First-Time Homebuyer

With low interest rates, great jobs and a baby, Darshan Trivedi, 33, and Poorvi Bhatt, 32, were ready to buy a house. The highest priority during their search was excellent schools, and they quickly focused on Johns Creek. Jessica Schulte, an associate broker with Keller Williams Peachtree Road, suggested two new developments. In The Gates at Johns Creek, the family was able build a house with all the upgraded amenities they wanted.

Q: Had you been considering buying?

Darshan: It was a sudden decision. We have never bought a house in our life. We were born in India. We moved to the UK for our jobs and stayed in the UK for four years. We moved from the UK to the USA for three years. We got fulltime jobs (at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through its contract with Lockheed Martin), and we decided to buy a house. Plus, we had a baby.

Poorvi: The rates were very low. That was a prime reason why we started looking.

Q: Did you create a list of what you desired?

Poorvi: We saw only two properties. What we liked about this community is they have full-sided brick. We really liked that because generally here in the U.S., they have (mostly) three-sided brick.

Q: What are the favorite things you picked out for your home?

Darshan: We have a wooden floor on the main level. Then the basic upgrades like stainless steel appliances. We have a small kid, so my parents and my in-laws visit frequently. So we decided to have a one bedroom and a full bathroom at the main level. We had a fireplace, but we decided to put (in) stone. We decided to have all the wiring through the builder so that when we go for the flat panel TV, all the wiring will be built in.

Q: Was the home completed in time?

Darshan: We . . . wanted to close before the 15th of December. It was (a) pretty tight deadline. The 10th of December was the closing date and the 11th was the move-in date.

Q: How did negotiations go?

Darshan: We just paid base price . . . no closing costs, no lot premium, plus we got a $14,000 incentive and upgrades. Another thing that was good about the builder was every Friday they called or dropped a voicemail (or e-mail) about the status.

Q: How do you feel about being a homebuyer?

Darshan: It’s a great feeling. We bought the first time in our life. We never bought in India and we never bought in the UK, and we decided to buy in the U.S.

At a Glance

Darshan Trivedi and Poorvi Bhatt’s new home in The Gates at Johns Creek has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, and about 3,007 square feet of livable space. They purchased it in December.