Monarch Holdings Group, LLC v. Real Dream Investors, LLC

── Monarch Holdings Group, LLC v. Real Dream Investors, LLC ── Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia Date: April 21, 2026 Category: General FIFTH DIVISION BROWN, C. J., RICKMAN, P. J., and MERCIER, J. NOTICE: Motions for reconsideration must be physically received in our clerk’s office within ten days of the date of decision to be deemed timely filed. https://www.gaappeals.us/rules April 21, 2026 In the Court of Appeals of Georgia A26A0266. MONARCH HOLDINGS GROUP, LLC v. REAL DREAM INVESTORS, LLC. MERCIER, Judge. Monarch Holdings Group, LLC (“Monarch”) appeals from the trial court’s order granting summary judgment to Real Dream Investors, LLC (“Real Dream”) in this case involving redemption of a tax deed. For reasons that follow, we affirm. Summary judgment is appropriate when no genuine issues of material fact remain and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See OCGA § 9-11-56(c). We review the grant of summary judgment de novo, construing the evidence and all reasonable inferences drawn from it in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. See Strong v. JWM Holdings, 341 Ga. App. 309, 311(1) (800 SE2d 380) (2017).  Viewed in this manner, the record shows the following. In 2006, Real Dream acquired real property located on Ruby H Harper Boulevard in Fulton County. At some point, it failed to pay required taxes, and, on March 2, 2021, the Fulton County Sheriff sold the property to Monarch in a tax sale for $22,745.04. Pursuant to the sale, the Sheriff, acting on behalf of Real Dream, granted Monarch a tax deed for the property, which was filed with the Clerk of the Fulton County Superior Court. In March 2022, Monarch commenced proceedings to foreclose the right of redemption existing under the tax deed. It published a notice in Fulton County informing all persons with a claim to the property as follows: THE RIGHT TO REDEEM THE ... PROPERTY ... WILL EXPIRE AND BE FOREVER FORECLOSED AND BARRED ON APRIL 16, 2022. ... THE PROPERTY MAY BE REDEEMED AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE AFOREMENTIONED BARMENT DATE, BY PAYMENT OF THE REDEMPTION PRICE AS FIXED AND PROVIDED BY LAW TO MONARCH HOLDINGS GROUP, LLC. AT THE OFFICES OF 1445 WOODMONT LN NW #557 ATLANTA, GA 30318[.] Monarch also provided notice of the April 16, 2022 barment date to various entities, including Real Dream. 2  Rashon Smith, Real Dream’s manager, contacted Monarch at the end of March, requesting the payoff amount necessary for redemption. Monarch provided the amount to Smith verbally and, upon further inquiry from Real Dream’s counsel, responded by email on March 31, 2022, confirming the redemption amount ($44,447.02) and stating that Monarch could pick up the check from counsel’s office or Real Dream could mail the check to a post office box address provided in the email. Monarch did not hear further from Real Dream until Tuesday, April 19, 2022, when it received a UPS Next Day Air package that Real Dream’s counsel had mailed the previous day. The package contained a cover letter, a cashier’s check in the amount of $44,447.02 dated April 18, 2022, and a Quitclaim Deed of Redemption. The cover letter requested that Monarch execute the deed and return it to counsel. The letter further stated: Please note pursuant to the civil practice act, the [redemption] deadline [of Saturday, April 16, 2022] rolls over to the following business day. A member of our office presented the cashier’s check and Quitclaim Deed of Redemption at the address of 1445 Woodmont Ln, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 (the address listed with the Georgia Secretary of State for [Monarch’s] Registered Agent), but [was] told no one was there for Mon