Having a baby on the way created a tight timeline for townhome owners Richie and Allison Johnson to buy a single-family house. The north Fulton County home they purchased moved them closer to family members and provided must-haves such as playroom and outdoor space.
The priority
Their townhome in Forsyth County had three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, but the couple wanted a fenced-in yard and a bonus room that could become a playroom.
Convenience also was a priority. They were driving to Milton’s Crabapple area on weekends to hang out with family and friends. Even though they were living in the same ZIP code and only 15 minutes away, the Johnsons wanted to shorten the drive. “We’ve got a lot of friends and family over in this area. We figured it was a good time for a move for us,” said, Allison, 29, a first grade teacher in Fulton County.
The search
Working with Sara Jamison and Gale Jamison of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, the Johnsons quickly focused on Crabapple, finding new and existing homes from the low $300,000s and up.
Their search lasted several months, as they were unable to find or negotiate the right price on a home with everything they wanted, including a rear-entry garage and kitchen that opens into the family room. They put offers on a new home but couldn’t agree on the price and features with the builder. A short sale they were interested in was taken off the market.
“It had become a trying process,” said Richie, 29, who works in technology. “We were getting a little frustrated because there wasn’t a whole lot of inventory out there as we looked.”
When a home in Crabapple Crossroads came on the market, they put in an offer for asking price the same day. “It was in the neighborhood we wanted to be in,” Richie said. “There wasn’t any second thought about it.”
After a quick round of counteroffers over closing costs and an allowance to replace the hardwood floors, they closed on the home in March 2013. Their baby, Trip, was born in August.
The home
The home has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and about 2,800 square feet. The bonus room serves as a second family room, with space for a desk and TV, but as Trip gets older, it will become the playroom, Allison said. The house also has a master on the main, which wasn’t on their list but which Allison has appreciated having because of proximity to the living spaces and the kitchen.
The lifestyle
Their home in Crabapple Crossroads is across the street from two other Crabapple neighborhoods where Richie’s parents and Allison’s brother and sister in law live. “We can walk to their house for holidays and family get-togethers,” Richie says.
The Johnsons also enjoy strolling to restaurants and parks in Crabapple.
“A family-friendly neighborhood is something we were looking for,” Allison said. “Our whole little street all has young kinds, which is really nice.”
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