Home tours: Pickings were slim in Charlotte, so this teacher bought a house 35 minutes away -- and loves it
After living in NoDa, Enderly Park and Mountain Island Lake, North Carolina native and mama (and C5/QCPlayground contributor) Jamie O’Dell and her family decided to buy a home in Stanley, 35 minutes northwest of Charlotte.
In the latest edition of CharlotteFive’s Home Tours series, I asked O’Dell about her house and why she decided to move out of town with her family.
How did you end up here?
Truthfully, pickings were slim in the Charlotte market when we were looking. We (my fiance and I) wanted something with character, something with some land and something we could see ourselves in long term while being within our teacher budget. Nothing really fit the bill. As I widened our search area, this house popped up on our radar. We came to look at it after it had been on the market for mere hours and we offered that night. It just felt like home and we were ready to compromise being as close to town in order to get the things we wanted. It is a decision I have never regretted.
Favorite thing about your neighborhood?
We don’t really live in a neighborhood, to be honest. There are houses around and we have some great neighbors but part of the appeal here is that we feel an element of seclusion.
Favorite/least favorite parts of your home?
We love our big stone fireplace and all of the woodwork. We can’t wait to rip out the dated carpet! However, I am a big believer in living in a space and getting a feel for it before making any changes. Initially, I was sure we would do hardwoods instead but having been here almost a year, I think we would really miss the carpet. We spend a lot of time playing in the floor and the space is so large that people tend to spread out all around so carpet is a cozy choice!
What advice would you give on in-home entertaining?
Relax! People are there for you and your family. Don’t stress over the minute details because a friend who is inspecting your grout is not a friend you need.
What’s the most innovative DIY project you’ve done?
I wouldn’t call it innovative but we did spontaneously rip down our guest bathroom wallpaper one evening. I just could not handle the Laura Ashley floral a moment longer!
Photos: Jamie O’Dell
Want to be featured in the Home Tour section of Charlotte Five? Email Liz at lizloganeagle@gmail.com.
Jamie found her home with the help of Jennifer McLamb of Helen Adams Realty. Reach her at 919-599-7985 or jennifer@helenadamsrealty.com.
This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Home tours: Pickings were slim in Charlotte, so this teacher bought a house 35 minutes away -- and loves it."