They desired to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law and grandson, who live in Johns Creek, so retirees David and Barbara Cooper moved from Washington, D.C., to Atlanta. Like other older buyers in metro Atlanta, Barbara, 69, and David, 71, sought a home with a floor plan featuring as few stairs as possible. The couple chatted about their home in Atlanta, which they found with the assistance of Randall Loehrig, an agent with Harry Norman, Realtors.
Q: Was it an easy decision to move here from Washington, D.C.?
Barbara: We could get a much nicer house here [because they found prices to be more affordable in Atlanta] but also be near our family and in warmer weather. But it was a wrenching decision because it meant leaving all our friends. I spent a lot of sleepless nights trying to decide what to do. But once we made the decision, then that was it.
Q: What type of aging-in-place features were you seeking?
David: We really wanted a first-floor master bedroom, and the only way that you can get that in the Washington area is if you move to a retirement community or if you buy a much older rambler. We really weren't ready for a retirement community.
Q: Did you want to downsize?
Barbara: By moving, we wanted to lower our monthly expenses and not as much downsize as "resize" -- to have a home where we could be on one level if we wished.
Q: How did your new home win out over the others?
Barbara: It's a cluster home, and that's perfect because we don't want to take care of a big lawn. It has this first-floor master, which was vital for us. [The inside-the-Perimeter location] is a half an hour away from our daughter, son-in-law and grandson, so that's perfect, too. We don't want to be relying on them for our life.
David: The master bedroom suite was really a key selling feature for us because it had been recently remodeled. The bathroom has heated marble travertine floors, double vanities, a Whirlpool tub and separate shower. Our master bedroom has a tray ceiling and hardwood floors and a fireplace [one of three fireplaces in the home].
Q: What advice do you give buyers?
David: One of the things that was a consideration factor for us was a home that did not have a lot of steps to get into the front door because what happens if one of us has a stroke and we have to use a wheelchair?
Barbara: You have to think not just about your current physical condition, which may be great, but the fact that it's likely not to be the same in 10, 15 years. If somebody is say, 65, when they're 80, they may not be able to get up and down stairs real easily. We weren't looking for bars in the bathtub because you can add those, but we were looking for a situation where we could live here in a more infirmed state.
At a glance
David and Barbara Cooper’s home, which was built in 1992 in Atlanta’s Sidestreet neighborhood, has four bedrooms, 41/2 baths and more than 3,000 square feet. Homes in the DeKalb County neighborhood are priced in the $500,000s. They bought the home in February.
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