By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Kristin Wall and Justin Lamb moved up their first official meeting with their real estate agent when they spotted new townhomes in Highlands of Sandy Springs. They wanted to act fast to get into the neighborhood, after moving from Washington, D.C., to Atlanta in April 2013 and renting for a year in Dunwoody.
Kristin, 27, an attorney, and Justin, 26, a data security specialist at First Data Corp., talked about the three-bedroom townhome that they share with their dogs, Tatum and Marley.
Q: What were you looking for in a home?
Kristin: I work from home, so it was important to have a nice neighborhood and a safe place to walk the dogs. We also wanted it to be close to Justin’s work (in the Perimeter area) so he wouldn’t be stuck in traffic. We’re only a few miles from his office, so that worked out well.
Q: How did you move on this home?
Kristin: We were driving around and happened to see a sign for this neighborhood. We popped into the sales office and found out they were selling like hot cakes and needed to make a quick decision. We were set up to go house hunting with our Realtor (Nancy Billick with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage) a few weeks after that but called her and asked if she could help us with this. We never went on a formal house hunting search.
Q: What did you love about the house?
Kristin: We were interested in getting an end unit with extra windows. It’s a great gated neighborhood with families, and it feels like ‘Pleasantville’ when I go running, with people mowing lawns and washing cars and walking babies.
Q: What have you added?
Kristin: They hadn’t yet built the townhome when we started the paperwork, so we were able to choose the countertops, cabinets and backsplash in the kitchen and the tiles and counters in the bathroom. Before we moved in, we painted and changed out some of the light fixtures.
Q: What was the closing process like?
Kristin: I’m an attorney, but I was surprised at how much paperwork there was. It took quite awhile to talk through the documents, initialing here and signing there.
Q: What was the relationship with your agent?
Justin: We found Nancy through the Navy Federal Credit Union. She has been selling houses in the community for many years and knew whether we were getting a good deal, what we should ask about and what we should look for.
Q: What’s a tip for first-time buyers?
Kristin: Know your budget and keep yourself in check. We didn’t need the four bedrooms, game room or three-car garage. There’s no point in living in a big house if you can’t afford it.
At a Glance
Justin Lamb and Kristin Wall’s new home has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and 1,800 square feet. They moved in during March 2014. Homes in the Highlands of Sandy Springs, by Providence Group, range from the mid- to high $200,000s.
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