How To Search for Atlanta Property Records

It is a smart idea to look into a property's background before making a purchase. Property records can reveal important details, such as the owner's identity, the property's value, its tax history, and any outstanding mortgages or liens. For buyers and investors, they are useful because they reveal a property's background and can help you spot risks before making an offer. In Atlanta, property records include ownership history, assessed value, property taxes, building permits, and even maps and plats. These records are public, meaning anyone can look them up. Knowing where to look makes finding what you need simple. Below is a guide on where and how to locate Atlanta property records with ease.

Fulton County Board of Assessors' Office

The Fulton County Board of Assessors sets fair-market values (FMV) and maintains parcel records for every property in Atlanta. You will find market and assessed values, owners' names, legal descriptions, site sketches, exemption details, and sales history all in one place. To search the records online, use the Property Search webpage. The platform allows you to search property records by owner's name, location address, or parcel number. You can also request records in person or use the public workstations available at the Board of Assessors' Office to look up records or request printed copies at the counter. Additionally, you can request property records by mail, by sending an open records request to the Board's Open Records Center. In-person requests are available at any of the following addresses:

• Peachtree Center: 235 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Fulton County Government Center: 141 Pryor Street, Suite 1018, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Fulton County Customer Service Center: 11575 Maxwell Road, Suite 102, Alpharetta, GA 30009
• Greenbriar Mall: 2841 Greenbriar Parkway, Suite 124, Atlanta, GA 30331
• North Fulton Service Center: 7741 Rosewell Road, NE, Suite 210, Sandy Springs, GA 30350
• South Fulton Service Center: 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, Suite 224, Atlanta, GA 30349

Fulton County Superior and Magistrate Court

Another place to look up property records is at the Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts. You can find records and indexes of deeds, liens, plats, easements, and the official real-estate index for Fulton County. To search the records online, use the Clerk's Deeds and Records page. The webpage allows you to search for deed and plats records by owner name, address, book/page, instrument type, or date. You can also visit the Deed Room in person to request the record. There are public computers available in the Deed's Room where users can look up records. Alternatively, you can ask for the record using the Open Records Request. The Clerk of the Superior and Magistrate Court office is located at Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse, 136 Pryor Street, SW (Ground Floor/Room C-155), Atlanta, GA 30303. The office opens from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Atlanta property taxes are the city's single largest source of funding, financing schools, fire and police departments, parks, libraries, street repairs, sewer systems, transportation, healthcare, and general operations of Fulton County and its municipalities. The Fulton County Board of Assessors sets market and assessed values for each parcel. Those valuations, along with homestead exemptions and the millage rates approved by the Board of Commissioners, are computed into your tax bill, with statements mailed out in late summer or early fall. Once values are set, the county issues bills; owners get a notice of assessment, with a short appeal window, and later a tax bill. If you disagree, you can appeal before the deadline printed on the notice.

Bills are mailed in the third quarter. Fulton County taxes are due in October (dates vary by year and by taxing authority - City of Atlanta bills have historically used different deadlines), and taxes become delinquent the day after the bill's due date. Always check your bill for that year's exact date. Georgia law lets interest and penalties accrue on unpaid taxes (counties usually add a periodic penalty, such as 5% after 120 days and again up to a cap, plus monthly interest). Long, unpaid taxes can result in liens and sheriff tax sales.

You can pay your property tax online using e-check/credit card payments. If you are making payments in person or by mail, make the checks payable to the Fulton County Tax Commissioner. The physical and mailing address is at 141 Pryor Street Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Assessments

The Fulton County Board of Assessors is in charge of setting property values in the City of Atlanta. By law, properties are assessed annually as of January 1. Appraisers typically use three primary methods: Sales Comparison (recent sales of similar properties), Cost Approach (replacement cost minus depreciation), and Income Approach (for income-producing property). The value you see on your notice is the fair market value, but Georgia calculates taxes on 40% of that value. If you disagree with the assessed value of your property, you usually have 45 days from your Notice of Assessment to file an appeal. You can appeal online, in person, or by mail, and must provide evidence like sales data, photos, or repair estimates. You can appeal by going before the Board of Equalization and to the Fulton County Superior Court if needed. You can file the appeal online, by mail, or in person at any assessor location using form PT-311A. You can find the form on various counties' websites across Georgia.

Appraisals

In Atlanta, professional assessment works much like an appraisal. Both are designed to determine a property's fair market value by comparing it to similar properties in the area that have recently sold. This comparative approach ensures your property valuations are accurate, fair, and reflective of the current real estate market. For unique properties or new constructions, the county may engage professional appraisers to determine a more precise value. Appraisers in Atlanta, Georgia, aren't just for tax purposes. Estate planners rely on them to value assets, courts require them in legal matters such as probate or divorce cases, and lenders use appraisals to approve mortgages, refinancing, or home equity loans.

Tax Rates

The median property tax rate in Atlanta, Georgia, is 0.91%, slightly higher than the state's average effective tax rate of 0.83% but lower than the national average of 1.02%. Atlanta's tax rate implies that residents pay more than in most Georgia counties because home values are higher. In dollar terms, homeowners in Fulton County pay $2,141 per year, versus around $2,400 nationwide.

Compare how Atlanta's property taxes measure up against other counties across Georgia:

• DeKalb County 0.95%
• Chatham County 0.94%
• Gwinnett County 1.02%
• Cobb County 0.69%
• Clayton County 0.91%
• Cherokee County 0.71%
• Muscogee County 0.88%
• Forsyth County 0.78%
• Henry County 0.98%
• Warren County 0.96%

Exemptions

Property taxes can be a heavy burden for some Atlanta residents. Fortunately, Fulton County offers several tax exemptions and relief programs to help lower bills for people who qualify. Some of the exemptions available in Atlanta, Georgia, include:

• Basic Homestead Exemption
• Senior Citizen Exemption
• Disabled Veteran Exemptions
• Low-income, surviving spouse, and public-safety survivor exemptions

You can apply for these exemptions by contacting the Fulton County Board of Assessors.

Most construction, renovations, trades, demolitions, pools, fences, signs, and most site work in the City of Atlanta require permits and inspections to confirm work meets building codes and safety rules. You can get a building permit from the City of Atlanta Office of Buildings. You can apply for building permits online using the Online Permitting webpage. However, the city does require in-person submittals for some projects, including alterations and additions. In-person submission is at 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303.

The following building permits are available in Atlanta:

General Building Permits

• New Construction: A permit is required for all new residential and commercial construction.
• Alterations: Permits are required for any additions, remodels, accessory structures, and demolitions on any part of a structure.
• Occupancy Changes: A certificate of occupancy is needed before anyone can legally reside in the structure.

Specialized Permits

• Electrical Permits: Electrical permits are required for any electrical work on a building or structure, including wiring, lighting, and service upgrades.
• Plumbing Permits: These permits are required for new lines, fixture installations, sewer/water hookups, and drainage systems
• Mechanical Permits: These are needed for heating, cooling systems, or ductwork changes.
• Fire Safety Permits: These cover work related to sprinklers, alarms, and other life-safety systems.
• Historic Preservation/Zoning Permits: Any work in historic districts or constructions that require zoning approval is necessary.

Other Types of Permits

• Pools and Spas Permits: These are needed for the installation, safety barriers, and required equipment for pools and spas.
• Tree Removal Permits: This permit allows you to cut or remove certain trees on your property.
• Sign Permit: This type of permit is required to ensure business or property signs meet zoning and safety rules.

When applying for any of these permits, you must submit the proper documentation (building plans, blueprints, contractor licenses, materials lists, etc.). You must also pay the appropriate fee.

Building inspections are part of the permit process, and they ensure that the work complies with local building and safety codes. You can schedule an inspection through the online portal or in person at the office during regular business hours. You can also schedule an inspection by phone at (404) 658-6800, or by email at inspections-oob@atlantaga.gov.

The City of Atlanta, Georgia, is popular among real estate investors due to its many job opportunities, which are driven by big company relocations and expansions, steady hiring, and a fast-growing population. The city has a population of 510,800 residents. There are 258,245 housing units, with 233,047 occupied and only 25,198 unoccupied, less than 10% of the total housing units.

Atlanta has a mix of condos, apartments, townhouses, single-family homes, modern lofts, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The average home price in the City of Atlanta is around $396,813, down 4.6% from the previous year. This means that prices have softened, encouraging more buyers and investors to enter the real estate market.

However, house prices differ across the city depending on the neighborhood you reside in. Some home prices include:

• Buckhead $517,000
• Inman Park $742,000
• West End $302,200
• Midtown $372,200
• Candler Park $710,000

Demand in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, is moderate. Typical listings see a small number of offers, spending up to 65 days on the market before selling. The median sale price per square foot is around $275, down slightly from the previous year. Atlanta's overall cost of living runs above the Georgia average, but still lower than most U.S. cities. Atlanta remains a relative bargain due to factors such as a business-friendly tax setup with no state tax on Social Security, relatively low property taxes, and special incentives for redevelopment.