FHA Home Loans in Georgia
Metro Atlanta has one of the highest FHA limits in the Southeast, $718,750 for 2026, which puts most of the metro within reach of a 3.5 percent down payment. We are a Georgia-licensed mortgage lender and are licensed statewide, in all 159 counties.
Georgia Mortgage Lender License/Registration, NMLS #1925352.
FHA in Georgia, 2026
Metro Atlanta limit (29 counties)
$718,750
Most other counties
$541,287
Down payment
3.5% with a 580 score
Intangible tax
$1.50 per $500 borrowed
Closing
Georgia attorney, as state law requires
$718,750
FHA limit across the 29-county Atlanta metro
3.5%
Down payment from a 580 credit score
29
Counties that share the Atlanta metro limit
159
Georgia counties, licensed statewide
Why FHA reaches further in Atlanta than people expect.
HUD sets FHA limits from local prices, and the Atlanta metro’s have risen enough that its 29 counties, from Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb to Cherokee, Forsyth and Henry, share a 2026 limit of $718,750, against $541,287 in Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Columbus and most of the rest of the state. For a buyer with a 620 score and a small down payment, that makes FHA a real option on a $650,000 house in Alpharetta, not only a starter home.
Georgia adds two things to an FHA file that a national guide will not mention. The state taxes the mortgage itself: an intangible recording tax of $1.50 per $500 borrowed, paid by the borrower. The closing is conducted by a Georgia attorney rather than a title company, and the buyer chooses and pays for the attorney.
This page covers FHA as it works in Georgia. For the state as a whole, including the Georgia licence, closing customs and every loan we offer here, see our Georgia page; for the program itself, see the FHA hub. Veterans should read VA loans in Georgia first; with Fort Moore, Fort Stewart, Robins and Kings Bay, many Georgia FHA applicants are eligible for the better program.
Three ways to use FHA in Georgia.
Buying, lowering the payment on an FHA loan you already have, or pulling equity out. The Georgia intangible tax applies to all three.
Buying
FHA purchase
3.5 percent down from a 580 score, or 10 percent from 500, with a documented gift from family allowed for the down payment. Sellers can pay up to 6 percent of the price toward closing costs, which in Georgia can cover the attorney fee, the intangible tax and prepaid taxes and insurance.
Lower payment
FHA Streamline refinance
Replace an existing FHA loan at a lower rate with no appraisal and, in most cases, no income verification. Georgia charges the intangible tax again on the new loan and the closing runs through an attorney, so we put both in the break-even math before you commit.
Use equity
FHA cash-out refinance
Borrow up to 80 percent of the home’s value and take the difference in cash on FHA credit terms. Popular across metro Atlanta for renovations and debt consolidation, where a decade of price growth has left owners with equity to use.
FHA rules, and how they play out in Georgia.
HUD sets the program rules; lenders add overlays; Georgia adds its costs. Your pro tells you where your file lands. The loan limits on this page are HUD’s 2026 figures; they vary by county and unit count and are updated each year.
| Item | FHA rule | In Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum down payment | 3.5% with a 580 credit score; 10% from 500 to 579 | A documented gift from family can supply all of it |
| Upfront mortgage insurance | 1.75% of the loan, usually financed into it | Financing it raises the loan amount, and the intangible tax of $1.50 per $500 is charged on the whole loan |
| Annual mortgage insurance | 0.55% a year on a 30-year loan with less than 5% down (0.50% with 5% or more); for the life of the loan below 10% down, 11 years otherwise | Escrowed monthly with Georgia property taxes, which are billed in arrears, and homeowners insurance |
| Debt-to-income ratio | Up to about 50% with compensating factors | HOA dues in newer metro subdivisions count in the ratio; we ask for them on the first call |
| Down payment source | Savings or documented gift funds from family | Gift funds need a gift letter and a paper trail before closing |
| Seller contributions | Up to 6% of the price toward closing costs | The buyer customarily pays the attorney and the title policies in Georgia, though the split is negotiable, so seller concessions go a long way here |
The 2026 one-unit FHA limit is $718,750 in the 29 counties of the Atlanta metro and $541,287 in most other Georgia counties, with a handful slightly above the floor.
What the $718,750 metro Atlanta limit actually buys.
The 29 counties of the Atlanta metro, from Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett out to Cherokee, Forsyth, Henry, Paulding and Barrow, share a 2026 one-unit limit of $718,750. With 3.5 percent down, that supports a purchase price of about $745,000 before the upfront mortgage insurance is financed, which covers most of the metro’s single-family market.
Outside the metro, most Georgia counties sit at the national floor of $541,287. Two- to four-unit limits are higher everywhere, which makes FHA a common route to a duplex in Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods, where rent from the second unit can count toward qualifying.
Statewide, remotely
FHA loans closed at a Georgia attorney’s office near you, wherever in the state the home is.
Six Georgia details that decide an FHA approval.
None of these are in the national FHA guide. All of them come up on Georgia files.
01
The intangible recording tax
$1.50 per $500 of the loan, or 0.3 percent, paid by the borrower and capped at $25,000. On a $350,000 FHA loan that is $1,050 at closing, and a streamline refinance pays it again on the new loan.
02
Attorney closing
Georgia law requires a Georgia attorney to conduct the closing, prepare the deed and disburse funds. You choose the attorney and pay the fee, usually $500 to $1,500; we recommend one near you if you do not have one.
03
The FHA appraisal
FHA appraisers check condition as well as value: roof life, working systems, peeling paint on older homes, safety items. On Georgia’s older in-town housing that often means the roof, the crawlspace and the electrical; we tell sellers what to expect.
04
Property taxes in arrears
County bills arrive in the second half of the year for the current year. The seller credits you their share at closing and the escrow is yours after that. File for the homestead exemption with the county by April 1; it applies to the tax year in which you own and occupy the home on January 1, so a home bought mid-year usually first qualifies the following year.
05
HOA and initiation fees
Common in newer metro Atlanta subdivisions. Dues count in your debt ratio, and any initiation or transfer fee is a closing cost. Both go into the pre-approval when you tell us early.
06
Mortgage insurance for life
With less than 10 percent down the annual premium stays for the life of the loan. The usual exit is a conventional refinance at 20 percent equity, which metro Atlanta’s price growth has delivered to many recent FHA buyers within a few years.
What would an FHA payment be in Georgia?
Choose FHA as the loan type and set the down payment to 3.5 percent. Add your county’s tax rate and insurance; the mortgage insurance line is the cost you are weighing against buying now.
The U.S. FHA market right now.
National average rates from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database: the Freddie Mac survey for conventional and the Optimal Blue indices for FHA and VA, shown as third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros pricing. FHA note rates often look lower than conventional, but mortgage insurance is part of the real payment, so compare the whole payment rather than the rate.
FHA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.18%
Conventional 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.40%
VA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.09%
Sources: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (conventional, 30-year national average, week of Oct 8, 2026) and Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (FHA and VA, 30-year national averages as of Oct 8, 2026), distributed through FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; the figures and dates refresh automatically from the source. These are third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros rates and not an offer of credit. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, loan type, property and lock date.
How an FHA loan works with us in Georgia.
Four steps, one licensed pro, and a closing at a Georgia attorney’s office near you.
1
Check the fit
A short call about your credit, savings and where you are buying. We tell you whether FHA, a conventional 3 percent down loan or a VA loan is the better route.
2
Pre-approval with real numbers
Income, assets and credit verified, with Georgia taxes, insurance, HOA dues and the intangible tax already in the estimate.
3
Property checks
We flag likely FHA appraisal items early and confirm any condo is on HUD’s approved list, so nothing stalls after you are under contract.
4
Close with your attorney
Signing happens at a Georgia closing attorney’s office near you. We coordinate the closing package and the wire; the intangible tax and attorney fee are on the statement exactly as quoted.
Ready to see what FHA gets you in Georgia?
A licensed pro quotes your FHA options with the intangible tax, attorney fee already in the numbers. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
FHA in Georgia, answered.
The questions Georgia buyers ask us about FHA loans most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
What is the FHA loan limit in Atlanta?
$718,750 for a one-unit home in 2026, shared by all 29 counties of the Atlanta metro: Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Cherokee, Forsyth, Henry, Douglas, Fayette, Paulding, Rockdale and the rest. Outside the metro most counties are at $541,287. Two- to four-unit limits are higher.
What is the intangible tax and does an FHA loan pay it?
It is Georgia’s tax on recording a mortgage: $1.50 for every $500 borrowed, or 0.3 percent, paid by the borrower and capped at $25,000. FHA loans are not exempt. An FHA Streamline refinance pays it again on the new loan, which is why we include it when we work out whether a Georgia refinance pays for itself.
Why do I need an attorney to close?
Georgia treats a real estate closing as the practice of law, so a licensed Georgia attorney must conduct it, prepare the deed and disburse the money. The buyer chooses the attorney and pays the fee, usually $500 to $1,500. FHA allows the seller to cover it within the 6 percent concession limit.
Does the mortgage insurance ever go away?
With 10 percent or more down, after 11 years. With less than 10 percent down, no: it stays for the life of the loan. The usual exit is refinancing into a conventional loan once you have 20 percent equity, and we plan for that from the start.
Do I have to come to Michigan?
No. Your licensed pro handles the loan by phone, email and e-signature, and the closing happens in Georgia at your attorney’s office, as Georgia law requires. Our Georgia licence is what allows us to lend here.
Talk to a Georgia-licensed pro about FHA.
Tell us what you are looking to do and where in Georgia. A licensed pro will call back, usually the same business day. Asking does not start a loan or require a hard credit pull.
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