The Search
After selling their primary residence in North Carolina, Dave and Jeanne Pinamonti lived in their vacation home in Hiawassee, Ga., during their search for a home in North Fulton County.
Jeanne’s daily searches with agent Alenda Kinder of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage focused on Roswell, and specifically on the Willow Springs neighborhood, where they had lived in the 1980s.
“We actually had maintained some friendships there. We wanted to rejoin the country club, because it’s an excellent club. As an added bonus, one of our daughters lives there with two grandchildren,” said Jeanne, 64.
They narrowed their choices to two homes in Willow Springs and a townhome right outside the neighborhood.
No. 1
Right neighborhood, renovations needed
The three-bedroom, two-bath cluster home on Camden Glen Court had the Willow Springs location and was on the 6th fairway of the Country Club of Roswell golf course. The home, built in 1984, was originally listed for $296,500. It had granite countertops and tile backsplash in the kitchen and a tiled sunroom. The long and narrow great room posed a challenge because there was no way to widen the room, and the master bathroom needed an extensive renovation, they said.
No. 2
Updated, but short sale
The two-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath brick townhome on Long Pointe Drive in Roswell was in a neighborhood right outside the entrance to Willow Springs. The Long Pointe community was small, with 39 townhomes, and gated. The townhome, built in 2005, also had features such as a deck, extra storage and a finished basement. But the home, originally listed for $260,000, was a short sale, which increased the likelihood of a drawn out process.
No. 3
Cluster home, country club location
The three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home, also on Camden Glen Court in Willow Springs, had a master on the main and a sunroom. But it was smaller than the other homes they considered, and they noticed those differences in spots such as an upstairs bedroom. The home, built in 1983, was originally listed for $292,500.
The Choice
No. 2
The Long Pointe townhome, which has about 3,100 square feet, wowed them with its wide-open floor plan for entertaining. “We don’t like the formal living area because our lifestyle is much more casual and transitional,” said Dave, 65, who handles product development, sales and marketing for the U.S. for Durham Furniture. “When you walk in, it kind of opens up.” To get the home, which was a four-month process of waiting, they offered $10,000 more than the asking price and paid cash. They closed on the home in May. One of their favorite spots is the master suite, which has a sitting area with a fireplace and a small kitchen area. “We say over and over that it was one of the best decisions that we have ever made,” Jeanne said. “The long wait was definitely worth it.” They rejoined the country club, which is within walking distance.
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