Buying a second home at Lake Oconee allowed Chris and Kristin Wood and their boys, 12-year-old Eric and 10-year-old Ryan, to get away from the daily grind of Atlanta for weekends filled with golf, swimming and tennis. Chris, 44, an executive in the financial services business, and Kristin, 39, chatted about their place in The Landing at Reynolds Plantation.
Why Lake Oconee: The country club setting that the Reynolds Plantation development offered appealed to them in their search for a second home close to Atlanta. “We went out there and really just liked what we found in terms of all of the options for golf and swimming and tennis,” Chris said. They also were looking for a low-maintenance home that didn’t require time-consuming renovations or yard work that would take them away from enjoying the lake and recreational activities. They wanted to live within walking distance to community amenities, and they desired a home that was affordable enough where they didn’t have to rent it out to own it.
Their home: A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath cottage that’s part of the community’s collection of residences designed by Southern Living. The home, built in 2007, is on the 12th hole of the golf course and at the end of a cul-de-sac. It has a fireplace, hardwood floors and wood shutters, and exterior features such as a tin roof. The décor is more casual than their Atlanta home, with several items purchased at local antique stores and some furniture from Weinberger’s Furniture in Greensboro.
How far from home: An hour and 10 minutes from Buckhead. “I feel like I’m a world away from Atlanta,” Kristin said. “We can go for a night and it’s not a chore. It’s real easy to close up and leave and not have to worry about anything. It’s really a nice escape.”
What they do when they’re there: A variety of outdoor activities, including playing golf with the boys, having a family tennis match, swimming in the pools and working out. They also enjoy getting out on the lake with friends.
How often they’re there: Typically twice a month, but more often during the summer.
What they love about it: “The ability to ride your bike to the clubhouse to have lunch or dinner is great,” Chris said. “In Atlanta, we can’t do that. There are busy streets where we live. It’s really great just to get down there, and it’s a different sort of weekend for us.”
At a Glance
Chris and Kristin Wood’s home in The Landings at Reynolds Plantation has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and about 1,740 square feet. They purchased it in May.
Community overview
The Landing at Reynolds Plantation is a gated community on the 19,000-acre Lake Oconee, which has 374 miles of shoreline. Homesites range from $70,000 to more than $1 million; homes range from the $300,000s to $13 million.
Community amenities include an 18-hole Bob Cupp-designed course and the Village Recreational Area, which opened in 2007 with pools, a 143-foot waterslide, a lighted tennis center, croquet lawn, playground and athletic field. Its clubhouse boasts a fitness center, restaurant, golf shop and meeting space, and there’s also a full-service marina. Reynolds Plantation’s Oconee Clubhouse, featuring the TaylorMade Performance Lab, is in its final stages of renovation and is set to open this spring. The Landing at Reynolds Plantation was originally called Port Armor when it opened in 1986 and it joined Reynolds Plantation as a Linger Longer Community in 2005.
Getting there
Take I-20 east to Augusta. Take Exit 130 to Greensboro/Eatonton and turn right on Lake Oconee Parkway. Travel about 6 miles and The Landing at Reynolds Plantation will be on the right.
Info
The Landing at Reynolds Plantation
www.reynoldsplantation.com
Georgia’s Lake Country
www.oconee.org
Greene County Tourism
www.visitlakeoconee.com
Georgia Power-Lake Oconee
www.georgiapower.com/lakes/Oconee.asp
For sale
$379,000: 1001 Starboard Drive, Greensboro 30642. A three-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath cottage built in 2007 with a master on main, stacked stone fireplace in the great room and screened porch.
$389,000: 1080 Starboard Drive, Greensboro 30642. A three-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath cottage built in 2007 with a front porch and granite countertops and custom cabinets in the kitchen.
Recent sales
$399,900: 1031 Portside, Greensboro, 30642. A three-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath cottage overlooking the golf course.
$390,000: 1110 Landing Drive, Greensboro, 30642. A three-bedroom, three-and-one-half bath cottage with a covered deck and master on the main.
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