Kat Bollheimer and Joe Dowling were excited to become first-time homeowners. They wanted to be living under the same roof together and originally looked at rental properties. However, as many people who rent are finding out these days, with the low interest rates on mortgages, rent can be pricier than a monthly mortgage payment.

Kat is a sales representative for Eagle Distributing Co. and Joe works in the acquisitions department of Mid-South Home Buyers and is an Environmental Court liaison, too. The couple wanted to find a home in Midtown to be close to Overton Park. To begin their house hunt, they contacted Melody Bourell, an agent with Marx-Bensdorf Realtors. 

Joe shared that they were referred to Melody by a friend who was a regular customer at a local restaurant while Kat was serving.

Kat added, “Melody was extremely helpful, attentive and fun to work with. She steered me away from houses that I jumped on too quickly. Her guidance allowed me to find the perfect house in the end. I’d recommend her to any family or friend who was in the market to buy a house.”

Joe said, “We knew that we wanted to find a home with a fenced backyard for our three dogs. And we knew that we really wanted to live in Midtown, the area just suits us. We looked at 10 houses or so, and found a wonderful bungalow, c. 1927, in the Evergreen Historic District.”

The brick bungalow had a welcoming front porch and the backyard carport had been converted into a comfortable outside lounge area. Plus, the backyard was fenced and just the right size for their trio of canines. The couple paid $300,000 for the house. With a little more than 1,300 square feet of living space, it offered three bedrooms and one bathroom. 

“The floor plan was typical of a Craftsman-style bungalow, but this home had a few extra touches, like arched doorways and French doors with ornamental hinges,” said Kat. “We felt like we were home the first time we walked into the place.”

With this house being the first home they’ve owned, Kat and Joe were excited to have the opportunity to exercise their options to really make it their own. 

“When living in a rental, there was only so much you could do to personalize your space,” said Joe, “Now that we’re in our own home, our plans for the future include painting a few accent walls, like a painted board and batten wall with a small shelf and hooks by the front door. We also want to add a little color to the bedroom and the kitchen. Additionally, we’d like to plant a large vegetable garden. The garden will be somewhat spaced out in the backyard. We plan to do two raised beds along the fence and place another bed in the ground behind the shed, where we hope to prevent the dogs from running over it. Further down the road, we’d like to add a half-bath.”

Kat and Joe are also pleased with their chosen neighborhood. “Our entire street has been so welcoming,” said Kat. “The community in Evergreen is diverse and everyone we’ve met has been very friendly. Joe and I are so excited to be a part of this area and settle in this home.”

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