After her divorce, Allison Cameron had been living in a rental home in East Memphis. The time came when she wanted to have a place of her own, so she enlisted the assistance of Holly James, a realtor with Marx-Bensdorf Realtors.
“Holly was working an open house at another house that was on the market in the neighborhood and we spent a lot of time talking and just hit it off,” recalled Allison. “I let Holly know that I really wanted to find a house in the same general area where I had been living. I have two children, and the kids and I had made a lot of good friends in that part of East Memphis.”
Allison also made it plain that she wanted a good backyard for her children and a house with enough room to have a home office. “Although I am a corporate IT manager, I often work from home several days a week,” said Allison.
Allison’s house hunt didn’t last long. With Holly’s keen understanding of the local real estate market, and her insights into Allison’s wants and needs, a match was made right off the bat. Holly guided Allison through the buying process and helped her make a successful bid.
“This was my first time to go through the buying process on my own and Holly guided me every step of the way,” said Allison. “Additionally, Holly helped me connect to the proper people for my inspections, including an electrician and a plumber. Holly was fabulous — simply invaluable. I loved working with her so much that I’ve now referred her to my parents who are wanting to find a home near me.”
Allison paid $359,000 for approximately 2,000 square-feet of living space.
“The first house that Holly showed me was just what I was looking for,” said Allison. “It was a painted brick, ranch-style house, c. 1952, in the Avon Woods neighborhood. This house was a bit smaller than where we had been living, but with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, there was plenty of space for everything we needed, including a home office.”
Allison and her children moved in and felt right at home. But, Allison did have a few changes in mind.
“I just completed a seven-month remodel in January,” said Allison. “I did a full kitchen remodel to create an ‘open style’ kitchen/living area. Additionally, I replaced all the floors and updated the bathrooms. I also enclosed the carport to convert it to a garage.”
Other special features that Allison liked about their new home included the home’s split floor plan with the primary bedroom in the back of the house and the kids’ bedrooms up front. She liked that there was a separate family room and a more formal living room. And, at some point in the home’s history, a full laundry room and walk-in pantry had been added.
Other favorite amenities were that the house sat on a quarter-acre lot with a fully fenced backyard, with plenty of space for the children to play. Also, the backyard had a detached shed which offered an abundance of storage. The main front entry was sheltered by a covered porch large enough to allow for a sitting area and decorative plants, adding the home’s curb appeal. Plus, the home’s u-shaped configuration created an attractive small outdoor courtyard. A series of large-paned windows flooded the interior with natural light.
“We love the close-knit community feel of our neighborhood,” said Allison. “We’re located just a short walk to our neighborhood park and people are always out walking their dogs. There are organized neighborhood events which promote our sense of community and we have made a lot of friends.
Emily Adams Keplinger is a freelance reporter who produced this feature for the Advertising Department.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Homebuyer finds East Memphis home with a sizable backyard, room for a home office
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