I am based in North Charleston and licensed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and a big share of the buyers I work with are moving here from somewhere else. The mortgage itself works the same way it does anywhere. What catches relocating buyers off guard are the local pieces: who runs the closing, who pays which taxes, why the property tax bill on a listing may be wrong for you, and what flood insurance does to a coastal payment. This guide covers those differences state by state.
How does buying differ across NC, SC, and GA?
Short answer: all three states use attorneys for closings. The big differences are transfer taxes, how property taxes are assessed, and which state agency runs down payment assistance.
| Topic | North Carolina | South Carolina | Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closing | Attorney typically handles closing and certifies title | Attorney must supervise the closing | Closing attorney typically handles closing and title |
| Deed tax | Excise tax, $1 per $500, paid by seller | Deed recording fee, $1.85 per $500, seller primarily liable | Transfer tax, about $1 per $1,000, usually seller |
| Mortgage tax | Recording fees only; no Georgia-style intangible tax | Recording fees only; no Georgia-style intangible tax | Intangible recording tax, $1.50 per $500 of the loan, usually buyer |
| Property tax basics | County revaluations at least every 8 years; no general homestead exemption | 4% ratio for an approved primary home vs. 6% otherwise | 40% of fair market value, $2,000 statewide homestead exemption |
| Chenoa Fund (FHA DPA I can place) | Available | Available ($5,000 minimum assistance) | Available |
| State DPA agency (participating lenders only) | NCHFA | SC Housing | Georgia DCA (Georgia Dream) |
Each state hub has more detail: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Do you need a closing attorney in NC, SC, and GA?
Short answer: yes, in practice, in all three states. A local attorney handles or supervises your closing, title work, and recording, and buyers often get a say in which attorney is used.
If you are coming from a state where a title or escrow company runs the whole closing, the rhythm here is a little different. Your attorney (or their paralegal team) orders the title search, coordinates payoffs, prepares the settlement statement alongside the lender's Closing Disclosure, and conducts the signing.
North Carolina
A licensed North Carolina attorney typically handles the closing, certifies title, and records the deed and deed of trust. More on what that means for your budget is in North Carolina attorney closings and costs.
South Carolina
A licensed South Carolina attorney must supervise the closing, even when a title company handles parts of the process. My office works with Lowcountry and Upstate attorneys every week, and I stay in contact with yours so the numbers and dates line up.
Georgia
A closing attorney typically handles Georgia closings, including title and settlement, and walks you through the documents at the table.
In every state, the attorney confirms exact fees. Ask for a fee quote early so it can go into your cash-to-close estimate.
Who pays transfer taxes and recording fees?
Short answer: the seller usually pays the deed tax in all three states. Georgia buyers usually pay an intangible recording tax on the mortgage, which is the one state-level tax most likely to show up on your side.
- North Carolina excise tax: $1 per $500 of the price, and state law puts it on the seller. On a $400,000 sale, that is $800.
- South Carolina deed recording fee: $1.85 per $500 of value ($1.30 state and $0.55 county). The seller is primarily liable and the buyer secondarily liable. On a $400,000 sale, the fee is $1,480.
- Georgia transfer tax: $1 for the first $1,000 and 10 cents for each additional $100, or about $1 per $1,000. Usually a seller cost, about $400 on a $400,000 sale.
- Georgia intangible recording tax: $1.50 per $500 of the loan amount on long-term mortgages, capped at $25,000. On a $320,000 loan, that is $960, typically on the buyer's side.
Beyond those, buyer closing costs in all three states usually include the attorney, title insurance, recording fees, lender fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance, typically about 2 to 5% of the price. Seller credits can offset part of that within your loan program's limits.
How do property taxes work in each state?
Short answer: South Carolina's 4% legal residence ratio is the biggest surprise for newcomers, because it can cut your bill sharply compared with 6%, but only if you apply. Georgia assesses at 40% of value with a homestead exemption, and North Carolina taxes full assessed value set by county revaluations.
South Carolina: 4% vs. 6% assessment
South Carolina assesses an approved legal residence (your primary home and up to five contiguous acres) at 4% of fair market value. Second homes, rentals, and other real estate are assessed at 6%. Approved legal residences are also exempt from school operating millage, which is often a large part of the bill.
Simple math shows why it matters. On a home with a $400,000 fair market value, the assessed value is $16,000 at 4% and $24,000 at 6%, so the 6% home is taxed on 50% more value before the school operating exemption is even considered. The actual bill depends on local millage rates.
Three practical points:
- You have to apply. The county assessor must approve your application, generally before the first penalty date for the tax year you first claim it. Homes that never apply are taxed at 6%.
- The listing's tax bill may not be yours. If the seller used the home as a rental or second home, their bill reflects 6%. If they had 4% and you buy it as a rental, yours will be higher. I estimate taxes at the rate that will apply to you.
- Escrow can be off in year one. Your escrow may be set at the higher rate until the 4% is approved, which can lead to a refund or payment change later.
Owners who are 65 or older, totally and permanently disabled, or legally blind may also qualify for a homestead exemption on the first $50,000 of fair market value. Confirm details with your county assessor or a tax professional.
North Carolina
North Carolina counties set values through revaluations, and state law requires reappraisal at least once every eight years. Your bill is the assessed value times the county rate, plus a city or town rate inside municipal limits. There is no general homestead exemption for every owner-occupant; relief programs have age, disability, and income rules.
Georgia
Georgia assesses homes at 40% of fair market value, and the statewide standard homestead exemption removes $2,000 of assessed value for county and school taxes on an owner-occupied primary home. Many counties and cities add more. You generally must own and live in the home on January 1 to claim the exemption for that tax year, so a mid-year purchase usually gets it the next year. Filing goes through the county tax commissioner or assessor's office.
This is general information, not tax advice. Before you write an offer, run the actual tax estimate through the property compare tool or the payment calculator.
Do you need flood insurance on the coast?
Short answer: if the home is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area and your mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, flood insurance is required for the life of the loan. Outside those zones it is optional, but near the coast it is worth pricing anyway.
That rule covers almost every mortgage, including conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loans. When coverage is federally required, the premium is escrowed with your taxes and homeowners insurance. Lenders often require coverage at least equal to the loan amount (up to the program maximum), which can be less than the cost to rebuild, so ask your agent about the right amount.
How to handle it when you are buying from out of town:
- Check the flood zone first. Look up the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center before you fall in love with a house.
- Get quotes during due diligence. Flood premiums depend on the building's specific risk, not just the zone, so two houses on the same street can price very differently. Ask whether the seller has an elevation certificate or a policy that might be assumable.
- Plan for wind coverage. In some coastal areas, wind and hail coverage is separate or carries its own deductible. Both flood and wind premiums count in your debt-to-income ratio.
- Timing. NFIP policies usually have a 30-day waiting period, but that wait does not apply when the policy is bought in connection with making a mortgage loan, so coverage can start at closing.
Charleston buyers should read buying in a Charleston flood zone. The same logic applies in Myrtle Beach, Wilmington, Mount Pleasant, and Savannah.
What are the loan limits in NC, SC, and GA?
Short answer: the 2026 conforming limit is $832,750 for a one-unit home across our NC, SC, and GA counties. FHA limits vary by county, from the $541,287 national floor up to $718,750 in the Atlanta metro.
2026 one-unit FHA limits published by HUD for some of the counties I work in most:
- Fulton and DeKalb, GA (Atlanta metro): $718,750
- Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester, SC: $690,000
- Durham, Orange, and Chatham, NC: $634,800
- Clarke County, GA (Athens): $616,400
- Most other counties, including Mecklenburg, Wake, Greenville, Richland, Horry, and Chatham County, GA: $541,287
Loans above the conforming limit are jumbo loans with their own down payment and reserve rules. Eligible veterans with full entitlement are not capped by the county limit on a VA loan. The program comparison shows how each loan type fits.
Can relocating buyers get down payment assistance?
Short answer: yes, if you meet the program rules and the home will be your primary residence. Moving from another state does not disqualify you, but each program has its own first-time buyer, income, and price rules.
- All three states: the Chenoa Fund is the down payment assistance I can place. It pairs an FHA 30-year fixed loan with 3.5% or 5% of the price or appraised value, whichever is less, has no income limits or first-time buyer requirement, and requires a primary residence (1 to 2 units). In South Carolina the minimum assistance amount is $5,000. Program terms and availability change with market conditions, so I confirm current terms for your file before you count on it. Chenoa Fund details.
- North Carolina: the NC Home Advantage Mortgage offers up to 3% of the loan for first-time and move-up buyers, with a 640 minimum score and a $158,000 income limit. The $15,000 NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment is for eligible first-time buyers and veterans. NC details.
- South Carolina: Palmetto Home Advantage offers 0%, 3%, or 4% of the loan, requires a 640 score, and has no first-time buyer requirement, which suits many relocating move-up buyers. SC Housing lists a $140,000 borrower income limit for 2026/2027. SC details.
- Georgia: Georgia Dream offers up to $10,000, or $12,500 for eligible PEN and CHOICE buyers, and generally requires that you have not owned a primary residence in the past three years unless you buy in certain designated areas. Inside Atlanta city limits, Invest Atlanta has its own programs, which cannot be combined with Georgia Dream. Georgia details.
The state programs are offered only through participating lenders. As a broker, I confirm whether one of my wholesale lenders participates before recommending one, so treat them as options to ask about rather than a promise. If you still own a home in another state, that can affect first-time buyer status and some program eligibility. Program terms change, so I confirm what applies to you at application.
How do you buy a home from out of state?
Short answer: get fully pre-approved before you visit, decide early how your current home fits in, and plan a remote-friendly closing with your attorney. Almost every step can be done by phone, video, and secure upload.
- Get pre-approved remotely. I review credit, income, and assets by phone and secure portal. If you are relocating for a new job, tell me up front. Some loan programs can use a signed offer letter for a job you have not started yet, under specific conditions.
- Decide what happens to your current home. Selling first frees up equity and simplifies qualifying. Buying first means carrying both payments in your debt ratio unless the departing home qualifies as a rental with documented rental income. We map both paths before you shop.
- Pick an agent who knows the local closing norms. Due diligence periods, earnest money customs, and HOA rules differ by market.
- Compare homes by full payment, not price. Taxes, insurance, flood coverage, and HOA dues vary a lot between neighborhoods. Use property compare to see up to three homes side by side, and the affordability calculator to set a range.
- Plan the closing method early. Many closing attorneys can arrange a mail-away signing with a notary where you live or a signing by power of attorney, subject to lender approval.
- Apply for local tax benefits after you move in. In South Carolina that means the 4% legal residence application; in Georgia, the homestead exemption.
Military families on PCS orders should also read the VA loan guide, and first-time buyers the first-time home buyer guide.
Which markets do I serve?
Short answer: all of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, with local pages for the cities where I work most.
- North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Wilmington, and Asheville
- South Carolina: Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Greenville, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach
- Georgia: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Athens, and Macon
Buying somewhere not on that list? I can still help anywhere in the three states. Start with the locations hub or the get started quiz.