Jeff and Josie Ebert look forward to shoveling less snow this winter after moving from Nebraska with their children, Adeleine, 6, and Oliver, 3.
The timing was quick, with only a month and a half between Jeff interviewing for a job and the couple deciding to move in 2013. They experienced a learning curve, from figuring out where to live in metro Atlanta to discovering swim-tennis neighborhoods for the first time.
Why Atlanta?
Jeff, who had never lived outside the Midwest, accepted a job teaching in the physical therapy program at Mercer University’s Atlanta campus.
“The biggest appeal for me, honestly, having lived in Minnesota and Nebraska for all of my life, was coming to a state where the winters would be quite mild compared to what I’m used to,” he said.
Putting down roots
The Eberts first had a 20- to 30-minute phone conversation with their real estate agent, Cindy Wallace of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, describing the older home they owned in Omaha, Neb. They shared with her items on their wish list, such as at least four bedrooms, more than two bathrooms and a finished basement. A kid-friendly yard also was a focus, since their Nebraska home had a tiny, steep yard.
Jeff’s new co-workers also shared suggestions about areas with strong schools (Josie, 35, is a secondary math teacher who works in Gwinnett County) and warned them about Atlanta traffic. They looked for locations with less than an hour commute for Jeff, each way.
“We were heavily reliant on the people I was going to be working with at Mercer,” he says. “It was nice to have input coming in from future colleagues, friends who used to live here and Cindy’s help.”
They selected 10 to 15 homes to view in June 2013. The six-bedroom, four-bath home in Peachtree Corners they purchased was the first one they toured in the northern Atlanta suburbs. Some homes had been updated nicely while others needed work. The Colonial-style brick home was built in 1983, but it feels like new to the couple, who previously owned a Tudor-style home built in 1932.
“We just found ourselves comparing everything to this one,” Jeff said. “We love the size of it. It’s probably more space than we need, but it feels nice to have the space. We don’t feel like we’re smushed inside.”
Relocation tip
Educate yourself on how communities may be different in Georgia. The Eberts found unexpected amenities in suburban Atlanta neighborhoods, such as having a pool and tennis courts.
“We’re loving the community style,” said Josie. “We didn’t understand what a swim-tennis community was, but there was and is a neighborhood pool and we were there every day (last summer).”
The home in the North River Crossing neighborhood, which has homes priced in the $370,000s, also had another bonus for the Midwesterners: a garage. Adds Josie: “We both had to learn how to park in garages.”
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