When Luke Stowell was accepted into the history Ph.D. program at Georgia State University, he and his wife, Julie, knew they would live in the Atlanta area for five years or more. They were ready to buy, after moving every year for the past three years.
Luke, 33, who studies U.S. and Latin American history, and Julie, 33, a molecular biology laboratory coordinator at Georgia State, chatted about buying a three-bedroom home in the historic West End neighborhood, near downtown Atlanta.
Q: Why did you decide to buy?
Luke: It comes down to being sick of paying someone else for rent and their equity and their mortgage. We were tired of our money going to someone else and not toward our own equity.
Julie: Plus, each time we move, it gets harder. Even though we try to give away some items, I wonder where I'm going to display grandma's plate, silver and rolling pin. Now if we want to hang something on the wall or plant flowers, we don't have to ask for approval.
Q: What were your priorities?
Julie: We wanted a classic style rather than a contemporary or modern feel. We looked at some places that fell into that category but didn't feel 100 percent about them, and I think it's because they didn't feel like a classic Atlanta home.
Luke: Distance to downtown was important. I ride my bike to Georgia State, and she rides to the MARTA station. Another big priority was how much sun the yard gets so we could have a flower garden and vegetable garden.
Q: How did you find this home?
Luke: Sheer luck. We looked at a few houses in different areas of town, and one day we checked online and this looked perfect. Julie saw it that day, and we looked at it together the next day and put in an offer. It was the perfect storm of the perfect house in the perfect area.
Julie: It was as close to turnkey as we could get for the price. Houses in this area have been renovated, but the cost includes the renovations, and we couldn't afford that. This home had renovations that weren't too old, and we can still make adjustments over time.
Q: How was the offer and closing process?
Julie: It was stressful because I really love this house and really wanted to be in it. Sandra Erickson (with Dorsey Alston Realtors) was willing to meet with me and answer questions. The seller's agent told Sandra that we were picked because we work at Georgia State and they had been at Georgia State at one point in their careers, too. They had five other offers, and it was important to them to make that connection. They even brought us a bottle of champagne at closing, which the previous owners did for them as well.
Q: What do you love about the home?
Luke: We really like the front porch, where we can sit and relax and talk to neighbors. Everyone is friendly and willing to help out with anything we need. Around 4:30 or 5 p.m., everyone is outside after work and having a good time.
Q: What’s a tip for first-time buyers?
Julie: We've had this conversation with several of our friends who bought homes. If one of you has better credit than the other, there's no reason to get a joint mortgage that would result in a higher loan. We took that advice and got better home insurance and a better mortgage rate.
At a Glance
Luke and Julie Stowell’s home, built in 1925, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,745 square feet. Homes in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood range from the mid $100,00s to high $300,000s.
