Newcomer Living is a new feature that will appear regularly in Homefinder. If you moved to the Atlanta area and bought a residence in 2013, and are willing to share your story, contact Lori Johnston at lori@fastcopy.biz.
It turned out to be a small world after all for Donna Foster, who works for Walt Disney World. She was able to move with her family to Atlanta and still telecommute for the company.
Foster, who grew up in Florida, looked forward to living in her husband David’s hometown, where they and their 4-year-old daughter, Robyn, could see the seasons change.
Why Atlanta?
The Fosters, who adopted Robyn from China in 2010, and plan to adopt again, desired to move closer to family.
The couple put their home, located just south of Walt Disney World, on the market in 2012. They received an offer that fell through two days before they were supposed to close. Another offer, from a buyer who happened to be from Georgia and willing to purchase the home for cash, came in a week later.
Putting down roots
The Fosters first looked at homes in northern suburbs, such as Johns Creek and Roswell. When David was hired as the technical director for the Murray Arts Center at Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, the couple focused on homes in Cobb County. At night, after her daughter went to bed, Donna would search real estate listings on her iPad.
Working with Cindy Wallace, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, the couple desired four bedrooms and a separate space for Donna’s home office. Donna also had specific requirements for the floor plan.
“I was looking for a two-story home, but I wanted my master on the second floor. I didn’t want to be separated from the girls,” Donna said. “I found the newer homes tend to have a master on the main, which is not something we were interested in, especially if you’re adopting a young one.”
A four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home in Acworth offered that setup. The cul-de-sac home was built in 1989 and included a finished room in the basement and a screened porch.
The family moved into the home, which is just a 15-minute commute for David, in February. Since then, the Fosters have enjoyed seeing Robyn get to know their family, including spending the night with her aunt. Atlanta attractions such as rooting for the Braves at Turner Field and seeing shows at the Fox Theatre, where David worked while in high school, also appealed to them. The family also has become members of the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw and the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.
Relocation tip
Bring perspective from other places you’ve lived around the country. After experiencing Florida hurricanes such as Charley, Jeanne and Frances in 2004, Donna sought a basement to protect them against tornadoes and other storms. “I never had a basement growing up. We did hurricanes in a closet,” she said.
