House Hunt: The Rebirth of a Reynoldstown Home

Homebuyers come in two camps.

There’s the group of buyers who want to a home that’s turn-key ready to move in.

Then there’s the group who can see what was the shell of a home and restore it to its former glory.

Rachel Tobin falls in the latter category.

Tobin, a communications and public relations professional with Atlanta-based Jackson Spalding, purchased her Marcus Street home in the Reynoldstown neighborhood in 2010.

The 1920s-era home was in foreclosure and in heavy need of TLC.

The tall ceilings and the layout were two strong selling points for Tobin, who, along with Grant Park real estate agent, Jodi C. Patterson, looked at 60 homes before picking the Marcus Street house.

Tobin and buyers like her have helped fuel the intown renaissance that many East Atlanta Patch neighborhoods have undergone in recent years, including Cabbagetown, Kirkwood, Grant Park and Reynoldstown.

With many intown neighborhoods getting an influx of buyers who are looking to restore, rather than tear-down, for this week’s Home Sweet Home, we decided to ask Tobin about her project, and how she brought her house back to life.

Taking on the task of restoring a home requires a lot of imagination, planning, flexibility, and solid decision-making, Tobin said.

Flexibility is crucial, she said, but so was doing a lot of research.

“Because I was doing this house by myself, I relied on my dear, dear friends to help me out, by going shopping with me or looking at options online. I got opinions from many types of people with many styles, and it ended up helping me clarify what I wanted,” she told Patch.

“I looked at a lot of pictures online of homes, especially kitchens and finishes, and I looked at books and magazines in home improvement stores. I bought a few, and that helped me get ideas as well.”

Please click on the videos above to hear our interview with Tobin about her restoration journey.