The Sale
Name: Patrick and Niki Kelley
The home: A four-bedroom, three-bath home built in 2000 in a swim-tennis neighborhood.
Where: Mableton’s Vinings Estates neighborhood
Why they sold: The couple, who built the home in the John Wieland Homes neighborhood, desired to move closer to son Ryan’s school in Sandy Springs. Patrick, 36, a tax partner at Deloitte, and Kelley, 31, a stay-at-home mom, also sought a bigger home with a basement and a flat driveway so Ryan, 6, and 4-year-old daughter Chloe could ride their bikes. They didn’t want to wait any longer and miss out on the low interest rates or getting a deal on a larger home, Niki said.
Time on market: 27 days
Original price: $325,000
Sale price: $302,500
What it took: Since they bought a home in Sandy Springs before putting their Mableton home on the market, their agent – James Marks, Atlanta market manager and broker with Redfin – hired a photographer to take photos while it still was furnished. Upgrades such as a frameless glass shower and travertine tile in the master bathroom helped the home sell, Niki said. Marks also suggested they paint some of the rooms a more neutral color. “I think it worked in our favor to have the house relatively neutral and clean,” she said. Marks also helped them analyze comparable home sales to come up with a pricing strategy.
Potential stumbling block: The home went on the market the first week of January, then the snowstorm hit and nobody seemed to be looking at homes, Niki said. But after the snow melted, they had a few showings and received a $300,000 offer. They countered at $307,000. The buyers responded with the $302,500 offer and requested the closing costs and the refrigerator. The Kelleys agreed, knowing they didn’t want to pay two mortgages and double utilities. They closed in March.
Seller’s hint: Find a real estate agent or company that is using social media and technology to make the search easier for buyers. Redfin’s iPhone app allowed them to book their tours via phone when they were searching for a home.
