The Chattooga County Tax Commissioner’s Office is reminding anyone interested in purchasing property at an upcoming tax sale to understand the process and respect private property rights.

Tax Commissioner Joy Cooper Hampton strongly encourages prospective bidders to consult with an attorney before the sale. Although properties on the tax sale list have been levied upon because of delinquent taxes, they remain privately owned until the legal process is completed.

Potential bidders do not have permission to enter or inspect a property without the owner’s consent. The Tax Commissioner’s Office also warns against opening gates, crossing fields, or driving across neighboring property to reach parcels that are not accessible from a public road. Doing so could be considered trespassing.

The office emphasized that properties appear on the list because taxes are unpaid—not because an owner has surrendered the property. The goal is to locate the owner or heirs and collect the taxes so the property can remain with its rightful owner whenever possible.

The tax sale is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the Chattooga County Courthouse steps in Summerville. Properties will be sold at public auction “as is” to satisfy tax executions. Payment must be made with cash or certified funds.

Many properties remain on the updated list for unpaid taxes dating from 2021 through 2024, but parcels may be removed before the auction if the outstanding obligations are paid.

For more information, contact the Chattooga County Tax Commissioner’s Office at 706-857-0703 or check the Chattooga County Tax Information Portal.