Mortgage Refinance in Georgia
A Georgia refinance records a new mortgage, which means the intangible tax again, $1.50 per $500 borrowed, and a closing attorney you choose. We put both in the break-even before you commit, price every refinance 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.
Refinancing in Georgia, 2026
Intangible tax on the new loan
$1.50 per $500, capped at $25,000
Transfer tax
None on a refinance
Cash-out
Up to 80% on FHA and most conventional (primary residence); VA higher
Streamlines
FHA Streamline and VA IRRRL, usually no appraisal
Closing
Georgia attorney, chosen and paid by the borrower
0.3%
Georgia intangible tax on a new mortgage
80%
Maximum cash-out loan-to-value, conventional and FHA
159
Georgia counties, licensed statewide
4.9
Average of 5,300+ Google reviews
Why the break-even is the whole question in Georgia.
A refinance pays for itself when the monthly saving has covered the closing costs, and in Georgia those costs include the intangible recording tax on the new mortgage, $1.50 per $500 borrowed, about $1,050 on a $350,000 loan, plus the closing attorney’s fee, a new lender’s title policy and the lender’s own charges. There is no transfer tax, because no deed is recorded. We show you the month your refinance breaks even, and if it is further out than you plan to keep the home, we say so.
Three things make a Georgia refinance worth running the numbers on anyway. Metro Atlanta’s price growth has given many owners who bought with FHA the 20 percent equity to refinance into a conventional loan and drop mortgage insurance for good. A cash-out refinance is the usual way to fund a renovation or consolidate debt at a mortgage rate. And a homeowner with a VA or FHA loan has a streamline option that skips the appraisal and most of the paperwork.
This page covers refinancing in Georgia. For the state as a whole, see our Georgia page; for the refinance process itself, see the refinance hub and the cash-out hub. If you are buying rather than refinancing, buying in Georgia is the page you want, and FHA in Georgia and VA in Georgia cover the streamlines in depth.
Three kinds of Georgia refinance, and when each makes sense.
Lower the rate or the term, pull equity out, or replace an FHA or VA loan with less paperwork. The intangible tax applies to all three.
Lower payment
Rate-and-term refinance
Replace your loan with a lower rate, a shorter term or a fixed payment, with as little as 5 percent equity on a conventional loan. The usual Georgia reason is dropping FHA mortgage insurance once you reach 20 percent equity; we show the new payment beside the old one with the intangible tax and attorney fee in the costs.
Use equity
Cash-out refinance
Borrow up to 80 percent of the home’s value on a conventional or FHA loan, more on VA, and take the difference in cash. Common uses across metro Atlanta: a renovation, a basement finish, debt consolidation. The intangible tax is figured on the whole new loan.
Less paperwork
FHA Streamline and VA IRRRL
If you already have an FHA or VA loan, the streamline replaces it at a lower rate with no appraisal and, in most cases, no income verification, as long as the new loan gives you a real benefit. The intangible tax and attorney fee still apply, so we run the break-even before you commit.
What each refinance needs, and what Georgia adds.
Program rules are federal; the last column is what changes in Georgia. Your pro tells you which fits your file.
| Refinance | Equity, credit and appraisal | In Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional rate-and-term | From 5% equity, 620 score, appraisal usually required; mortgage insurance you can ask to cancel at 80% of the original value | Intangible tax on the new loan; the closing runs through a Georgia attorney you choose |
| Conventional or FHA cash-out | Keep 20% equity on a primary residence (lower caps on second homes and rentals); 620 conventional, 580 FHA; appraisal required | Tax figured on the whole new loan amount, capped at $25,000 |
| FHA Streamline | Existing FHA loan at least 210 days old with six payments; no appraisal; net tangible benefit test | Intangible tax and attorney fee apply; part of the original upfront premium is refunded toward the new one |
| VA IRRRL | Existing VA loan; 0.5% funding fee; no appraisal or income verification in most cases | Intangible tax and attorney fee apply; the funding fee is exempt if you receive VA disability compensation |
| VA cash-out | Up to 100% of value under VA rules, most lenders cap at 90%; full underwriting | Can replace a non-VA loan; the funding fee is 2.15% on first use or 3.3% after, exempt if you receive VA disability compensation |
Georgia’s intangible tax is charged when a new long-term note is recorded, with limited exemptions; your pro confirms whether any applies to your file. There is no transfer tax on a refinance because no deed is recorded.
Dropping FHA mortgage insurance is the most common Georgia refinance.
A large share of metro Atlanta’s recent first-time buyers used FHA, and with less than 10 percent down FHA’s annual mortgage insurance never goes away on its own. Price growth has pushed many of them past 20 percent equity, which is the point where a conventional refinance removes the premium for good. On a $350,000 loan that is roughly $160 a month, before any rate change.
The arithmetic has to include Georgia’s costs: about $1,050 in intangible tax on a $350,000 loan, the attorney fee, and the lender’s and title fees. If the premium saving alone covers that in two or three years and you plan to stay, it works. If rates are higher than your current one, we show you whether the premium saving still wins. Either way you see the break-even month before anything is ordered.
Atlanta to Savannah
Refinances closed at a Georgia attorney’s office near you, wherever in the state the home is.
Six Georgia details on a refinance file.
These decide what a Georgia refinance costs and whether it funds. All of them are on your Loan Estimate from the start.
01
The intangible tax
$1.50 per $500 of the new loan, or 0.3 percent, paid by the borrower and capped at $25,000. About $1,050 on a $350,000 refinance.
02
No transfer tax
A refinance records a new security deed, not a sale, so the $1 per $1,000 transfer tax from your purchase does not come back.
03
Attorney closing
Georgia law requires a Georgia attorney to conduct the closing and disburse the funds. You choose the attorney and pay the fee, usually $500 to $1,500.
04
The appraisal
Required on most refinances except streamlines. Metro Atlanta values moved quickly, so a recent sale on your street can change what you qualify for.
05
Homestead stays
Refinancing does not affect your homestead exemption; only a change of ownership does.
06
Taxes in arrears
Georgia bills property taxes later in the year. A refinance that closes before the bill arrives sets up the new escrow for it, so the first year’s escrow can look larger than you expect.
When does a Georgia refinance pay for itself?
Enter your current loan and the new rate. Add about 0.3 percent of the loan for the intangible tax and the attorney fee on top of the lender and title fees, and the calculator shows the break-even month.
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 refinance rate and APR depend on your credit, equity, loan type 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 refinance works with us.
Four steps, one licensed pro, and a closing at a Georgia attorney’s office near you.
1
The break-even first
Your current loan, the new rate and every closing cost, including the intangible tax and attorney fee, in one estimate with the month the refinance pays for itself.
2
The right refinance, priced side by side
Rate-and-term, cash-out, FHA Streamline or VA IRRRL compared for your file.
3
Appraisal and title
Appraisal ordered early where one is needed, and the attorney’s title search started at the same time.
4
Close with your attorney
Signing happens at a Georgia closing attorney’s office near you. The intangible tax and attorney fee are on the closing statement exactly as quoted.
Ready to see your Georgia break-even?
A licensed pro shows you the new payment, every cost including the intangible tax and attorney fee, and the month the refinance pays for itself. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
Refinancing in Georgia, answered.
The questions Georgia homeowners ask us most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
What does a Georgia refinance cost?
The lender’s fees, the closing attorney’s fee, a new lender’s title policy, an appraisal where one is required, prepaid interest and escrow, plus the intangible tax at $1.50 per $500 of the new loan. On a $350,000 refinance plan on roughly $4,500 to $6,500 in total, of which about $1,050 is the intangible tax. Your actual costs are itemized on the Loan Estimate before you commit.
Does Georgia charge the intangible tax on a refinance?
Yes, whenever a new long-term note is recorded, with limited exemptions that your pro checks for your file. It is $1.50 per $500 borrowed, capped at $25,000. There is no transfer tax on a refinance because no deed is recorded.
How much equity do I need?
About 5 percent for a conventional rate-and-term refinance, and on a primary residence you generally keep 20 percent equity after an FHA or conventional cash-out; second homes and rentals are capped lower. VA cash-out can go higher under VA rules, though most lenders cap it at 90 percent. FHA Streamlines and VA IRRRLs usually need no appraisal at all.
Why do I need an attorney to refinance?
Georgia treats a real estate closing as the practice of law, so a licensed Georgia attorney conducts it and disburses the money, on a refinance as on a purchase. You choose the attorney and pay the fee, usually $500 to $1,500. We recommend attorneys near you who close our loans regularly.
Can I refinance to get rid of FHA mortgage insurance?
Yes, and it is the most common Georgia refinance. Once you have about 20 percent equity, a conventional refinance removes the premium for good. We show you the saving beside the closing costs, including the intangible tax and attorney fee, so you can see the break-even before anything is ordered.
Do I have to come to Michigan?
No. Your licensed pro handles the refinance by phone, email and e-signature, and the closing happens in Georgia at your attorney’s office, as Georgia law requires.
Talk to a Georgia-licensed pro about refinancing.
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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Georgia Mortgage Lender License/Registration, NMLS #1925352. Rated 4.9 across 5,300+ Google reviews.