Sarah Elizabeth Beal advises first-time buyers not to stress out because your first house likely won’t be your last.
After Beal and John Pole got engaged in May 2015, they decided to move out of their apartment in Midtown. They were prepared to sacrifice yard space for an inside-the-Perimeter location and features, such as a renovated home in their budget. The DeKalb County home they bought is near a nature trail and parks for them to walk their dog, Finn. It’s about a 20-minute drive to her office in Buckhead, which also has some of their favorite restaurants.
Beal, 23, an account executive at Rainmaker Healthcare Communications, chatted about the three-bedroom home she and Pole, a traffic engineer with Arcadis US, bought in Atlanta’s Northlake neighborhood.
Q: What were a few priorities you had for a first home?
A: First and foremost was being inside the Perimeter. We had to have two bathrooms and space where we could grow. I also wanted a gas stove, because I had one growing up.
Q: What sparked your interest to look at this home?
A: Within 24 hours of receiving a notification from Zillow that this home was on the market, it was already under contract. It went back on the market about a month later, and we knew we had to go look at it that day. This home fit all those criteria, while still being in our price range.
Q: What was the first thing you noticed?
A: I liked that it was on a cul-de-sac and the landscaping looked nice. We're both big readers, and the home has built-in bookshelves that we love. The bathrooms and kitchen were recently renovated, so we really didn't have to do anything to it.
Q: Were there any standout features?
A: The previous owners renovated the bathrooms and kitchen and put in new carpet. They refinished the hardwood floors downstairs … which looked a little bit better before we had a dog. Our bathroom is very bright with marble white tile. The shower is made of glass panels and doesn't have a door, making the bathroom feel very open.
Q: How have you decorated since you moved in?
A: John's favorite room in the house is the bonus room. There's a pool table and futon in there. We're really into sports, so the room is divided in half between Florida decoration and signed Georgia football pictures. We're also really into maps, so we have a few hung on the wall downstairs.
Q: What was your favorite part of the homebuying process?
A: I really liked looking at houses and envisioning our stuff there. We started looking for a house and planning our wedding at about the same time, so it was a lot of pressure. Also, John has owned a house before, so when we made an offer on a house and then didn't get it, I got pretty discouraged.
Q: Any favorite memories so far?
A: We had our engagement party in August and had 12 of our friends stay with us.
Q: What advice would you give to first-time buyers?
A: You don't have to put down 20 percent and get a 30-year mortgage. That is a common misconception (they put down 5 percent). Also, be patient and don't get attached. After driving by another house we looked at, I realized I'm better off with the house we purchased.
At a Glance
Sarah Elizabeth Beal and John Pole’s home, built in 1984, has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and about 2,328 square feet. They purchased the house in July 2015, assisted by Bill Jamison with Keller Williams Peachtree Road. Homes in the area range from $125,000 to the mid-$400,000s.
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