How to Find Comparable Sales for a Georgia Property Tax Appeal

Comparable sales—“comps”—are closed transactions that show what buyers actually paid for homes like yours. They are the language county boards expect in a value appeal.

What makes a valid comp?

• Arm’s length: not foreclosure fire sales or family transfers unless adjusted.
• Recency: prefer sales within the last 3–6 months when the market is moving; longer in stable areas.
• Proximity: same neighborhood beats cross-town unless no data exists.
• Similar utility: bed/bath count, finished square feet, style, age band, and lot size in the same ballpark.

Where to find comps

County public records, assessor sales files, and vetted third-party listings can all help. AppealPilot aggregates context for Georgia appeals so you are not hand-copying grids the night before a hearing.

Price per square foot

Divide sale price by finished square feet for a sanity check, then adjust for lot premiums, basements, garages, and condition. Never rely on price-per-foot alone—pair it with paired sales reasoning.

At the BOE

Bring a map, a table, and a short narrative. Walk the board through adjustments line by line. Anticipate questions about condition and renovations.

Generate comps-backed savings estimate.