Richmond County, GA
Tax levy sale at 535 Telfair Street, Augusta, Nov 3 at 10 a.m. — no sale in October
The Richmond County Tax Commissioner's Office in Augusta has posted that there will be no tax levy sale on October 6, 2026, and that the next one is on November 3, 2026. Sales are held at 535 Telfair Street in Augusta, the building that houses the tax commissioner's office, starting at 10 a.m., with a presale information session at 9:30 a.m. for anyone who wants the rules explained before bidding. The office keeps two separate lists — one for its regular non-judicial sale and one for judicial sales — and both can be viewed from its tax sale page or requested by phone, along with a brochure for each type of sale.
The difference between the two lists matters more than the date. At a non-judicial sale, the usual Georgia tax sale, the delinquent taxpayer can redeem within 12 months by paying what the successful bidder paid — which already includes the taxes, interest, penalties and legal costs and fees — plus a 20% premium. At a judicial in rem sale the window is only 60 days, and redemption is the bid amount plus applicable fees. Either way the buyer holds a tax deed that stays defeasible while redemption is open, and under Georgia law the right to redeem at a non-judicial sale continues past the first year until the buyer serves a barment notice (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-45). Anything bid above the taxes and costs becomes excess funds for the former owner and lienholders, and Richmond County publishes its own excess funds list.
Georgia rules at a glance
Georgia sells the property itself at a sheriff's or tax commissioner's sale (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-1), and the buyer receives a tax deed that stays defeasible while the right of redemption lasts. The owner or anyone with an interest can redeem within 12 months, and afterwards until the buyer forecloses the right with a barment notice under § 48-4-45, by paying the full bid plus taxes the buyer paid and a premium of 20% for the first year or fraction of a year and 10% for each year after (§ 48-4-42). Overbids become excess funds payable to the owner and lienholders (§ 48-4-5).
The statute, the bidding and what goes wrong for new buyers are on the Georgia page; every sale date we have sourced for Richmond County is on the Richmond County page.
Property & tax profile
The median homeowner in Richmond County pays $1,508 a year in property tax — below the Georgia median of $2,341 (U.S.: $3,119). That is roughly what a typical home here owes for each year it goes unpaid — the debt that the opening bid at a deed sale is usually built from, plus interest and costs. Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $1,769; homes owned outright, $1,117.
On a home with a mortgage, the lender has its own reason to pay a delinquent tax bill: the tax lien outranks the mortgage, and a tax deed can wipe out the loan. On a home owned outright, nobody but the owner — or the heirs — has that reason. In Richmond County, 40.4% of owner-occupied homes are owned outright (Georgia: 36.6%, U.S.: 39.4%). That is more than the state as a whole, so a larger share of the delinquent bills here have no lender behind them.
17.7% of all housing units in Richmond County are vacant. The figure that matters for a buyer at the tax sale is the Census “other vacant” category — not for rent, not for sale, not a holiday home, but a catch-all that includes foreclosures, homes held up by legal proceedings or family reasons, homes needing repairs, and abandoned ones. Here it is 9.5% of all units (Georgia: 4.6%, U.S.: 3.6%). That is above the state rate, so expect more empty properties on the delinquent list: the ones least likely to redeem, and the most likely to need work if the deed ends up yours. Drive by before you bid.
Half of the homes in Richmond County were built in or before 1980 (Georgia: in or before 1992) — an older stock than the state's, which matters if a deed is what you are buying: older roofs, wiring and plumbing. The typical tax bill is 2.7% of the median household income of $55,637 (Georgia: 3.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013) — see the figures on data.census.gov. Survey estimates with margins of error; anything too uncertain to state is left out.
Before you bid: Lists change as owners pay, so call 706-821-2391 for the current one or visit Suite 100 at 535 Telfair Street (8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays). Read the brochure for the sale type you're bidding in, and talk to a Georgia real estate attorney before relying on either kind of deed.
Official source: arctax.com — checked October 4, 2026
More sales: 38 other county sales are on the calendar in November 2026 — see them by date; or the upcoming sales in Georgia.
This page reflects publicly posted county auction notices as of publication and is general information, not financial or legal advice. Sale details can change — always confirm current terms with the county directly.