Frequently Asked Questions
Buyer Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is Title Insurance? Why do I need it?
For more information on what title insurance is and how it can help you protect your investment, please visit here: http://www.ctic.com/whyneedtitle.aspx
2. I need to send in funds for Closing, what type of funds do you accept?
Wired Funds or Certified Funds made payable to Donner Law LLC.
3. What do I need to bring to Closing?
Please bring your driver’s license or government-issued identification to closing.
4. What is a Homestead Exemption? How do I apply for it?
Homestead Exemptions of varying kinds exist in Georgia. There are application requirements and deadlines.
For more information about Homestead Exemptions, please visit this link: https://dor.georgia.gov/property-tax-homestead-exemptions. Alternatively, reach out to your County Tax Commissioner’s Office for more information on Homestead Exemptions.
5. How are taxes and garbage fees handled at Closing?
While each contract may vary, taxes and garbage are typically prorated at Closing—with the Seller paying a portion, for the time the Seller owned the property, and the Buyer paying the remainder, from the Closing date forward.
Seller Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Seller Information and Authorization Form, why do you need it, and where can I fill it out?
To facilitate a timely closing, please complete and return the Seller Information and Authorization Form to us as quickly as possible. This form gives us important contact information for you, provides us with information related to any lenders, lienholders, or HOAs, and authorizes us to communicate directly with them to obtain payoffs or clearance letters. Some lenders require up to seven business days to provide a payoff, so we ask that you return this form to us as quickly as possible so that we may get the payoff process started.
Once completed, you can scan and email the form back to re@donnerlawllc.com or fax it to (478) 405-9004.
For a copy of the Seller Information and Authorization Form to complete, please contact us or Downloads section of our website.
2. What are some common title issues that might delay closing? If one applies to me, what should I do?
If any of the following may apply to the property being sold, please contact us immediately to let us know:
a. Divorce;
b. Bankruptcy;
c. Death; or
d. Impending Foreclosure.
3. I live in a neighborhood with a Homeowner’s Association, what should I do?
If your property is subject to Homeowner’s Association dues, please let us know on the Seller Information and Authorization Form described in Number 1, above. We will need contact information for the HOA so that we may request a letter that confirms that all dues are paid or lets us know what amount is due.
4. What do I need to bring to closing?
Your driver’s license or government-issued identification.
5. I have to bring funds to closing, what should I do?
If you must bring funds to closing, the funds must be certified (i.e. cashier’s check, money order, wire) and should be made payable to Donner Law LLC.
6. A Corporation or LLC is the Seller, are there any special requirements?
If the Seller is a Corporation or an LLC, we will require a corporate resolution/consent resolution that authorizes someone to sign on behalf of the Corporation or LLC at Closing. Additionally, we will require an operating agreement for LLCs.
7. I want to use Power of Attorney at Closing, what should I do?
If you cannot be physically present at Closing, and wish to use an existing Power of Attorney, please send us a copy of the Power of Attorney as soon as possible, so that we may review it. If approved, please have the authorized signer bring the original Power of Attorney with them to Closing.
If you cannot be physically present at closing, and do not have an existing Power of Attorney, we can prepare a Specific Power of Attorney for you that authorizes someone to sign on your behalf, just as it relates to the Closing of the sale. If you would like us to prepare the Specific Power of Attorney, please reach out to us as soon as possible so that we can get the necessary details and allow time for the document to be prepared and properly executed.
8. I live out of town or cannot come to closing. What are my options?
If you cannot be physically present at closing, for any reason, you have a couple of options: closing by Power of Attorney or a “mail-away” closing. For information on using Power of Attorney at closing, please see Number 6, above. A “mail-away” closing is one where we prepare closing documents ahead of time, and email or mail them to you to execute and return to us prior to the closing date. This requires a bit of extra preparation and time, and so if you would like to do a “mail-away,” please contact our office immediately and let us know.