The Search
Jerry Burkett and Beth Berry rented an apartment for a year to learn about metro Atlanta after relocating from the Detroit area for their jobs.
“We were looking for a starter home. Our minimum was three bedrooms, two baths,” Berry said. “We found a house that is what I consider more than a starter home.”
The couple, assisted by their agent, Allan S. Minter with Harry Norman, Realtors, searched for a midpoint between their offices in Kennesaw and Sandy Springs, focusing on east Cobb County. Berry, 29, works in marketing for the travel industry; Burkett, 31, works in sales for a power tool company.
No. 1
European in the South
The stucco and stone exterior stood out on this three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Snug Harbor in Marietta’s St. Charles Square neighborhood. “The stucco gave it a really nice texture. They don’t have stucco up north, so it’s different from what we were used to,” Berry said. Inside, the high ceilings and open floor plan were appealing. But it came with a pool, which would require maintenance, and some repairs were needed to the floors, interior walls, exterior wood and gutters. The foreclosure, built in 1998, was originally listed for $249,900, but the price had dropped to $209,900.
No. 2
Convenient to shopping
The four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Seven Springs Circle in Marietta featured updates, including granite countertops in the kitchen, Brazilian cherry floors and new lights and paint. The four-sided brick home also had a fenced yard and the neighborhood, Seven Springs, was near shopping at Merchants Walk and Cobb County parks. The home, built in 1970, was listed for $214,900.
No. 3
Spacious and open
The four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Bonnabel Trace also was in Marietta’s St. Charles Square, which has amenities including a lake, a lighted tennis court and clubhouse. The window-filled home had extra space in the sunroom, but like choice No. 1, they would have to invest in updating it. The home, built in 1999, was listed for $242,500.
The Choice
No. 1. After seeing the drastic drop in price, they competed with another bidder by offering $3,500 above the asking price. “We didn’t know how much to put in because we loved the house so much. But we didn’t want to pay more than it was worth since it was a foreclosure,” Berry said. “We were comfortable walking away from it at that price. If we got it, then it would be just the greatest blessing.
"The other thing we continued to tell each other is, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Their bid was accepted and they closed on the home in March. The inspector identified some termite damage to a window, which the seller fixed (also buying a termite bond for a year). They have spent about $12,000 on updates, including installing new carpet/hardwood floors, refinishing existing hardwood floors, and interior and exterior painting. “It was just an amazing deal,” Berry said. “We just waited it out.”
