Residential Closings

Most residential closings do not fall apart at the table. They fall apart three weeks earlier, when nobody ordered the payoff, or the title search turned up a lien and it sat in someone's inbox. We open the file the day the contract arrives and work backwards from your closing date.

What happens after you send the contract

We acknowledge receipt the same business day, order the title search immediately, and request payoff statements early rather than the week of closing. Both agents are copied on status so nobody has to chase us for an update.

If the title examination turns up something — an old security deed never cancelled, an estate that never passed properly, a contractor's lien — the curative work starts that day. It does not come back to you as a problem to solve.

• Title search and examination ordered on receipt
• Payoff statements requested in the first week, not the last
• Survey and lender conditions tracked against the closing date
• Closing disclosure reviewed against the contract before you sign
• Same-day disbursement once the file funds

What a Georgia buyer typically pays

The buyer generally carries the lender's title policy, the intangible recording tax on the new loan, the $25 deed recording fee, appraisal, survey and lender charges. The owner's title policy is customarily a seller cost in much of Georgia, though the contract controls.

Our intangible tax calculator covers the largest of those loan-side items, including the HB 586 rule that exempts notes due within 62 months.

New construction

Builder closings have their own rhythm — certificates of occupancy, final inspections, lien waivers from subcontractors and a builder's contract that usually differs from the standard forms. We work with the builder's schedule while making sure the lien waivers are actually in the file before we disburse.

Common questions

Do I have to use an attorney to close in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia is one of a small number of states that requires a licensed attorney to conduct the real estate closing. Examining title, resolving what that examination finds, and preparing the documents that transfer your property are the practice of law.

Can I choose my own closing attorney?

Generally yes. In Georgia the party paying for the owner's title policy customarily selects the closing attorney, which is often the seller — but this is negotiable and the contract controls. If you would like us to close your file, say so when the contract is written.

How long does a residential closing take?

Most purchase files close in 30 to 45 days, driven mainly by the lender's timeline. Cash purchases can close considerably faster once title is clear. We will tell you early if anything in the title work is likely to move the date.