Pre-underwritten offers for a fast metro
We put your file in front of an underwriter before you write an offer. In Alpharetta or Smyrna, that is often what separates the accepted contract from the backup offer.
CPF Mortgage in Georgia
Georgia Mortgage Lender
Licensed across Georgia, from the Atlanta metro out to Savannah, Augusta and the rural counties in between.
Get pre-qualified Call (470) 682-4763
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee NMLS 222883
Buying or refinancing a home in Georgia
Metro Atlanta is one of the busiest housing markets in the South, and it behaves like it. Well-priced homes inside the perimeter and out through Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee and Forsyth move fast, and a financing contingency that looks shaky costs buyers the house.
CPF Mortgage is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee lending across the whole state: the Atlanta metro, Athens, Augusta, Savannah, Macon, Columbus, and the rural counties where USDA financing is still on the table.
Georgia also closes differently from the states around it. Real estate closings here are conducted by an attorney, and the state charges an intangible recording tax on the mortgage itself. Neither is a problem, but both belong on your first quote rather than your closing disclosure.
Georgia closing costs quoted up front
Intangible recording tax, transfer tax and attorney closing fees are all state-specific. They go into our first estimate, not a revised one two weeks later.
We work with Georgia closing attorneys
Georgia requires an attorney to conduct the closing. We coordinate with the firm you or your agent select and get the package over early enough to close on time.
One in-house team
Processing, underwriting and closing all sit with CPF. There is no third-party fulfilment centre between you and a decision.
Loan programs available in Georgia
Every CPF loan program is available to Georgia borrowers. These are the ones that come up most often here.
Georgia Dream Homeownership Program
State down payment assistance through the Department of Community Affairs for eligible first-time buyers, with a larger assistance tier for protectors, educators, nurses and other qualifying professions. Income, purchase-price and asset limits apply and are revised periodically.
FHA loans
The most common route for Georgia first-time buyers: 3.5% down and flexible credit requirements, and it works well on the older housing stock inside the perimeter.
FHA loansVA loans
Georgia hosts a large military population around Fort Moore, Fort Stewart, Fort Eisenhower, Robins and Hunter Army Airfield. Zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, reusable entitlement on PCS moves.
VA loansUSDA loans
Once you are outside the metro Atlanta ring, much of Georgia is USDA-eligible, including parts of Paulding, Barrow, Jackson and Newton counties within commuting distance of the city.
USDA loansJumbo loans
For Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Milton and coastal Savannah, where prices clear the conforming limit.
Jumbo loansCash-out refinance and HELOC
Georgia homeowners have gained substantial equity over the past several years. Access it for renovations, an investment property, or to consolidate higher-rate debt.
HELOCWhat makes a Georgia mortgage different
The details below change what you pay and what you qualify for. We build them into your first estimate rather than a revised one.
- Intangible recording tax
- Georgia charges an intangible recording tax on the security instrument recorded with your mortgage, subject to a statutory cap. It is a one-time closing cost that other southeastern states do not charge, and we quote it from the start.
- Attorney-conducted closings
- Georgia law requires a licensed attorney to conduct the closing. It usually costs a little more than a title-company closing elsewhere in the South, and it means the closing schedule runs through the attorney’s office.
- Real estate transfer tax
- Georgia levies a transfer tax on the sale price, customarily paid by the seller. It affects the net sheet on a sale rather than your loan, but it comes up in every negotiation.
- Homestead exemptions vary by county
- Georgia’s statewide homestead exemption is modest, but many counties (Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb and others) layer their own on top, some of them substantial for seniors. County exemptions change an escrow estimate significantly, so we use the rules that actually apply to the address.
State taxes, assistance-program limits and insurance requirements change. Everything above is general information, not a commitment to lend or a quote. Ask us for the figures that apply to your address and loan amount.
Where we lend in Georgia
We are licensed statewide. These are the markets our Georgia loan officers work in most.
Atlanta metro (north)
Atlanta · Sandy Springs · Roswell · Alpharetta · Milton · Marietta · Kennesaw · Woodstock · Canton · Cumming · Duluth · Suwanee
Atlanta metro (south and east)
Decatur · Lawrenceville · Snellville · Conyers · McDonough · Stockbridge · Peachtree City · Newnan · Douglasville
North and Middle Georgia
Athens · Gainesville · Dalton · Rome · Macon · Warner Robins · Columbus · LaGrange
Coastal and East Georgia
Savannah · Pooler · Richmond Hill · Brunswick · St. Marys · Augusta · Evans · Statesboro
Counties served include: Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Forsyth, Clayton, Henry, Douglas, Paulding, Coweta, Fayette, Newton, Barrow, Hall, Clarke, Bibb, Houston, Muscogee, Richmond, Chatham, Bryan, Glynn, and every other county in Georgia.
Georgia mortgage questions, answered
Is CPF Mortgage licensed in Georgia?
Yes. Christopher Paul Financial, LLC dba CPF Mortgage is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, NMLS 222883. You can reach our Georgia lending team on (470) 682-4763, and we lend across the whole state.
What is the Georgia intangible recording tax?
It is a state tax on the security instrument recorded with your mortgage, charged on the loan amount and subject to a statutory cap. It is a one-time closing cost, and we include it in your Loan Estimate rather than leaving it as a surprise.
Do I need an attorney to buy a house in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia requires a licensed attorney to conduct the real estate closing. You or your agent generally choose the firm, and we coordinate the loan package with them.
How long does it take to close a mortgage in Georgia?
Most CPF Mortgage purchase loans close in 20 to 30 days. In metro Atlanta the practical limit is often the closing attorney’s calendar, so we get the package over early.
Can I use Georgia Dream down payment assistance?
Bring us your scenario and we will check it. Georgia Dream carries income, purchase-price and liquid-asset limits that are updated periodically, and it is worth comparing against a conventional or FHA loan with lender credits before you commit.
Reading for Georgia buyers and homeowners
Loan Pre-Approval vs. Pre-Qualification: What’s the Difference?
Understand the difference between mortgage pre-approval and pre-qualification. Learn why pre-approval strengthens your offer and helps you compete in today’s market.
Does Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Hurt My Credit Score?
Wondering if getting pre-approved for a mortgage will hurt your credit score? We break down the difference between soft and hard inquiries, how much your score might drop, and why pre-approval is a smart move for any homebuyer.
Mortgage Lender vs. Broker: What's the Difference?
There is a fine line between the differences between a mortgage lender and a mortgage broker.
5 Important Expenses Mortgage Calculators Leave Out
There are many online mortgage calculators available to help you determine what an estimated monthly payment would be on a […]
Talk to a Georgia loan officer
Tell us what you are trying to do and we will come back with real numbers: rate, payment, closing costs and the Georgia items that belong in the estimate.
Georgia lending team
(470) 682-4763
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee NMLS 222883