foreclosure sale price was at
least equal to the market value of the property. If it was not, then the court
may not confirm or approve the sale. Also, at the hearing, the court will pass
judgment on the legality of the notice, advertisement and "regularity" of the
foreclosure sale. The court may order a new sale of the property for good
cause.
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