Grandmother gets ‘new life' in Marietta
Lynda Moore decided to leave her remote mountain home in Banner Elk, N.C., for Atlanta a couple of years after her husband of 47 years died in an accident.
“I was ready to be a city dweller,” she said.
Moore, 69, focused on finding a home close to her son Emmett, daughter-in law Elizabeth, and grandchildren, 12-year-old Robert and 8-year-old James. She found a Marietta neighborhood, Woodlawn Commons, just three blocks away from her family, and was sold on the variety of architectural styles, ability to walk to shops, mature landscaping and amenities including a pool and tennis courts.
Assisted by Ed Robeson with Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta, she just needed to choose the floor plan and setting from among the listings in the cluster home neighborhood.
No. 1: Stucco eye-catcher
The two-bedroom, 2 1/2- bath home on Dobbs Crossing was a traditional one with a two-story living room featuring a fireplace and a keeping room off the kitchen. The floor plan had a sunroom, too. The home included hardwood floors, walk-in closets and ceiling fans, but it was showing some wear and tear because of its age, Moore said. The home, built in 1989, was originally listed for $312,500.
No. 2: Affordable cluster home
The three-bedroom, two-bath home, also on Dobbs Crossing, also offered a two-story family room and a kitchen with a keeping room. The master bathroom had a large walk-in closet, and the main level included hardwood floors. The home, built in 1989 and originally listed for $295,000, had a brick and frame exterior and was the least expensive of the three homes.
No. 3: Spacious update
The third home she considered on Dobbs Crossing had three bedrooms and 2 1/2-baths. The updated kitchen had Brazilian wood cabinets and floors, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. A sunroom offered outdoor space. The home, built in 1989, was originally listed for $325,000.
The Choice
No. 1. “I was just down here for my grandson’s 12th birthday party and I got to see the house for 35 minutes and I bought it,” she said. The first home had ladylike qualities and a much different look from her previous homes, which had included a log cabin. “It’s very feminine,” she said. “I’m kind of developing another side here with blues and lavender and colors that are far away from fall (colors).” Since moving in, she’s added more plantation shutters, brought in a crystal chandelier and updated the tile. “It’s given me a new life that I had been seeking and a purpose with my grandchildren and a whole new way of living. So it’s exciting,” she said.
