Ron and Bianca Garmon had an urgent need for more space after Ron’s son, 13-year-old Justin, came to live with them.
“I was looking for a minimum of three to four bedrooms,” said Garmon, 38, who works for Delta Air Lines.
A two-car garage and bonus room for company also were must-haves. Working with Keyla Berry, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, they looked at homes within the $100,000-$125,000 price range.
“There were some bad ones. There were ones that needed a lot of attention. There were ones that were in neighborhoods that were unappealing. There were ones that were out of the price range,” Garmon said. “We saw a lot of homes in a short time.”
These properties south of Atlanta, near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, caught his eye.
No. 1
Affordable and new
The homes in Williams Bluff, built by Wilson Parker Homes, had the appeal of being new construction. The College Park homes had brick or stone accent front exteriors and three- or four-bedroom floor plans. Inside, choices included stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. But the subdivision was not complete, and they were unsure about living across the street from a cemetery. The homes are priced in the $120,000s to $150,000s.
No. 2
Two-story foreclosure
The four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Uppark Drive, in Atlanta’s Union Crossing neighborhood, had the space Garmon was seeking, with a bonus room and two-car garage. Features included hardwood floors and a fireplace in the family room. Although it was a foreclosure, the home was in good shape, Garmon said. The neighborhood had amenities, including a pool, clubhouse, gym, tennis courts and a basketball court. The home, built in 2004, was listed for $120,000.
No. 3
Cheaper option
The three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home also was on Uppark Drive in Atlanta’s Union Crossing neighborhood, with access to the same community amenities. The home also had hardwood floors, a two-car garage, a separate dining room and a fireplace in the family room. But they had to weigh the size difference — this one had about 1,860 square feet, while choice No. 2 had about 2,500 square feet. The home, built in 2005, was listed for $95,000.
The choice
No. 2. The extra space won out. Garmon closed on the home in May, crediting his real estate agent for keeping the foreclosure purchase moving. “Make sure that you do your research on your Realtor,” he said. “She was able to push things along at a nice rate.” He also recommends that people be prepared to buy furniture and kitchen appliances, and make updates, such as changing the paint color or carpet, or doing more extensive repairs, after the closing. “Make sure that you’re saving money for the (home-buying) process and that you’re saving money for items after closing,” he said.
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