Cobb County Closing Costs 2026: What Buyers & Sellers Pay
How Much Are Closing Costs in Cobb County, Georgia?
Buyers in Cobb County typically pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price in closing costs, while sellers pay closer to 6% to 10% once real estate commissions are included. On a $450,000 home in Kennesaw or Marietta, that works out to roughly $9,000 to $22,500 for buyers and $27,000 to $45,000 for sellers. The exact number depends on your loan type, who pays the attorney fee, and how your contract handles the due diligence period and prepaid escrow items.
TL;DR
- Buyers in Cobb County generally pay 2%–5% of the purchase price in closing costs — about $9,000 to $22,500 on a $450,000 home.
- Sellers pay more overall, typically 6%–10% of the sale price once you include the standard 5.66% combined real estate commission.
- Georgia's real estate transfer tax is small — about $1 per $1,000 of the sale price plus $0.10 per additional $100, or roughly $450 on a $450,000 home.
- Attorney fees in Georgia run $500–$1,500 and are customarily paid by the buyer, since Georgia law requires an attorney to handle every closing.
- Your due diligence fee (often $500–$2,000+ in Kennesaw and Marietta) is separate from closing costs and gets credited toward the purchase price at closing.
Buyer Closing Costs in Cobb County: What to Expect at the Table
If you're buying a home in Kennesaw, Marietta, or anywhere else in Cobb County, plan on closing costs landing somewhere between 2% and 5% of your purchase price. On a $400,000 home, that's $8,000 to $20,000 — on top of your down payment.
Here's what's typically in that number:
- Loan origination, underwriting, and processing fees — usually 0.5% to 1.5% of your loan amount.
- Appraisal fee — $400 to $800 for a single-family home.
- Credit report fee — $25 to $75.
- Georgia intangible recording tax — assessed on your loan amount when the mortgage is recorded, roughly 0.3% (about $1.50 per $500 financed). On a $360,000 loan, that's around $1,080.
- Prepaid escrow — lenders typically collect two to six months of property taxes and homeowners insurance up front to seed your escrow account.
- Attorney fee — Georgia requires an attorney to conduct every real estate closing, and this fee customarily falls to the buyer. Budget $500 to $1,500, with many flat-fee closings landing in the $750–$1,250 range.
None of these are surprises if you're prepared for them, but they add up. Your specific number depends on your loan program, your lender's fees, and the time of year you close — that's where a local market analysis comes in, especially when you're comparing a few different homes and want to know your real out-the-door cost on each one.
Seller Closing Costs in Marietta and Acworth: Commissions, Taxes, and Fees
Selling a home in Marietta or Acworth comes with a different — and usually larger — set of costs, mostly because real estate commissions are baked in.
- Real estate commissions — the combined commission in Georgia averages around 5.66% of the sale price, split between the listing agent (about 2.80%) and the buyer's agent (about 2.86%). On a $485,000 home in Marietta, that's roughly $27,450.
- Real estate transfer tax — Georgia charges $1.00 for the first $1,000 of the sale price, plus $0.10 for each additional $100. On a $485,000 sale, that's about $485. This is customarily paid by the seller, though it's negotiable in the contract.
- Owner's title insurance — it's common in Georgia for the seller to cover the buyer's owner's title policy, which runs around 0.28% of the sale price. On a $485,000 home, that's roughly $1,358. Confirm who's paying this in your contract — it's one of the more frequently negotiated line items.
- Prorated property taxes — you'll owe your share of the year's property taxes up through the closing date, prorated based on your closing day.
- Any negotiated buyer incentives or repair credits — these come out of your proceeds at closing, not as a separate check.
All in, sellers in Cobb County typically net out paying somewhere between 6% and 10% of the sale price in total closing costs. If you've been keeping an eye on your property tax bill, the prorated tax line at closing is connected to that same assessment — so it pays to know where your assessment stands before you list.
For a deeper look at how all of this nets out into a check at the closing table, walk through our breakdown of net proceeds when selling a home in Kennesaw. Every situation is different, and the only way to know for sure is to run the numbers with someone who knows this market.
Cobb County Closing Costs by Price Point: Kennesaw vs. Marietta vs. Acworth
Closing costs scale with price, so the dollar amounts look different depending on where you're buying or selling. Here's how it shakes out using current 2026 median prices for each market.
Kennesaw: Around a $400,000 Median Price
- Buyer closing costs (2%–5%): roughly $8,000–$20,000
- Seller costs including commission (6%–10%): roughly $24,000–$40,000
- Transfer tax (seller-paid): about $400
Marietta: Around a $485,000 Median Price
- Buyer closing costs (2%–5%): roughly $9,700–$24,250
- Seller costs including commission (6%–10%): roughly $29,100–$48,500
- Transfer tax (seller-paid): about $485
Acworth: Around a $418,000 Median Price
- Buyer closing costs (2%–5%): roughly $8,360–$20,900
- Seller costs including commission (6%–10%): roughly $25,080–$41,800
- Transfer tax (seller-paid): about $418
These are starting points, not quotes. Your actual costs shift based on whether you're financing or paying cash, how your contract allocates the attorney fee and title insurance, and what kind of due diligence period you negotiate.
Due Diligence Fees, Attorney Costs, and Other Georgia-Specific Line Items
A few things trip up buyers and sellers moving to Cobb County from out of state, because Georgia handles real estate transactions differently than a lot of other states.
The due diligence fee is not a closing cost — but it does show up at closing. Under the GAR contract, buyers typically pay a due diligence fee directly to the seller (not held in escrow) for the right to inspect the property and walk away for any reason during the due diligence period. If the deal closes, that fee is credited back to the buyer as part of the purchase price. We covered how this period works step by step in our guide to Georgia's due diligence period, including how it differs from earnest money.
Attorneys, not title companies, run Georgia closings. Every closing in Georgia must be conducted by a licensed attorney. That attorney fee is part of the buyer's closing costs in most contracts, but it's worth confirming — in some negotiated deals, sellers pick up part or all of it as a concession.
The Amendment to Address Concerns is where repair negotiations live. After a home inspection, repair requests and credits get documented through this amendment. Any agreed-upon credits typically reduce the seller's net proceeds at closing rather than triggering actual repairs.
Most Cobb County homes sell "As-Is" by default under the GAR contract — which doesn't mean no repairs happen, just that the starting position is no obligation, with everything else negotiated through the Amendment to Address Concerns.
If you're weighing whether to buy new construction or resale, closing costs differ there too — new construction often comes with builder-paid closing cost incentives that resale sellers can't match. We broke that down in our new construction vs. resale comparison for Kennesaw and Acworth.
What This Means for Your Move
Closing costs aren't a single number — they're a collection of smaller costs that shift based on your price point, your loan, and how your contract is written. The ranges above are a solid starting point for budgeting, whether you're buying in Kennesaw or selling in Marietta.
Your specific number depends on your home's condition, location, and timing — that's where a local market analysis comes in. Schedule a consultation with me, Robert Masoudpour, and I'll walk you through exactly what to expect on your closing statement before you sign anything. Schedule a 15-minute consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are closing costs for buyers in Cobb County?
Buyers typically pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price in closing costs. On a $400,000 home, that's roughly $8,000 to $20,000, covering loan fees, the appraisal, prepaid escrow, and the attorney fee.
Who pays the real estate transfer tax when you sell a home in Georgia?
The seller customarily pays Georgia's real estate transfer tax, which is $1.00 for the first $1,000 of the sale price plus $0.10 for each additional $100. This rule applies statewide, whether you're selling in Cobb County or in markets like Woodstock.
Is the due diligence fee part of my closing costs?
No. The due diligence fee is paid directly to the seller when the contract is signed, separate from your closing costs. If the sale closes, it's credited back to you as part of the purchase price. Our guide to Georgia's due diligence period walks through exactly how this works.
Are closing costs basically the same in Kennesaw, Marietta, and Acworth?
The percentages are similar across all of West Cobb and North Atlanta, since Georgia's transfer tax, intangible tax, and standard commission structure don't change by city. The dollar amounts differ because median home prices differ — Marietta's higher median price means higher dollar costs at the same percentage.
How can I get an exact closing cost estimate before I buy or sell?
The ranges in this article are a starting point, but your real numbers depend on your loan terms, your home's assessed value, and how your contract handles the attorney fee and title insurance. A local market analysis is the only way to get a number you can actually plan around.
Whether you're buying or selling in Marietta, the numbers look different than what national headlines suggest. Schedule a consultation with me, Robert Masoudpour, and I'll walk you through exactly what to expect. Schedule a 15-minute consultation
