Who: Pat and Derek Reynolds. Derek retired from corporate life but left retirement to take a job with the Perdue administration as chief operating officer for the Georgia Technology Authority. Pat is director for surgical services for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

What: A two-story home on Lake Tara in the Fairfield Plantation subdivision in Villa Rica. The first story has an open living and dining area, kitchen, master bedroom and bath, laundry room and office, two decks and a screened porch overlooking the lake. Downstairs there's another living area and small kitchen, another master bedroom suite and two additional bedrooms and two full baths. "It's a great place to have family and relatives," says Derek. "It's like having an entire house downstairs that opens out onto the lake."

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Lake Tara in Villa Rica reflects a peaceful scene from the deck of Derek and Pat Reynolds' home.

Getting There I-20 west to Exit 24 toward Carrollton/Villa Rica, left fork of ramp. Turn left on Ga. 101/Ga. 61. Left on Flat Rock Road, right on Moss Ferry Road, left on Fairfield Road, right on Willis Road.

How they found it: "We were thinking about finding a place to retire, so we had been looking around. One day we opened up one of those home sales magazines and saw a story about a beautiful lakefront house," says Derek. "It was the whole center of the book. We came out to visit, and while the agent went to get the right key, we walked out onto the dock. When we turned around and looked back at the house, we just said, 'We have to own this.' And so we do. We just fell in love."

How far: "It's about 45 minutes from our home in Smyrna," says Pat. "We come out here every weekend. It's a priority for us."

Living in two worlds: Pat says, "We both work long hours all week long, but come Friday, we can't wait to get out here. We make it a point to come and see the lake when we arrive, and before we head home at the end of the weekend, we say goodbye. We hate to leave here. Many of our neighbors are full-time residents, and we've essentially moved ourselves out here and become very actively involved in the community." Derek adds, "We go to church out here and Pat is president of the Lake Tara Social Club."

Didn't know all this was here: "My girls graduated from West Georgia College," says Derek, "and I was back and forth past here for years. I knew Fairfield was here, but not that they had all the lakes or the golf course. Everyone we've introduced to the community has ended up buying a home here."

Fairfield Plantation

Kathleen Pericas, of Prudential Georgia Realty and a resident of Fairfield Plantation, has been selling real estate for 30 years. "We're a gated golf and lake community of over 1,500 homes just a 45-minute drive from Atlanta. There are three lakes, including Lake Tara, which is a 300-acre ski and boating lake. There's a beach with beach house, dockside marina and restaurant, a recreation center with pool and miniature golf, 18-hole golf course and country club with tennis courts, swimming pool and restaurant. Regular social activities include Bunco, ladies' bridge, the women's club, Kiwanis, ladies' golf club and garden and travel clubs."

Fairfield Plantation is a long-standing neighborhood with both new construction and resales available in all price ranges from $120,000 up to $1.3 million. Lots on the water range from $140,000 and up, while golf course lots are priced from $25,000.

2193 Lakeview Parkway; 4-bedroom, 2-bath ranch with dock and pontoon on Lake Tara, full finished walkout terrace level with second kitchen for teen/in-law suite, wraparound rear decking, level lake lot; $339,900

2334 Sheridan Court; 5-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath two-story, with all hardwood flooring on main level and a partially finished basement with finished bath, lakefront with expansive views of Lake Tara; $399,900

7072 Brigade Court; 4-bedroom, 3-bath, 1 1/2 story, overlooking the golf course's No. 9 tee box, octagonal foyer, chef's granite kitchen, wraparound decking with three-car garage; $315,000

Web site: www.fairfieldpoa.org

Telephone: 770-883-9555