Are you considering a move to Georgia and wondering what to expect? What’s different? Are the houses different? Is the process different? How to buy a house?
10 things about buying a home in Georgia:
1. Georgia is a buyer beware state
Under Georgia law, can a home buyer sue a seller who is unhappy with the house? Unless the house seller is also the house builder, the answer is “Generally no.
According to the Good Georgia Lawyer, Williams Oinonen LLC
When you buy a home in Georgia it’s important to know that the burden of inspections and proof falls on the buyer. In California the burden of information disclosure falls on the seller. And god forbid you didn’t say you changed a light bulb or you can be sewed for hiding information. Obviously a light bulb is not a big deal, but a kitchen sink might be. The key here is that a seller is expected and required to provide tax bills, title reports, HOA docs, CC&R’s and very detailed questionnaires. In Georgia that is not the case. It is up to the buyer to uncover the information, which means you must have a great and diligent agent! Oftentimes you are hunting down HOA docs, with meeting minutes to understand its status.
2. Attorney State Vs. Escrow State
Georgia is what we call an attorney state. An attorney will pull title and be the notary that validates your signature on your mortgage docs. In California when you close on a home you typically sign with a notary, either in your home or in an escrow office. Also in California you typically sign your documents a few days before closing, the lender receives the documents back and they fund and record. You close upon confirmation of recording the deed. In Georgia you close in an attorneys office, you sign, fund, and close all in the same day. Which is tough as a seller. If there are any hiccups there’s not a lot to ensure they are packing for no reason.
3. septic tanks
If you live in the foothills of California, or a larger property, septic is normal, like a well or propane. When buying a home here in Georgia you will find them in housing complexes and communities. I thought that was odd, a house that’s pretty cookie cutter. If you’ve never had septic it’s something you should get familiar with, it does take maintenance, awareness and the cost to replace is quite a bit more than a public sewer line in and connected to the house.
4. retention ponds
As I’ve said in previous blog posts, we get a lot of water here! So you will find in some communities especially the newer ones there is a essentially a water collection spot. Typically it’s 4 sides cement, or it looks like a pond, but it’s where the water is routed too, so if your home is next to that, you may just want to be aware.
5. shake or comp shingle roofs vs tile or cement roofs
When buying a home here in Georgia you should always be sure to have a roof inspection. Most homes here have either shake roofs or metal roofs, not like in CA where most homes have tile or cement roofs that don’t need to be replaced for 40-50 years! Here you should plan on having your roof replaced due to wind damage or hail every 8-10 yrs, which is one reason they use composition roofs. The other reason is the wind here is intense, one loose tile or cement roof shingle could cause serious damage!
6. Brick siding
Most homes here have either shake roofs or metal roofs, not like in CA where most homes have tile or cement roofs that don’t need to be replaced for 40-50 years! Here you should plan on having your roof replaced due to wind damage or hail every 8-10 yrs, which is one reason they use composition roofs. The other reason is the wind here is intense, one loose tile or cement roof shingle could cause serious damage!
7. basements
Basements are pretty common in Georgia for weather purposes too. If we had significant weather we could hide in our basement, but furthermore in the winter months its a great place to hang and has become a great space for entertaining.
8. Radon Testing
With basements when you buy you should have a radon test. Similar to Aspestos in El dorado hills, we test for radon. It’s known to cause cancer and is often found in homes in the area. It can be remediated and handled with the knowledge of the level.
9. Clear pest/termites
In ca one of the most imperative tests that we do is a pest inspection. We have inspections that are indicative of potential termite infestation. They mark of siding, eaves, potential areas of dry rot. They are section 1 items and section 2 items. This suggested repair list some times can be very expensive! In Georgia, the inspections for pest are merely if there are active termites or not.
10. Cemeteries
Last but not least is something I found shocking! There are literally cemeteries everywhere. In the middle of a housing community, on the side of the road, everywhere. You just never know. In CA there are designated areas of acres of rolling hills with tombstones, in Ga they are scattered everywhere and you just have to know what you are looking for that’s a hard no in your life!
Thank you so much for watching. I know first hand making a move isn’t easy. You want to find someone that speaks your language and can point out things you need to know about moving to Georgia and buying a home! .
Buford Area Pumpkin patches, Georgia Down payment assistance debunked, Buford Homes Hidden Treasures, Georgia home inspections pass or fail?, Georgia Rent to own homes, Warbington Farms, One of a kind Georgia Pool house with Grotto, Buford Area Farmers Markets, 4 Things you must know before buying new construction in the Buford Area, Tchin Tchin Coffee & Market update, Sol Y Luna, Market Update January 2022 Metro Atlanta, Northeast Atlanta Metro Average Home Sales prices, Same as Cash offer, Beware when registering your car in Georgia, Georgia Housing Market Crash 2021, Cost comparison California vs. Georgia, The Best Bakery In Buford, The Baking Grounds, Buford Area Pumpkin Patches, Tools for moving to Suwanee, Tools for Moving to Sugar Hill, Tools for moving to Buford, Ga, Buford, Ga housing market update June 2022
