Using a list of property foreclosures in Georgia can take some time due to the number of foreclosures and the lack of information listed on a lot of websites. A good foreclosure listing will include all property details, foreclosure price, lien information and seller contact information. While many charge membership fees to get this information, there are several places where you can find complete foreclosure listings free of charge.

If you find a website with good listings, you can often try a trial membership. Use these and email notice options to find the latest foreclosure properties in Georgia. Start a search in a certain area, or keep your search options open and browse the entire state's listings for a home or commercial property in which to invest. Remember when considering foreclosure listings in Georgia:

1. Before you start your GA foreclosure listings search, make a good checklist of what you are looking for. Include structure needs, property location and options you would like.

2. Use an online Georgia foreclosure listing website to search for properties either by region or by property type.

3. Contact the seller of pre-foreclosures directly. Consult with a licensed Realtor for help closing a Georgia foreclosure deal.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start a Georgia foreclosure search online

Find Georgia foreclosures or pre-foreclosures listed online. Try a free trial membership to online listing sites, and sign up to receive emails when new listings are posted. Narrow down your search options by location, property type or both when searching for the perfect commercial or business property.

I recommend: Sign up to receive emails from Preforeclosure.com, and search the Georgia listings on the national website. Narrow your search options at the ForeclosureConnections.com. Search for properties in a certain city or county.

Use local links to check on foreclosure listings in Georgia

Whether you're interested in finding a listing or you already have a property on a Georgia foreclosure list in mind, the county public records office is a great place to start your check on foreclosures. Get new, or even pre-foreclosure, listings at the county level, and check on the foreclosures you are interested in to make sure there are no outstanding liens on the property.

I recommend: Use the Georgia Database.com county-wide public records search to find foreclosure information for every county in the state. Check Auction Management Corporation for pre-foreclosure and bank-owned real estate auctions in Georgia to find a good deal.

Get help purchasing Georgia foreclosures

Finding the property and buying it can be two difficult processes. Get help searching foreclosure listings and buying the property you're interested in. Let a professional real estate broker help you get the best price for the foreclosed property you are interested in.

I recommend: Hire a Realtor through the Georgia Association of Realtors, or get advice from the Georgia Real Estate Investors Association. Use their investment calculator to find out exactly how much a property is worth and if it would benefit you to purchase it.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pre-foreclosures are often times on a Georgia foreclosure list without the owner's knowledge. Since they are in the mortgage default stage right before foreclosure, you'll want to use tact when dealing with owners. They may be upset or even angry, or they may be really looking to get out of a mortgage they can't afford. If they are, this can be a great advantage to a buyer.

For those in the investing business, the number of foreclosures in the real estate market means investments waiting to happen. When foreclosure listings in Georgia peak, investors buying premium foreclosure properties in Georgia can pick and choose.

Foreclosed homes in Georgia appear on the first Tuesday of each month in the newspaper. Newspapers with foreclosure properties in Georgia are sold on the county courthouse steps.

Before buying foreclosed homes in Georgia, you should:

1. Learn the basic types of foreclosure: judicial foreclosure, non-judicial foreclosure and the strict foreclosure.

2. Go to the courthouse. The vast majority of Georgia foreclosures are done in the non-judicial method by way of power of sale in the Deed to Secure Debt. Simply bid on the courthouse steps.

3. Stay on top of foreclosure listings in Georgia by watching the local newspapers. Lenders publish Georgia foreclosure properties 4 consecutive weeks prior to the sale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a gander at the best Georgia foreclosures first

Remember that the game of getting the best Georgia foreclosure properties, (especially those that make great vacation homes), is won with speed. You hesitate, you lose.

I recommend: Contact an expert in the field of Georgia foreclosures.

Use tools to make searching Georgia foreclosures easy and profitable

Look for Georgia foreclosures by finding maps that show city properties, and software that helps you study foreclosure leads.

I recommend: Get free access to find bargain properties as easily as clicking on county or city names. Purchase foreclosure software that helps to determine the equity in foreclosure leads you want to pursue.

Gear up to deal wisely when purchasing foreclosure properties in Georgia

Prepare yourself before you venture into the arena of buying Georgia foreclosures. Know that quick access to knowledge and legal advice make for better decisions.

I recommend: Get free foreclosure email alerts as soon as they become available and stay on top of the knowledge game. Find a list of legal documents needed for non-judicial foreclosures in Georgia and find helpful legal advice for your business development.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consult a Realtor in the area where you want to buy Georgia foreclosure properties. Knowing a market is seeing difficult times, reputable Realtors are often willing to give advice free of charge.

Georgia foreclosures provide investors the perfect opportunity to buy a property at much less than market value. Finding the newest foreclosure listings in your area is the key to getting a great deal. Do your homework and check listings frequently to find a newly-listed foreclosure property in a specific location that meets your criteria list, then fully research that area to ensure it meets your needs.

Making the most of Georgia foreclosure listings is easier when you find deals on businesses or homes in pre-foreclosure status, then use as many resources as possible to research the area in which the property is located. The best foreclosure deals are usually found in the pre-foreclosure stage as the owners are often more willing to sell at reduced prices to unload property they can no longer afford. To make the most of Georgia foreclosure listings, you should:

1. Find pre-foreclosures in Georgia first by searching local Realtor websites for new listings.

2. Know how much you have to spend on a foreclosure property before you start searching.

3. Check the foreclosure property for any outstanding liens that you could be responsible for if you purchase it.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search local real estate agent websites for Georgia foreclosure listings

While there are many national foreclosure listing companies, a local real estate broker or bank is more apt to have the latest in foreclosure listings. You'll not only find the newer listings, but you may find some pre-foreclosure or real estate owned (REO) properties at great bargain prices.

I recommend: Look for short sale pre-foreclosure buys at Atlanta Georgia Real Estate. They list both foreclosed homes in Georgia and business properties, as does Keller Williams Realty Consultants. Both the Prudential Georgia Realty website and the Weichert Realtors site have foreclosure listings for the state as well.

Find financing before searching through Georgia foreclosure properties listings

If you've got your financing lined up, you may be one step ahead of the next buyer when you actually find the property you want. Contact a local lender prior to starting your search so you know how much you have available to spend on a foreclosure property.

I recommend: Check mortgage rates with Primacy Mortgage before you start your search for a foreclosure property, or talk to the Georgia Bank and Trust to get the best rate and find out how much you will have to spend on a foreclosure property.

Check Georgia foreclosures closely before purchasing them

Some bank and real estate owned (REO) foreclosures may not save you as much money as you anticipate by looking at their prices. Make sure there are no other liens on the property. Some may even have a second mortgage to pay. Check the property title to make sure it is clear of liens and mortgage charges.

I recommend: Check foreclosure properties in Georgia through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. The state provides both lien and deed indexes for every county. Hire First American Title Insurance Company to do extensive research for you and insure the property will be lien free when you buy it.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Property owners who need to sell quickly because they're behind on their mortgage payments are more willing to settle for less. Find these properties through foreclosure listings in Georgia or pre-foreclosure information.

Georgia, like many other states, has both judicial and non-judicial forms of foreclosure proceedings. When dealing with foreclosure listings it's imperative to learn which type of foreclosure proceeding the listing in question is undergoing.

Along with the type of foreclosure, there are several other terms that potential buyers of foreclosed commercial or residential property should be aware of before completing a transaction. Here are some common terms along with resources that provide additional information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Notice of sale, Georgia notice of auction

In the state of Georgia a notice of sale or auction refers to an announcement that the lender must make in the local paper no less than four times before the auction. The borrower in default must also be made aware at least 15 days before the auction. Georgia foreclosure listings will detail when the sale will occur.

I recommend: Visit Realty Trac for more information on how notice of sale works in the state of Georgia.

Power of sale clause

A 'power of sale clause' refers to a clause in a borrower's mortgage that states that if they default on the payments, the lender has the right to auction the property without obtaining a court ruling. When dealing with Georgia foreclosure listings, it's important to know if a particular property in question has a power of sale clause in the defaulted borrower's mortgage papers.

I recommend: Visit Foreclosure Law.org to find out how a power of sale clause effects the foreclosure process in the state of Georgia.

Deficiency judgment, Georgia deficiency judgment

A deficiency judgment in the state of Georgia refers to repayment sought by the lender on the defaulted borrower after an auction or re-sale has occurred. The deficiency judgment is usually for the difference between the auction price and what the defaulted borrower owed on the property, plus court costs and associated fees. When dealing with Georgia foreclosure listings, knowing whether the lender will seek a deficiency judgment may alter how a potential buyer negotiates.

I recommend: Visit Foreclosure.com for more details on how a deficiency judgment might be obtained in the state of Georgia.

Title theory

Georgia is one of several title theory states in America. Title theory relates to a principle that allows the lender to sell the property of a defaulted borrower if they have defaulted. Georgia foreclosure listings will mention if a particular foreclosure is being sold by the lender utilizing the title theory principal.

I recommend: Visit the website of McCurdy and Candler, real estate attorneys in the state of Georgia, for more information on title theory.

Wrongful foreclosure, no notice foreclosure

A wrongful foreclosure or a no notice foreclosure is an action brought by a defaulted borrower who contends that the lender did not properly notify them of the default or wrongfully carried out the subsequent procedures. When dealing with Georgia foreclosure listings, it is mindful to realize some defaulter borrowers may file a suit, thereby blocking an auction.

I recommend: Visit the website for Wood and Meredith who are real estate attorneys in the state of Georgia. They offer articles on how foreclosures operate in the state of Georgia.

Pre-acceleration letter, acceleration letter, demand letter

The pre-acceleration, acceleration or demand letters as they are sometimes referred to, are a series of letters sent by the lender to a buyer in default demanding payment of the entire mortgage in a set period of time. Georgia foreclosure listings will detail where a property is in relation to the acceleration letters received. This is part of the pre-foreclosure process.

I recommend: Visit Foreclosure University for further discussion of pre-acceleration or acceleration letters.