Cash Offer vs. Financed Offer: What Cobb County Sellers Should Know
Two offers land on your Kennesaw listing: one cash, ten percent below asking, closing in twelve days. One financed, full price, closing in six weeks with an appraisal contingency still to clear. Which one actually nets you more, and which one is more likely to fall apart? Here's how to run the real math before you decide.
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.
Rent-Back Agreements After Closing in Cobb County, GA
Your buyer wants to close on time, but your next house is not quite ready. A seller rent-back can solve that, letting you stay in your old home for a few weeks after closing while you pay rent to the new owner. It sounds simple until you get into per diem rates, insurance gaps, and what happens if moving day slips.
Should You Short Sale Your House in Cobb County, GA?
If you've fallen behind on your mortgage in Cobb County, the clock is already running. Georgia's foreclosure process is one of the fastest in the country, and a short sale needs lender approval that can take months to land. Add in a 2026 tax law change on forgiven debt, and the decision gets more complicated than most homeowners realize.
Mortgage Rates Reached 7.50%. What Does That Mean for Your Next Move?
The 30 year fixed rate climbed to 7.50% this September, its highest reading in over a year. On a typical $400,000 Cobb County home, that move adds real dollars to the monthly payment. Here's what it costs buyers, what it means for sellers pricing a listing, and how to read the numbers without the bond market jargon.
Lead Paint Disclosure for Older Homes in Kennesaw and Marietta, GA
If you're buying a home in Marietta, Kennesaw, or Acworth that was built before 1978, federal law requires the seller to disclose known lead paint hazards before you sign anything. You also get a window to test the home yourself. Here's what that disclosure actually covers, what testing costs in Cobb County, and why older neighborhoods in this market see it more than most.
How to Negotiate Repairs After a Home Inspection in Cobb County, GA
Your inspector just found problems, and you have a narrow window to ask for repairs before Georgia's due diligence period runs out. Most Cobb County buyers don't realize the seller has no obligation to fix anything, and the house defaults to being sold as-is. Here's how the negotiation actually works, and what to ask for instead of a laundry list of repairs.
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.
Should You Offer Seller Concessions in Cobb County, GA?
Cobb County's market has shifted, and buyers are asking for more than they used to. Instead of cutting your asking price, you may be able to offer a closing cost credit that costs you about the same but keeps your sale price, and your neighborhood's comps, intact. Here's how the loan-type limits actually work, and when a credit beats a price cut.
Do You Need a Land Survey in Cobb County, GA?
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.
Title Insurance in Cobb County, GA: Do You Need It?
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 Tenants in Cobb County, GA
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.
Pool Inspection Before Buying a Home Near Lake Acworth, GA
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.
Do You Need Flood Insurance Near Lake Acworth, GA?
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.
Can You Get a Mortgage for a Manufactured Home in Cobb County, GA?
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.
School Zones and Enrollment: A Cobb County Buyer's Guide
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.
Renting vs. Buying in Marietta, GA: The Real 2026 Math
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.
Selling a House During Divorce in Cobb County, GA
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.
Should You Waive a Home Inspection in Cobb County, GA?
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.