Staying in Sugar Hill seemed like a sweet idea to Todd and Cindy Little, so they bought in town when they moved into a new four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home in Daniel Creek in July. Todd, 40, an information technology professional, chatted about the move.

Q: What prompted the move?

A: We got out of our old one right before [the housing market] went south. We wanted to stay in the Sugar Hill area. [It has] good schools; it's very convenient.

Q: What was the search like?

A: At first, what we wanted was a basement, a larger yard, an established neighborhood. [In the existing homes they looked at] all the kitchens needed to be upgraded. It would have probably cost us $20,000. And they wanted about the same amount for a 10-, 15-year-old house than what we could buy a brand new one for. We decided to pull the trigger on a new one. Our real estate agent found Daniel Creek. We fell in love with the house, we fell in love with the location.

Q: What did you get?

A: We got a much bigger home, three sides brick. It had an upgraded trim package. We have granite countertops. The kitchen appliances were upgraded. It has built-ins downstairs. It's a gated community. It's more energy efficient.

Q: Did you take advantage of any discounts or incentives?

A: Oh yes, big time. Probably $25,000 or more (off the price of the home). That would be one piece of advice . . . negotiate. New home builders are willing to negotiate.

Q: What's your favorite spot in the home?

A: The kitchen. Our kitchen is probably three times as big as it was in our other house. They provided all the appliances except for the refrigerator. All of our appliances were upgraded —- stainless.

TRACT FACTS

Address: 81 Daniel Creek Lane, Sugar Hill 30518

County: Gwinnett

Information: 770-614-1323, www.mccarhomes.com

Price range: $250,000s-$360,000s

Homes: 38

Square feet: 2,510-3,256

Lot sizes: 1/6 acre

Standard features: built-ins, hardwood floors, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, tiled bathrooms, three sides brick

Amenities: gated, playground, fire pit, Webcams monitoring school bus stop, sidewalks

Homeowners fees: $800 annually ($1,000 initiation fee)

Builder: McCar Homes

Schools: Riverside Elementary, Lanier Middle, North Gwinnett High

More on schools: www.ajchomefinder.com/schoolguide

Getting there

From downtown Atlanta, take I-85 north to Exit 111 (Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road) and turn left. Follow until road turns into Suwanee Dam Road. Daniel Creek is approximately 6 miles on the right.

Find more developments online at ajchomefinder.com