Frustrated with the traffic to reach their daughters' schools, Tony and Barbara Dimatteo bought a home in Hoschton's Ashbury Park neighborhood. The location and floor plan work for them, plus they found a surprise in the backyard. Barbara, 48, chatted about their four-bedroom, four-bath home with a basement.

Q: When did you move in?

A: April.

Q: Where were you moving from?

A: We lived in Lawrenceville, kind of on the Dacula end. Not too far from here, actually, but [the new house] was closer to our kids' schools. That was a huge reason for moving closer. Both our daughters [13-year-old Nicole and 16-year-old Nina] are real involved in activities. Even though we were literally five miles away, it took a half-an-hour drive to get over there at any significant time of day. Now we're two miles door to door, and on the other end of it, so we don't hit the traffic the way everybody does coming in.

Q: What did you like about the home in Ashbury Park?

A: It's very open. When you first come in, the kitchen is one big, long rectangle, and it merges into a family-type room. We spend 90 percent of our waking time in the kitchen area, whether the kids are doing homework, or I'm cooking or we're just hanging out. It was huge. It was a big kitchen. That was a big draw for us.

Q: What else appealed to you?

A: We have an oak tree that dominates pretty much the backyard, and it's like 200 or 300 years old. You can't miss it. You look out any window in the back and it's all this tree. It's an unbelievable tree. That tree was a huge, huge draw for us.

Q: Were you able to take advantage of the market?

A: The builder was motivated. We got a great price, as well as we were able to take advantage of a real low fixed-rate mortgage.

ASHBURY PARK

Address: 1200 Ashbury Park Drive, Hoschton 30548

County: Gwinnett

Information: 678-482-7623, www.vintagecommunities.net

Price range: Low $400,000s to high $500,000s

Number of homes: About 270

Square footage: 3,400-4,000

Lot sizes: 1/4- to 1/3-acre

Standard features: Granite countertops and hardwood floors in kitchens, tile in baths. Amenities: clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, 46 acres of green space.

Homeowners fees: $675 annually ($750 initiation fee)

Developer: Vintage Communities

Builder: Delta Enterprises, Don Gale & Associates, Douglas Homes, Embry Homebuilders, Glen Huff Homes, Homes by Ken Butera, Matt Glouton Homes, Taylored Homes, WGC Properties

Broker: Re/Max Center

Schools: Duncan Creek Elementary, Osborne Middle, Mill Creek High

Getting there

From downtown Atlanta, take I-85 north to Exit 120 (Hamilton Mill Road) and turn right onto Hamilton Mill Parkway. Turn left at first light onto Braselton Highway/Ga. 124. Ashbury Park will be 4.3 miles on the left.

Find more developments online at ajchomefinder.com