Greg and Laura Hamilton celebrated their second anniversary by moving into their first home together. They had seen Atlanta homes quickly coming and going off the market and knew they would need to act fast.
“We came into this ready to go. Greg worked with the mortgage broker. We knew what we wanted to spend. We were real comfortable with our choices,” said Laura, 34, a registered pediatric dietician for Sibley Heart Center Cardiology.
They were prepared to put in an offer if a home under $250,000 met their criteria, including at least two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. Working with Amy Jones of Atlanta Intown Real Estate Services, they considered these three townhomes, which wouldn’t require extensive yard work and offered community amenities, including a pool.
No. 1
Close to the Chattahoochee
A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath townhome in Atlanta’s Chattahoochee Bluffs community boasted a fantastic location for the couple, near the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area with easy access to I-75 and I-285. “We loved this complex,” Laura said. “We loved the fact that it’s right next to the river. The property is wonderful.” The master bedroom and bathroom would need some cosmetic updates. The unit, built in 2003, was listed for $239,900.
No. 2
End unit oozing with charm
A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath townhome in Brookhaven’s Druid Knoll complex offered a front porch and back patio for outdoor entertaining. The kitchen had been updated with stainless steel appliances, subway tile backsplash and granite countertops. The couple thought the master bathroom was tiny, but wondered if they shouldn’t pass up buying in a hot market like Brookhaven. The townhome, built in 1973, was listed for $225,000.
No. 3
Three-story townhouse
A two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath townhome with a bonus room, also in Atlanta’s gated Chattahoochee Bluffs neighborhood, offered an abundance of upgrades, including a wrought iron stairwell and hardwood floors. The paint colors also better fit their style, which stood out among other properties. The kitchen opened to a dining room and great room and the bedrooms had walk-in closets. The unit, built in 2003, was listed for $235,000.
The Choice
No. 3. The couple put an offer on No. 1, but couldn't come to an agreement with the seller, and were outbid on No. 2. They learned the second townhome in Chattahoochee Bluffs was on the market one afternoon and viewed it the next morning. They had a contract in place within 24 hours and they closed within a month, in May. The couple moved about 5 miles from their Sandy Springs apartment into the Cobb County townhome, which is just over a mile from the planned Braves stadium. Greg credits Laura for researching areas in metro Atlanta and neighborhoods, along with pricing. "After having been through a bunch of places, we knew the neighborhood was where we wanted to be," said Greg, 36, general manager for Golfsmith.
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