Realty Network Team

Yes, you still need your own inspection on a brand new house in Georgia. Here’s why, from a buyer inspection in Dallas, GA this week.

A new construction home passes county inspections during the build. A county inspection confirms the work meets code minimums. Code minimum is a floor, not a quality standard, and that inspector is not working for the buyer.

The builder’s walkthrough is separate again. It’s the builder’s punch list, run to the builder’s standard on the builder’s timeline. Normal part of closing. Not an independent opinion on the house.

A third-party inspection is paid for by the buyer and performed by an inspector with no relationship to the builder.

One thing most buyers don’t know: Georgia does not currently require a state license to work as a home inspector. Ask for certification, errors and omissions coverage, and a sample report before you hire.

Do I need an inspection on new construction? Yes. County inspections and the builder walkthrough don’t replace one paid for by the buyer.

Who pays for it in Georgia? The buyer. That’s what makes the inspector independent.

When should it happen? Before closing, and again around month eleven. Most builder warranties run a year, so a re-inspection near month eleven documents issues while they’re still the builder’s responsibility. Terms vary, so read yours.

Does a home inspector need a license in Georgia? Not currently. Certification is voluntary, so vetting the inspector is on the buyer.

Same advice in Paulding County or across West Cobb and Cobb County. Hire your own inspector.

Comment BUILD and we’ll send you the questions to ask before you sign a builder contract.

Kristen Thakur and Lauren McLeroy, Associate Brokers, Realty Network Team, brokered by Real Broker, LLC. Serving West Cobb, Cobb County and the Harrison High School zone.
770-758-7774 | 855-450-0442

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Four things worth doing before the first buyer walks through your door.

None of them cost much. All of them change the first ten seconds — which is the part buyers actually remember.

Swipe through →

Thinking about selling in Cobb County this year? The full showing checklist is on our site. Link in bio.

Realty Network Team | REAL Broker, LLC

770-758-7774 | 855-450-0442

Cobb isn’t one market. It’s about ten of them, and they don’t feel anything alike.

Smyrna: close enough to The Battery for a weeknight game, home before the lot clears.

Kennesaw: mountain trails after work and a downtown that still feels like a small town.

Marietta Square: the theater, the restaurants, the Saturday morning market.

West Cobb: more house and more lot at a price you’re already qualified for.

East Cobb: homes averaged 33 days on market in August, the fastest in the county.

Acworth: two lakes. That’s the whole pitch.

Mableton: Cobb’s newest city, incorporated in 2022.

Austell: Six Flags down the road and quick access to I-20.

Powder Springs: the Silver Comet runs right through it.

We’ve closed 200+ homes across these areas and we live here ourselves. Picking the right one is the conversation we have most often with buyers, and it usually comes down to what your weekends actually look like.

So which one is your vibe? Tell us in the comments.

Comment GUIDE and we’ll send you our Buyer’s Guide.
Market data: FMLS, Cobb County, August 2026, residential detached.

Kristen Thakur & Lauren McLeroy

Realty Network Team · (770) 758-7774

Brokered by Real Broker, LLC · 855-450-0442

realtynetworkteam.com · Equal Housing Opportunity
SmyrnaGA AcworthGA PowderSprings MabletonGA AustellGA AtlantaRealEstate MovingToAtlanta

Just listed. $190,000. FHA eligible. Walton High School district.

This updated 2-bed, 2-bath condo in the Overlook community is move-in ready and sitting right off Columns Drive near the Chattahoochee River.

What you get:
Split-bedroom plan, each with its own bath and walk-in closet
Fireplace + fenced patio steps from the pool
Washer/dryer included.

HOA covers water, sewer, trash, grounds, and swim.

Trail access from your street
Zoned for Sope Creek Elementary, Dickerson Middle, and Walton High School. Link in bio for full details.

Exclusively listed by Lauren McLeroy & Kristen Thakur
Realty Network Team | Real Broker, LLC
(770) 758-7774 | Broker: (855) 450-0442
Equal Housing Opportunity

Kristen Thakur and Lauren McLeroy are Associate Brokers and the co-founders of Realty Network Team, serving Cobb County and Metro Atlanta.
Both hold Georgia broker's licenses. Most agents hold a salesperson license — a broker's license takes more experience, more coursework, and a separate exam. You get two of them on every file instead of one agent stretched thin.
Together: 200+ homes sold, $90M+ in volume including off-market sales, and a 5.0 rating across 54 client reviews.
Named a Top 10 Small Team in Cobb County by the Cobb Association of REALTORS in 2024 and 2025.
Both are Harvard Program on Negotiation certified and hold the CRS and Luxury designations. Lauren also holds SRS, SRES, SFR, RENE and PSA.
We work Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna, West Cobb, East Cobb, Acworth and Powder Springs. Kristen runs marketing. Lauren runs operations.
What you'll find on this page: real FMLS numbers for Cobb, West Cobb vs. East Cobb breakdowns, neighborhood guides, new and off-market listings, and unfiltered opinions about all of it.
Save this one. Then say hi 👇
DM us GUIDE for our Buyer's Guide

DM us SELL for our Seller's Guide

DM us VALUE for what your home is worth
Kristen Thakur & Lauren McLeroy

Realty Network Team · (770) 758-7774

Brokered by Real Broker, LLC · 855-450-0442

realtynetworkteam.com · Equal Housing Opportunity

Nobody thanks the framer.

Labor Day is about workers — so here's who actually builds a closing:

The framers and roofers. The HVAC tech who squeezes you in on a Friday in August. The inspector who crawls the space nobody else wants to crawl. The painters, the grading crew, the movers doing stairs in Georgia heat.

We hand over keys. They built the thing.

Tag a trade you'd hire again. 🔨

Just listed. $190,000. Walton High School district.
This updated 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo in the Overlook community is move-in ready with no stairs to entry. Split-bedroom plan with each bedroom getting its own full bath and walk-in closet. Fireplace, fenced patio steps from the pool, and washer/dryer included.

The Overlook sits off Columns Drive near the Chattahoochee River with a pool, dog park, and trail access right from the neighborhood. HOA covers water, sewer, trash, grounds, and swim.

FHA and cash eligible. Zoned for Sope Creek Elementary, Dickerson Middle, and Walton High School.
Full details on our blog (link below) or call us to schedule a showing.

Read the full details here -
https://www.realtynetworkteam.com/blog/updated-condo-for-sale-in-the-overlook-2210-river-heights-ct-se-marietta-ga-30067/

Exclusively listed by Lauren McLeroy & Kristen Thakur
Realty Network Team | Real Broker, LLC
(770) 758-7774 | Broker: (855) 450-0442
Equal Housing Opportunity

Every teal dot is a home we've sold. 200+ across Metro Atlanta, about half of them inside Cobb County.

Selling? We're in this market every day, on both sides of the table. We know what's moving in your area right now, what buyers are responding to, and what makes them walk. That's not something you can pull off a website.

Buying? Wherever you're looking, odds are we've already closed something near it. We know which streets back up to what, which communities hold value, and what's worth waiting for.

That's what 200+ closings across this market will teach you.

Comment VALUE if you're selling, GUIDE if you're buying.

Kristen Thakur & Lauren McLeroy
Realty Network Team · 770-758-7774
Brokered by Real Broker, LLC
855-450-0442
Realtynetworkteam.com
Equal Housing Opportunity