Home Purchase Loans in Georgia
Buying in Georgia means a closing attorney you choose, an intangible tax on the mortgage, and a title bill the buyer pays. We are a Georgia-licensed mortgage lender, price every loan type side by side, and are licensed statewide, in all 159 counties, closing at a Georgia attorney’s office near you.
Georgia Mortgage Lender License/Registration, NMLS #1925352.
Buying in Georgia, 2026
Conforming limit
$832,750 statewide
FHA limit, metro Atlanta
$718,750 across 29 counties
Down payment
From 3% conventional, 3.5% FHA, 0% VA
Intangible tax
$1.50 per $500 borrowed, paid by the buyer
Closing
Georgia attorney, chosen and paid by the buyer
3%
Minimum down payment on a conventional loan
$718,750
2026 FHA limit across the Atlanta metro
159
Georgia counties, licensed statewide
4.9
Average of 5,300+ Google reviews
What a Georgia purchase looks like from the financing side.
Metro Atlanta is one of the busiest purchase markets in the Southeast, and the financing has to be ready before the offer: a pre-approval that already includes Georgia’s taxes, HOA dues and the attorney fee, and a lender who prices conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo side by side. A buyer in Gwinnett with a 640 score sees the FHA payment beside a conventional one; a buyer in Milton sees whether a slightly larger down payment keeps the loan under the $832,750 conforming line.
Georgia’s costs are predictable once you know them. The buyer pays the intangible recording tax of $1.50 per $500 borrowed, about $1,050 on a $350,000 mortgage, and chooses and pays the closing attorney, usually $500 to $1,500. The buyer also customarily pays the title policies, though that is negotiable. The seller pays the transfer tax of $1 per $1,000 of the price. Property taxes are billed in arrears later in the year, and the homestead exemption is filed by April 1.
This page covers buying a home in Georgia. For the state as a whole, including our Georgia licence and every loan we offer here, see our Georgia page; for the purchase process itself, see the purchase hub. If you are weighing programs, FHA in Georgia and VA in Georgia go deeper, and when you own, refinancing in Georgia picks up the story.
Three kinds of Georgia buyers, and how we finance each.
The loan that fits depends less on the house than on your credit, your savings and how long you plan to stay.
First home
Low down payment
Conventional from 3 percent down for eligible borrowers with a 620 score and mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80 percent of the original value, or FHA from 3.5 percent with a 580 score and a $718,750 limit across metro Atlanta. A documented gift from family can supply the down payment on either.
Moving up
Conventional and jumbo
Above the $832,750 conforming limit a jumbo loan takes over, with its own credit, reserve and appraisal rules. In Buckhead, Milton, Alpharetta and Johns Creek we price both and tell you when a larger down payment brings the loan back under the line.
Veterans
VA with nothing down
Fort Moore, Fort Eisenhower, Fort Stewart, Robins and Kings Bay make Georgia a military state. A VA loan needs no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance, has no loan limit with full entitlement, and the seller can pay the attorney fee and intangible tax as ordinary closing costs.
The four loan types, and what each costs to use in Georgia.
Program rules are federal; the last column is what changes in Georgia. Your pro tells you which fits your file.
| Loan | Down payment and credit | In Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3% down for eligible borrowers from a 620 score; mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80% of the original value, ending automatically at 78% | Conforming limit $832,750 in every county; the intangible tax is figured on the loan amount, so a larger down payment trims it |
| FHA | 3.5% down from a 580 score, 10% from 500; mortgage insurance for the life of the loan below 10% down | $718,750 across the 29 Atlanta-metro counties, $541,287 in most others; the seller can cover the attorney fee within 6% concessions |
| VA | Nothing down with full entitlement; funding fee 2.15% on first use with nothing down, exempt if you receive VA disability compensation | No loan limit with full entitlement; the VA requires a termite inspection; the seller can pay the intangible tax and attorney fee as ordinary closing costs; VA caps concessions such as prepaids and the funding fee at 4% |
| Jumbo | Typically 10% to 20% down, 700+ score and reserves after closing | Above $832,750; common in north Fulton, Cobb and Forsyth; the intangible tax caps at $25,000 |
Sellers may pay closing costs within each program’s rules: up to 3% to 9% of the price on conventional depending on the down payment, up to 6% on FHA, and on VA any amount of ordinary closing costs, with concessions such as prepaids and the funding fee capped at 4% of the loan. Because the Georgia buyer customarily pays the attorney and the title policies, a seller credit goes a long way here; the allocation is negotiable in the contract.
The Georgia attorney closing, step by step.
Georgia law treats a real estate closing as the practice of law, so a licensed Georgia attorney conducts it: the title search, the deed, the settlement statement and the disbursement of funds all run through the attorney’s office. The buyer chooses the attorney and pays the fee, usually $500 to $1,500, and the lender sends the closing package to that office. If you do not have an attorney, we recommend one near you who closes our loans regularly.
The practical effect is a closing that is easy to schedule and sign: you sit down once, at the attorney’s office, with the documents already reviewed. We coordinate the wire and the final figures with the attorney in advance so the statement you sign matches the Loan Estimate you were given.
Atlanta to Savannah
Purchases closed at a Georgia attorney’s office near you, wherever in the state the home is.
Six Georgia closing customs that shape your numbers.
These decide who pays what at a Georgia closing. All of them are on your Loan Estimate from the start.
01
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 mortgage, $1,050 at closing.
02
Attorney fee
The buyer chooses and pays the closing attorney, usually $500 to $1,500. FHA, VA and conventional loans all allow the seller to cover it within their concession limits.
03
Title insurance
The Georgia buyer customarily pays both the lender’s and the owner’s title policy, so a seller credit is worth negotiating for.
04
Transfer tax
$1 per $1,000 of the purchase price, paid by the seller when the deed is recorded.
05
Property taxes in arrears
County and city 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.
06
HOA and initiation fees
Common in newer metro subdivisions. Dues count in your debt ratio, and any initiation or transfer fee is a buyer closing cost, so tell us early.
What would a Georgia purchase cost each month?
Pick a loan type and down payment, then add your county’s tax rate, insurance and any HOA dues. The result is the whole payment, which is the number lenders qualify you on.
The U.S. mortgage 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. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, down payment, loan type, the property and the day you lock.
Conventional 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.40%
FHA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.18%
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 a Georgia purchase works with us.
Four steps, one licensed pro, and a closing at a Georgia attorney’s office near you.
1
Pre-approval with real numbers
Income, assets and credit verified, with Georgia taxes, insurance, HOA dues and the intangible tax already in the estimate.
2
The right loan, priced side by side
Conventional, FHA, VA and jumbo compared for your file, with the attorney fee and title already in the numbers.
3
Property checks
Appraisal ordered the day the contract is signed, condo approval confirmed, likely repair items flagged for the seller.
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 buy in Georgia?
A licensed pro gives you a pre-approval with the attorney fee, intangible tax, taxes and insurance already in the numbers. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
Buying in Georgia, answered.
The questions Georgia buyers ask us most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
What closing costs does a Georgia buyer pay?
The lender’s fees, the closing attorney’s fee, the title policies (customarily the buyer’s cost, though negotiable), the intangible tax of $1.50 per $500 borrowed, the first year of homeowners insurance, and prepaid taxes and interest. On a $400,000 purchase with 5 percent down, plan on roughly 2 to 4 percent of the price before any seller credit. The seller pays the transfer tax.
How much do I need down?
Conventional loans start at 3 percent down for eligible borrowers with a 620 credit score, FHA at 3.5 percent with a 580 score, and VA loans need nothing down for eligible veterans. A documented gift from family can supply the down payment on all three. Jumbo loans above $832,750 typically want 10 to 20 percent.
Why do I need an attorney to close?
Georgia treats a real estate closing as the practice of law, so a licensed Georgia attorney conducts it, prepares the deed and disburses the money. You choose the attorney and pay the fee, usually $500 to $1,500, and the seller can pay it within your loan program’s rules. We recommend attorneys near you who close our loans regularly.
What is the intangible tax?
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. It is figured on the loan amount, so a larger down payment trims it slightly, and it is charged again if you refinance later.
When are Georgia property taxes due?
Counties bill in the second half of the year for the current year, so you pay in arrears. At closing the seller credits you for the part of the year they owned the home. File your homestead exemption with the county by April 1 after you buy; it lowers the assessed value and the escrow.
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 buying a home.
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.
Prefer to talk?
248-416-1361
Open 24/7. Ask for your pro by name.
Visit our office
880 W. Long Lake Rd, Suite 300
Troy, Michigan 48098, just off I-75. Free parking.
Licensed and reviewed
Georgia Mortgage Lender License/Registration, NMLS #1925352. Rated 4.9 across 5,300+ Google reviews.