The Search: Job proximity makes choice clear

By Lori Johnston

For the AJC

A job promotion with The Home Depot prompted Dave Shelton and John Mills to move from Louisiana to the Atlanta area.

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Christopher Oquendo, Special John Mills and Dave Shelton wanted a three-bedroom home with a basement when they moved from Shreveport, La.

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Christopher Oquendo, Special No. 1: Powder Springs split-level

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Christopher Oquendo, Special No. 2: Attractive neighborhood

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Christopher Oquendo, Special No. 3: Cul-de-sac renovation

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“I was never even in Atlanta until the day I came for the interview. I was here for a total of eight hours before we committed to the move,” said Shelton, 49, a human resource manager with The Home Depot’s associate advice and counsel group.

He had heard about the nightmarish traffic, so Shelton wanted a Cobb County home for an easier commute to The Home Depot’s headquarters in Vinings. The area also offered a variety of medical centers and health care facilities for Mills, a registered nurse.

They had an Arts and Crafts-style, two-bedroom cottage in Shreveport, La., and decided their Atlanta home needed at least three bedrooms. A basement was also high on their list. They had to conduct the home search, assisted by Patricia Kalmeijer with Harry Norman, Realtors, while living in different cities.

No. 1

Powder Springs split-level

A four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home on Lochness Lane in Powder Springs had a level yard and a cul-de-sac location that appealed to Shelton and Mills. The home, built in 1993, was originally listed for $144,900. It had a new roof and had been repainted indoors. There also was a nice den area in the basement, they said. The challenge was looking past the knickknacks and large furniture to determine if the home in the Legend Hollow neighborhood was right for them.

No. 2

Attractive neighborhood

A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home built in 1988 on Saddlerun Lane in Powder Springs had a master on the main and a front porch with room for rocking chairs. The two-story home, which had a partial basement and a private backyard, originally was listed for $149,900. The Country Walk neighborhood also had amenities such as a pool and tennis courts. “The price ranges of the houses were what we could afford. And we liked a lot of the architecture and look of the houses,” said Mills, 51. The kitchen, however, was smaller than they desired and lacked counterspace, Shelton said.

No. 3

Cul-de-sac renovation

Another home in Country Walk, a four-bedroom, two-bath home on Saddlerun Lane, was a split-level floorplan with updates such as bamboo hardwood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The home, originally listed for $149,000 and built in 1989, also had a new roof. They were concerned about privacy in the backyard and the steep driveway.

The Choice

No. 1

“John and I both kind of operate on the premise of when we see it, we’ll know it. That’s exactly what eventually happened,” Shelton said. The search began in March and they closed on the home in May. There was little drama in the negotiations, and their offer for a little below asking price was accepted in one day. The seller also paid for part of the closing costs. “Since this was the house that we wanted, we were not going to tinker around haggling over a price,” Mills said. “So we came up with the very best offer that we could afford and submitted that to her.” Since moving in, they’ve come to appreciate their access to restaurants, shops and entertainment. “We just never realized that Powder Springs is quite as central to so much shopping and other towns being within 5 to 10 miles of us,” Mills said.