If you own a home in Georgia and are thinking about selling, doing a property lien search is a critically important step in making sure your property is ready for sale. A lien is a legal claim that’s made against a piece of real estate. Liens can end up determining whether a sale moves forward or stalls out. That said, tons of owners don’t even realize a lien exists until it pops up in the pre-closing title search.
Running a property lien search helps uncover any potential issues in official records. The good news is that liens aren’t uncommon at all, and they’re typically fixable. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about selling a house with a lien in Georgia. Knowing how a lien search works can help you plan better while giving you more control over the situation. The more information you have before your sale, the smoother and more profitable it can be.
Can You Sell a House with a Lien in Georgia?
Yes, you can sell a house with a lien in Georgia, but there are some caveats. First, you’ll need to understand that a property lien gives a creditor a security interest in a piece of real estate. As a result, the lien must be resolved before ownership can transfer. The most common liens that a property owner might see are tax liens, judgment liens, mortgage liens, child support liens, or even a federal tax lien filed by the government.
In the majority of cases, liens are paid off with the sale proceeds at closing. That’s why sellers have to know what to expect at closing. Knowing how the liens impact their net proceeds can help understand how other costs factor in, like agent commissions and potential capital gains taxes. If the lien is more than what you’ll get from the sale, closing the sale can be challenging without another solution.
Property location can also play a big part in how quickly the issues get resolved. Sellers in markets like Fort Mitchell and Auburn will often see similar line-related delays. This is more common with inherited properties or older properties, in general.
3 Ways to Check for Liens on Your GA Property
When you’re checking for liens on your Georgia home, there’s more than one place to check, because different liens are recorded by different entities. This is why a full property lien search typically can’t be done with any single lookup. As a property owner and seller, the smart move is to look at statewide records, county tax data, and court filings that may be tied to the real property title.
Method 1: The GSCCCA Statewide Lien Index (Official Source)
The GSCCCA Statewide Lien Index is the first and arguably most important tool you need for your lien search. It lets you search official records for judgment liens, tax liens at the federal level, and any statewide filings that are tied to a name or property. Most title search companies and title company professionals lean on this database as the starting point for their search.
Even though this index is powerful and wide-reaching, it’s not a complete picture. The next pieces you need are county-level and municipal filings, which the GSCCCA doesn’t cover either. That said, this is where you start, by working with a title abstractor, who can help get a clear understanding of the chain of title and uncover issues the index may not show.
Method 2: Free County Tax Checks (Public & Tax Commissioner)
County-level searches are especially useful for uncovering tax-related issues. Many counties provide online access through qPublic or a county recorder’s website, where you can review county records tied to a specific address.
These searches often reveal unpaid property taxes, documentary stamp taxes, and other charges recorded by the tax collector’s office or treasurer’s department. You can also review data from the property appraiser to confirm ownership details and assessed values.
While this method helps with municipal lien search results, it usually won’t show judgment liens or court-ordered claims. That’s why county tax checks should be viewed as one piece of a larger property lien search process.
Method 3: Visiting the Superior Court Clerk in Person
For the most thorough results, sellers will often visit the clerk of court or recorder’s office personally. It’s often much easier to conduct searches in person for liens tied to judgments or lawsuits, and any other recordable documents or pertinent filings. On top of that, recorder personnel can help explain the process or results. Doing an in-person search is typically more helpful for older properties or in cases where online services are limited.
An in-person lien search can also help clarify and verify whether a specific notarized form was filed properly. It can help show if the filed form meets recording criteria. Not only that, but many records with certain confidentiality stipulations aren’t visible with an online access portal. It takes more time, but it can uncover deeper issues that many automated passes don’t catch.
Understanding Georgia’s Judgment Writ
In Georgia, a judgment lien is usually tied to something called a writ of fieri facias, or a FiFa. This is a judgment issued against a property owner, which can become a lien against the property once recorded. The result is the creditor getting a legal claim that can prevent the property from being sold before resolution.
Judgment liens are usually the result of large, unpaid debts, lawsuits, or civil penalties. If they’re ignored, they can lead to serious consequences like fines or criminal prosecution. These liens will appear during a title search and must be addressed before ownership can legally transfer at the municipal level.
Resolving a judgment lien may require working through legal channels, submitting evidence of payment, or through mutual negotiation of a settlement. Since a judgment lien will directly impact closing, they’re usually handled right alongside other closing costs like the state transfer tax.
Taking the time to learn how Georgia’s judgment writs work is essential and helps sellers skip the last-minute delays from title hiccups. Issues at closing can be the reason the whole deal falls through.
Other Common Liens That Stall Closings (HOA & Mechanic’s)
Don’t forget that not all liens come from the courts or tax authorities. Mechanic’s liens, or construction liens, are filed when contractors aren’t paid for services rendered. HOA liens are another one that people don’t think about. These stem from unpaid dues, special assessments, or fines. They attach to the property just the same and need to be cleared before the title transfer is recorded. Inherited properties face added risk. When ownership changes through probate, unpaid obligations tied to the home may surface during the lien search.
I Found a Lien… What Are My Options?
Just because you found a lien on your property doesn’t mean you can’t still sell it. It does mean, however, that you need to make some decisions early on.
One option is to pay the lien in full before closing. This option’s pretty self-explanatory. Another option is to negotiate a lien release. This is where the creditor agrees to accept payment from the proceeds of the sale. This is the most common route sellers take with tax and judgment liens.
The Fastest Way to Sell: Selling “As-Is” to Assured Property Solutions
When a property has a lien attached, selling it can get complicated. For many sellers in this position, speed and certainty become a priority. Traditional sales require a high level of title company coordination, and may even require the liens to be cleared upfront. Most sellers don’t have this kind of cash sitting around, so the process can stretch on for months in some cases. Particularly when an agent or other third parties are involved.
By selling as-is to Assured Property Solutions, you can get a much simpler solution. Rather than prepare the property, resolving and clearing every lien yourself, or worrying about buyer approval for even a second, you can get on with closing the deal. In most cases, liens are handled during closing, and sellers don’t need to pay for inspections, repairs, staging, or commissions.
This works incredibly well for homeowners under a time crunch. It’s also a solid option for sellers already under financial pressure or who may have complicated lien histories. With no buyer financing, there are no lender hassles or delays. Sellers get clear terms and a fast path to closing.
Conclusion
Running a property lien search in Georgia is one of the smartest moves a seller can make. Liens can delay or completely derail a sale, no matter what they’re for. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find out you have a lien tied to your taxes, judgments, or other unpaid work. Check the records and know what your options are, and you’ll have much more control over the process.
Remember, though, that every situation is different. Some sellers opt to resolve liens and list their home for a traditional sale. Others prefer a faster, simpler route. Knowing where you stand and choosing the right solution for your situation is what matters most. If you’re ready to move forward without the delays and headaches that liens bring along, Assured Property Solutions is ready to help you close cleanly.