A land survey rarely comes up until your closing attorney mentions the survey exception buried in your title commitment. Georgia law doesn't require one, and on a typical Cobb County lot it runs a few hundred dollars, but skipping it means your title policy won't cover boundary or encroachment problems. Here's when a survey actually protects you and when it's safe to pass.

Most Cobb County buyers glance past the title insurance line on their Loan Estimate and closing disclosure without asking what it actually buys them. Georgia doesn't require an owner's policy, and skipping it can save a few hundred dollars at the table. Here's what that policy protects against, who customarily pays for it in Kennesaw and Marietta, and when waiving it is actually a reasonable call.

Selling a house with a tenant still living in it isn't as complicated as it sounds, but Georgia law works differently than you might expect. Before you list, you need to know what happens to the lease, who can show the property, and how the security deposit gets handled at closing.

Most home inspectors barely glance at the pool. If you're buying near Lake Acworth, in Kennesaw, or in Marietta, a cracked liner, a dying pump, or a fence that doesn't meet Georgia's safety code can cost thousands after closing. Here's what a real pool inspection covers, what it costs, and how to use it to negotiate before your due diligence period runs out.

If you're paying private mortgage insurance on a Cobb County home, you may already qualify to drop it, or you'll get there sooner than you think. Between scheduled paydown and local home values, plenty of Kennesaw and Marietta homeowners are sitting closer to 80% equity than they realize. Here's how the removal process actually works, and what it costs to speed it up.

Most Kennesaw and Marietta buyers don't realize the state will help with their down payment. Georgia Dream puts up to $12,500 toward closing for eligible first-time buyers, structured as a deferred, zero-interest second mortgage rather than a grant. Here's how the income limits, price caps, and application process actually work for Cobb County buyers in 2026.

Plenty of homes in unincorporated west Cobb County and near Lake Acworth still run on private wells instead of county water. If you're buying one, a water test for bacteria and nitrates almost always has to happen before closing, especially with FHA, VA, or USDA financing. Here's what gets tested, what it costs, and what your options are if the results come back bad.

Buyers assume a home near Lake Acworth or Lake Allatoona must carry flood insurance, and sellers just outside the flood zone assume they never will. Neither assumption holds up once your lender pulls the actual FEMA flood zone determination. Here's how Cobb County's flood zones actually work, what coverage costs by zone, and how to check a specific address before you write an offer.

Most buyers assume a manufactured home qualifies for the same mortgage as any other house. It doesn't, at least not until the vehicle title is legally converted to real property and the parcel is confirmed as zoned for it. Here's how Georgia's title elimination process, Fannie Mae's MH Advantage program, and Cobb County zoning fit together, and what it actually costs to finance one.

An FHA appraisal in Cobb County checks more than price. It also checks whether the home itself meets HUD's safety standards, and older Kennesaw, Acworth, and Marietta houses fail more often than buyers expect. Here's what typically gets flagged, who ends up paying for the fix, and what the real down payment math looks like on a median-priced home in 2026.

Most relocation families ask two questions in the same showing: what school is this house zoned for, and how do we actually enroll once we close. Cobb County has a real answer to both, plus an honest caveat about attendance zones that most buyers never hear until it's too late to matter.

When California, New York, or Florida transplants land in Marietta, they usually assume renting is the safer bet while they get their footing. But Cobb County's price-to-rent ratio tells a different story than the coastal markets they're used to. Here's what the actual monthly numbers look like on a $364,000 home right now.

Most Cobb County landlords selling a long-held rental are stunned by the tax exposure, capital gains plus depreciation recapture, once they run the numbers. A 1031 exchange can defer both, but only if you line up a qualified intermediary before closing and hit two unforgiving IRS deadlines. Here's how the exchange actually works and whether it fits your exit plan.

Most VA buyers walk into a Marietta purchase expecting the process to run like a conventional loan, then get caught off guard by the funding fee, a stricter appraisal, or a termite report they didn't budget for. Here's what changes with a VA loan in Cobb County, what it actually costs, and how your offer holds up against the competition.

Divorce turns a home sale into a legal process first and a real estate transaction second. Here's who has to sign, how Georgia's equitable distribution law affects your split, why a certified appraisal matters more than a Zestimate, and whether selling before or after your divorce is final saves you more in Cobb County.

Sale price isn't what you take home. Between commission, Georgia's transfer tax, the closing attorney's fee, prorated property taxes, and HOA transfer fees, Cobb County sellers typically net 92-94% of their sale price. Here's how each cost breaks down, plus a real net proceeds example using a Kennesaw home.

Waiving inspection to win a bidding war sounds simple until you're staring down a $12,000 HVAC replacement you had no way to negotiate. Most Cobb County buyers who waive are actually giving up negotiation rights, not the inspection itself. Here's the real difference, what it can cost you, and three safer alternatives that still make your offer competitive.

Georgia buyers used to assume their agent's commission was baked into the deal. That changed in 2025, and most Cobb County buyers still don't know they now sign an agreement and negotiate pay before they can even tour a home. Here's what that means for your wallet in Kennesaw, Marietta, and Acworth.

Most Kennesaw and Marietta buyers are caught off guard when their Loan Estimate lands. The real number runs 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price, and it breaks down into categories most first-time buyers have never seen before: lender fees, Georgia's intangible tax, attorney costs, and prepaid escrow. Here's exactly what's on that page and where you have room to negotiate.

Inheriting a house in Cobb County comes with more than grief. There's probate to confirm, a stepped-up cost basis to establish, and a decision about whether co-heirs will sell as-is or fix it up first. Here's the step-by-step process for executors and heirs, from Cobb County Probate Court to closing day, plus what a certified appraiser's background can add to the valuation. (