Originally posted by @Dan Mahoney:
In the City of Atlanta basic code violation information is available online. Google "accela atlanta" and go to the first page that comes up in the search results. Once in Accela, click on "code enforcement" and then enter the address. Here is a tip - you can just enter the street name and get all the code violations for that street.
If you are not looking in City of Atlanta, I'm less familiar with the implications of code violations. I don't think it is ever "too late" to contact an owner, but you will find that many dilapidated houses face a situation where the unpaid property taxes exceed the value of the property, making it essentially impossible to sell. In those cases the owner's incentive is to let the property rot. The county may try to auction it off for unpaid taxes, but unlike a bank, the tax commissioner cannot take a haircut on what is owed, so if the unpaid taxes exceed the value, nobody will make the minimum bid on the courthouse steps and it reverts back to the owner. This wrinkle of the Georgia property tax system is a major cause of sustained blight in the Atlanta area.
It sounds like you are pretty adept at online research of properties. If you look up the unpaid taxes online (in Fulton County, it's www.fultoncountytaxes.org) this will save you from wasting your time on properties that are hopelessly upside down.
Hi Dan,
Thank you so very much! That helped me a ton... Ok, just so I understand I should check the tax records to see if the taxes on the properties are higher than what the value of the properties are worth (in order to determine if it's a good deal or not worth pursuing)?
Also, all 4 of the properties I located are in the Decatur (not Atlanta). Dekalb County.
::: UPDATE :::
JUST GOT A RETURN PHONE CALL FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT SENIOR REP::: He says basically 15 days to respond to the officer who placed the notice of the door. When the officer cannot get ahold of the owner then the file is turned over to the senior, Then he, the senior, will forward adjudication against the property which gives him legal actions to the property.. He says he ONLY goes after the house and not the mortgage or not any banks associated with the house. He only goes for the house and he only put a Lien in the amount $25,000. The notice is basically for the owner to get in touch with them and or bring the property in compliance. Basically the owners needs to do something to it. Because they're just sitting there, vacant.
Gives the owner some more time to fix whatever issues or pay off the lien etc.. In some cases the property will have to be demolished. The Senior says he doesn't know it depends on the nature of the property if he needs and will tear it down.
He goes against the property not owner to the superior state courts in order to do this. Then if owners eventually bring the properties in accomplice prior to him taking the legal action or prior to him putting the lien on it. Then he'll let it go and do nothing.
He sets the rules... he says that's all he do. He also says he have over 10,000 properties like this. OMG. But he's not allowed to give me anything for code violation like a list. Guess here in GA,they're not allowed to give out this info. He told me to check with the tax default areas instead.
Dan, I have no clue if you understand all of this, but I should first verify the tax amounts, right? (in order to move forward to not). My fear is if I do locate the property owners then the property will get slapped with some $25,000 lien. I'm frozen right now and do not know which direction to take.
