Finish dental residency program, check. Get married, check. Buy first home, check. Allison Steele Thompson completed this impressive list in 2015.
Allison met Citadel cadet Kip Thompson while attending College of Charleston. The couple, who married in August 2015, worked with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent Cindy Wallace to find a home convenient to their new workplaces in Brookhaven and northwest Atlanta.
Allison, a dentist, and Kip, an advertising consultant, chatted about their three-bedroom home with a screened porch and finished basement in Brookhaven.
Q: What were the “must haves” you wanted in your first home?
Allison: Neither of us wanted to be in the hustle and bustle of downtown, but we didn't want to be way out in the suburbs, either. Finding a place convenient to where we both worked was very important.
Kip: I wanted to live in a neighborhood on a side street, so parking would be easy for when our friends visit. I also didn't want a large yard.
Q: How did you know you had found the right house?
Allison: I was still living in Charleston at the time, so I only went out with Cindy twice. With this house, we had to kind of see the potential. I loved the plantation shutters. Another couple had made an offer, so that kind of pushed us forward.
Kip: To be honest, it wasn't staged well. It looked a bit dated. But we saw the possibilities and thought, "We can change this."
Q: What did you find to be easy about buying a home?
Kip: The people who sold it to us could not have been nicer. After we bought the house, they sent us a long email explaining how the trash pickup works, what to do if the hot water heater is running a little too hot. They've been very helpful.
Q: What changes have you made to the home?
Kip: We took down some trees (and) put in a stone fireplace and outdoor patio. In the basement, I added a 138-inch projection television.
Allison: We did paint the entire interior.
Q: What do you like most about your new neighborhood?
Kip: We went to a holiday party where we got to meet everyone. It's a nice mix (of ages among the residents), which is what we wanted. I never took MARTA before we moved here. Now, we do. It's great for getting to events.
Allison: My job is right up the street at Town Brookhaven, so that's been great.
At a Glance
Kip and Allison Steele Thompson’s home, built in 1982, has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and about 2,097 square feet. They purchased it in September 2015. Homes in Club Walk Brookhaven in DeKalb County range from the $350,000s-$450,000s.
About the Author
