Georgia Real Estate Contract: Different Types and Key Terms to Include
Quick Facts — Real Estate Contract Lawyers (Georgia)
- Avg cost to draft a Real Estate Purchase Agreement: $700.00
- Avg cost to review a Real Estate Purchase Agreement: $550.00
- Lawyers available: 26 Georgia real estate lawyers
- Clients helped: 27 recent real estate contract projects in Georgia
- Avg lawyer rating: 4.44 (3 reviews)
What is a Georgia Real Estate Contract?
A Georgia real estate contract, often called a residential purchase and sale agreement, is a legally binding contract that is entered into by two parties (a buyer and seller) when transferring the ownership of real property.
The contract is drafted when a buyer makes an offer on a property that is for sale by a seller. Once the seller accepts the offer, the contract becomes legally binding and enforceable as long as it adheres to all applicable real estate and contract law.
A real estate contract must include specific details about the transaction in addition to tasks and requirements that must be met to finalize the deal. It is common to see the following issues addressed in a real estate contract:
- Agreed upon purchase price
- Description of the property
- Contingencies
- Disclosures
- Deadlines and closing date
Common Georgia Real Estate Contracts
There are several types of Georgia real estate contracts that each serve a different purpose. These contracts include:
- Residential real estate contract. Used when buying or selling a piece of land or a building that will be used for housing.
- Commercial real estate contract . Used when buying or selling a piece of property or a building that is zoned for operating a business like a store or an office building.
- Real estate assignment contract. Used when purchasing investment properties because this agreement allows the buyer to assign the contract to a second buyer.
- Lease agreement. Also called a rental agreement, this contract is used when a property owner wants to rent their property to a tenant.
When purchasing residential real estate in Georgia, the most common contract used is the Georgia Association of Realtors purchase and sale agreement. This form is approved by the association and includes all necessary components of a valid real estate contract.
4 Essential Elements of a Georgia Real Estate Contract
In Georgia, there are 4 essential elements that make a real estate contract valid and enforceable. These elements are:
- Mutual agreement or assent between the parties to enter the contract
- A valid offer by the buyer and acceptance of the offer by the seller
- Adequate consideration which is the exchange of items of value
- A legal purpose and legally competent parties
If any of these elements are missing from the contract, the contract will be deemed invalid and unenforceable by law.
Is Georgia a Buyer Beware State?
Yes. Georgia follows the laws of caveat emptor, commonly called “buyer beware”. This means that buyers cannot win a fraud claim against a seller for failing to disclose a defect in the property if the defect could have been found by inspection. This principle puts the burden on the buyer to ensure that thorough inspections of the property are conducted prior to agreeing to purchase the house.
Can a Buyer Back Out of a Real Estate Contract in Georgia?
It is possible for a buyer to back out of a real estate contract in Georgia because buyers are protected by contingencies within the real estate contract. A contingency is a term that must be met to finalize the sale of the property. Common contingencies include the appraisal contingency and the financing contingency.
Many Georgia real estate contracts also include a due diligence period. During the due diligence period, a buyer can terminate the contract for any reason. This gives buyers the time to complete a home inspection, research the neighborhood, and ensure that they are committed to purchasing the home.
Due diligence periods are negotiable but the most common time frame for this period is between one and two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Meet some of our Georgia Real Estate Contract Lawyers
Bobby H.
Bobby E. Hill, Jr. is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and holds undergraduate degrees in music and business administration from Xavier University of Louisiana. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law where he was a staff and articles editor for the school’s Race & Social Justice Law Review and a student attorney in the institution’s Immigration Clinic. In addition to freelancing, Bobby is currently a litigation associate at Johnson & Freeman, LLC, a boutique litigation firm in Atlanta, Georgia, where he practices in the firm's Condemnation, Probate, Real Estate Litigation, Real Estate Transactions, E-Discovery and Business and General Civil Litigation Practice areas. In this role, Bobby has acquired appreciable experience in drafting memoranda of law for partners and senior counsel, and all litigation related pleadings including pleadings related to dispositive motions, discovery, appeals, and other post-judgment relief.
"Helpful. Professional. Gave us peace of mind on a business partnership agreement."
Emmanuel K.
I am a corporate Attorney licensed in the state of Georgia and Ghana. My professional career started in 2016 as a litigator in a private law firm in Ghana. Subsequently in 2018, I moved in house to work for the University of Ghana and this is where my corporate transactional work experience began. Since coming to the US in 2019, I have gained significant transactional experience through internships at Verizon and Tricentis (a software testing company) during law school at UGA. Since graduating from UGA law school, I have worked as a corporate transactional attorney of an AmLaw 200 firm. In that role, I helped foreign companies entering the US market to establish a presence and comply with applicable corporate laws while doing business. I also assisted customers and service providers in the software and technology industry by reviewing SaaS and similar contracts. Also, I helped energy utilities in the renewable energy space navigate regulatory and policy issues and establish contractual business relationships through contract reviews.
"Emmanuel was excellent. Very responsive and flexible with my requests. He completed the work in a very timely manner. Would use him again in the future."
Benjamin M.
Ben is the founder of the Middleton Law Firm (2022). He has experience in the European Union and the United States. He interned with the University Rijeka, Croatia assisting businesses with trademark, Uniform Domain-Name Registry Dispute Registry, European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy law compliance, and International Comparative Copyright issues as the country itself prepared itself for European Union statehood. He worked with Michigan State University's Anti-Counterfeit and Product Protection (A-CAPP) Center to protect and enforce its intellectual property in foreign territories and moderated panel discussions with brand owners and U.S. Customs to curb counterfeit products. Ben assisted indigent artists with legal issues and in some cases brought their works to life with Georgia Lawyers for the Arts. Ben is admitted to the federal courts of Georgia. Before practicing law, Ben worked for Core Security and Meridian Link as a software QA engineer in the information technology (IT) space. Ben produced countless commercial music recordings, engineered hundreds of songs, and served as executive producer seven studio albums as a founding member of member of Million Dollar Minds Entertainment (Est. 2006). He is an alumnus of The South Carolina State University (Bulldogs) and Michigan State University (Spartans).
"Benjamin did an excellent Job assisting me in this matter and I would highly recommend him to anyone needing the same service I received for the Cease & Desist"
June 28, 2023
Heather B.
I currently focus on estate planning, uncontested divorces, mobile real estate closings, and contract review for small businesses after starting my firm after leaving my position a partner at a national law firm specializing in creditor rights and real property.
July 26, 2023
Nicole W.
At Whalen Legal Group, PC, we strive to ensure that our clients are provided with the highest quality legal representation. Our team is committed to providing you with personalized and effective legal advice. We specialize in Business Law, Estate Planning and Trust, and Real Estate Law and have years of experience in these fields.Our goal is to provide our clients with the best possible service and to ensure that their legal matters are handled with compassion, integrity, and transparency. We understand that every situation is different and we take the time to listen and understand each and every one of our clients’ needs.
Esra A.
My firm focuses on family immigration (spouse, parents, children and siblings of US citizens and permanent residents), change of status, and citizenship applications.
September 5, 2023
Luisa A.
Luisa Alejos is the founder and owner of L.P.A. Law. She established her own firm to focus on providing clients with an exceptional level of personal service and support, trustworthy legal advice, and compassionate advocacy, consistent with her dedication to making service a cornerstone of her law practice and life. As a solo practitioner, her focus is personal injury, workers' compensation, and misdemeanor criminal defense but she also helps clients with contract drafting- particularly construction contracts and prenuptial agreements.
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Real Estate
Real Estate Contract
New York
Can you purchase or refinance under a land contract?
I’ve been living here for 2 years. Currently have been working with my credit union and they are having a terrible time trying to understand the legalities of my land contract first off, and secondly they just don’t seem to know what they are doing. It’s been over 8 months, 4 different loan officers and I’m once again waiting for someone else to help finish this thing out. It’s only $60,000 with a $120,000 appraisal. So, as of now I am stuck paying 2.5x monthly under this land contract than I was promised would be an easy mortgage process. So any guidance in the right direction would be very helpful. It’s a New York home. 20 yr fixed, no balloon, with a (brace yourself) 12% apr. HELP ME PLEASE! One month I’m being told to authorize a credit check for a first time homebuyer grant method of mortgaging this property. The next it’s authorizing it for a refinance. I do have earnest money deposits for over $3,000 and another $3000 paid towards principal under this land contract also.
Jane C.
I suggest you speak with a New York real estate attorney. That attorney needs to review the documents related to the transaction.
Real Estate
Real Estate Contract
Georgia
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES TO PERFORM QUIT CLAIM DEED COMPLETE BUTTS COUNTY GEORGIA 30233
SON AND EX
Meghan T.
Hi. The cost for my practice to prepare a Quit Claim Deed is $99. The Cost for me to handle the closing is $250 plus recording fees. These costs apply for any county within the state of Georgia. Let me know if you have any more questions. Meghan K Thomas
Real Estate
Real Estate Contract
Illinois
what is better to buy land or rent for construction in US?
we are a construction company from Ukraine, we are planning to build a cottage town in the USA
T. Phillip B.
I suppose it doesn't matter if you have the lease giving you permission and the lease is long enough to justify the building expense when you won't own it. But I'd buy the land so you could eventually sell the property with the building on it.
Real Estate
Real Estate Contract
Georgia
How many years does a quick claim become effective?s
Number of years for quick claim to be effect ive
Meghan T.
A quit claim deed is effective upon execution so long as the deed is dated as of the date of signature. Execution means that the deed is signed, in front of a witness and a notary. The witness and notary must also sign the deed. Finally, the deed must be recorded. This means that the deed must be submitted to the Superior Court recording office of the County in which the property sits. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Meghan K Thomas
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