First-Time Homebuyer
Kim Ferguson was undaunted by the prospect of buying a foreclosure for her first home. Ferguson, a sales and event designer for Endive Catering, searched during the busy wedding season last year before buying in Block Lofts, an Atlanta community.
Q: What prompted you to look for your first home?
A: I have a friend who lives at Kessler CityLofts (on Peachtree Street). She was saying you ought to think about it, with foreclosures, and if you get an FHA loan a down payment is reasonable now. I kind of got excited about it and realized that, yes, this is something that I could totally afford to do. With the real estate market, I might not ever have an opportunity like this.
Q: So how did you proceed from the thought that you could possibly buy a place?
A: I started looking at two units in her building. It's a really unique building. I loved her loft. I loved that sort of edgy, in-town loft look. I realized that if there were such great places available in her building, what else is out there? My realtor (Robert Rogers with Keller Williams Realty Buckhead) is someone I knew from Facebook, and I always was impressed about his go-get-him style. He was so passionate about real estate. The two of us did tons of research. Once I realized there were great lofts available, I saw what all was out there. I probably dragged that poor man to 100 different lofts.
Q: What was on your dream list while you looked?
A: I really wanted to find a loft that had skyline views. I wanted high ceilings, like 18- to 20-foot ceilings. I wanted a hard loft look, but, at the same time, I wanted amenities like parking. I wanted a second bedroom.
Q: Did the loft you purchased give you those features?
A: I walked in and it was every single thing I had dreamed of in one place, and I was blown away. Number one, it had the loft format. It has an upstairs bedroom with the look down over the living room, which I love. It had two bedrooms. It has a balcony with a city view. It's in Old Fourth Ward, which once I got down there, it's so perfect.
Q: What’s so great about the Old Fourth Ward location for you?
A: It's like 10 minutes to get to work (in Midtown). I'm close to I-85, I-75, Buckhead, Midtown, downtown, I'm right behind Virginia-Highland. It's just the most amazing location. It's just a cool fun part of town.
Q: Were the ceilings and windows big enough for you?
A: It has a whole wall of (18 foot) windows. It looks out toward Freedom Parkway, and I've got a skyline view.
Q: What else did you learn about working with a real estate agent?
A: Robert called me two or three times a day or updated me on Facebook or sent me an e-mail or a text. I never felt out of the loop. He answered my questions when I would get nervous about something. He was always reassuring. There was no question that was too small or too silly. I felt so comfortable during the process. I was like, this is a breeze.
Q: What are you looking forward to doing to the loft this spring?
A: I can't wait to do outdoor plantings on my balcony. I pretty much wake up every day and sit out on my balcony with a cup of coffee, and I'm like, I can't believe this.
At a Glance
Kim Ferguson’s loft, built in 2005 in Block Lofts, has two bedrooms, two baths and about 1,237 square feet. She purchased it in October. Units in Block Lofts are selling in the low to mid $100,000s.
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