Talk to Someone Who Originates These Loans
Program and regulatory figures verified October 7, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Two questions get a Georgia physician most of the way: which county, and how much student debt. Neither takes long.
How to reach us
Call or text Mike at (480) 296-6513. Email mcerto@cfmtg.com. You reach someone who originates these loans.
What we will work out for you
- How your student debt is counted — your documented payment rather than 1% of the balance.
- Whether you can close before your start date, up to 150 days out, and whether your contract's contingencies permit it.
- ★ Whether your county is one of the 118 on DOR's rural list, so you know early whether the credit is even in play.
- ★ Which credit would apply — the 15 May 2024 cut-over catches a lot of people out.
- 100% against 5%-down, which matters in Atlanta and Savannah where values fell.
- Your cash at closing. Georgia's transfer tax is 0.1% and the seller's, so this is usually a short conversation.
★ One thing we will be straight about
The tax credit does not change your mortgage.
It is not income for qualifying, it does not arrive as cash at closing, and it does not affect your debt ratios or your pricing. It reduces Georgia income tax owed, later, on a return, up to $25,000 over five years and subject to a statewide annual cap.
So we price the house on its own merits and leave the credit to your tax preparer. That is cleaner than the neighbouring states, where the state money and the mortgage genuinely interact. Why.
★ And two things worth checking early
Your county. If it is not on DOR's list of 118, the credit is out and there is no point planning around it. If it is, the practise-and-reside test still has to be met. The list.
Which credit. Credit 207 closed to new qualifiers on 15 May 2024 and Credit 154 replaced it, with a cap. A lot of material still describes the old one. The difference.
We will tell you where you stand on both in a first conversation, and then point you at DOR and your tax preparer for the parts that are theirs.
What is useful to have ready
Nothing formal. Your target county and price, your degree and specialty, roughly what your student loan balance and monthly payment look like, and your start date if you have one.
If you have a signed employment contract, send it. It answers the pre-start timing question immediately.
Useful pages first
- The credit, and its $2 million cap.
- Which credit applies to you.
- All 118 eligible counties.
- The full guide.
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555. Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. Equal Housing Lender. This is not a commitment to lend. Loans are subject to buyer and property qualification.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a physician loan in Georgia?
Contact a lender who originates them and bring your employment contract and your student loan servicer documentation. Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, at Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 originates physician loans in Georgia and can be reached at (480) 296-6513 or mcerto@cfmtg.com.Does Georgia's tax credit affect my mortgage application?
No. It reduces Georgia income tax owed rather than arriving as cash, so it is not qualifying income and does not affect your debt-to-income, deposit or pricing. We price the mortgage on its own merits and leave the credit to your tax preparer, which is cleaner than the neighbouring states where the state money and the mortgage genuinely interact.What should I have ready before talking to a lender in Georgia?
Your target county and price, your degree and specialty, an approximate student loan balance and monthly payment, and your start date if you have one. A signed employment contract is the most useful single document because it answers the pre-start closing question immediately.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, visa, or licensure advice. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees, and overlays are set by the lender and change. Georgia's rural tax credits are set by statute and administered by the Georgia Department of Revenue; the Rural Health Care Professional Credit is subject to a $2 million annual aggregate cap allowed on a first come, first served basis, neither credit carries over, and neither can exceed the taxpayer's income tax liability. Nothing here is tax advice; confirm your position with a tax professional and with the Department of Revenue. Rural county designations are set by statute and census data and change. All loans are subject to borrower and property qualification, including credit and income review.