How to Purchase County-Owned Property

     County-Owned Surplus Property Process

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-9-3

 

The sale of surplus real property owned by DeKalb County must comply with applicable state law and local policy. The following procedure outlines the standardized process by which private parties may request to purchase county-owned surplus property

 

Step 1  Submit an Application: Request for Surplus Declaration

 

Step 2  Internal Department Review

  • Upon receipt, the GIS Department will:
  • Confirm the type of interest DeKalb County holds and the appropriate disposition process.
  • Distribute the request to internal county departments for review.
  • If no objection to disposition is raised, a Fair Market Value appraisal will be ordered.
  • Provide the appraised value to the petitioner, which will serve as the minimum bid requirement.

 

Step 3 – Board of Commissioners Approval

If the petitioner agrees to move forward:

  • Real Estate Specialist will seek formal approval from the Board of Commissioners on behalf of the petitioner to:

a.  Declare the property surplus (as permitted under O.C.G.A. § 36-9-3)

b.  Authorize sale through sealed bid process (managed by Purchasing & Contracting)

 

Step 4  Competitive Bidding Process

Following BOC approval:

The Purchasing & Contracting Department will:

Note:

  • All bids must include a required deposit as described in the bid instructions.
  • Bidder must register for an OpenGov Procurement account to begin receiving email notifications for the County’s procurement opportunities.

 

Step 5 – Bid Opening and Award

  • The Purchasing & Contracting Department will conduct a formal Bid Opening, where all submitted bids are reviewed.
  • The highest qualified bidder will be selected and notified.
  • The winning bidder must submit the remaining balance via cashier’s check.
  • Upon receipt of full payment, a quitclaim deed & PT-61 form conveying title will be issued to the awarded bidder.

 

Step 6 – Deed Recording

It is the buyer's responsibility to:

  • Record the executed deed and PT-61 form with the DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court.
  • Maintain a copy for personal records and pay all applicable recording and transfer fees.

 

* Important Disclosures *

  • This process is valid only for fee simple or constructive fee simple owned properties.
  • DeKalb County reserves the right to reject any or all bids.
  • Requests for delinquent tax deed payoffs by Tax Commissioner or parcels owned by the DeKalb Regional Land Bank Authority must be processed through the respective entity.