What are closing costs in Georgia? Closing costs in Georgia are the fees and taxes paid when a home sale closes. Buyers typically pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price. Sellers usually pay more in total, mostly the real estate commission.

Closing costs in Georgia catch a lot of people off guard. Buyers focus on the down payment and forget the thousands in fees due on top of it. Sellers assume the sale price is what lands in their pocket. The closing table is where those assumptions meet reality.

Here is the honest version. The price you negotiate is only part of the math. Buyers bring cash to close that goes well beyond the down payment. Sellers watch several costs come straight out of their proceeds. Knowing the line items ahead of time lets you budget accurately and negotiate from a position of strength.

What Closing Costs in Georgia Cover

Closing costs are the charges required to finance the purchase, transfer ownership, and record the deal in public records. Georgia is an attorney-closing state, which means a licensed real estate attorney oversees your closing and prepares the settlement statement. That attorney fee is one of the costs you will see on the page.

Georgia does not legally force either party to pay any specific cost. Market custom creates predictable patterns, but the contract controls who pays what. For a broad overview of typical ranges, Bankrate is a useful reference.

What Buyers Pay at Closing

Buyers in Georgia generally pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price in closing costs. Most of it ties to the mortgage. Common buyer line items include:

• Loan origination and lender fees: roughly 0.5% to 1% of the loan amount.
• Appraisal: about $300 to $1,000, required by most lenders.
• Home inspection: about $300 to $600, with specialty inspections extra.
• Intangible recording tax: 0.3% of the loan amount, about $900 on a $300,000 loan.
• Title search and lender’s title insurance: protects the lender’s interest.
• Owner’s title insurance: optional, but strongly recommended to protect you.
• Attorney fee: often a flat $500 to $1,500.
• Recording fees: county charges to record the deed and the mortgage.
• Prepaids: escrow deposits for property taxes, homeowners insurance, and prepaid interest.
• HOA transfer fee: about $100 to $400 if the home sits in an HOA.

What Sellers Pay at Closing

Sellers tend to pay fewer line items than buyers, but more in total dollars. The biggest reason is the commission. Common seller costs include:

• Real estate commission: negotiated with your agent, and usually the largest single cost.
• Transfer tax: $1 for every $1,000 of the sale price.
• Mortgage payoff: the remaining balance on your loan, paid from proceeds.
• Prorated property taxes: your share of the year’s taxes through the closing date, credited to the buyer.
• Closing or escrow charges: plus any title work the contract assigns to you.
• HOA dues and transfer fees: brought current through closing.

If you are selling, knowing your likely costs up front tells you your real net. Start with an accurate home value estimate, then subtract these costs to see your bottom line.

Transfer Tax vs. Intangibles Tax: Two Taxes, Two Payers

Two state taxes show up at Georgia closings, and buyers and sellers from other states rarely expect them. They are easy to confuse, so here is the difference.

Tax	Rate	Who pays
Transfer tax	$1 per $1,000 of sale price (0.1%)	Seller, by custom and the standard state contract. Negotiable.
Intangible recording tax	$3 per $1,000 of the loan (0.3%)	Buyer, through the lender, on the mortgage.

By statute, the person who signs the deed, usually the seller, is liable for the transfer tax, and the Georgia Association of Realtors standard Purchase and Sale Agreement assigns it to the seller. The intangibles tax falls on the buyer’s loan. One recent change matters: as of July 1, 2025, loans that mature within 62 months are generally exempt from the intangibles tax. Most 15- and 30-year mortgages still owe it. You can confirm current rates with the Georgia Department of Revenue.

Who Pays Closing Costs in Georgia

Here is the part buyers and sellers miss most often. Almost everything is negotiable. The patterns above are custom, not law. In a slower market, a seller may agree to cover part of the buyer’s closing costs to get the deal done. In a competitive market, buyers often shoulder more of their own costs to make their offer stand out.

The contract is what controls the settlement statement. That is exactly where an experienced agent earns their keep, by structuring the terms so the costs land where they serve your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are closing costs in Georgia for a buyer?

Buyers typically pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price. On a $400,000 home, that is roughly $8,000 to $20,000, depending on the loan type, lender fees, and prepaid escrow amounts.

Does the buyer or seller pay transfer tax in Georgia?

The seller customarily pays the transfer tax of $1 per $1,000 of the sale price, and the standard state contract assigns it to the seller. It is negotiable. The buyer separately pays the intangible recording tax on the mortgage, which is a different cost.

Do I need a real estate attorney to close in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia is an attorney-closing state. A licensed real estate attorney oversees the closing, handles the title work, and prepares the settlement statement that lists every cost.

Plan Your Cash to Close With Confidence

Nicole France helps buyers and sellers across Northwest Atlanta understand every cost before they sit down at the closing table, with no surprises on the settlement statement. Learn more about Nicole or explore the communities she serves. Schedule a complimentary and confidential consultation today.

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This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current rates and contract terms with your closing attorney.

Nicole France is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Center serving buyers and sellers across Acworth, Kennesaw, Dallas, Cartersville, and Woodstock. Client Focused · Results Driven.