By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Like other folks moving to Atlanta, Steve Kish began his home search in two prominent areas – Midtown and Buckhead. He desired to buy a new construction townhome with the option to upgrade the standard features. In Midtown and Buckhead, he said he was disappointed to find that most available townhomes were built in the 1970s and 1980s. In the suburbs, though, there were options for new homes in his price range.
Why Atlanta?
After living in Charlotte for nine years as a technical professional, Kish, 50, landed a job as a software engineer for JDA Software in Alpharetta. Kish tends to buy “new” in his life — cars, technology and appliances — and thought that building a home in the Atlanta area would be a great investment as the market rebounded.
Since he works in north Fulton County, Kish saw new construction start at Deerfield Green neighborhood in Milton after Lennar Atlanta took over the development. Before a model was even complete, he selected a three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome with 2,100 square feet. He put down a deposit and signed a contract. He worked with Barry Wolfert at Keller Williams Realty to negotiate the price in Deerfield Green, priced from the mid- to high-$200,000s. He appreciates the north side of Atlanta, especially the areas with more space.
“I like being out here in the ‘horse farm’ area of town where homes aren’t on top of each other,” Kish said. “The parking is set up so neighbors are 200 to 300 feet away, not back-to-back.”
Putting down roots
Kish enjoyed working with David Kunis at Lennar Atlanta to nail down the design he wanted in Deerfield Green. As a former chef, Kish prizes a well-laid out kitchen, and he opted for one with an exhaust hood and an open floor plan that expands into the great room. The back patio extends the length and width of the townhome, and Kish approved of the standard hardwood floors and all-brick exterior. He paid for upgrades to the floors, carpet, marble countertops and cabinets. Plus, he received a free year of tech features that allow him to control the thermostat, lights and front door code from his phone. “As someone in the tech field, that was really appealing,” he said.
Relocation tip
Kish was glad to have homebuying experience under his belt while looking for his third home. “I’ve heard war stories from other people, and I always suggest that people buy new and focus on premium flooring and paint,” he said. “You don’t want to focus on pulling up the floor, putting down new carpet or painting when you move in. Make the process easy for yourself.”
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