Question 1

Who actually closes a commercial bridge loan in Georgia?

Accepted Answer

A licensed Georgia attorney, in person, every time. The Supreme Court of Georgia held in In re UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2 that preparing or facilitating execution of a deed is the practice of law, so there is no "our title company handles escrow" path here. The attorney has to be physically present; supervising a non-lawyer closer by phone is not enough. Conducting a closing and disbursing funds in violation is a misdemeanor and carries civil liability for damages. Practically, that means the closing attorney holds and disburses the escrow on your bridge deal, and their calendar is part of your timeline. Pick the firm early and tell us who it is when you start an application, because we work to their file, not around it.

Question 2

Why do the loan documents say security deed instead of mortgage?

Accepted Answer

Because Georgia is a security deed state, and the instrument conveys legal title to the lender. A deed to secure debt is not a lien in the way a mortgage is. You keep possession and the equitable interest, and title comes back to you when the note is paid. It is the same collateral position in economic terms, but the wording in the documents is different and it is worth knowing why before you sign. If your counsel is used to lien-theory states, flag it at the front of the file rather than at the closing table.

Question 3

How fast can a lender foreclose in Georgia, and why does that matter to my pricing?

Accepted Answer

Georgia is non-judicial, sales run the first Tuesday of the month, and about 37 days is the practical minimum from first publication to auction. The secured creditor has to give the debtor notice of initiation of the power of sale no later than 30 days before the proposed sale date under O.C.G.A. section 44-14-162.2, and has to advertise once a week for four weeks in the county's official legal organ with at least 21 days between the first advertisement and the sale under O.C.G.A. section 44-14-162. Sales happen at the county courthouse between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. There is no statutory post-sale right of redemption on a non-judicial sale of a security deed; superior court confirmation is only required if the lender wants a deficiency judgment. Why it matters to you: a fast, certain remedy is priced into Georgia bridge terms rather than out of them, and it is the same first-Tuesday cadence we already work in Texas.

Question 4

Will I owe Georgia intangible recording tax on a bridge note?

Accepted Answer

You may be exempt, but confirm it with your closing attorney before you budget the saving. Georgia's intangible recording tax under O.C.G.A. section 48-6-61 is $1.50 per $500 of the face amount of the note, about 0.30% of the loan, capped at $25,000 per note and due within 90 days of execution. Legally the holder of the note owes it; in practice the borrower pays it at closing. Short-term notes are exempt, and HB 586 is reported to have raised the short-term threshold from 36 months to 62 months effective July 1, 2025, which would put a 24 to 36 month bridge note on the exempt side of the line while a 30-year permanent note stays on the taxable side. The Department of Revenue page does not restate the 62-month rule, so treat this as a question for your attorney rather than a promise from us. One thing that is not in question: unpaid intangible recording tax bars collection by any action, foreclosure, or exercise of the power of sale until the tax, interest and a 50% penalty are paid. Get it right at closing.

Question 5

Is Atlanta office actually financeable right now?

Accepted Answer

It is, at the right basis, and the repricing is why bridge capital shows up. As of the first quarter of 2026, metro Atlanta office vacancy was 26.5%, down 50 basis points year over year, with net absorption of 487,222 square feet, the largest quarterly total since the third quarter of 2022, and 2.6M square feet of leasing, the strongest in five quarters. The pricing tells the rest: 13 office properties totaling $115.9M traded in the quarter, up 30.6% year over year by count, at an average $84.55 per square foot, down 9.3% year over year. Volume up and price per foot down is the recapitalization window. The construction pipeline is also nearly exhausted, at 332,000 square feet under construction, all speculative and all delivering in 2026. We underwrite your rent roll, your tenant credit and your lease-up budget, not a market average, and we size the term with room for the plan to land. See the CRE bridge program for structure.

Question 6

What do I underwrite for property taxes after I buy?

Accepted Answer

The reassessed value, not the seller's bill. Georgia assesses at 40% of fair market value statewide, so your effective rate is the millage times 0.40, and every jurisdiction stacks its own levies on top. Fulton County held its general-fund millage at 8.87 mills for 2025, the fourth consecutive year, but that is the county general fund only. The school district and municipal levies are separate and are usually the larger share of the bill. HB 581 created a statewide floating homestead exemption capping annual taxable-value growth at CPI effective January 1, 2025, and it does nothing for you twice over: it is a homestead exemption, and investment property is not homesteaded, and Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, their school districts and the City of Atlanta all opted out anyway. Assume a step-up to market on the first bill after purchase, especially on a repositioned asset, and have your CPA confirm the treatment for your entity.

Question 7

What can a commercial bridge loan be used for?

Accepted Answer

Bridge capital is for repositioning or stabilizing a commercial property before permanent financing: value-add, lease-up, a partner buyout, or pulling equity out through a cash-out. We lend across property types on terms up to 24 to 36 months, with loans up to $10M.

Question 8

What rates, leverage, and terms should I expect?

Accepted Answer

Our commercial bridge pricing starts around 9%, interest-only, up to roughly 75% loan-to-value, on terms up to 24 to 36 months. Published bridge pricing generally runs 8% to 12% with 1 to 3 points. Final terms depend on the asset, the business plan, and sponsor strength.

Question 9

How fast can a commercial bridge loan close?

Accepted Answer

Commercial deals usually close in 2 to 4 weeks. They take a little longer than residential because of the appraisal, the rent roll and operating-statement review, and any third-party reports. We move as fast as the diligence allows and keep one point of contact on your file.

Question 10

Do I need positive cash flow (DSCR) to qualify?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily at closing. Bridge loans are often underwritten interest-only to the as-stabilized business plan rather than a minimum in-place DSCR, since the property is being repositioned. We do want to see a credible path to stabilization and enough in-place income or reserves to carry the loan.

Question 11

What documents do you need for a commercial bridge request?

Accepted Answer

Typically the purchase contract or current debt, a rent roll and trailing-12-month operating statement, your business plan and renovation budget, and sponsor financials. Larger assets may also need a property condition report and an environmental review. We will give you a clear checklist up front.

Question 12

Is the loan recourse, and is cash-out available?

Accepted Answer

Most bridge loans are recourse with a personal guarantee, while lower-leverage non-recourse can be possible on stronger assets. Cash-out is available when there is equity to support it. We structure recourse and leverage around the specific deal.

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