When the rent on Scott Akins’ apartment suddenly increased by 10 percent, he decided to buy a home again.
“I saw that interest rates were staying low and home prices seemed to be still affordable and I thought it was a good opportunity,” he said.
Akins is a nurse practitioner who works for Emory Healthcare at an outpatient geriatrics clinic on the St. Joseph’s campus in the Perimeter area. With the help of Sara Ohmer with the Harry Norman, Realtors-Buckhead office, Akins searched for homes in the Cobb and Gwinnett county school districts for re-sale value and a backyard for his dog, Mandy, a lab hound mix, to enjoy.
No. 1
Updated contemporary
A four-bedroom, three-bath contemporary on Tall Oak Drive in Marietta boasted an updated interior, open floor plan and fenced-in yard. Akins described the kitchen as “top tier” and it was a big selling point. However, the master and other bedrooms appeared to be too small for a home at the top of his budget. The finished basement was appealing to Akins for rental potential. The house, built in 1978 in Cobb County’s Woodland Trails neighborhood, was listed for $295,000.
No. 2
Classic Curb Appeal
A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath contemporary home on Lockridge Drive in Doraville offered a split-level layout with a lower level office/den/bonus room, and a fenced-in backyard. The updated home offered hardwood floors throughout, double vanity sinks in the bathroom and a breakfast bar in the kitchen. However, systems such as the HVAC water heater were outdated. Akins was concerned that they were not energy efficient and might need to be replaced soon. The brick home also had a carport, and Akins would have preferred a garage. The Gwinnett County home, built in 1970 in Lockridge Forest, was listed for $279,900.
No. 3
Near the Chattahoochee
A three-bedroom, three-bath contemporary home on Bayliss Drive in Marietta’s River Springs neighborhood backed up onto Chattahoochee natural conservation land. A long driveway set the home back from the road, and Akins was immediately smitten by the property. It offered space for his dog to play, and the land behind the home also was protected from development. The home had a few of the updates he desired, such as a move-in ready kitchen with stone countertops. Other places in the home were outdated, such as old wallpaper in the bedrooms. The Cobb County home, built in 1980, was listed for $290,000.
The Choice
No. 2. The neighborhood’s look, location close to the Perimeter, and nearby dining, entertainment and recreation options sold Akins on the Gwinnett County home. His commute didn’t increase, either. Mandy gets to play in the fenced-in backyard and Akins enjoys other outdoor features, such as the stone patio and screened porch.
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