The Search
Ray Herbertson’s last home purchase was in the 1980s, and he had been a renter for a while. He was looking for a small, affordable residence, and he recognized the benefit of his investment.
“Owning a home is substantially less expensive then renting,” said Herbertson, 53.
He took a conservative viewpoint, looking at homes priced under $100,000, instead of the “buying as much as you can afford” philosophy. His choices included these three Doraville homes, in Gwinnett County.
No. 1
Renovated ranch
The three-bedroom, one-bath home on Park Road in the Liberty Heights neighborhood had been updated with new flooring, appliances and fixtures. The outside had some extras, such as a deck, a fenced backyard and storage shed. “The owner had pretty much revamped everything. It seemed like a good opportunity, and the price wasn’t outrageous,” he said. The home, built in 1982, was listed for $69,900.
No. 2
Extra space
The three-bedroom, one-bath home on Deborah Drive -- also in Liberty Heights -- had a full basement and a corner lot location. Inside, there were hardwood floors, a breakfast bar in the kitchen and walk-in closets. The home, built in 1959, was listed for $92,500.
No. 3
Priced cheap
The three-bedroom, one-bath home on Manning Street, in Doraville’s Pleasantdale neighborhood, also had hardwood floors, plus a fireplace. It also offered a small front porch and a one-car garage. The home, built in 1950, was listed for $40,000.
The Choice
No. 1. He worked with James Kurtz, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, to negotiate about $5,000 off the home price. “Some of the houses are selling for less, but they’re pretty dilapidated, and this one was pretty much revamped,” he said. Kurtz also helped negotiate plumbing repairs and a new air conditioning unit. Herbertson worked on improving his credit, assisted by Katherine Jennings and William Eisler with PHH Mortgage in attaining a loan, and closed on the home in October.
