By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Jim and Doris Huckaby lived in a 3,400-square-foot home with 20-foot ceilings in Marietta for 27 years and decided to downsize while they were in good health. They sold the four-bedroom home and bought a two-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot unit at Mount Vernon Towers, a senior community with dining, a fitness center and exercise classes, social activities, a beauty salon and 24-hour security.
Doris, 86, talked about the home she and husband Jim, 92, a retired IBM professional, bought in Sandy Springs.
Q: Why did you move?
A: We talked about moving occasionally and realized that we wanted to move together. We didn't want one person to move after the other passed away. Almost overnight, we put our house on the market and sold it to the second or third person who looked at it. It happened so fast that we didn't have time to think about it and rented an apartment at Mount Vernon Towers before buying. We haven't regretted one day or one hour.
Q: What were your priorities?
A: We knew about Mount Vernon Towers from friends who live here, and it has all the amenities you could want. You can go downstairs for three meals a day, church and parties every week.
Q: What do you love about your unit?
A: We love the breakfast room, kitchen and bathroom spaces, the marble counters throughout and beautiful porcelain tile in the foyer. I have a five-shelf cabinet that is lit to display all the things I treasure, including porcelain, cut glass and Waterford pieces that show up beautifully in the light.
Q: What have you added so far?
A: When we moved in, we had it fixed up to suit us for as long as we live here. We had part of a wall taken out to open up the space and redid the bathrooms to put in handicap bars for accessibility. Since my husband doesn't see well, we have a white background with black accessories. The builder and decorator were great about listening to what we were looking for and then giving suggestions.
Q: What’s the lifestyle of the community?
A: I can truthfully say this place is so well run that you can do something every day — vespers, Bible study, concerts, outside entertainment. As I heard one woman say, it's like being on a cruise. With the food and facilities, they wait on you and make you feel like you're home.
Q: What advice do you have for senior buyers?
A: Consider renting temporarily. Some people here buy apartments for an investment and rent them out until they're ready to move in. We knew we wanted a two-bedroom here and rented an apartment until one was available to buy.
At a Glance
Jim and Doris Huckaby’s home, built in 1985, has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,200 square feet. Mount Vernon Towers units range from below $100,000 for one bedroom to the low to high $100,000s for two bedrooms.
