The Fryer Law Firm

02/08/2023

A little Wednesday wisdom this week🏡

01/18/2023

A little Wednesday wisdom from the Fryer Law Firm. We're always excited and available to share our knowledge and experience of the closing process (and after)!
Do you have questions? Give us a call or send us an email and we can answer them!

12/16/2022

03/25/2019

Remember that the deadline for filing homestead exemption is next Monday, April 1, 2019, if you bought and occupied before January 1, 2019.

01/07/2019

City of Atlanta Solid Waste (Garbage) bills for 2018 are due on Jan. 15, 2019. If you bought property in Atlanta/Fulton last year, you will need to pay this, even if the bill was sent to your seller. Most lenders do not escrow for the Solid Waste bill, even if other taxes are escrowed. Review and pay your bill at https://www.fultoncountytaxes.org/solid-waste/search-for-solid-waste-bill.aspx.
Also, most unpaid tax bills for 2018 are now delinquent, and the new property owners will receive the delinquent notice. Unless the bills were out at closing, these bills are the buyer’s responsibility, especially if the buyer paid cash or did not escrow.

To search for a solid waste bill select the information you want to enter. You may select from parcel ID, account number, or street address. After entering your information, click Search. If you are having trouble with your search, try reading our Search Tips.

02/03/2017

Fryer Law Firm celebrating 20 years of success and wishing success to our Falcons!

05/13/2015

Legal Tip from Fryer Law Firm: Funds Needed for Closing

General Rules

1. Buyers and sellers must wire funds due for closing.

2. Small cashier’s checks (up to $5,000) or personal checks (up to $500) may be accepted; confirm with your closing firm.

3. No personal checks from sellers.

Procedure

1. Get estimate due from loan officer or law firm – any overage will be refunded at closing.

2. Get wiring instructions from closing firm or firm website.

Warning – beware of hackers who can intercept and change emails to divert funds to their own accounts

3. Contact your bank to make wire arrangements 5-7 days prior to closing.

Warning – brokerage firms, internet accounts, and out-of-state banks may take longer to set up and send a wire.

Warning – some banks offer less expensive options to send funds, such as ACH transfers; these are not acceptable for closing.

4. Go to your bank and/or provide all required authorizations and IDs to approve the wire.

Recommendation – if possible, stay at your bank until the wire is confirmed as sent.

5. Send your wire 2-3 days before closing; notify the law firm when sent and how much was sent.

Fryer Law Firm 70 Lenox Pointe, NE Atlanta, GA 30324
404-240-0007 www.fryerclosings.com

Clara Fryer
Karen Ingram-Tello Leigh Langston Clack
David Barrett Linda Chmar
Catherine Donnelly Kathryn Newman

It sounds simple, but we have always reminded one another that the firm must be both caring AND competent. If we are caring people , but we do not push ourselves to gain the expertise our clients need, we are not of much use. On the other hand, if we have knowledge but are not motivated to ca…

01/27/2015

Remember to file for Homestead Exemption by April 1, 2015

If you bought a property in 2014, you may be eligible to file for the homestead exemption discount on your property taxes. Even if you closed in late December and your deed is not recorded until January, the date on the deed will qualify you for 2014.
The homestead exemption discount applies to your principal residence, and you must provide evidence that you owned and occupied the property on January 1, 2015. This evidence will vary by county, but may include a sworn affidavit, utility bills, voter registration, car registration, or the address on your driver’s license. Some cities also have a separate homestead exemption.

Here are useful links for some of the metro Atlanta counties and cities:
Fulton: 404-612-6440 http://www.qpublic.net/ga/fulton/homestead_inst.html

DeKalb: 404-298-4000
http://taxcommissioner.dekalbcountyga.gov/taxcommissioner/homesteadgen.html

Cobb: 770-528-8600 http://www.cobbtax.org/property/exemptioninformation

Gwinnett: 770-822-8800
http://gwinnetttaxcommissioner.manatron.com/Tabs/Property/HomesteadExemption.aspx

Clayton: 770-477-3311
http://www.claytoncountyga.gov/departments/tax-commissioner/exemptions.aspx

City of Decatur: 404-370-4100 http://www.decaturgatax.com/homestead (file by 3/15/15)

City of Atlanta: covered by county application (Fulton or DeKalb)

City of Marietta: 770-794-5680 http://www.mariettaga.gov/city/cityhall/tax/exemptions