Build a Georgia budget around the actual home
Start with the county and the home’s recurring costs, rather than one statewide cost assumption. The opening example uses a $425,000 purchase, $85,000 down, 6.5% interest and 30 years. Annual tax of $4,500 and insurance of $2,400 are manual allowances, with no association charge or mortgage insurance entered. They are not Georgia averages or a lender’s offer. Replace the figures with property-specific estimates, then keep utilities, maintenance and a household reserve outside the mortgage payment.
Put this into my plan ↗Separate the statewide trend from the property decision
The Georgia REALTORS midyear article covers January through June 2026 and describes a compilation from fourteen MLSs. Some measures in that article are year-to-date, while inventory refers to June. Keep those time windows separate and do not treat the statewide coverage as an Atlanta, Savannah or county-only report. Use the original source to understand its definitions, then obtain appropriate property comparables. The starting calculator price is independent of this dated report. Original Georgia midyear reference ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Check homestead with the county tax officials
Georgia Revenue explains that homestead applications go through county tax officials and that local exemptions can differ from state provisions. Confirm the ownership, residence, relevant tax year and filing requirements for the buyer’s situation. A listing’s tax amount may reflect someone else’s exemption or another assessment period. Obtain the expected annual buyer charge before using the monthly model, and keep the supporting notice or written estimate with the plan. The calculator does not grant an exemption. Georgia homestead guidance ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Treat a floating exemption as a separate question
Revenue’s January 2025 overview explains the floating-homestead framework, adjusted base-year values and local opt-out choices under HB 581. That dated overview is background for questions, not a current parcel decision or a promise that a bill cannot rise. Ask the county which treatment currently applies to each taxing entity and to a newly purchased home. An assessment-related benefit and a fixed total tax bill are different things; no inflation index or automatic saving is applied here. Dated Revenue overview ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Choose the Georgia Dream product before modeling help
DCA’s homebuyer directory distinguishes Georgia Dream, Peach Select VA, Peach Plus and Peach Advantage. Their first-time-buyer treatment, purchase and household limits, pricing and assistance availability differ. The directory notes that limits vary with the purchasing area or county. Read the actual product’s requirements and obtain a current lender quote rather than treating the family of programs as one offer. No program amount or rate is automatically substituted into the opening scenario. DCA homebuyer product directory ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Ask how assistance changes the later debt position
For a DCA product with assistance, obtain the written first-loan and assistance terms together. Ask whether there is a second note, when a balance is due, and what sale, refinance or occupancy changes do to it. The DCA directory separates products with assistance from Peach Select VA, which it describes without down-payment assistance. Cash available at closing and debt remaining later need separate comparisons. Keep an unassisted version of the plan so a financing choice does not depend on an assumed award. Compare the official product paths ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Itemize Georgia intangible recording charges
Georgia Revenue maintains specific guidance for intangible recording tax on security instruments, including who collects it and situations requiring allocation or other treatment. Ask the closing professional for the actual charge for the note and collateral involved. Do not replace that review with a percentage copied from another loan or add a one-time recording item to recurring property tax. Put the confirmed amount in the relevant closing-cost line, preserving its description so you can compare itemized estimates. Intangible recording tax reference ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Keep the deed transfer charge and contract allocation clear
The state’s transfer-tax guidance addresses a different transaction from the recording of loan security. Revenue describes the seller’s liability and notes that a sales contract may allocate payment to the buyer. Confirm the transaction’s treatment and written allocation with the closing professional before estimating either buyer cash or seller proceeds. A lender credit, seller credit and statutory charge are different items. Enter confirmed figures once, on the correct side of the settlement plan. Georgia real-estate transfer tax ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Put the policy and deductible beside the premium
Georgia’s insurance office explains that coverage varies by policy, deductibles and the property, with separate coverage questions for hazards such as flood. Ask for a quote for the actual home, relevant exclusions and a dollar explanation of each deductible. The annual allowance in the mortgage example is simply a place to enter a premium. It does not determine whether a loss is covered, the cost to rebuild, or how much cash you might need after an event. Georgia home insurance resources ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Investigate an onsite system before counting future rooms
For a home served by onsite sewage, Georgia Public Health provides homeowner resources and information about installers, pumpers and soil classifiers. Obtain the actual system records and appropriate professional review, particularly before relying on an addition or changed use. A large lot or advertised bedroom count does not answer capacity, condition or approval questions. Keep a documented inspection, maintenance and possible project budget separate from the home loan; this calculator does not approve a system or establish a repair cost. State onsite-sewage resources ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Compare financing over the life you expect to live there
Request Loan Estimates using the same property, balance, occupancy and lock period. Put points, lender fees, credits and the balance at your chosen sale or refinance date in one comparison. Then test a shorter stay and a higher ownership-cost allowance. A lower monthly payment may require more cash upfront or leave more debt at the horizon. Keep a hoped-for future refinance in a separate scenario rather than using it to justify an offer’s current cost. CFPB Loan Estimate guide ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Bring a well-framed question to MITEY
Use the optional enquiry when you want help exploring purchase, refinance or investment options. Describe the county, property type, timing and the financing question you want to resolve; leave identity documents, account details and street addresses out of the message. A guide enquiry does not include numerical calculator inputs. The public relationship stays with MITEY, and any later provider introduction needs confirmed availability and your permission. Opening a conversation is not a credit application, approval or guaranteed rate.
Put this into my plan ↗