The Search
Michael and Lucy Wiggins launched their home search in Atlanta while their house in Savannah was on the market and while Michael was still living in that historic city.
The decision to rent or buy – and the timing – was all based on their existing home. Assisted by Cindy Wallace with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, they searched harder when there was more activity on their Savannah home during the course of a year.
“Everything kind of happened for us at once. Michael was able to get employment here in Atlanta and the house was rented,” said Lucy, who works in property management.
Those moves allowed them to hone in on a home to purchase with quick access to I-75 and I-85 for Lucy’s job, but also close to Midtown and Buckhead. They found three choices in the Dunwoody area, just outside the Perimeter.
No. 1
Brick, but dated
The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home on Andalusia Trail was one of the largest split-level homes they saw during their search. But inside, the home needed updating, from the floors to the kitchen, which had outdated features such as laminated countertops. The home, built in 1977 in the Laurelwood Farms neighborhood, was listed for $249,000.
No. 2
Perfect floor plan
The four-bedroom, three-bath home on Joel Place offered a unique layout for a traditional two-story home, Lucy said. Compared to other traditional homes they viewed, the kitchen was more accessible to the living space because it adjoined a family room with a fireplace and built-in bookcases. The home also had a screened porch. It was built in 1969 in Dunwoody’s Fontainebleau Forest neighborhood, which has a pool and tennis courts. It was listed for $269,900.
No. 3
Updated traditional
The four-bedroom, three-bath home on Fleur De Lis Place, also in Fontainebleau Forest, had the same floor plan as choice No. 2. Slight differences included an enclosed sunroom instead of a screened porch. It had a fenced-in yard, which they desired for their dogs, Loca and Suerte. Updates such as new stainless steel appliances were in the home, which had hardwood floors throughout. The home, built in 1971, was priced at $295,000.
The Choice
No. 3. The Wiggins originally put an offer on the Joel Place home, but after doing an inspection and going through a “tedious” negotiation process for about three weeks, they could not agree with the seller on the price. “The very next weekend we went out with Cindy again to look at houses and this house had just fallen into our [price] range,” Lucy said. “It’s more updated than the other house.” The seller agreed to fix critical items listed in the inspection, such as replacing the water supply line. “The whole other contract falling through was kind of exhausting. It was literally the week after that we were under contract again,” Lucy said. Lucy and Michael, a chef, moved in during May.
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