DEL.ICIO.USThe Search
Seeking privacy and potential
For the AJC
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Our house hunters:
Relocating to Atlanta from Ohio and Nebraska, respectively, Brie and Nathan Hevesy looked forward to settling down in their new town. Brie, who works at Atlanta Vision Clinic, and Nathan, who is with Ingersoll Rand, were longtime renters who longed for a home of their own that their cat Lilly would also enjoy, and with a nice backyard for the dog in their future. They both like biking, and riding the Silver Comet Trail, and the proximity to Nathan’s office made the Powder Springs/Marietta area the place to begin their search.
The process:
“We wanted at least four bedrooms and no back-door neighbors,” Brie says. Since they’re both from the Midwest, they also thought that a basement would be nice. They turned to Realtor Rebecca Wellborn of Chapman Hall Realtors, whom they met at an open house for a client she was representing. They didn’t buy the house, but they hired the Realtor. “Rebecca had so much integrity,” Nathan recalls. “And we could trust her. We knew she was helping us make the decision that would be right for us.”
Choice #1: New construction
This 2008 traditional in the Retreat at Lost Mountain, a Powder Springs subdivision, had four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, and was listed at $184,900. They really liked the community and its amenities, including an “amazing pool,” Brie says. Since it was new construction, it was move-in ready. And there were no neighbors behind them.
Choice #2: Unfinished basement
With four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, this traditional home in the Warren Creek subdivision in Hiram was built in 2003 and listed at $185,700. A foreclosure, it had a beautiful double-sided fireplace, a lovely keeping room and an unfinished basement. Brie and Nathan liked the character and charm of the house and felt that it would be great for entertaining. They also liked the private backyard.
Choice #3: Great price per square foot
Also a foreclosure, this five-bedroom, three-bath traditional in the Powder Springs subdivision of DeFoors Farm was listed at $170,400. “It was a huge house,” Brie says. “The price per square foot was incredible.” Its location in a swim and tennis community was attractive, as was the large master suite with a sitting room that was located on the main level. Built in 2007, it also had beautiful hardwood floors.
Which house did they choose?
No. 2. They got everything they wanted, especially the huge, wooded and very private backyard, and the walk-out basement, for which they have lots of plans. All moved in, the couple has painted the living, dining, keeping room and master bedroom all warm earth tones. They love the wraparound porch and large back deck, and the open floor plan inside that connects the dining room with the keeping room and breakfast nook. “There’s just so much more space for when we entertain, and for visitors who come and stay,” Brie smiles. They definitely feel they’ve come home. As Nathan says, “You can look at a house and have a vision of what it could be, and you know you can make it your own.”