Buyer guide

Getting ready to close

The finish line is in sight. Here's what happens in the last few weeks before closing, what you'll sign at the table, how to send your money safely, and what to bring so closing day goes smoothly.

Tip: turn your phone sideways or open this page on a tablet or computer to see the tables and tools at full size.

The countdown

The last few weeks, step by step

2 to 4 weeks outYour lender finishes underwriting and the appraisal. The closing attorney searches the title. Answer every lender request quickly; slow paperwork is the number one cause of delays.
2 weeks outLine up homeowners insurance starting on closing day and send it to your lender. Schedule movers. Set up power, water, gas, trash and internet to start on closing day; sellers can shut off service at closing. Utilities by county →
3 days outFor most mortgages, you'll receive your Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. Compare it to your Loan Estimate and ask your lender about anything that changed.
1 to 2 days outThe attorney sends your final cash-to-close amount. Confirm wiring instructions by phone and wire your funds the day before, so cleared money is waiting at closing. We usually do your final walk-through the day before closing too; we'll confirm the times with you.

Use our under contract checklist to track every step from offer to keys.

Protect your loan

Please don't do these before closing

  • Don't open new credit, including store cards and "0% financing" on furniture or appliances.
  • Don't make big purchases on credit, like a car, boat or new furniture. Lenders often re-check your credit right before closing.
  • Don't change jobs or switch from salary to commission or self-employment without talking to your lender first.
  • Don't move large sums of money around or make unusual deposits you can't document.
  • Don't miss payments on any bills, even small ones.

When in doubt, ask first

A small change can delay or even derail a loan. If anything about your job, income or credit is about to change, call your lender before it happens.

Your money

Sending your funds safely

Your cash to close includes your down payment and closing costs, minus your earnest money and any credits. In Georgia, closing costs often include the lender's fees, title insurance, the attorney's fees, prepaid taxes and insurance, and Georgia's intangible tax on your loan (O.C.G.A. § 48-6-61). Under the current (2026) Georgia REALTORS purchase agreement, the buyer also pays the state transfer tax of about $1 per $1,000 of the price (O.C.G.A. § 48-6-1) and the cost to search title and prepare the deed, unless your contract says otherwise.

Larger amounts must be wired, and many banks require you to request a wire in person, so plan a trip to your bank a day or two ahead.

Owner's title insurance is optional but strongly recommended. Your lender's policy only protects the lender; an owner's policy protects you if a title problem turns up later. Title insurance, explained →

⚠️ Wire fraud warning

We will never email you wiring instructions. Get them from the closing attorney, and always confirm them by calling the attorney's office at a number you look up yourself.

If you ever get an email saying the instructions have "changed," stop and call us and the attorney before sending anything.

Closing day

At the closing table

In Georgia, a licensed attorney conducts every real estate closing. The attorney makes sure the title is clear of liens, collects and pays out all the money, and records your deed at the courthouse. If you're getting a loan, the closing attorney represents the lender; in a cash purchase, they represent you. Either way, most closing attorneys don't give legal advice at the table.

A financed closing usually takes about an hour. There isn't time to read every page, so the attorney summarizes the key documents. If you'd like to review everything line by line first, ask us early so we can request the documents from your lender and the attorney.

  • Settlement statement: every dollar in and out, including the price, credits, prorated property taxes and HOA dues, and lender costs. We review it before closing; we've caught errors of more than $10,000 that would have cost our clients money.
  • Promissory note: your promise to repay the loan.
  • Security deed: Georgia uses a security deed instead of a mortgage; it gives your lender a claim on the home until the loan is paid off.
  • Warranty deed: signed by the seller, transferring the home to you.
  • Affidavits and disclosures from your lender and the attorney.

For our clients

What to bring to closing

We share this with the buyers and sellers we work with. Already working with us? Sign in to see it.

Can't be there?

Let us know when you write your offer if anyone on the contract won't be at closing in person. Mail-away closings and powers of attorney are often possible, but the lender and attorney must approve them in advance. With Lueder, Larkin & Hunter, you can also sign at any of their offices around Georgia.

When do I get the keys?

Your contract sets when you take possession, usually at closing. With a cash purchase, keys are handed over once you sign and funds clear; with a loan, after the lender authorizes funding. Some contracts give the seller a few extra days.

Loan or cash?

How your closing will look

With a loanCash
Time at the tableAbout an hour20 to 30 minutes
PaperworkA lot: the loan documents plus the deed and settlement statementLight: mainly the deed and settlement statement
SigningIn person with the attorney, or a mail-away or power of attorney approved in advanceMore flexible; documents can sometimes be signed ahead if arranged
The attorney representsYour lenderYou
KeysAfter the lender authorizes fundingOnce you sign and funds clear

Always have a Plan B. Under the standard Georgia contract, closing can be extended up to eight days for things like a title issue or a lender delay, and lenders sometimes need one more verification before funding. Don't book movers or deliveries for the morning of closing.

Who we work with

Closing attorneys we trust

You choose your closing attorney when you write your offer, and your lender may have a list it works with. If you don't have a preference, we'll use Lueder, Larkin & Hunter's Athens office. Here's who we use most, and a quick way to find an office near you.

Athens area

Lueder, Larkin & Hunter, Athens closing office, 1045 S. Milledge Ave. Our favorite for Athens-area closings. Their Athens team can prepare your closing and you can sign at any Lueder, Larkin & Hunter office, which is handy if you're closing from out of town.

2026 fee sheet (PDF) ↗

Lake Oconee

Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, Greensboro office. They handle our Lake Oconee closings, and they're also our recommendation when you need legal advice.

2026 fee sheet (PDF) ↗

Atlanta area

Weissman PC, with offices across metro Atlanta. Weissman is also our brokerage's attorney.

TownFirmAddressPhone
Athens Our pick for the Athens areaLueder, Larkin & Hunter1045 S. Milledge Avenue, Suite 100, Athens, GA 30605762-499-5831
Greensboro (Lake Oconee) Our pick for Lake OconeeBlasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley1021 Parkside Commons, Suite 104, Greensboro, GA 30642706-453-7139
AcworthLueder, Larkin & Hunter4463 Cherokee Street, Suite 100, Acworth, GA 30101770-615-8748
AlpharettaLueder, Larkin & Hunter12600 Deerfield Parkway, Suite 300, Alpharetta, GA 30004770-685-7000
Alpharetta (North Fulton)Weissman11675 Rainwater Drive, Suite 150, Alpharetta, GA 30009404-279-4040
AthensBlasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley440 College Ave, Athens, GA 30601706-715-8541
Atlanta (Buckhead)Lueder, Larkin & Hunter3348 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 1050, Atlanta, GA 30326404-480-3911
Atlanta (Buckhead)Weissman3500 Lenox Road, One Alliance Center, 4th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30326404-926-4500
Atlanta (Camp Creek)Lueder, Larkin & Hunter3800 Camp Creek Parkway, Building 1800, Suite 124, Atlanta, GA 30331770-727-6256
Atlanta (Inman Park)Weissman834 Inman Village Parkway, Suite 270, Atlanta, GA 30307404-926-4605
Atlanta (Intown / Ponce City Market)Lueder, Larkin & Hunter675 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308678-256-3914
Atlanta (Midtown)Weissman1745 Peachtree Street NE, Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30309404-279-4075
Atlanta (Perimeter)Weissman5909 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Building D, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30328404-926-4990
Blue RidgeLueder, Larkin & Hunter116 West Main Street, Suite 1C, Blue Ridge, GA 30513706-609-9871
BraseltonLueder, Larkin & Hunter1225 Tuscany Drive, Suite B, Braselton, GA 30517678-889-3321
Braselton (85 North)Weissman6700 Highway 53, Suite 202, Braselton, GA 30517404-926-4698
BufordLueder, Larkin & Hunter2675 Mall of Georgia Blvd, Building 400, Suite 402, Buford, GA 30519678-389-9827
BufordWeissman33 Buford Village Way, Suite 325, Buford, GA 30518404-926-4540
CantonLueder, Larkin & Hunter341 East Main Street, Suite 203, Canton, GA 30114770-282-4134
CarrolltonLueder, Larkin & Hunter106 E. Center Street, Carrollton, GA 30117470-867-6695
Chattahoochee Hills / SerenbeLueder, Larkin & Hunter9110 Selborne Lane, Suite 220-B, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268770-253-4025
ConyersLueder, Larkin & Hunter861 Commerce Drive SW, Suite 200, Conyers, GA 30094770-602-9924
ConyersWeissman1701A Ellington Road SE, Conyers, GA 30013678-798-1000
CovingtonLueder, Larkin & Hunter4116 Carroll Street, Covington, GA 30014470-524-3833
CummingLueder, Larkin & Hunter416 Pirkle Ferry Road, Suite J-100, Cumming, GA 30040678-562-2429
CummingWeissman410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 4201, Cumming, GA 30041404-279-4080
DouglasvilleLueder, Larkin & Hunter12345 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Douglasville, GA 30134770-515-9940
DouglasvilleWeissman3400 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 326, Douglasville, GA 30135404-279-4015
DuluthLueder, Larkin & Hunter2700 N. Berkeley Lake Road, Suite 220, Duluth, GA 30096470-582-9550
DuluthWeissman3175 Satellite Boulevard, Building 600, Suite 150, Duluth, GA 30096678-281-6502
EllijayWeissman583 Highland Crossing, Unit 140, Ellijay, GA 30540404-926-4622
GainesvilleLueder, Larkin & Hunter417 Green Street NW, Suite 1A, Gainesville, GA 30501770-685-7037
GainesvilleWeissman500 Jesse Jewell Pkwy SE, Suite 204, Gainesville, GA 30501404-279-4060
GriffinLueder, Larkin & Hunter308 A South 6th Street, Griffin, GA 30224470-822-1207
HartwellLueder, Larkin & Hunter124 E. Franklin Street, Suite B & D, Hartwell, GA 30643706-395-2896
JeffersonLueder, Larkin & Hunter32 South Public Square, Jefferson, GA 30549770-450-1260
Lavonia (Lake Hartwell)Weissman5330 Vickery Street, Lavonia, GA 30553706-608-2500
Lawrenceville (Sugarloaf)Weissman1745 North Brown Road, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, GA 30043404-279-4050
LoganvilleLueder, Larkin & Hunter143 Lee Byrd Road, Loganville, GA 30052770-674-8850
MariettaLueder, Larkin & Hunter192 Anderson Street, Suite 200, Marietta, GA 30060770-450-6115
Marietta (East Cobb)Weissman1344 East Cobb Drive, Suite 400, Marietta, GA 30068404-279-4020
Marietta (West Cobb)Weissman3475 Dallas Highway, Building 500, Suite 510, Marietta, GA 30064404-279-4015
McDonoughWeissman115 Westridge Industrial Boulevard, Suite 101, McDonough, GA 30253770-302-6000
MonroeLueder, Larkin & Hunter304 N. Broad Street, Monroe, GA 30655470-870-1874
NewnanLueder, Larkin & Hunter1933 Highway 34 E, Newnan, GA 30265770-253-4025
NewnanWeissman185 Glenda Trace, Suite C, Newnan, GA 30265404-926-4700
Peachtree CityLueder, Larkin & Hunter3040 State Street, Peachtree City, GA 30269678-281-3934
Peachtree CityWeissman500 Westpark Drive, Suite 150, Peachtree City, GA 30269770-632-2715
SavannahLueder, Larkin & Hunter1 Bull Street, Suite 200, Savannah, GA 31401912-712-2740
SavannahWeissman6602 Abercorn Street, Suite 205, Savannah, GA 31405912-944-5151
StockbridgeLueder, Larkin & Hunter245 Country Club Drive, Suite 100-C, Stockbridge, GA 30281404-220-9802
SuwaneeLueder, Larkin & Hunter1325 Satellite Blvd. NW, Building 200, Suite 207, Suwanee, GA 30024770-450-4375
Tucker (Northlake)Lueder, Larkin & Hunter4500 Hugh Howell Road, Suite 350, Tucker, GA 30084770-674-8862
ValdostaWeissman2906-D N Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31602229-660-0624
WinderLueder, Larkin & Hunter224 Highway 211 NW, Winder, GA 30680770-674-8875
WoodstockWeissman980 Woodstock Parkway, Suite 110, Woodstock, GA 30188404-279-4010

Office list from each firm's website. Fee sheets are for general reference; fees may have changed, and we update them as we get new ones. Call ahead to confirm the office handles residential closings and to schedule your signing. See all attorneys, lenders and inspectors on our trusted vendors list.

For our clients

Your moving checklist

We share this with the buyers and sellers we work with. Already working with us? Sign in to see it.

After closing

You're home. Now what?

Change the locksYou never know who still has a key. Changing your locks →
File for homesteadFile your homestead exemption by April 1 to lower your property taxes. Homestead exemption →
Watch your mailYour recorded deed arrives in the mail later. Ignore companies offering to sell you a copy. Mail scams →
Settle inYour move-in checklist and first-year tips. Welcome home →

Almost there

We'll be at the table with you.

From the final walk-through to handing you the keys, your Georgia Move agent is with you through closing day. Questions in the meantime? Just ask.

Talk to an agent
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Under contract checklist

Good to know: this is a general overview; your lender and closing attorney will give you the exact requirements, amounts and timing for your closing.

We're real estate agents, not attorneys. Nothing on this page is legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so always consult an attorney about your specific situation. Attorneys you can contact: Weissman PC · Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C.