DEL.ICIO.USThe Search
Cozy, but with room to dance
For the AJC
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Our house hunters:
Marissa Suhrbier, a first-grade teacher at Oak Grove Elementary in DeKalb, and Horacio Arcidiacono, wine steward at the Sage Hill Kroger, met and fell in love in a tango class Horacio was teaching. When Marissa joined Horacio in Atlanta, the Columbia, S.C., and Argentina natives wanted to put down roots and buy a home.
Courtesy: Marissa Suhrbier and Horacio Arcidiacono
Home buyers Marissa Suhrbier and Horacio Arcidiacono.
The process:
The two were pretty specific about what they wanted: to be inside the Perimeter in a home that would build equity and with an open and spacious floor plan. Ease of access was important: Horacio teaches a tango class every Friday before the weekly Minonga (tango party) at Suwanee’s Acuarius Tango Salon and on Tuesdays at Decatur’s Several Dancers Core. They looked inside the Perimeter, but soon found that the houses they liked were outside their budget. They turned to one of Horacio’s current students, Rebecca Jacobs, a Realtor with Keller Williams Intown. “She was such a hard worker,” Marissa marvels. “She kept finding new properties for us to look at and was always willing to find us the home that we wanted.” Marissa also valued Jacobs’ realistic input as she pointed out the pros and cons to some of the homes they toured.
Choice #1: Hardwood floors
With three bedrooms and two baths, this 1966 ranch in Tucker’s Winchester Heights neighborhood was priced at $210,000. “It was a beautiful home,” Marissa says. “It was in a good location and had hardwood floors that are good for dancing,” which would work not only for the couple, but also for Horacio’s private tango lessons. Its interior had been renovated, and it was obvious that its grounds had been professionally landscaped.
Choice #2: Completely renovated
Marissa and Horacio liked that this home had been completely renovated with an eye to the details. “The style was unique and modern,” Marissa said. The open kitchen had granite and stainless steel appliances, and the dining room opened onto a new deck. Its lower level could work as either a guest suite or a media room. Priced at $229,900, the 1961 four-bedroom, three-bath split level was in Decatur’s White Oaks Hills subdivision. The house was on a huge lot located on a cul-de-sac.
Choice #3: Charming cottage
Located in Tucker’s Montreal Woods subdivision, this four-bedroom, 2½-bath ranch was built in 1960 and priced at $214,900. Its charming exterior reminded the couple of a cottage, complete with working shutters and colorful window boxes. Its renovations included a master suite with a huge bathroom and walk-in closets. It also had hardwood floors and a gourmet kitchen.
Which house did they choose?
No. 3. “Horacio had seen some homes while I was away and really liked one, but wouldn’t tell me which one,” Marissa laughs. “I knew as soon as we pulled into the driveway that this was it. It was so charming: it looked like a cottage.” The spacious gourmet kitchen — with ceramic tile counters and travertine backsplashes — has a connected eat-in area, and both are right off the “cozy” family room. “It’s a very warm home,” Marissa says. Horacio loves to cook, so he loves his gourmet kitchen. On pretty days, he also likes relaxing on the small patio by the front door. Marissa is enjoying having a master suite. “We looked at so many houses that didn’t have a separate master suite,” she says, “I love having our own private bathroom, with two vanities, and a really large closet.” The quiet neighborhood is just what they wanted, and Marissa enjoys taking walks. The neighbors have been friendly as well. “We’re already feeling like we’re part of the community,” Marissa smiles.