Towns County, GA Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records, and Maps

Towns County, GA Property Records: Search Deeds, Owners, Tax Records and Maps

In Towns County, property records covering 14,000 parcels provide a wide assortment of crucial property information for businesses and residents in the county. These records detail ownership transfer history, property tax assessments, and land-financing transactions, such as mortgages and leases. The Towns County Clerk of Superior Court, the Tax Assessor, and the Tax Commissioner manage them.

The county’s geography is distinct, serving as the location of Georgia’s highest mountain, Brasstown Bald, the Hiawassee River’s source, and 60% of Chatuge Lake. Towns County’s housing market moves faster than the statewide average, with listings typically staying on the market for 68 days before closing. The county’s real estate market features detached single-family homes, significant undeveloped tracts, and lakefront properties. These properties are concentrated in Hiawassee and Young Harris.

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How to Look Up Towns County Property Records

You can inspect and copy Towns County property records, such as deeds, mortgages, liens, and plats, using the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) search portal. To access ownership updates, parcel data, property valuations, and property tax records, use the Board of Assessors’ qPublic search tool.

The Tax Commissioner provides access to exemptions and tax billings and payments on its website. Contact the Town Clerk of Superior Court for copies of certified records or real estate inquiries through in-person visits or by calling (706) 896-2130.

Who Keeps Towns County Property Records?

Under the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70), Towns County property records are open to the public. This means that any interested person can inspect or copy them, except when restricted by exemptions. These three county agencies handle property records in Towns County:

• Clerk of Superior Court: The Clerk handles all title-related transactions and records, including deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and lis pendens. These records are made available to the public online through the statewide records search portal, the GSCCCA platform.

• The Board of Tax Assessors: The Board appraises all real and personal property in the county for taxation purposes. It also processes exemption claims and oversees the assessment appeal process. In addition to compiling the annual tax digest, it maintains parcel information, mapping data, and other GIS-related data in its online records repository.

• Tax Commissioner: The Tax Commissioner handles tax bills, receipts, and disbursement documents. Other tax-related transactions, such as the annual tax sale and tax delinquencies, are also within their jurisdiction.

How to Search Towns County Property Records Online

You can apply these steps to look up Towns County property records online:

1. Locate the parcel: You can use general search criteria, such as the owner’s name, property address, or PIN (Parcel Identification Number), to run a quick search on the county Tax Assessor’s portal. This will return a list of matching results which you can use to locate your desired parcel.

2. Review the property card: Note vital property details provided on the property card, including ownership data, tax payment history, valuation data, and property characteristics.

3. Look up recorded documents: Conduct lookups for various title-related records, including deeds, mortgages, and liens, from the GSCCCA statewide portal.

4. Confirm the property’s tax status: Search the Tax Commissioner’s web portal for a specific property’s tax-related information, including its tax billing and payment history.

5. Order certified copies: Make in-person or mail-in requests for certified copies of property records at the office of the Clerk of Superior Court. You may be required to pay certain fees for copying and certification.

Clerk of Superior Court: Deeds, Mortgages, and Liens

The Towns County Clerk of Superior Court is the official custodian of all title-related records, including deeds, liens, leases, mortgages, lis pendens, and plat maps. They also record these land records and maintain an online index for the public.

Tax Assessor: Ownership, Values, and Parcel Data

The Towns County Board of Tax Assessors handles property valuation records, including ownership information, property descriptions, parcel details, and GIS mapping data.

Tax Commissioner: Tax Bills and Payments

The Towns County Tax Commissioner issues tax bills, collects tax payments, and allocates tax revenue in the county. They also maintain various tax-related records in their repository, including tax receipts, tax sale records, and delinquent property listings.

Property Tax in Towns County: Rates, Exemptions, and Appeals

The fair market value (FMV) of a property is the basis for calculating property taxes in Towns County and the rest of Georgia. It represents the price that the property seller and buyer have mutually agreed upon as fair. The Towns County Tax Assessor handles property tax calculations and property valuations.

The Assessor applies the state-recommended 40% ratio to a property’s FMV to determine its assessed value. If exemptions apply, the required deductions are made accordingly, and the result is then multiplied by the county millage rate. The final amount is the tax bill. Note that a one mill tax rate equals a tax amount of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

In summary, property tax bill = FMV x 40% x millage rate (FMV = Assessed value - the relevant exemption).

Homestead exemptions

• Basic Homestead Exemption: This homestead exemption, which is valued at $2,000, applies to Georgian homeowners whose properties are their primary residences. It reduces the taxable amounts (assessed values) of these taxpayers’ respective homesteads.

Eligible Georgians must submit an application to the Towns County Tax Commissioner before April 1 to benefit from this tax break for that particular year. Applications filed after this date are processed for the next year. Barring a change in residency/ownership status, approved exemptions are applied annually and require no fresh applications.

• Local additions: Eligible seniors in Towns County and the rest of Georgia can receive additional tax breaks if they meet the requirements outlined in the state’s tax laws (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-47 and O.C.G.A. § 48-5-52). Seniors 65 years and older can qualify for a $4,000 exemption if they, along with their respective spouses, have a combined income of $10,000 for the previous year.

Another exemption is also available to seniors 62 years and older for educational purposes, including settling school bond indebtedness. A combined spousal income not exceeding $10,000 and pre-defined school-district residency status must, however, first be met.

Disabled veterans and the unremarried spouses of peace officers, firefighters, or deceased U.S. officers may also be eligible for certain homestead exemptions.

• CUVA & FLPA: Under Georgia law, certain property owners may qualify for specialized exemptions, such as CUVA (Conservation Use Valuation Assessment) and FLPA (Forest Land Protection Act). These exemptions allow designated properties to be valued based on their current use rather than on their fair market value. Ownership of agricultural land, timberland, or land suitable for conservation is one part of the qualification. Property owners must also sign formal 10-year agreements to preserve their properties as officially designated. They can apply to the county Tax Assessors’ office for these specialized exemptions, along with a recording fee, before April 1.

Appealing an assessment

If you disagree with your property’s recent assessment, submit a written appeal to the county Board of Assessors within 45 days from the assessment notice date. If the Board decides that no change is required after reviewing your filed appeal, it automatically transfers it to the county Board of Equalization (BOE).

The BOE typically fixes a date for a hearing to review your appeal and reach a decision. If you consider the BOE’s decision to be unfavorable, exercise your right of appeal with the County Superior Court. This appeal must, however, be filed within a 30-day window from the date of the BOE’s decision.

GIS Maps and Parcel Viewer

The Towns County Board of Tax Assessors maintains GIS mapping records and parcel data in the county. It provides access to various mapping-based property information online through its qPublic platform. Typical examples of this information include property characteristics, ownership updates, parcel boundaries, and lot dimensions.

Foreclosure and Tax Sales

Property foreclosures and tax sales fall within the Towns County Tax Commissioner’s authority and are handled in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 48-4. The Tax Commissioner recoups unpaid tax revenue through these tax sales, which are held every first Tuesday of each month.

Right of redemption

Georgia law grants the original owners of properties sold at any of the monthly tax sales 12 months within which they can buy back their auctioned properties. This buy-back process involves repaying the tax deed sale price, a first-year 20% premium, an annual 10% interest (if the statutory 12-month redemption period is exceeded after a petition has been filed), and other interests that may have accrued during the statutory period.

Costs to Access Property Records

Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77, outlines specific fees for recording and accessing real property documents in Towns County and the rest of the state.

How to Record a Document

You can record your real estate documents in Towns County with the Clerk of Superior Court. This recording process is governed by O.G.C.A. 44-2-14 and typically includes these steps.

1. Prepare the document: Ensure that all the property documents in your submission, including the originals, meet the state’s formatting guidelines (proper signatures and notarization). You must also include the PT-61 transfer-tax declaration form, important details like the grantor/grantee names and addresses, a legal property description, and a government-issued photo ID.

2. Calculate fees: Towns County, along with other Georgia counties, is authorized to charge specific recording fees per state law. The first page typically costs $25, with an additional $2 fee for each extra page recorded. A real estate transfer tax of $0.1 per $100 of consideration is also required for conveyances. If a security deed is included, an additional $1.50 per $500 of the mortgage is charged for intangible recording tax.

3. Submit to the Clerk: Electronically filing your property documents through the GSCCCA eFiling portal or the services of authorized e-vendors is highly recommended in Georgia. However, you can still submit documents in person and by mail in Towns County.

4. Retrieve the recorded copy: You can download/print recorded copies of property documents through the GSCCCA search platform. Alternatively, visit the Clerk of the Superior Court to collect recorded documents in person or by mail (if you opted for mail-in recording).

FAQs

Quick Reference: Your Towns County Property Records Checklist

Key Contacts and Official Portals