Cover Home Featured on
Dori Green is a native Memphian who was working full-time as a graphic designer in Washington, DC when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Since then, her job has gone fully remote.
“I think the past year has put things into perspective for almost everyone,” said Dori. “For me, that meant moving back to Memphis to be closer to my family. I knew I needed a little bit of a yard for my dog, Gibson. I also wanted to be in a fairly walkable area.”
Dori contacted Sowell agent Sam Goff to help her with her house hunt. They were mostly looking in Midtown, Joffre/east Buntyn, and the Cooper-young areas, with a sprinkle of High Point and Downtown thrown in for good measure.
“Sam is a family friend who met both my parents when they were about my age, so it was an easy decision to call him for his guidance,” recalled Dori. “I think I drove Sam a little crazy! I honestly don’t even know how many houses we ended up looking at…it very well could have been in the double digits. The market is moving fast right now, and I am a very slow decisionmaker, so it was a bit of a learning curve for me.
It took me a while to make up my mind.”
Ultimately, Dori paid $217,000 for a 96-yearold bungalow in the Lea’s Woods neighborhood of Midtown. The house had approximately 1,300 square feet of living space, with three bedrooms and one bathroom.
“I’m a first-time home buyer, so going from renting a 400-square foot apartment to buying a house is a major difference for me,” said Dori. “I really love the hardwood floors — they’re original to the home. My mom, Sharon Green, is currently helping me tile the kitchen backsplash, which may be wrapped up fairly soon. I have a totally bias opinion, but it’s looking pretty great so far…and I am beyond thankful for her help!”
Dori said that she didn’t know her neighborhood was called Lea’s Woods until she was making an offer on the house. However, she had spent a good amount of time over there in the past.
Dori continued, “I’m kind of obsessed with everything about my new home. It has a good bit of character. The door and window moldings, along with the baseboards, are on par with the traditional Craftsman look, which I love. There are these two gorgeous square windows that are on either side of the fireplace (I may convert the fireplace to gas this upcoming winter), and a little front porch where I eventually plan to hang a porch swing and some ferns. In the bathroom, there is a double-vanity sink which I think was a really well-thought-out idea. I plan to have a roommate, so it will make mornings easier to navigate. I need to think through some backyard landscaping before the summer heat sneaks up on us. I’m just letting everything grow a little wild in the meantime to see what plants may pop up. There is more storage space than I know what to do with, so I think this is definitely a house I will be able to grow into and stay in for years to come.”
When asked how she liked her new neighborhood, Dori said, “As someone who loves to walk, I like the proximity to a variety of activities. Gibson and I have walked over to Overton Park and gone through the Old Forest trail which was really peaceful. He absolutely loved every second. Soon enough, we’ll make our way to the Bark Park. So, nearby there’s Overton Park, music, food, shopping —a little bit of everything. I absolutely love spending time on Broad Avenue with all the local shops and restaurants, so I’m sure I have passed my street a million times without realizing it is where I would eventually call home.”
I’m kind of obsessed with everything about my new home. It has a good bit of character.”
DORI GREEN