Should You Waive the Appraisal on a Conventional Loan in Kennesaw?
More Kennesaw lenders are offering to skip the appraisal on conventional loans, using automated data instead of an in-person visit. It can save you time and a few hundred dollars, but skipping that independent look at the property also means skipping the one safeguard confirming you're not overpaying. Here's how to tell whether your lender's waiver is actually good news for your specific purchase.
Co-Signer vs. Non-Occupant Co-Borrower in Kennesaw, GA
A lot of Kennesaw buyers hear "you'll need a co-signer" from their lender and assume that's the only option. It usually isn't. A non-occupant co-borrower works differently, follows different rules depending on your loan type, and can change whose name ends up on your deed. Here's how to tell which one actually fits your family's situation.
Assumable Mortgages in Cobb County, GA: How They Actually Work
Somewhere in Kennesaw or Marietta right now, a house is listed with a loan attached to it at 3.25%, while new buyers are quoted well over 7%. That loan doesn't have to disappear at closing. Assuming it instead of financing new can save you hundreds a month, but the process has real qualifying hurdles and an upfront cost most buyers don't see coming.
Do You Need a Radon Test Before Buying in Kennesaw or Acworth?
Radon is invisible, and most Kennesaw and Acworth buyers never think to ask about it until an inspector brings it up. Cobb County's EPA radon zone rating means some homes test well within safe limits while others nearby do not. Before you write an offer, here's what a radon test actually tells you, what it costs, and how to fix it if the number comes back high.
Georgia Dream Down Payment Assistance in Cobb County, GA
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.
What happens if your home appraises low in Kennesaw or Marietta?
Your Kennesaw or Marietta appraisal came back below the contract price — now what? Georgia's contract doesn't automatically protect you the way some buyers assume, and the real financing gap is usually bigger than the number on the report. Here's how buyers and sellers actually work through it, and how to protect yourself before you're ever in this spot.
Kennesaw Multiple-Offer Strategy for Buyers
Losing bidding wars in Kennesaw or Marietta? You're probably competing on price alone. Sellers in today's market care just as much about certainty — proof of funds, appraisal gap coverage, and clean terms. Here's how to structure an offer that wins without waiving away your protection under Georgia's Due Diligence period.
Georgia Due Diligence Fee vs. Earnest Money: Kennesaw Buyer Guide
Most Georgia buyers don't realize they're making two very different deposits when they go under contract — one goes straight to the seller and you never get it back, the other sits in escrow and is fully refundable if you act in time. Here's how the due diligence fee and earnest money actually work under the GAR contract, and what's at stake if you miss the deadline.