Reverse Mortgages in Georgia

Georgia has a growing 65-and-older population concentrated in metro Atlanta, the coastal corridor around Savannah, and the North Georgia mountains. The federal HECM program governs reverse mortgages in Georgia; for readers new to the product, how reverse mortgages work covers the structural basics. Georgia does not overlay a dedicated reverse-mortgage statute on top of HUD's rules. What changes state to state is mostly the agency that licenses the originator and the county fees on the security deed.

Last reviewed 2026-05-20

What reverse mortgage rules are specific to Georgia?

Georgia does not impose a counseling requirement beyond the federal one. Every HECM borrower must complete an independent counseling session with a HUD-approved agency before the lender pulls credit or orders an appraisal (HUD Handbook 4000.1, Section II.B). The session is the same in Atlanta as it is in Albany.

Mortgage loan originators and lenders operating in Georgia are licensed and supervised by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance under the Georgia Residential Mortgage Act (O.C.G.A. §7-1-1000 et seq.). Originator records are verifiable through NMLS Consumer Access.

Georgia uses a security deed rather than a traditional mortgage instrument. Recording is handled by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the property sits, under O.C.G.A. §44-2-1 et seq. Most counties charge a flat $25 for the first page plus $2 per additional page on a security deed, and Georgia adds an intangible recording tax of $1.50 per $500 of the secured amount on most loans (O.C.G.A. §48-6-61). These are passed through at closing.

How much can you borrow with a reverse mortgage in Georgia?

For nearly every Georgia borrower the federal cap is academic — most homes are well below it. The 2026 FHA HECM lending limit sits at $1,249,125 (HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-22, effective January 1, 2026), and applies in every Georgia county where it matters at all: Buckhead, coastal Sea Island, and a handful of North Georgia mountain enclaves. A typical Atlanta-metro home appraised near $380,000 with a 70-year-old borrower at the current HECM rate range produces a principal limit in the range of $185,000 to $215,000 before closing costs. The same age and rate against a $700,000 Buckhead or Brookhaven home produces a principal limit in the range of $345,000 to $390,000. Run the figures at /calculator.

To see where Georgia lands on standard-HECM fit relative to other states, check the Georgia suitability score.

Do you need counseling for a reverse mortgage in Georgia?

HUD maintains the HECM Counselor Roster of every approved agency authorized to provide reverse-mortgage counseling for Georgia borrowers. Most sessions are conducted by phone; a handful of Atlanta-area agencies offer in-person. Sessions run $125 to $200, with fee waivers available for borrowers under the income threshold the agency publishes. The certificate is valid for 180 days. How to find and prepare for a counselor →

What about jumbo in Georgia?

Most Georgia homes are well inside the federal HECM limit, so HECM is the path for the vast majority of borrowers. A small share of properties in Buckhead, parts of coastal Sea Island and St. Simons, and a handful of North Georgia mountain submarkets appraise above $1.25M. For those, jumbo / proprietary programs (admit at age 55 in most states, $4M loan cap) can leave more equity accessible than a HECM capped at the federal limit. HECM vs. jumbo decision-making →

FAQ