By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Sandy and Bruce Potre lived in their multi-level home in Cobb County for almost 30 years, but the stairs were getting tougher and the lawn upkeep was becoming more time-consuming.
The couple began looking at active adult communities in Georgia, such as Cresswind at Lake Lanier and Windsong at Seven Hills in Dallas, as well as The Villages in Florida. When they heard Windsong Properties was building a new active adult neighborhood just seven miles from Roswell, where their grandchildren attend school, they decided to enter into a lottery for a lot in Heron Pond.
Sandy, 74, talked about the home that she and Bruce, 76, both retired, bought in the Woodstock community, which has lawn care provided.
Q: How was the search?
A: This was the only community we absolutely said we had to be in, and the market was crazy. More people were interested than the 75 homes available, so they held a lottery to reserve a lot. They picked names in March, and we were so anxious to move that we put our home on the market in March. The first people who looked at it bought it, so we had a three-month hiatus in a hotel this summer. We waited and waited as they called numbers, and we were 46 on the list. Others weren't ready to jump as soon as we were, so we were one of the first 10 lots to be built. It was fun to be one of the first there. We moved in on July 25, had next-door neighbors a week after that and neighbors behind us a week after that.
Q: What do you love about the house?
A: We love that the kitchen has a big island counter and opens into a sunroom. We also like that the master bedroom has a large spa shower and two spacious master closets. The other bedroom has a separate bathroom, which is nice for our grandchildren to have a private retreat when they visit. Outside, we have a private courtyard area with pavers and a fire pit.
Q: What’s the lifestyle of the community?
A: It's buzzing with new construction. We're excited about meeting new people and were thrilled to find we already know four people who are moving here through our neighborhood bridge club, tennis and golf. You'll find lots of active people in this community.
Q: What advice do you have for senior buyers?
A: If it's a newer community, everyone is in the same boat as you. You're all looking to make new acquaintances, so take advantage of it.
At a Glance
Sandy and Bruce Potre’s new home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,500 square feet. New homes in Windsong Properties’ Heron Pond neighborhood range from the low $300,000s to low $400,000s.
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