Stacy Galan, North Atlanta Office, REALTOR®
Scott and Candice Selby started looking at foreclosures in north Fulton County to see if they could find the “deal of the century” and to shorten Scott’s commute to Alpharetta.
Scott, 31, a health care recruiter, and Candice, 33, a stay-at-home mom, were willing to be patient during the process of buying a bank-owned home.
“We had not sold our Buckhead house,” Candice said. “We heard that the bad part of foreclosures is that it would take longer. That was OK with us.”
The location wasn’t the only factor, as Stacy Galan with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty assisted them in their search. With three children — 5-year-old Heidi Cay, 3-year-old Beau and 1-year-old Lovie — they searched for five-bedroom, 4 1/2-bath homes in the Alpharetta/Milton area.
No. 1
Swim neighborhood
A four-bedroom, three-bath home on Waterhaven Lane in Alpharetta didn’t fit their space recommendations, but the subdivision made it a contender. The Waterside neighborhood’s amenities included a pool, playground, lighted tennis courts and basketball courts. The home, built in 2002, was a foreclosure listed in the $300,000s.
No. 2
Lakeside location
The five-bedroom, 4 1/2-bath stucco home on Brighton Circle in Alpharetta had extras such as a new deck, putting green, theater in the basement and a nearby lake. The master bathroom had granite countertops and the bathrooms were recently tiled. The home, built in 1994, was listed for $399,900. The home needed new paint and some pricier changes such as redoing the driveway, Candice said.
No. 3
Plenty of rooms
The seven-bedroom, 5 1/2-bath traditional home on Saint Michelle Drive in Alpharetta was on a corner lot. The bank-owned home had updates such as new carpet. The walls were “hospital white,” Candice said, so painting was among the changes needed. They also would have to overlook the lack of a pool or playground, which the family wanted. The home, built in 2003, was listed for $374,900.
The Choice
No. 3. Their offer on the Saint Michelle home, near the Crabapple area, was a winner. “We loved it because it didn’t look like a foreclosure,” Candice said. She added that buying a foreclosure made it possible to get the space they desired in a suburban location with strong schools (Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Northwestern Middle and Milton High). Since purchasing it in March, they have painted the kitchen cabinets, restained the floors and repainted the interior
Atlanta Fine Homes Blog | Sotheby's International Realty 
Posted on June 16, 2012
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