DEL.ICIO.USDevelopment of the Week: West Haven
Speedy home search leads to ideal find
For the AJC
Sunday, January 18, 2009
John and Anne Ley had a quick time frame - three days to buy a home - in their move from Virginia to Atlanta last year. West Haven in Smyrna stood out among the dozens of houses they viewed in one weekend. Ley, 57, chatted about their new home.
Photos by Christopher Oquendo / AJC Special
John and Anne Ley didn’t have much time to find a new home, but they found a perfect match at West Haven in Smyrna.
Getting there
Take I-75 north to I-285 west to Exit 16 (South Atlanta Road) and take a right off the exit onto South Atlanta Road, heading outside the perimeter. Travel 1 Ohm miles and turn left onto Daniel Street. Take an immediate left onto Cooper Lake Road. West Haven will be on the right.
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Q. What brought you to Atlanta?
A. My husband has just retired after 30 years in the Army. He went to work for the federal Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta. We knew nothing about Atlanta.
Q. What factor was important in the location?
The primary reason was his determination that his commute would not be long. On a weekend, it would take us 20 minutes to get into Washington D.C., and it would take him an hour and a half to get to work each day. He’s got 15-20 minutes now, so heis very happy. He talks about it all the time.
Q. How did the search process go?
When we came down from Virginia, we had three days to look. We looked at about 50 houses. We quickly realized we were looking for something new when we saw what the other ones looked like. We knew the time would not be available for us to do any kind of renovation on a house. We had identified Smyrna as a good neighborhood for the location, and it seemed to be growing.
We decided on Waterford Homes because the workmanship was very high quality, and we liked the finishes they used and just the overall feeling we got about the houses.
What were you looking for in a home?
We were considering having my husband’s dad come live with us, so we were looking for a place where there would be a basement level that would have a lot of light that he could live independently down there. They finished the basement for us. It has a bedroom and a living room, a bathroom with a shower and a toilet and sink, and a small office.
What features did you like?
I loved the hardwood floors. We have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a beautiful stove that has six burners. Our living room has a soaring ceiling. Itis a two-story ceiling, so we have lots of windows and lots of lovely light coming in during the day. Also, it backs to a wooded area so we can see the trees all the time.
Did your house sell in Virginia?
Once we put our house on the market in Virginia, it sold within a couple of weeks. We didnit expect that to happen because the market was already starting to decline. So we priced it competitively.
Did you take advantage of incentives in buying the house?
We did use their lender. We got $2,000 off.
At a Glance
John and Anne Layis home has 5 bedrooms, 5 baths and about 3,500 square feet of liveable space. They purchased it in May.
West Haven
Address: 1833 Haven Park Circle, Smyrna 30080
County: Cobb
Information: 770-863-9911, Waterford Homes
Price range: $559,900-$649,000
Homes: 30
Square footage: 3,000-3,800
Lot sizes: Less than one third of an acre
Standard features: Jenn-Air Pro Series stainless steel appliances, extensive trim, EarthCraft certified
Amenities: Pocket park, sidewalks, membership to The Vinings Club
Homeowners fees: $600 annually ($500 initiation fee)
Developer: The Pacific Group
Builder: Waterford Homes
Broker: Prudential Georgia Realty New Homes Division
Schools: Nickajack Elementary, Campbell Middle, Campbell High
More on schools: ajchomefinder school guide
Recent sales
$642,500: 1854 Haven Park Circle, Smyrna 30080. New 5-bedroom, 4-bath home on a full terrace level with a rear-entry garage.
$604,500: 1865 Haven Park Circle, Smyrna 30080. New 4-bedroom, 4-bath home with decks off the main level and the master.
For sale
$559,900: 1935 Haven Park Circle, Smyrna 30080. New 6-bedroom, 5-bath home with four-sided brick outdoor living space, courtyard entry
$599,900: 1928 Haven Park Circle, Smyrna 30080. New 4-bedroom, 4-bath on a full terrace level with a brick patio and rear and front porches.