The Search
Melissa Moynahan met her husband, Patrick, on the same day she decided to move from Washington, D.C., back to Atlanta. Falling in love delayed those plans.
“So five years later, we finally started looking down in Atlanta,” she said.
Melissa, 27, who grew up in Decatur, and Patrick, 28, searched from Virginia-Highland to Chamblee.
Patrick, who works for Intelsat, a satellite communications company, plans to pursue his MBA at Georgia Tech, while Melissa works at Georgia Tech’s Alternative Media Access Center, which makes textbooks for post-secondary students with language disabilities or reading comprehension problems.
They wanted a home that didn’t require the sweat equity they had poured into their two-bedroom condo in Washington.
No. 1
Picture perfect
A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home on Carol Lane in Atlanta’s Briar Hills community had visual appeal, as the photos in the listing drew them to the home. Although it had a fenced backyard – great for their dog Chloe, a beagle mix – with a deck and stone patio, they were hoping for more space inside. They would have to expand, and were unsure about those possibilities. The home, built in 1952, was listed for $339,900.
No. 2
Move-in ready
The updates in the four-bedroom, three-bath home on Indian Valley Trail in Chamblee were impressive, such as a claw-foot tub, glass shower and double vanities in the master bathroom. The charm continued with hardwood floors throughout the home. The kitchen had been gutted, and it had a gas stove, island, new appliances and new cherry cabinets. The columned front created “wonderful curb appeal,” Melissa said. The home, built in 1970, was listed for $400,000.
No. 3
Possible Christmas miracle
The kitchen had been renovated in this five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath ranch home on Merry Lane in Atlanta. In addition to new stone countertops, cabinets and stainless steel appliances, the hardwood floors throughout were resurfaced. They looked at the home in the Merry Hills neighborhood in December. “It was a cute house that had an extension built onto it, so it was big enough for us,” Melissa said. Previous owners had put an indoor pool in the basement, so there was some concern about the foundation. The home, built in 1950, was listed for $350,000.
The Choice
No. 2. Patrick was still in D.C. when Melissa saw a group of homes that included the one on Indian Valley Trail. She showed him photos and a video of the home, which was enough to convince Patrick to put in an offer. They closed on the home in February, assisted in the purchase by Laurie Nixon with Redfin. “He didn’t see the house until we drove up with the moving truck,” Melissa said. Since then, they’ve painted and brought in new furniture that replaced some pieces from college. “We’re really putting on the touches that make the house a home versus making a condo livable,” Melissa said.
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