Lifestyle Community: Chattahoochee Hills: Pair picks purchase over lease

A call inquiring about a lease-purchase resulted in Sam and Mary Campbell finding a foreclosure and buying their first home. Mary, 34, owner of Kid to Kid, a Buford children’s resale store for clothing, toys and equipment, chatted about their three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath house in Duluth’s Chattahoochee Hills neighborhood.

Q How did you get started?

A We got in contact with Gail Williams [an agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners] for an ad for a lease purchase. She said, “I think we could find something [to buy now].” We looked at 15-20 homes. This one came up. It wasn’t in our price range, but they did a dramatic price drop. We pretty much knew right away we wanted to put a bid in.

How long did you have to wait to find out it was yours?

Our first offer was just for full price, plus $3,000 in closing costs. When they told us there were two other offers, they told us to put in our best. We put in $3,000 above the asking price, to cover the closing costs. We found out probably within three or four days we got our offer accepted. That was the beginning of March. It took a month to get the contracts.

How was that experience?

The waiting was OK for us. Our landlord allowed us out of our lease with a 30-day notice, without penalty.

What did you find out about the home?

Just because it’s a foreclosure and it’s a low price, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. We paid for our own inspection. We had a pest control company come out and tell us as best as they could anything about termites. We also paid for our own appraisal. All together, it cost us around $650. Our home was appraised at $14,000 above [the asking price], and the exterior had not been painted. The bank painted that for us. That raised it by another $4,000.

It was good they did that for you.

It wasn’t us really. We found out afterward that the homeowner’s association was fining them $25 a day.

What shape was it in?

It had a lot of minor plumbing issues. The door frame on the back of the garage had been busted out. We had to replace the doors. Those were really relatively easy fixes. We recarpeted, and the entire home had to be painted.

What feature sold you on the home?

Real hardwood floors throughout the entire bottom floor.

What advice would you give people about buying a foreclosure?

Don’t be suckered into thinking they have to use the seller’s attorneys.

Chattahoochee Hills

County: Gwinnett

Price range: $160,000s

Homes: About 300

Square footage: 1,300-1,700

Lot sizes: Less than fl acre

Standard features: Fireplaces, garden tubs in master bath, laundry rooms

Amenities: Pool, sidewalks

Homeowners fees: $350 a year (no initiation fee)

Developer/builder: Richport Properties

Schools: Chattahoochee Elementary, Duluth Middle, Duluth High

More on schools: www.ajchomefinder.com/schoolguide

Getting there

Take I-85 north to Exit 104 (Pleasant Hill Road) and turn left. Cross over Buford Highway. Chattahoochee Hills will be on the right.

Recent sales

$183,500: 3656 Gray Place, Duluth 30096. Four-bedroom, three-bath home built in 1991 with a garden tub and separate shower in the master bath and new interior paint and insulated garage doors.

$172,225: 3935 Sidney Lanier Blvd., Duluth 30096. Three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home built in 1991 with new carpet and paint, hardwood floors and a fenced yard.

For sale

$169,900: 3671 Sunrise Lane N.W., Duluth 30096. Two-story home built in 1990 with three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and features including a garden tub and separate shower in the master bath and fireplace in the living room.

The sales agent says

Chattahoochee Hills’ location near Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and shops along Pleasant Hill Road make it a desirable neighborhood, said Gail Williams, an agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners. The school district is also a plus, with Duluth High School ranked among the top 1,300 high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.

Want to brag about your community? Send your suggestions to writer Lori Johnston at lorijohnston73@charter.net