By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Warner and Carol Wood’s Atlanta home sold in 13 days, just before Thanksgiving 2013. After looking at four houses per day in person and 15 houses per day online, they found their next home in 10 days.
The timing was perfect for the new year. They closed on their former house on Jan. 2 and bought their new home in Sandy Springs the next day.
Carol, 68, who worked as a registered nurse for 46 years with her husband Warner, 89, an orthopedist, talked about their adventurous move.
Q: Where were you living previously and why did you move?
A: Our children went to Holy Innocents' Episcopal School, and for 20 years we lived right behind it. We kept it while they were in college so they could come home for the holidays, but once our last child was out of graduate school, we felt that we could change their home place.
Q: How did you start looking?
A: We were surprised that our house sold in 13 days, especially in winter. Our agent Nadine (Chamseddine, with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties) went into overdrive showing us homes in person and online. Instead of getting ready for Christmas, we were organizing and packing. It was a very interesting process that was put into high gear because we had no place to move and didn't want to rent.
Q: What were your priorities?
A: We wanted to move closer to our parish at St. Jude (the Apostle Catholic Church) in Sandy Springs. We wanted a master bedroom on the main floor. We also needed a place to fit some of our pieces, such as a grand piano and 10-foot china cabinet. We were downsizing but not enough to get rid of our best and favorite furniture.
Q: What do you love about the house?
A: It looks like a bungalow from the street but is bigger than it looks on the inside. The lot is wooded, and when I look out the kitchen window, I feel like we're living in a treehouse.
Q: What changes did you make?
A: We had to do fairly major plumbing work and an expensive electrical job, but we knew in advance that we had to do it. We also own a lovely art collection, and every single piece of art is shown off here because the house is smaller, not as spread out, and we get to see more of our art on a daily basis.
Q: What advice do you have for senior buyers?
A: The key to the entire process boils down to one person — your agent. Nadine changed our lives and did it in about five weeks. After we moved, I held a dinner party for the friends and relatives who helped us move, and she was the guest of honor.
At a Glance
Warner and Carol Wood’s home, built in 1971, has six bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and 5,100 square feet. Homes in the River North neighborhood in Sandy Springs range from the mid-$400,000s to mid-$500,000s.
