The default is tenancy in common
Wherever two or more persons are entitled to simultaneous possession, a tenancy in common arises unless a statute or the instrument provides otherwise. Shares may be unequal, but are presumed equal. A deed to two investors silent on how they hold leaves them tenants in common in equal shares.
The trap: assuming two grantees taking under one deed at one time creates survivorship. In Georgia it does not.
Survivorship requires express words
Georgia rule: joint tenancy with survivorship is created only by express words — "joint tenants," "joint tenants and not as tenants in common," or "joint tenants with survivorship" — in instruments taking effect after January 1, 1977.
"To Ann and Ben, as joint tenants with survivorship" works. "Share and share alike" signals equal shares, a tenancy in common. "Jointly" sounds close but lacks the survivorship language. "Husband and wife" creates nothing, because Georgia does not recognize tenancy by the entirety.
Severance is partial
A recorded lifetime transfer severs a joint tenancy only as to the transferring tenant's interest; the remaining joint tenants keep survivorship among themselves.
Worked example: Ann, Ben and Carl hold as joint tenants with survivorship. Ann deeds her interest to Dana, recorded. Dana owns 1/3 as a tenant in common; Ben and Carl remain joint tenants of the other 2/3. Ben dies, Carl takes Ben's share by survivorship, and Carl ends with 2/3, Dana 1/3.
Nothing sends Ben's share to his heirs, because severance never reached him. Carl does not take everything, and Dana is not a joint tenant — a grantee taking by severance holds as a tenant in common.
Entities own in severalty
An LLC or corporation may hold title and owns property in severalty in the entity's name. Its owners hold only personalty: a membership interest or stock in an entity holding land is personal property. Never look through the entity and give members undivided shares of the real estate. Tenancy in partnership applies to specific partnership property, and managing an LLC does not make a manager a trustee holding legal title.