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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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. (

Most Kennesaw and Marietta buyers assume they need a failed inspection to walk away from a contract. In Georgia, you don't. The due diligence period gives you a negotiated window, often just 7 to 10 days, to terminate for any reason and keep your earnest money. Miss the deadline, though, and that protection disappears fast, along with your deposit.

An appraisal gap can feel like your deal just fell apart, but it usually isn't fatal. Most buyers and sellers in Marietta, Kennesaw, and Acworth have four real paths forward, from a reconsideration of value to a straightforward split of the difference. Here's how to figure out which one fits your situation, and what Georgia's contract actually protects you on.

Buying a fixer-upper in Kennesaw or Marietta? Here's how an FHA 203(k) loan rolls renovation costs into one mortgage, what it costs, and who qualifies in 2026.