Word of mouth brings buyer to historic Marietta home

Why they sold: To downsize. The couple, who owned the home for 15 years, wanted to buy a home with no stairs. They also plan to save money to buy a place in the mountains in a few years. They purchased a renovated ranch home in Marietta, just 4 miles from the home they sold.

Time on market: 2 days

Original price: $260,000

Sale price: $260,000

What it took: Having a sought-after location in historic Marietta and having an “absolutely adorable” cottage, with a front porch with rocking chairs, a swing and a beadboard ceiling, Lauren said. “I love the sense of history of Marietta. I work in Buckhead. I come home to a beautiful suburb,” she said.

The couple mentioned to a neighbor that they planned to sell the Cobb County home. The neighbor told one of their children’s friends, who had grown up in Marietta. That couple viewed the home and offered list price, with no negotiations needed (they closed in June 2013). The home had not even been listed in the system yet, said Karen Hughes, with Harry Norman, Realtors East Cobb Office. Hughes was chosen as their real estate agent because she grew up in Marietta and raised her family there, and they wanted someone to assist them who knew Marietta, Lauren said. “That person would know exactly where our passion was coming from. We were downsizing but we didn’t want to give up this community,” Lauren said.

Potential stumbling block: They paid for an inspection before putting the home on the market. “We wanted to make sure there weren’t any surprises,” she said. The report identified some mold, which they took care of immediately. They also had to put on a new roof, which was an investment they would have had to make if they had stayed in the home without selling.

Seller’s hint: With every addition or update, consider the long-term impact on the home, even if you think you will never move again, Lauren said. The home they sold had baseboards and crown molding, a masonry fireplace in the great room, a breakfast bar in the kitchen, a wraparound back porch and outdoor entertaining area, and storage shelving. “Every single thing we did, we thought about: How will it affect the resale value?” she said.