House Proud: Lost & Found

By: Rick Andreoli

10.13.2011

Rob is a 36-year-old art director. Clark is 33 and an account manager. After being together for two years the couple has moved to Atlanta to buy a home together.

After some searching their Realtor showed them a Mediterranean style, three-bedroom home on a 1.5-acre lot. It’s in one of the most affluent communities in the city, is very affordable, but will need to be gutted. The couple instantly felt that this was their dream home (and the stately lions by the front gate).

SAD REALITY CHECK
Rob and Clark put in an offer and started figuring out the financials. A lower down payment would free up money for a major renovation, so “We looked into how much new floors would be, a new kitchen, two new baths, added it all up and we were still under budget,” Rob says. This was really the maximum amount they could imagine investing in a home, but this place just felt worth it.

“I had already begun dreaming up the perfect pool and surrounding landscaping to make every bit of the 1.5 acres magnificent. Clark was imagining a gym and sun room.” Then Rob called us:

“An investor bid 100% cash. We lost the place.”

“We feel so defeated,” he said. “It’s like we actually lost something that was ours. I had imagined a whole life in that house. I could envision every detail clearly. Looking for a home is just how everyone says it’s going to be. It’s very dramatic. And on top of that, we’re dramatic.” He pauses, inhales deeply, and tries putting an optimistic mood into his words. “We’ve decided to take a break and just enjoy the fabulous apartment we’re renting. It’s got a big pool, and that’s something we can be happy with in this 100-degree weather. It really is HOTlanta.”

IS THAT THE END, ALREADY?
Not at all. While the duo is still a bit down over the loss of their Mediterranean paradise, we got a new email from Rob this morning. “It’s all about a fixer-upper now,” Rob wrote, explaining that he was never keen about that idea before. “My parents moved into a fixer upper in 1978, and when I moved out of that house in 1992 they were still fixing her up.”

However, the boys now understand that for what they want in a dream home, and given the market, it’s the smartest strategy. It also means (at least in our eyes) bringing in hot construction workers; for the boys, however, the idea is a little different.

Clark and Rob are very interested in only using gay-owned or gay-friendly businesses and contractors in their renovation. It’s important to them. If they’re going to invest this much time and energy into building the foundation of their life together, that want to partner with people who support their relationship.

“We’re supposed to see something amazing today,” Rob added. “It’s in a historic neighborhood called Margaret Mitchell, named after the author of Gone With the Wind. This place reads like it’s too good to be true: 4 beds and 4 baths, big yard, high ceilings, open floor plan, in-law suite… I’ll let you know how it goes.”

How will this house pan out? Will the boys create their dream home?

When we didn’t hear anything we sent Rob a text asking if thinks were okay. We got this response:

:-)

More (hopefully exciting) news to come in the next House Proud.

READ MORE ABOUT ROB & CLARK: