Ambria Brown began searching for homes around Kennesaw State University as an investment property to rent to college students. After she began looking, however, Brown decided to buy a place of her own in Cobb County.
Brown, 24, an assistant branch manager at Chase Bank, chatted about the three-bedroom home she bought in Acworth and shares with her boyfriend, Chris Awuah, 25, a KSU computer science graduate student.
Q: Why did you decide to buy?
A: I talk to customers every day who are renting and want to buy a house because they're tired of throwing away money or not putting it toward anything. I listened to these customer stories and how eager they were to find a home. I had been renting for years, and it made sense.
Q: What were your priorities?
A: The first priority was low maintenance. I didn't want something too big or with a large yard. Then I wanted a garage for added security. I also wanted to be close to KSU and my parents in the Marietta area.
Q: How did you find this home?
A: I saw pictures online and texted Eric (Baker with Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) that I wanted to see this one. It was the third house I saw that day and knew it was the one I wanted. When I walked in, I saw the high ceilings, fireplace and light gray walls. It felt warm and inviting, and even though the home is smaller, the ceilings and colors made the space look larger. When I walked into the kitchen, the pictures didn't do it justice. The drop-in sink and granite countertops were gorgeous. I wrote the homeowners a letter of interest and made an offer that day, and they accepted it.
Q: What did you say in the letter?
A: I mentioned that I grew up in Cobb County and as a recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, it was important to me to stay close to my family, friends and alma mater.
Q: How was the offer and closing process?
A: The inspection cost and earnest money I had to give upfront before I even closed on the house came as a shock to me. I didn't realize I would have to write a check for those, as well as utility deposits. At the closing, the owners told me about the neighborhood and informed me that a police station was located 2 miles down the road. They gave me helpful information that I didn't expect at all.
Q: What have you changed in the home?
A: My dad helped me to repair a pipe leak in the front yard the week I moved in, and eventually I want to change the dark carpet that runs throughout the house to a lighter color. My mom has a dining room table from my great-grandmother's house that I want to put in the dining room.
At a Glance
Ambria Brown’s home, built in 2000, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,400 square feet. Homes in the Grove Park neighborhood in Acworth range from the low to high $100,000s.
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