The Rev. Elaine Wilder and her husband, Paul, found unlimited options on the market, especially after they increased their price range by $40,000 to the mid-$200,000s and searched for Cobb County homes that were move-in ready.
“We decided we would rather spend money upfront than to put a lot of work into a house,” said Elaine, 29, an associate minister at First United Methodist Church of Marietta.
Elaine and Paul, 29, a health care advisor with Ernst & Young, were seeking a home with at least three bedrooms, an office, a bonus room and a backyard for their golden retriever, Maggie. Assisted by Linda Moore Connor with Harry Norman Realtors, they focused on three choices in Marietta and neighboring Kennesaw.
No. 1: Big basement, possible big expenses
The four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Wilshire Drive caught their attention with its “gigantic” finished basement, Paul said. The kitchen had been updated with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and tile backsplash, too. Those and other features, including built-in bookcases in the living room, were spectacular, Paul said. The home was in Marietta’s Walker’s Ridge neighborhood, a swim-tennis community, but it had a sloped instead of a flat backyard. It needed a new heating and air conditioning unit and the polybutylene pipes had to be replaced, the couple said. Built in 1992, it was originally listed for $259,900.
No. 2: Perfect colors, lacking privacy
The four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Pinebreeze Drive was ready for them to move in, down to paint colors they liked. It had a fenced backyard that was the largest of the choices. But the yard lacked privacy, with a neighbor’s deck overlooking their outdoor space. The home, built in 1997, was in Marietta’s East Worthington neighborhood, also a swim-tennis community. The couple said the biggest concern about the home, originally listed for $210,00, was that it had recalled siding.
No. 3: Small exterior, large interior
The four-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath home on Parkview Lane was on a small but flat lot in Kennesaw’s Parkview at Barrett Greene neighborhood. The layout featured three bedrooms on the main level, including the master. The couple was surprised to find the home had an estimated 3,300 square feet, which was more than the other choices. “When you look at the house from the street, it doesn't seem like a gigantic house. It’s a little unassuming. When you walk in, it kind of unfolds the amount of space they were able to put in the house,” Paul said. Built in 1999, the home was originally listed for $250,000.
The choice
No. 3. The couple wrote a contract on No. 1, but couldn't agree on the price with the seller. They put an offer on the Parkview Lane home the day after they looked at it and accepted the seller's counteroffer the next day. "The real reason that we were so happy to buy this house is that it was priced so well for the market," Elaine said. "She had it appraised and then she priced the house." They purchased the home last summer. The only major change has been fencing in the backyard. Paul adds: "I can't imagine that you can have a better buying experience."
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