Alex Bozarth rented over the years, usually with roommates, and always thought about buying a place of his own. After his apartment complex raised the rent for a fourth year in a row, and this time even more than in the past, he decided to invest in a home in 2014.
Bozarth, 33, an attorney who works in downtown Atlanta, talked about his three-bedroom home in Chamblee.
Q: What were you looking for in a home?
A: I wanted a balance of price range, location and size. I wanted a single-family home rather than a townhome, and I wanted to live in a location convenient to major roads and near I-85 and Buford Highway.
Q: How did you move on this home?
A: It was the first one I made an offer on, and it worked out. I thought about putting an offer on one or two others but wasn’t exactly happy with them. This had a lower price than I expected for the location, so I expected something to be wrong, but it only needed some paint and a hardwood floor refinished. I liked it quickly and thought it was a good combination of everything I wanted.
Q: What did you love about the house?
A: I like the backyard area, which has a great fire pit. I didn’t expect that at all, so that’s neat. It also has a storage shed separate from the house to keep tools, which is nice. The master bedroom has a lot of space, is updated and has a nice view of the backyard.
Q: What was the closing process like?
A: It was pretty smooth. I got a pre-approval on my loan, so there weren’t many more documents to update. The seller fixed one or two things in the home, and the walk through before closing day went well. The actual signing process was over in 45 minutes.
Q: What was the relationship with your agent?
A: Kim (Bondurant, with RE/MAX Around Atlanta) worked in this same neighborhood before, which was helpful. She has a good eye for things when you’re looking at properties and see details that could be a hassle. She’s great at pointing those out and positives as well, which was nice for me as a first-time buyer.
Q: What’s a tip for first-time buyers?
A: It’s helpful to get the loan application process out of the way. I didn’t want to spend as much money as I could afford, so that helped me to know my parameters. I was also able to get all of my information to the lender so there was less to do at closing. It really makes the process easier while you’re looking at houses and then at the offering stage.
At a Glance
Alex Bozarth’s home, built in 1958, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,130 square feet. Homes in the Woodacres area of Chamblee range from the mid-$100,000s to mid-$200,000s.
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