Section 44-14-80. Reversion of realty to grantor; renewals and affidavits; effect; fees; construction of Code section

   (a) Title to real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts shall revert to the grantor or the grantor's heirs, personal representatives, successors, and assigns as follows:

   (1) Title to real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts shall revert to the grantor or his or her heirs, personal representatives, successors, and assigns at the expiration of seven years from the maturity of the debt or debts or the maturity of the last installment thereof as stated or fixed in the record of the conveyance or, if not recorded, in the conveyance; provided, however, that where the parties by affirmative statement contained in the record of conveyance intend to establish a perpetual or indefinite security interest in the real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts, the title shall revert at the expiration of the later of (A) seven years from the maturity of the debt or debts or the maturity of the last installment thereof as stated or fixed in the record of conveyance or, if not recorded, in the conveyance; or (B) 20 years from the date of the conveyance as stated in the record or, if not recorded, in the conveyance;

   (2) If the maturity of the debt or debts or the maturity of the last installment thereof is not stated or fixed, title to real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts shall revert at the expiration of seven years from the date of the conveyance as stated in the record or, if not recorded, in the conveyance; provided, however, that where the parties by affirmative statement contained in the record of conveyance intend to establish a perpetual or indefinite security interest in the real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts, the title shall revert at the expiration of 20 years from the date of the conveyance as stated in the record or, if not recorded, in the conveyance; or

   (3) If the maturity is not stated or fixed and the conveyance is not dated, title to real property conveyed to secure a debt or debts shall revert at the expiration of seven years from the date the conveyance is recorded or, if not recorded, is delivered;

provided, however, that foreclosure by an action or by the exercise of power of sale, if started prior to reversion of title, shall prevent the reversion if the foreclosure is completed without delay chargeable to the grantee or the grantee's heirs, personal representatives, successors, or assigns.

(b) If the grantee or the grantee's personal representatives, heirs, successors, or assigns, or any one of them if more than one, or an officer of a corporation having an interest shall, at any time before the title reverts as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, make and cause to be recorded upon the record of the conveyance or elsewhere in the public records, with a notation of the place of record of the renewal on the record of the conveyance or, if not recorded, upon the conveyance, a written renewal of the debt or debts secured or the part thereof which are not fully paid and are not barred, which renewal shall be signed by the original grantor or the grantor's heirs, personal representatives, or successors in title to the real estate conveyed and shall be dated, the conveyance and record thereof shall remain of full force and effect and the title shall not revert for an additional period of seven years or 20 years according to the appropriate reversion period stated in subsection (a) of this Code section from the date of the renewal unless the debt or debts are paid sooner.

(c) If the grantee or the grantee's personal representatives, heirs, successors, or assigns, or any of them if more than one, or an officer of a corporation having an interest shall, at any time before the title reverts as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, make and cause to be recorded upon the record of the conveyance or elsewhere in the public records, with a notation of the place of record thereof on the record of the conveyance or, if not recorded, upon the conveyance, an affidavit setting forth the name and address of the owner and holder of the debt and the deed securing the debt, the nature of the claim, the amount due thereon, the date of the last payment thereon, the maturity date of the indebtedness, and, if the debt has been renewed or extended, the terms of such renewal or extension and a description of the property conveyed therein, the conveyance and record thereof shall remain of full force and effect and title shall not revert for seven years or 20 years according to the appropriate reversion period stated in subsection (a) of this Code section from the maturity of the indebtedness as shown by said affidavit unless the debt or debts are paid sooner.

(d) It shall be the duty of the clerk of the superior court to record the renewals and affidavits provided for and authorized by this Code section; and the clerks shall be entitled to the same fees which are allowed for recording deeds.

(e) Subsections (a) through (d) of this Code section shall not operate to make such conveyance a mortgage, but the conveyance shall be held to be an absolute conveyance of title, subject to reversion.

(f) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed, interpreted, or enforced in a manner which impairs any contract rights under currently existing instruments conveying real property to secure a debt or debts.

Ga. L. 1941, p. 487, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1953, Nov.-Dec. Sess., p. 313, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 44; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1943, § 13; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1198, §§ 2, 3.