Ezra and Dawn Bowen acted fast when they found a large piece of land in Alpharetta about 3 miles from their previous residence. But they were deliberate about finding a builder, which ended up being Ramon Stewart Construction. Dawn, 47, chatted about their year-old home in Stephens Gate.

Q: What was appealing about the land?

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Ezra and Dawn Bowen acted fast to buy their land, then slowed down to choose a builder they felt they could work with. 'Our heart is in this house,' Dawn says, 'because we were here every step of the way.'

Getting there Ga. 400 to Exit 10, left on Old Milton Pkwy. (turns into Rucker). Right on Mid Broadwell (turns to Birmingham Hwy.) to four-way stop. Left on Hickory Flat. Right on Sugar Pike. Right on Gantt. 2 miles to Stephens Gate.

A: It was very wooded, and it was just beautiful. There were huge trees. It was more remote than anything I had found.

Q: How big is the property?

A: We ended up buying two lots. The one we built on is 3.4 acres. The other lot is right around 3 [acres].

Q: How is the interior different from your previous home?

A: My kitchen is completely different. It's got a huge island — my kids and my husband call it "Hammerhead Island." At the end, it looks like a hammerhead shark.

Q: What's one of your favorite features?

A: We had Amish [craftsmen] build our cherry cabinets. The owner drove from Illinois just to look at my space. Then he sent the cabinetmaker, who does not drive. He had to get a driver. They met us on a Saturday at 7 a.m., he did all the measures, then they literally got back in the car and drove to Illinois. The cabinets needed to be done in six weeks. They drove back with three guys, got here at 9 in the morning and worked until midnight. They finished my kitchen and drove back.

Q: What advice do you have for building a home?

A: Spend time with the builder. It was more than just the price. It was how you're going to work with the builder. Builders, I think, typically are kind of a different breed. They're used to building certain houses. That's why we loved Ramon. He completely worked with us. We really feel like our heart is in this house because we were here every step of the way.

TRACT FACTS

Address: 1604 Gantt Road, Alpharetta 30004

County: Cherokee

Information: 770-846-2294, www.stewartbuilt.com

Price range: $287,000 for remaining lot, one resale at $850,000 (homes have sold in the high $800,000s to more than $1 million)

Number of homes: 13 (one lot remaining)

Square footage: minimum 3,200 (homes are custom built)

Lot sizes: minimum 3 acres

Standard features: granite countertops, stained cabinets, high-end appliances in kitchens, master on the main

Homeowners fees: none

Developer/builder: Ramon Stewart Construction

Broker: Denise McDonald, Realty Executives

Schools: Avery Elementary, Creekland Middle, Creekview High

More on schools: http://schools.ajchomefinder.com/