Expanding the search in Alexandria pays off
By: Dean Bartoli Smith
Special to The Examiner
October 28, 2009
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| First time home buyers profile of Paul and Courtney Kriebs in Alexandria, VA on Tuesday October 20, 2009. |
Living in an Old Town apartment, Courtney Kriebs and her husband, Paul, planned to buy their first home in 2010. When the First Time Homebuyer tax credit was announced, their plans changed.
"We were like, 'What the heck, let's do it now,' " Courtney said.
They'd already discussed location and knew where they wanted to be -- the quaint Alexandria neighborhood of Del Ray. They searched for a two-bedroom town house with a small backyard for their pug Rudy.
"Del Ray is one of our favorite places to go for restaurants," Paul Kriebs said. "We especially love Cheesetique, Taqueria Poblano and the Dairy Godmother."
Preapproved in April, the couple found a place in Cliff Gardens that they liked -- but they couldn't move fast enough. The house already had another bid on it.
"Initially, you felt like you had a little bit of time," Courtney said. "We were crunching numbers. All of a sudden, houses were gone in a day."
Unable to find anything in Del Ray, they expanded their search into other parts of Alexandria. A couple of miles north of Old Town, they found a townhouse with more square footage and a convenient location in a development across from T.C. Williams High School and close to a small shopping center with the Great Harvest Bread Co. and Fairlington Pizza. They put an offer down and it was accepted.
"Alexandria gives you limitless opportunities. You can go to museums, sporting events, fine dining, concerts, shopping and a ton of other things," said Paul Kriebs.
On the Saturday before closing, they received a call. The house didn't appraise for the price.
"We didn't know if the deal was going to happen," said Courtney. "The owner was on the fence about what she was going to do. There was definitely uncertainty. It took everyone by surprise."
The couple their Realtor who was at a pub in Ireland. They had given notice to their landlord, and he had found another couple to rent their apartment.
Even though Courtney and Paul had chosen one of the largest floor plans of all the town houses, the appraisers evaluated the town houses and the condos in the development as one and the same. They fought the appraisal, to no avail.
"In the end, we renegotiated some of the other terms and the seller accepted. We were almost going to be homeless," she said. "We got a good deal."
Their realtor, Jason Bonnet of High Associates, agreed.
"It was my job and mission to represent [Courtney and Paul] during the entire process--and it all fell in line with their goals," he said.
Though it was a hard-fought purchase, their new townhouse continues to deliver. They love the kitchen, the hearth and the open floor plan of the house. They have a lot more room to grow in the space, no major work to do, 2 1/2 baths and a patio where they can grill outside. Rudy even has walking trails.
"Our location end up being so much more convenient, we are in downtown D.C. three times a week," Courtney Kriebs said. "It opens up a whole new perspective. We were so Old Town-focused before. You lose on one hand and gain on the other."
