Capt. Stacy Magness toured a number of condos and lofts in the city before stumbling upon a foreclosure in Village Creek Landing, a townhome community in East Atlanta Village. Magness, 36, who serves with the Georgia Air National Guard, chatted about her new place.
Q: What did you think of the selection on the market?
A: There’s a lot of selection, however, the quality of some of them and the size, it just wasn’t what I was looking for. I just couldn’t get over the apartment feel of the condos. I really started pushing hard because I was a little nervous that the home prices would rise. I know that under different circumstances, I would not have been able to afford the home I bought.
Q: What did you want in terms of a location?
A: I'm young and single, so I wanted to be in the city. This is a little farther out than I wanted to be, but well worth the compromise. I have the best of both worlds; the "burbs" in the city. I like the East Atlanta area because of its diversity, culture and sense of community. The proximity to Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland are also a plus.
Q: How did the Village Place townhome stand out?
A: This place had everything on my wish list and gave me much more space than the condos I looked at in the city, and a private two-car garage. I fell in love immediately; I believe it was because of my fondness for Craftsman-style homes. I knew that single-family Craftsman-style homes were out of my price range. When I saw that, I was like, “I have to have it.”
Q: What kind of shape was the townhome in?
A: It was just about in perfect condition, other than a minor leak in the basement (which her 12-year-old son, Michael helped discover during the inspection). I watch HGTV a lot, and when they go into some of those foreclosures, they’re a disaster.
Q: How difficult was the buying process?
A: It was kind of complicated because I ended up making an offer a few days before Christmas. It was almost a week before we heard back from the bank. When you’re dealing with the buyer directly, you can demand a 24-hour response, and we just didn’t have that luxury. To make it even more interesting, I used my VA (Veterans Affairs) loan, an additional level of bureaucracy. I believe the current housing situation and lenders cracking down made it more of a hassle than it being a foreclosure. When I reflect on my blessing, however, I can't help but think about the family that was displaced.
Q: Do you plan to make any changes to the townhome?
A: On my wish list is to expand the deck, finish the basement, and more immediately, convert the attic space on either the side of the master suite to shoe closets.
At a Glance
Capt. Stacy Magness’ townhome has three bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms, an unfinished basement and about 1,284 square feet of livable space, according to tax records. She purchased it in February.
Village Creek Landing
Address: 2676 Village Creek Landing, Atlanta 30316 (See listing information below)
County: DeKalb
Price range: High $100,000s-mid $200,000s
Homes: 32
Square footage: 1,258-1,665
Standard features: Hardwood floors, separate tub and shower in the master bathroom
Amenities: Pool
Homeowners fees: $145-$176 a month, depending on the unit
Schools: Sky Haven Elementary, McNair Middle, McNair High
More on schools: schools.ajchomefinder.com
Getting there
Take I-75/I-85 to I-20 east to Exit 60-A (Moreland Avenue south). Turn left onto Village Creek Landing.
For Sale
$174,900: 2676 Village Creek Landing, Atlanta 30316. A two-bedroom, 2 ½-bath townhome built in 2003 with a full, unfinished basement.
Recent Sales
$245,000: 2528 Village Creek Landing, Atlanta 30316. A two-bedroom, 2 ½-bath townhome built in 2004 with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and cherry cabinets in the kitchen and a fireplace in the great room.
$235,000: 2567 Village Creek Landing, Atlanta 30316. A three-bedroom, 2 ½-bath townhome built in 2003 with an island in the kitchen and a covered patio.
Community information provided by Randall Loehrig with Harry Norman, Realtors and compiled by Delaney Young.
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