Homeownership 101
(Separate Website)
In this section, you will learn some of the basics of buying a home, including choosing the right mortgage.
By: Ginnie Mae
Buying a Home
This document describes the basic process for buying a home, answering the following questions: What kind of property should you buy? How do you look for a house? What are the steps you must go through before you buy a house? What are the usual terms you find in a real estate contract? How do you pay for your new house?
How do you check the title for the property you are buying? What happens if you can't repay the loan? The document is an excerpt from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Buying a Home - State Bar of Georgia Consumer Pamphlet
(Separate Website)
So you want to buy a home. It’s a big decision! How do you know you’re doing the right thing?
We’ve all heard the horror stories, but instead of worrying, there are things you can do to make it a positive experience. First, consider consulting an attorney. Buying a house is complicated. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, especially if you have a legal professional on your side, looking out for your interests. Ensuring the peace-of-mind that comes with an attorney’s services is every bit as valuable to a homeowner as locking in the best possible interest rate. The following are the basics of buying.
By: State Bar of Georgia
Applying for a Loan
(Separate Website)
Once you have negotiated a final purchase offer with the seller, you are ready to finalize the loan application process. Under RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act), lenders are legally required to provide you with a good faith estimate within three days after receiving your application. The information gives you an estimate of your closing costs and monthly payments. This good faith estimate does not require lenders to provide a detailed breakdown of the closing cost items or to identify the persons responsible for the payments. Therefore, it is important for you to work with your real estate agent or attorney to understand all the closing cost fees. This will ensure that there are no significant surprises related to your final closing costs.
By: Ginnie Mae
Common Questions about Home Loans, Mortgages and Predatory Lending
This document answers common questions about loans, mortgages, and how to protect your home from predatory lenders.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Consumer Handbook on Adjustable Rate Mortgages
(Separate Website)
With a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest stays the same during the life of the loan. But with an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, the interest rate changes periodically, and your payments may go up or down. This brochure helps you to understand Adjustable Rate Mortgages.
By: Federal Reserve Board
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Spanish / Español
Georgia Department of Banking and Finance Website
(Separate Website)
The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (Department) is the state agency that regulates and examines banks, credit unions and trust companies which are chartered by the State. The Department also has regulatory and/or licensing authority over mortgage brokers and lenders, check cashers, sale of check companies, money transmitters, international banking organizations, and bank holding companies conducting business in Georgia.
By: Georgia Department of Banking and Finance
Home Loan Guaranty Services for Veterans and the Military
(Separate Website)
This website contains information about: (1) the VA Home Loan program, (2) the Loan Guaranty Services, (3) Specially Adapted Housing for Disabled Veterans, (4) VA - Approved Lenders, (5) Refinancing Opportunities, and much more.
By: Department of Veterans' Affairs
Looking for the Best Mortgage
(Separate Website)
Shopping around for a home loan or mortgage will help you to get the best financing deal. A mortgage--whether it’s a home purchase, a refinancing, or a home equity loan--is a product, just like a car, so the price and terms may be negotiable. You’ll want to compare all the costs involved in obtaining a mortgage. Shopping, comparing, and negotiating may save you thousands of dollars. Skip to
By: Federal Reserve Board
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Spanish / Español
EarnBenefits Online
(Separate Website)
How to get free checking accounts, homebuying resources, repairing your credit
By: Seedco
After a Disaster: Repairing Your Home
(Separate Website)
If your house has been damaged by a natural disaster - flood, fire, snow/ice, tornado or earthquake - chances are you're on the hunt for a reputable contractor to help with repair and restoration. Inevitably, the demand for qualified contractors after a disaster usually exceeds the supply. Enter the home repair rip-off artist, who may overcharge, perform shoddy work or skip town without finishing your job.
By: Federal Trade Commission
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Spanish / Español
EarnBenefits Online
(Separate Website)
How to get free checking accounts, homebuying resources, repairing your credit
By: Seedco
Frequently Asked Questions about Homeowners' Insurance
(Separate Website)
This web page answers common questions about homeowners' insurance. Homeowners insurance provides the policyholder protection for damage or loss to his or her dwelling, its contents and additional living expense. Further, it protects that policyholder from claims of others generated by his or her alleged negligent acts of commission or omission or those of relatives residing in that household.
By: Georgia Department of Insurance
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Spanish / Español
Frequently Asked Questions of the Georgia Property Tax Division
(Separate Website)
This web site contains information about Georgia Property Taxes.
By: Georgia Department of Revenue
Georgia Consumer's Guide to Home Improvements
(Separate Website)
Are you considering making any improvements to your home? If so, select the contractor with great care. To avoid many of the common pitfalls of remodeling, think about: (1) What you want to have done. (2) What it will realistically take to do the job. (3) How much you are willing to spend and what type of professional you want to do the job.
By: Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs
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Georgia State Fire Code
(Separate Website)
This Georgia State Minimum Standard Code (the International Fire Code) establishes regulations affecting or relating to structures, processes and premises and safeguards from the hazards of fire and explosion arising from the storage, handling or use of structures, materials or devices; from conditions hazardous to life, property or public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; and from fire hazards in the structure or on the premise from occupancy or operation. It also applies to the construction, extension, repair, alteration or removal of fire suppression and alarm systems.
By: Georgia.gov
Georgia Taxpayer Bill of Rights
(Separate Website)
Basic information about your rights as a taxpayer, your rights during an audit, your rights to dispute any determinations that you owe taxes.
By: Georgia Department of Revenue
Home and Personal Property Disaster Loans
(Separate Website)
If you are in a declared disaster area and are the victim of a disaster, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration - even if you don't own a business. As a homeowner, renter and/or personal-property owner, you may apply to the SBA for a loan to help you recover from a disaster.
By: U.S. Small Business Administration
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Spanish / Español
Home Improvement Scams Alert
(Separate Website)
Many low-income elderly homeowners are targeted by scam artists who use high pressure tactics to sell unneeded and overpriced contracts for "home improvements." Often these scam artists charge more than their quoted prices or their work does not live up to their promises. When the senior refuses to pay for shoddy or incomplete work, the contractor or an affiliated lender threatens foreclosure on the senior's home.
By: National Consumer Law Center
Home Repair Funding and USDA: 504 Program
Home Repair Funding and USDA: 504 Program
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Home Repairs - How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off
(Separate Website)
This document discusses basic issues relating to home repairs and helps you avoid getting ripped off.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Chinese / 中文
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Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Information about Property Taxes in Georgia
(Separate Website)
This section provides specific information on property taxation in the various counties in Georgia. Use the pulldown menu to select a county. Information is provided for each county on the following topics: (1) Location of Courthouse, (2) Local Tax Officials, (3) Property Tax Returns, (4) Homestead Exemptions, (4) Freeport Exemptions, (5) Ad Valorem Tax Payments, (6) Valuation Appeals, (7) Ad Valorem Tax Refunds, (8) Motor Vehicle Registration, (9) Mobile Home Taxation, (10) Intangible Recording Tax. Taxpayers that have questions about the information presented on these pages should contact their local tax officials.
By: Georgia Department of Revenue
Mortgage and Foreclosure Relief: Answers for Reservists, Guardsmen and Other Military Personnel
(Separate Website)
Information for service men and women about how the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act helps with mortgage relief, lease termination and eviction issues.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Mortgage and Real Estate Loans Information from the Federal Trade Commission
(Separate Website)
This web site contains documents relating to: (1) home equity loans, home equity credit lines and common home equity scams, (2) high rate, high fee mortgages, (3) reverse mortgages, (4) payday loans, and (5) mortgage discrimination. You may view the documents on-line and print them out or print them in PDF format.
By: Federal Trade Commission
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Spanish / Español
Property Tax Relief for Seniors and Veterans with Disabilities
Georgia law provides property tax and school tax benefits to senior citizens and to veterans with disabilities. Please be aware that this web page gives only a general description of the Georgia tax benefits. Your situation may be different enough so that the general rules will not apply.
By: Elder Law Committee of State Bar of Georgia
Recognizing Foreclosure Rescue Scam in English and Spanish Recognizing Foreclosure Rescue Scam in English and Spanish
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Repairs and Mechanics' Liens in Georgia
This document discusses repairs and the mechanics' liens that a someone repairing your auto or home can can levy on the property they repaired. The document is excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Reverse Mortgages
(Separate Website)
A reverse mortgage is a loan against your home that you do not have to pay back for as long as you live in your home. With a reverse mortgage, you can turn the value of your home into cash and not have to make monthly repayments. The total loan must be paid back when the last surviving borrower dies, sells the home, or permanently moves away.
Reverse mortgages are quite a bit different from other types of debt. These loans can be complicated, and you have a lot at stake. So be sure to investigate reverse mortgages carefully before deciding if one makes sense for you.
By: AARP Legal Services Network
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Spending the House: A Quick Guide for Advocates on Reverse Mortgages
(Separate Website)
A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that allows senior homeowners to convert the equity in their homes into a source of income, without having to sell the home. For many seniors, the accumulated equity in their home is their primary or only financial asset. Such seniors are on a fixed or limited income and do not have enough money saved to pay for uninsured medical expenses, home improvement, or to meet other pressing needs. For these financially strapped seniors, reverse mortgages are an attractive option. A reverse mortgage, however, must be carefully evaluated as it is more complex than most home equity loans. A senior, for example, must not only understand complicated budget projections, but also make predictions as to his or her future financial needs. To assist seniors with this assessment, counseling is a required part of the application process for most reverse mortgages.
By: National Consumer Law Center
The Making Home Affordable Program
(Separate Website)
Find out if you qualify for the new Making Home Affordable Refinance and Modification options. The Making Home Affordable program will offer assistance to as many as 7 to 9 million homeowners making a good-faith effort to make their mortgage payments, while attempting to prevent the destructive impact of foreclosures on families and communities.
By: financialstability.gov
What You Should Know About Refinancing
(Separate Website)
Refinancing is a process in which you pay off one or more existing debts with a new home loan. If you have perfect credit, refinancing is sometimes a good way to obtain a lower interest rate or to convert a variable rate loan to a fixed rate. However, if you are in the midst of financial difficulties, if you have too much debt, or if you have bad credit, refinancing is loaded with pitfalls. We recommend that you be very careful when refinancing debts. Many refinancing loans hurt consumer. Here are twelve things to consider before refinancing.
By: National Consumer Law Center
Housing Development On-Line Resources and Tools
(Separate Website)
Welcome to The Enterprise Foundation's Housing Developer Support System (HDSS), the comprehensive guide to affordable rental and homeownership housing development for nonprofit organizations. The Housing Developer Support System is a one-stop shop designed to equip nonprofit organizations with the appropriate information and tools to improve, or expand, their affordable housing production systems.
By: The Enterprise Foundation
Multi Family Housing Finance and Development Programs
(Separate Website)
This web page provides information about affordable rental housing development financing programs operated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Programs descibed on this page include: the HOME Rental Housing Loan Program, Housing Tax Credit Program, HOME CHDO Predevelopment Loan Program, Permanent Supportive Housing Program, and the Rural Rental Housing Development Fund.
These DCA rental housing finance programs work with for-profit, nonprofit and government partners to build or rehabilitate rental housing in Georgia. Funding is available to private sector for profit and nonprofit developers through DCA?s Office of Affordable Housing.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Discrimination in Housing (Answers to Common Questions about Fair Housing Laws)
Find housing-related information for people with disabilities in this section of the DisabilityInfo.gov web site, including: Accessibility, Housing Options, Links to Laws and Policy, and Your Housing Rights.
By: DisabilityInfo.gov
Other Formats:
Separate Website
Fair Housing Law in Georgia Prohibits Discrimination in Housing
This document describes the basic fair housing laws that prohibit discrimination in housing in Georgia.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Federal Protections Against Discrimination Based on National Origin
(Separate Website)
Federal laws prohibit discrimination based on a person's national origin, race, gender, color, disability, religion, or familial status. This document explains your rights in more detail.
By: U.S. Department of Justice
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Spanish / Español
Georgia Fair Housing Law
(Separate Website)
The Georgia Fair Housing Law prohibits discrimination in housing and housing-related activities because of a person’s race, color, national origin, sex, familial Status (children under 18), and disability.
By: Georgia Department of Community Affairs
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How to File a Housing Discrimination Complaint with HUD
(Separate Website)
Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. If you have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe your rights have been violated, you can file a fair housing complaint.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
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Getting Uncle Sam to Enforce Your Civil Rights
(Separate Website)
If you believe that you have been discriminated against and want to file a complaint with the Federal Government, this resource describes where and when to file your complaint.
By: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
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Guide to Disability Rights Laws
(Separate Website)
This document, last updated August 2001, explains each of the Federal civil rights laws protecting people with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Telecommunications Act, Fair Housing Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, National Voter Registration Act, Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act, and the Architectural Barriers Act. The document contains other sources of disability rights information as well.
By: U.S. Department of Justice
Housing Codes City and county housing codes are designed to keep neighborhoods in decent, safe and sanitary condition. The housing code sets the rules for basic upkeep and maintenance for decent housing. These rules are designed to prevent or correct problems that may cause unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
The code applies to all housing in your city or county. It can be very helpful to renters and homeowners. You can use the housing code to complain about bad housing conditions and other neighborhood problems.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Spanish / Español
Housing-Related Information for People with Disabilities
(Separate Website)
Find housing-related information for people with disabilities in this section of the DisabilityInfo.gov web site, including: Accessibility, Housing Options,
Links to Laws and Policy, and Your Housing Rights.
By: First Gov - Your First Click is the U.S. Government
Tenants' Rights As a tenant, you have rights, but you also have responsibilities. For your own protection, there are some things you need to do before you even sign the lease, while you are renting and when you move out. There are also things you need to know if your landlord tries to evict you.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Basic Standards for Farmworker Housing
This document is meant to be a guide for farmworkers who live in agricultural labor camps. The list does not include every standard contained in the federal regulations. These regulations apply only to persons who own or control a facility used to house migrant agricultural workers.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
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Spanish / Español
How to File a Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reviews and assesses information concerning abuses of civil rights, civil liberties, and profiling on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion, by employees and officials of the Department of Homeland Security.
By: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
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Brochure on Fair Housing Laws The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race or color, national origin, religion, sex , familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18), and handicap (disability).
Other Formats:
WPD File
Eviction (Answers to Common Questions)
This document answers questions that many people have about eviction and the eviction process.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
Housing Codes City and county housing codes are designed to keep neighborhoods in decent, safe and sanitary condition. The housing code sets the rules for basic upkeep and maintenance for decent housing. These rules are designed to prevent or correct problems that may cause unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
The code applies to all housing in your city or county. It can be very helpful to renters and homeowners. You can use the housing code to complain about bad housing conditions and other neighborhood problems.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Spanish / Español
How To Answer A Dispossessory If a Landlord wants a tenant to move out of rental property and the tenant will not voluntarily move, the landlord must go to court and seek an order for the tenant to be removed. Once the terms of the lease have been followed, Georgia law requires the landlord to demand or request that the tenant give up possession and move. This demand is best made in writing. If the tenant refuses or fails to give up possession, the landlord can file a Dispossessory Affidavit
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
How to Answer An Eviction Warrant Under Georgia Law you can be evicted if:
(1) You do not pay your rent, (3) You break your lease, or (3) You do not move out at the end of your lease. However, your landlord must follow the law to evict you. Your landlord cannot change your locks. Your landlord cannot put your things in the street. Your landlord must take you to court. When this happens, you will get an eviction or dispossessory warrant. You can answer this warrant and tell your side of the story.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
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Korean / 한국어
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This material is copyrighted by either Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. ("Legal Aid") or Georgia Legal Services Program ("GLSP"). Legal information can change rapidly. Provided links are kept updated, permission is given to link to this material from a nonprofit, court or government website. Website material may be printed, copied and distributed only in its original format for non-commercial, informational purposes. The material may not be altered from its original format. Reproducing the material to promote a commercial purpose is expressly prohibited. Commercial enterprises are expressly forbidden from linking to our material or using our material in other ways. Legal Aid and GLSP are not liable for the distribution of out-of-date material or links. To inquire about appropriate use of this material, please contact 404-524-5811.
Information Not Legal Advice
LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
Copyright and Use Notice
This material is copyrighted by the authoring organization or individual. Legal information can change rapidly. Provided links are kept updated, permission is given to link to this material from a nonprofit, court or government website. Website material may be printed, copied and distributed only in its original format for non-commercial, informational purposes. The material may not be altered from its original format. Reproducing the material to promote a commercial purpose is expressly prohibited. Commercial enterprises are expressly forbidden from linking to our material or using our material in other ways. Legal Aid and GLSP are not liable for the distribution of out-of-date material or links. To inquire about appropriate use of this material, please contact 404-524-5811.
Information Not Legal Advice
LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
LegalAid-GA is a project of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, the Georgia Legal Services Program and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. This website was produced with funding from the Legal Services Corporation.
(Separate Website)
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