We “Botta” House: The Botta Family’s Journey as First-Time Homebuyers

When Megan and Joe Botta started thinking seriously about buying their first home, they were looking for more than just a place to live. They wanted a place they could grow into, work from, and build their life around. As newlyweds, remote workers, and proud pet parents to a French bulldog named Posie (who quickly took on a supervisor role), the Bottas were ready to plant roots somewhere that felt like the perfect fit for all three of them.

What they didn’t expect was how fast everything would fall into place.

The couple had their eyes set on Waterston Central in Gilbert, Arizona. Joe grew up in Gilbert, and they always knew they wanted to return. While visiting family in Nebraska during the holidays, Joe set a timer on his phone for the exact minute the Waterston Central interest list opened.

“I was kind of laughing at him for taking it so seriously,” said Megan. “But it paid off.”

That timer was the start of everything. Shortly after, while flying home from their honeymoon, the Bottas received the call: they had been selected for a homesite at Waterston Central.

The homesite was on a corner, exactly what they’d been hoping for. Even though the process was moving quickly, Megan and Joe were ready to act. They already knew what they wanted in a home: an open-concept layout, modern finishes, space for two people to work remotely, and the flexibility to grow their family in the future. That clarity helped move things along and made their decision easy and exciting.

They chose the Ironwood floorplan, which wasn’t modeled at the time, but it aligned perfectly with their vision for everyday living. “Our construction manager told us nobody had built our model yet,” said Megan. “We relied on inspiration from other homes and trusted the process.

After seeing the quality of all the other models, they felt confident in the design quality they could expect. With help from the Tri Pointe team, the Bottas were able to fully picture themselves in the Ironwood plan and understand how it would function for their lifestyle. “Tri Pointe really listened to the boundaries we wanted to stay within and worked with that,” said Megan.

When it came time to personalize their new home, the Tri Pointe Design Studio helped them make thoughtful choices that would serve them both in the short-term and the long-term. They invested in the features they could enjoy immediately, like a waterfall countertop in the kitchen.

At the same time, they planned for the future. “We converted part of our garage into an open office because I work from home full-time,” Megan explained. “But it’s designed so that, if our family grows, we could eventually turn it into a nursery.”

While the Bottas anticipated their homebuying experience to include things like meetings, paperwork, and floorplan and design decisions, some of their best memories from their journey were the moments they never could have planned.

Posie, their beloved Frenchie, tagged along for one of the early signing appointments – because, as Megan put it, “it’s her home, too!” Posie quickly became best friends with the Tri Pointe staff and seeing her thrive in the neighborhood gave the couple an extra boost of confidence in their decision to build a life at Waterston Central.

Move-in day is a big occasion for every homebuyer, but for the Bottas, it came with an extra layer of celebration: it happened to fall on Joe’s birthday. When they arrived, the Tri Pointe team surprised Joe with a birthday cake. It was a simple gesture that made a lasting impression. For Megan and Joe (and Posie), the entire experience felt personal and meaningful from beginning to end.

Now fully moved in, the Bottas are finding little ways to make their house feel even more like a home. They imagine a patio swing for the side yard. They’re exploring the community and meeting new neighbors. The joy of everyday life is settling in.

“We’re just super grateful to be here,” said Megan.

For other first-time buyers just starting the journey, the Bottas offer this advice: know what matters most to you, stay open to the process, and trust your instincts. And if your partner wants to set a calendar alarm to get on a waitlist, let them. You never know where it might lead.

Ready to start your own homebuying adventure?Discover new homes in Arizona here. We can’t wait to show you around.

All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only. Nothing herein constitutes legal, financial, tax or any other type of advice and is not to be acted on or relied upon as such. Information may not be current or complete, and is subject to change without notice. Nothing in the foregoing constitutes a warranty or guarantee.