By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
After saving money while raising her 5-year-old daughter, Sarah Shaw decided to invest in a home rather than rent. As she watched the market improve in 2013, she determined it was a good time to buy and build a return on her investment.
Shaw, 27, a human resources assistant at Pediatria Healthcare for Kids, chatted about her three-bedroom town home in Arbors at Suwanee Terrace in Gwinnett County.
Q: What were you looking for in a home?
A: I wanted at least three bedrooms so my daughter, Hope, could have a playroom and we could have two bathrooms. I didn’t care if it was a town home or a house, as long as it was in a good neighborhood, in the Suwanee school system and in my price range.
Q: What was the market like?
A: I put an offer on two homes on the same day they were listed, and they both ended up having around 10 offers over the asking price. Cash buyers got them.
Q: How did you move on this home?
A: This place had a cash investor, but the offer fell through. My real estate agent — my sister — was very persistent in speaking with the agent so I could be prepared and put in my offer.
Q: What did you love about the house?
A: The room sizes are really nice, and it’s the perfect size for us. The HOA (homeowners association, with dues of $800 annually) is nice because I don’t have to worry about mowing the lawn.
Q: What have you added so far?
A: I’ve painted the downstairs living room, kitchen and powder room. My grandfather and grandmother passed away in the last two years, and I have some of their antiques around the home, which means a lot to me.
Q: What was the closing process like?
A: I didn’t realize how difficult it would be. I had just started a new job a few months before in April, so I’d be at work and they’d request paperwork immediately. On the day of the closing, they needed a copy of my college diploma because a copy of my transcript wasn’t enough. Everything was packed up, so I had to go find it. It worked out in the end.
Q: What was the relationship with your agent?
A: I don’t know what I would have done without my sister, Beth (Muetzelfeld of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage). Having a real estate agent you trust when you have so many questions is important. She’s my older sister by two years, and she really took care of me.
Q: What’s a tip for first-time buyers?
A: Make sure you save enough money. Don’t buy a house you don’t love or have to do a lot of work on or don’t have the funds for.
At a Glance
Sarah Shaw’s town home, built in 2004 in Suwanee, has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,900 square feet. She purchased it in June 2013 for $126,000. Town homes in the Arbors at Suwanee Terrace range from the low to high $100,000s.
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