Kathy Davenporte decided to downsize after retiring a couple of years ago as a middle school teacher in Dublin, Ohio. Davenporte was living nine hours away from her daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons, but now she lives about 35 minutes from her family. She enjoys also attending cultural and church events and volunteering near her Roswell home.
Q: How did you search for a place to buy?
A: I had the luxury of selling my home and moving here. I placed my furniture in storage. My daughter had extra room for me. Then I had a chance to look around and see the different areas, learn the city, learn the freeways. Sherri Kelly of Keller Williams Realty/First Atlanta was knowledgeable and we developed a good relationship. We looked at various homes in the north Fulton area, which included Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek, however, Roswell was where I wanted to be. So, we tenaciously focused on this area.
Q: How fast did you put in an offer?
A: After looking at several homes and actually making a bid on a house (a multiple-offer situation), we found a house in Roswell Place. When I went to view this home, they were placing the "for sale" sign in the yard. It was the right time, the right place. After I looked at it, I called my daughter. The same day I made an offer and the owner accepted it.
Q: What did you like about the home?
A: The master bedroom on the first floor is what I liked the most. It has two large closets and an entrance door to the garden off the patio. The home has great storage spaces. It is a well-built, four-sided brick home with a wonderful landscape and pergola off the patio. This is a swim-tennis community. I am a very active person and love to play tennis, so this was just where I wanted to be. I can actually walk out my door, walk a block, and there's the pool and tennis courts right there.
Q: What kind of downsizing did you do?
A: I had a four-bedroom home that had a basement. It was 2,700 square feet. I knew I wanted to downsize. However I didn’t want it to be teeny tiny. What I have now is 2,400 square feet and it’s wonderful. When my grandsons (Caleb, 4, and Trey, 8) first came to visit me, they claimed their bedrooms. That’s why I love the two bedrooms upstairs.
Q: What do you like about the area?
A: I chose Roswell because of the parks, recreation programs, volunteer opportunities, shopping, cultural arts programs, wonderful places to worship and its close proximity to the city of Atlanta. It's private, but in than five minutes I can be in downtown Roswell or Canton Street or at North Point Mall.
Q: What tips do you offer for downsizing?
A: Realize the advantages of less upkeep. Look forward to enjoying time with other activities, family and friends, as opposed to keeping up with the house. Downsizing helped me keep organized and reduced time spent on house chores. I said, "This is a good time in my life to purge stuff. If I want something new to look at, I'll just get new things with my new home." Once I made that decision, it was not hard at all.
Q: What is a feature you love in your home?
A: I decided to do a new rod-iron staircase with stained wood railings, and I just love it. It opens up the whole foyer.
At a Glance
Kathy Davenporte’s home, built in 1988, has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and about 2,400 square feet. She purchased it in September 2013, and worked with interior designer Stacy Beall and Robert Rose of Cumming-based Sense to Sustain. Homes in Roswell Place are listed from the $320,000s-$330,000s.
About the Author
