The call of the suburbs knocked on Laura and Peter’s Queen Village door. They wanted more space with their pup and new babe. Luckily, they only had to look across the street for their Realtor, PHG agent Kate Kyle. After being neighbors for 4 years and many stoop happy hours together, it was clear Kate was the perfect choice to help find their forever home! Laura’s job took the couple to another state for a year, so the need for remote search was the name of the game. She speaks to why having a Realtor they could trust was so important “Kate was really flexible with accommodating our schedules and even seeing homes for us and showing on Facetime when we weren’t in town.”
As a team, they have excellent taste! They found a property in Lower Gwynedd that was everything and more. Laura fondly shares the moment they saw it for the first time. “The landscape and feeling of seclusion, coupled with the a ton of natural light and large open kitchen and entertaining area made us fall in love with the home. We also loved that, being a new build, it was a blank slate that we’d be able to customize over the years.”
Falling in love in a hot market isn’t for the faint of heart. Laura and Peter both recall that big decision. “It was the second home we saw, and at first we thought it was a bit out of reach. The more houses we saw, given where the interest rates were at the time, we realized that spending a bit more on a new house versus having to pay over asking for a house where we would want to do more work might be a better plan. It’s funny to think about because when we were looking it still felt like crazy times, with houses going under contract so quickly, over asking, etc. But looking back, we certainly were lucky!” Was it luck or home buying savvy? A combo of the two! As well as an amazing agent and lender team by their side of course.
With a meadow and creek running out back, you can’t help but feel welcome at this home. Peter describes the first time they saw the pastoral landscape: “we kept remarking how peaceful it felt. We almost had the feeling that we were out in Bucks County, even though the house is close to all of the amenities that Ambler has to offer. The builder did a great job designing the home to really highlight the landscape with oversized windows that perfectly frame the scenery. We love having dinner outside or just having a drink on our porch. Henry loves to go down to the creek to see if he can spot fish and to look out the window to see if any deer, fox or birds are passing through the yard.”
The home was nearly finished when Peter and Laura went under contract, but they made it just in time to pick out their kitchen backsplash and carpets upstairs with the builder. Even though it’s already picture perfect, it’s fun to put your design stamp on your home no matter what. They have slowly been making changes to make it more their own, switching out some light fixtures and adding wainscotting to the dining room. Plans are made to add wallpaper here and there, and incorporate built-ins and custom window treatments. One thing is for sure “We have loved settling into our new home and making it our own. It can be overwhelming to think of all of the design changes we want to eventually implement, but we are planning to be here for many years and are looking forward to tackling a little bit at a time. Our favorite spot in the home is the kitchen and family room, as we have loved having the space to host gatherings and have plenty of space for everyone.”
Being a real estate team, we love learning what homeowners find surprising about their home once settled. Hands down, this is the most heartwarming answer! “The biggest surprise probably has been how much the area has to offer. Peter grew up nearby, but the number of restaurants and shops, especially in Ambler, has really exploded, and we enjoy getting to enjoy all of the amenities nearby. Ambler has such a great variety of cuisines and restaurants from French to Peruvian and from casual fare to upscale dining. We still miss aspects of city life and everything it had to offer, but having a walkable downtown a short drive away has helped ease the transition”.
Peter and Laura’s Local Ambler Recommendations
Best Cup of Coffee and Pastries: Backyard Beans our friends from Function in the Italian Market recommended it, and we've been hooked ever since.
Best Hang with Friends: Forest and Main for casual beers.
Best Date Night Dinner: Sorrentino Pasta and Provisions for delicious Italian.
Best Family Fun: Ambler First Fridays (and other events) The main street is turned into a pedestrian walkway with vendors, food trucks and other fun activities.
Peter and Laura advise others to take their time, “keep looking and find the house that you really want because it will be worth the wait… we actually lost out on another home first and now can't imagine being anywhere other than our home. Kate was especially helpful in encouraging us to take our time and not just "jump" on a house we weren't in love with because of the market, and our search allowed us to determine what was most important to us in our new home”. We couldn’t agree more. If you’re looking to list, move up, or become a first time homebuyer, don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re here for you!
