My New Home: Room to grow in Germantown

Dec 01, 2023

As the family of Cody and Ashley Gross grew, the couple sought a home that provided plenty of space for their children.

"We moved into our first home in 2017 as a family of two," said Cody. "We recently moved into our new home as a family of four, plus we now have a dog. We wanted to purchase a home in Germantown to provide our children with an exceptional public education. We also wanted to be close to the many amenities that Germantown had to offer — all while staying relatively close to Memphis for work."

Cody works in marketing at ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Ashley is a professor at Christian Brothers University, working with the Physician Assistant Program.

Cody and Ashley contacted Lynda Baddour, an agent with Ware Jones Realtors, to assist them with their house hunt. She had helped them purchase their first home in 2017. This time the couple's list of requirements included four bedrooms (or three bedrooms and a playroom/bonus room), and room for their children to play outside. They preferred to find a one-story house in a quiet, safe neighborhood that was pretty much move-in ready.

With Baddour's guidance they looked at a number of houses and found the one they wanted to call home in the Misty Hollow neighborhood of Germantown. They paid $395,000 for the traditional, one-story home, built in 1978. More than 2,200 square feet of living space offered the requisite four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The kitchen and bathrooms had been updated already and a new hot water heater had been installed in 2019.

"The second floor of this particular home is currently all attic, but there is plenty of square footage to potentially convert to more livable space if our family continues to grow." said Ashley. "In fact, that space is already plumbed for a bathroom. The updated kitchen includes an abundance of cabinets for storage as well as a built-in desk. And, there is a stove with a glass cooktop and a double oven. It adds up to having an open kitchen with plenty of room for cooking, and it is paired with a large dining area. We’re really excited to have a great indoor space to host dinners, family gatherings and more. The den has a large brick fireplace which makes that room feel very cozy."

The home's other amenities include a double vanity in the primary bathroom, along with a large walk-in closet.

"We also like that, with two young kids, all the bedrooms are on one floor," said Ashley. "That can be tough to find in Germantown, so we’re fortunate that we found a home that offers all-on-one-floor living."

Cody added, "Of course, being at the end of a cove and having nearly half an acre of yard gave our kids a wonderful space to play outside and expend their energy. And our backyard included a large patio perfect for grilling and outdoor entertaining."

When asked how their new home differed from their previous abode, Cody said, "We have an additional bedroom, a bigger living space and kitchen, more updated amenities, a bigger backyard, a two-car carport, more space to grow — things you would expect moving from a starter home to a house in the suburbs with two kids. Over time, we may choose to expand by adding living space in what is now our attic."

The couple said they like their new neighborhood for many reasons. "We live on a quiet cove that is very kid friendly," explained Ashley. "We’re close to the public schools in Germantown and feel we are very centrally located to everything and everywhere we want to be. In fact, both sets of grandparents are within 20 minutes of us now."

Emily Adams Keplinger is a freelance reporter who produced this feature for the Advertising Department.