Finding the Right Home: A Couple’s Journey
Getting Started
Ashley and Jon Oliver met in New York City a decade ago, when she was preparing to attend medical school at Columbia University and he was working as a D.J. After getting used to tight living quarters in the city, they moved to San Francisco, where Dr. Oliver completed her residency in anesthesiology at the University of California-San Francisco.
A New Chapter
Fast forward to 2022, with two young sons now part of the mix, the couple debated their next move: perhaps Ohio or Alabama, where they had family ties and single-family homes would be more affordable. They created spreadsheets and shared notes on potential homes and their affordability, weighing the pros and cons.
The Decision to Stay
"It was always, if we go to those places we can buy a house, but the thought was if we go back to New York, live in San Francisco or in L.A., I don’t know, maybe not," said Mr. Oliver, 48.
In the end, they decided to stay in California and head south to Los Angeles, where Dr. Oliver secured a faculty position at UCLA, and he could pursue a career in audio mixing and mastering.
Finding the Right Neighborhood
The couple began attending open houses, seeking a friendly neighborhood with plenty of places to walk and play, and a home with enough space to host family and friends, and for Dr. Oliver to set up a home office.
The Power of a Realestate Agent
The plan was to wait and save more money for a larger down payment. "But instead we were coerced by friends of Jon’s who own in View Park to meet with their realtor," said Dr. Oliver, 42. That’s when they met Erica Carter Walden, an agent with Compass, who warned them that, even with their budget of around $1.3 million, inventory was low and prices were high. But she encouraged them to stay positive and keep searching.
The Perfect Home
"It was like she was trying to tell us, ‘Don’t get discouraged too soon in the process,’" Dr. Oliver recalled. "She said, ‘I will find your house, and when you get that house, you will be so in love with it you will forget about all the frogs you kissed before.’"
The Outcome
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
FAQs
Q: What was the couple’s original plan?
A: They planned to save more money for a larger down payment.
Q: What role did their realtor, Erica Carter Walden, play in their homebuying journey?
A: She encouraged them to stay positive and keep searching, warning them that inventory was low and prices were high, but eventually the right home would come along.
Q: What was the couple’s budget for the home they eventually purchased?
A: It was around $1.3 million.
