Having a baby can cause new parents to re-evaluate their housing expenses. James and Katie Beth Watters, who were paying $1,350 a month to rent a two-bedroom, one-bath Brookhaven home, faced the choice of continuing to rent or trying to buy in the new city after daughter Irelyn was born in 2013.
“Our rent was expensive and the cost to buy a home that was actually livable to grow a family was just way, way, way, way out of our price range,” said James, 25, an account manager with Visionaire Partners, an information technology consulting and staffing firm.
Looking north to Chamblee allowed the family to remain inside the Perimeter and buy a move-in ready first home.
The priority
After having Irelyn, now 10 months old, the couple wanted to add at least one extra bedroom. In Brookhaven, they saw four-bedroom homes in the $600,000s-$700,000, which they could not afford. While ranches are prominent inside the Perimeter, the Watterses preferred a home on more than one level. They didn’t want to have the living space on the same floor as Irelyn’s nursery and worry about waking her up.
The search
The Watterses started looking for a home with Bonnie S. Wolf of Harry Norman, Realtors in September 2013 and put offers on three homes. They considered fixer-uppers but realized they were being too ambitious for their first home because renovations can be stressful and overwhelming, said Katie Beth, a labor and delivery nurse at Piedmont Hospital in Buckhead. They put an offer on one home, but the inspection uncovered moisture and settlement problems. To make it livable, Presley Melson, owner of True Choice Contracting, projected that repairs would cost $60,000, James said.
After that experience, the Watterses said they didn’t expect a perfect home but wanted the property to be move-in ready.
The home
The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in DeKalb County had the two-story layout and a basement, which was a bonus. The home in Huntley Hills had about 2,150 square feet, compared to their 900-square-foot rental, and was under their $300,000 budget (homes are listed from the $240,000s to $320,000s). The front porch and brick on four sides created curb appeal, said Katie Beth.
The home was repainted, and other changes such as renovating the kitchen can come over time, as their budget allows. For example, after purchasing, their home in February they had the hardwood floors refinished.
“It was a great house,” Katie Beth said. “We didn’t have to do a ton of work.”
The lifestyle
The Watterses liked that other young families had invested in their neighborhood, Huntley Hills, including friends who already lived there. Its pool and tennis courts were a rare find as they searched neighborhoods inside the Perimeter.
Katie Beth advises parents who are buying a home that the experience can be thrilling, like buying your first car, but says not to get wrapped up in the idea of a renovation project if that situation is not the best for you. James also suggests that parents pay for a professional home inspection to make sure the environment is safe for the kids. Although the inspection can range from $200-$500, on average, he believes it can save hundreds to thousands of dollars “and a lot of pain and suffering” if needed repairs are identified up front.
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