My New Home: Kimbrough Grove in Germantown
Leslie and Mark Gillenson decided they were ready to move to a home that required less upkeep and maintenance. What they had in mind was a home in Germantown, with a small yard, possibly in a zero-lot line community. Additionally, they wanted a home that offered a master bedroom on the first floor.
The couple contacted Sheldon Rosengarten, a broker with Marx-Bensdorf, with their list of requirements.
“My relationship with Mark and Leslie goes back quite a few years," recalled Rosengarten. “I sold them their first home when they moved here from Miami, some 20 years ago. This time, we went to see properties and toured several in the Kimbrough Grove subdivision because they liked that area.”
Rosengarten continued, “At Marx-Bensdorf, I often work with another agent, Barby Perlberg. In the case of the Gillensons, Barby and I worked together to list their former home in Poplar Ridge, then served as a team to help them purchase their new home. And, actually, this time, the home they bought wasn’t officially on the market. It belonged to my stepmother, Carolyn Rogers. She hated to leave this house because it was such a beautiful home, but she was moving into a retirement community. The house had been beautifully decorated and meticulously maintained. When Leslie first saw this house, she fell in love with it and she and Mark put in an offer shortly thereafter.”
The Gillensons paid $549,000 for a traditional, two-story brick home in the Kimbrough Grove subdivision in Germantown. The home offered 3,000 square feet of living space, including three bedrooms and three and a-half bathrooms. It had the requisite master bedroom on the first floor, which was en suite with the master bath. The bathroom had a double vanity with granite countertops, a whirlpool tub, a separate shower and two large walk-in closets. The kitchen had been fully renovated and included granite countertops, a breakfast bar/island, a gas stove, and stainless steel appliances. And the kitchen opened onto a hearth room with a cozy fireplace. Throughout the home were smooth, nine-foot ceilings, gorgeous hardwood floors and crown mouldings. Additionally, the home had a backyard patio with a small grassy garden area, and a two-car, back-loading garage.
“We love the larger, open kitchen in this house,” said Leslie. ”The family room is a favorite gathering place, whether it is just us or we are entertaining. And, it’s nice to have a formal dining room. Our large master bath feels so luxurious and we like that there is also a full bathroom for each guest bedroom. This house offered us an abundance of storage with a number of large closets. There are also two walk-in attics and an additional walk-in closet in each guest room.”
And although the home is 20 years old, having received such meticulous maintenance, the Gillensons said they found no need to make any major changes to their new home.
Mark said, “We were able to find everything we wanted in this house. We plan to add more shelving in some of our closets and we’ve replaced some of the lighting fixtures — that's it. We found a wonderful location in a well-kept and well-maintained community in Germantown. Being in a zero-lot line home means we have fewer chores outdoors, and we’re part of an excellent homeowners association.”
Emily Adams Keplinger is a freelance reporter who produced this feature for the Advertising Department.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: My New Home: Kimbrough Grove in Germantown
