By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Swati and Mark Moran toured model homes in the Heritage at Kennesaw Mountain neighborhood and liked the Craftsman-style design, but wanted a Milton location. A model that was their top choice ended up being available in Ashton Woods Homes’ new Milton neighborhood, Heritage at Crabapple. Buying early enabled the Morans to select a lot in front of an open field where their sons, Deven, 6, and Dylan, 2, could play.
The priority
The Morans looked for a large kitchen with a four-seat island where the family could gather. They enjoy trying different types of cuisine, so they also prioritized an industrial range and hood. In the Ashton Woods plan, a sitting room and fireplace adjacent to the kitchen created the cozy feeling they wanted. Neighborhood amenities included a pool, playground and lawn maintenance.
“We fell in love with the design and then found out this was in an up-and-coming area that we liked,” said Swati, 38, a business manager at IBM. “It fit our lifestyle and family from a home and community perspective.”
The search
Once the family found the Milton neighborhood, which has homes from the mid $700,000s to low $800,000s, they drove around the area for a few weekends and discovered its convenience to shops and schools. For example, Crabapple Crossing Elementary School is just 1 mile away.
The home
They selected a six-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom home with 4,200 square feet. Working with Shelley and Steve Garland of ERA Sunrise Realty, they placed their Kennesaw home on the market on the same day they closed on the new home and received five offers by that evening. “Within two weeks, we also closed on the old house,” Swati said.
The Morans enjoy the mudroom off the garage, where each family member has a built-in cubby to hang coats and backpacks. The basement and upstairs loft give the boys room to play with LEGOs. When the two boys are running around in the open field in front of the home, Swati watches them from the front porch.
Items they selected, such as the hardwood floors, add a rustic look to the interiors.
“The original wood we wanted was out of stock, and we had to pick this online,” she said. “It really warms up the house.”
The lifestyle
The neighborhood’s family-friendly features include a playground and open spaces, as well as flat streets for bike riding she said. When looking for homes, they recommend visiting a neighborhood several times before putting down an offer.
“I could feel it in the air that this place was nice,” Swati said. “Either a neighborhood works for you or it doesn’t.”
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