Where we lend: Atlanta and metro Atlanta

Anywhere in metro Atlanta

You do not need to be in one of those markets. We lend across Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton and Henry counties and the surrounding area, and through Optimus Capital Corp we also finance property in other states.

What to know about lending here

• Property tax. Georgia taxes real estate on 40% of its fair market value, and combined millage rates in Fulton and DeKalb counties often work out to about 1.3% to 1.8% of market value. Investment property gets no homestead exemption and no cap on yearly increases. The county reassesses each year, and a recent sale price usually becomes the new value. Plan on taxes at full market value, not the seller’s bill.
• Closing taxes. Georgia’s transfer tax is $1 per $1,000 of price, customarily paid by the seller. A long-term mortgage note adds intangible recording tax of $1.50 per $500 of the loan, up to $25,000, while short-term notes such as most flip loans are generally exempt. Georgia closings are conducted by a closing attorney, who also handles the title work.
• Crawl spaces and termites. Many older Atlanta houses sit on crawl spaces over red clay, so moisture, sagging floor framing, wood rot and termites are common findings. Get a full inspection and a termite letter before you set the rehab budget.
• Insurance. Hail, wind and falling trees drive insurance costs across metro Atlanta, and older roofs and wiring can limit coverage. Homes along creeks such as Peachtree, Proctor and Nancy creeks can sit in FEMA flood zones. Get insurance quotes before you make an offer.
• Trees. Atlanta’s tree protection ordinance requires a permit to remove most trees on private property, with replanting or fees to the city’s tree fund for trees you take down. On a new build or a large addition, price the tree plan into the budget and the schedule.
• Short-term rentals. In the City of Atlanta, renting for less than 30 days needs a short-term rental license, and a license is available only for the owner’s primary residence and one additional unit, so an out-of-town investor generally cannot license a house in the city. Operators must also collect hotel-motel tax. Suburban cities and counties set their own permit rules, and many homeowners associations ban short stays. We underwrite on long-term rent unless the address can legally host short stays.
• Rental rules. Georgia law bars cities and counties from adopting rent control, so rents follow the market. Since 2024, the state’s Safe at Home Act requires rentals to be fit for living, caps security deposits at two months’ rent and requires three business days’ written notice before an eviction for nonpayment.