Lease lot, access lot, or deeded lot

The Georgia Power lakes most Rabun sellers deal with are Burton, Seed, and Rabun, and lakefront property around them is held in one of three ways. On a residential lease lot, Georgia Power owns the land and the lessee owns the house and shoreline structures. The residential lease runs 15 years, carries an annual fee, and makes the lessee responsible for the tax on the lot. On an access lot, Georgia Power owns a strip along the shoreline and the owner needs an access lease to use it. On a privately owned lot, the owner holds title, but Georgia Power keeps its project boundary rights.

Each type changes a sale. For a lease lot, you notify the lake office when you decide to sell, a shoreline representative does a pre-transfer inspection for compliance issues, and the lease is transferred at closing, sometimes after a new survey showing the dwelling, the shoreline structures, and the lake's project boundary contour. For access and privately owned lots, Georgia Power asks for the warranty deed and plat after closing to prepare a new agreement, and it will not issue permits to a new owner until that agreement is signed.

Older lake houses and Georgia Power's as-is rule

Georgia Power's shoreline guidelines say that dwellings within the project boundary or within 50 feet of the shoreline are held to as-is status. They can be kept up and cosmetically improved, but not expanded with more living space. New construction has to sit outside the project boundary and at least 50 feet from the water. Older dwellings on lease lots may not meet current guidelines, and Georgia Power specifically tells owners to check for restrictions before selling or renovating.

The guidelines also allow one shoreline structure per lot, prohibit mobile homes, and require septic systems, including the repair area, to be sized for the house and sited without disturbing the project boundary. On a small, steep lake lot, the septic location can be the hardest of these to solve. A buyer who plans to tear down and rebuild is buying against all of these limits, and we price with them in mind.

Rabun County property we buy

  • Lake houses on Georgia Power residential lease lots
  • Access lots and privately owned lots on Burton, Rabun, and Seed
  • Older lake cabins within 50 feet of the water
  • Houses with docks or boathouses that need repair
  • Mountain cabins on steep lots with septic and wells
  • Lake houses owned by out-of-state families
  • Inherited lake or mountain property held by several heirs

Records, courts, and closing in Rabun County

Clayton is the county seat. Deeds and liens are recorded by the Rabun County Clerk of Superior Court and indexed statewide. On a lease lot, the recorded deed covers only what you own, so the Georgia Power lease is a separate document to locate. The Rabun County Probate Court handles wills and estate administration. Property tax bills come from the Rabun County Tax Commissioner. Records of approved septic systems are kept in the county Environmental Health office. The sale closes with a licensed Georgia attorney.

When you request an offer on lake property, tell us the lake, whether the lot is a lease, access, or privately owned lot, the lot number on your Georgia Power agreement, and whether the house has been rented by the night. Those answers, plus any recent Georgia Power inspection, a survey, and for an inherited house, whether an estate has been opened in Probate Court, decide most of the price and the closing date. A lease transfer that needs a new survey usually sets the timeline.

Frequently asked questions

My lake house is on a Georgia Power lease lot. Can I sell it?

Yes. You sell the house and improvements, and the lease is transferred to the buyer in conjunction with closing. Georgia Power says to allow three to four weeks for the transfer.

Will Georgia Power inspect the property before the sale?

On a lease lot, yes. A shoreline representative does a pre-transfer inspection to identify any compliance issues. We buy whether or not issues turn up.

Can the buyer expand or rebuild my old lake cabin?

If the house is within the project boundary or 50 feet of the shoreline, Georgia Power treats it as as-is: it can be maintained but not expanded. We account for that in the offer.

I own my lot outright. Does Georgia Power still matter?

Yes. Georgia Power keeps project boundary rights, and it will not issue dock or shoreline permits to a new owner until that owner signs an agreement with the company.

Who pays the tax on a lease lot?

Under the Georgia Power lease, the tax on the leased lot is billed to the lessee. Any amount due is settled at closing.

Rabun County property and court resources

Sources