Atlanta, Georgia Contract Content

[Yoana Yordanova]

Hi everyone, as a newbie into the business there is a lot to learn and organize, so I was wondering if anyone has a good Contract for Atlanta area I can peek in? I do have a pretty good one but it is in another state and I need to check what are the regulations and differences for Atlanta, GA. If I am to put a house under a contract, what would be necessary to include in the contract so it can comply to State Regulations. Thank you 

[Richard Balsam]

If you have a form from another state...just have a GA real estate attorney review it for you. You would pay for 30 minutes of their time - not much, and cheaper than buying a guru course, which comes with their forms that you may have to modify for GA anyway. That's what I did - and I've been changing my contract ever since, as the need arises. That said, Georgia does not have very many specific bylaws different from other states that makes it necessary to just have a local drawn up form. Any state compatible form will do, as long as an attorney reviews it and approves all wording. If you want to protect yourself ( and you should) I would NOT use the GAR form to protect yourself if buying a property from a seller directly (assuming you are not buying off of the MLS). It is 7-8 pages long now, with more verbage added annually. Very overkill for buying and selling as an investor- dealing with the seller or a buyer directly - with no fiduciary responsibility owed to either party. I am licensed, so I must use this form when dealing with a listing, or when I buy a listed property. When dealing with a seller directly, I use my own form, and disclose that I'm a licensed agent and not acting in my capacity as an agent for either party, and acting for my own benefit...so all parties know this ahead of time. As a last word of advice- stay away from a Staples or Office Depot form - junk, and not worth the dollars saved at all. They are generic only.