SENIOR LIVING
John and Marilyn Tortoriello visited metro Atlanta several times to see their daughters and four grandchildren before they decided to move from Texas and their home of 25 years.
Since moving into the Court at Fieldstone, a Cumming community, the couple has found new friendships and ways to celebrate the holidays with their neighbors while spending more time with their family. John, 70, and Marilyn, 65, chatted about their home.
Q: How did you approach your search?
Marilyn: Our oldest daughter lives in Alpharetta, and when we were out here maybe a year or two ago her in-laws were looking for a place. We came up into Cumming with them and looked at some houses and liked the area very much. It’s close to Atlanta, but it’s close to the North Georgia mountains. It was just a really pretty area. Over a year ago, we decided we wanted to be here.
Q: Did you need to sell your home in Texas?
John: That was holding us up.
Marilyn: We finally sold it a week before Memorial Day weekend. We closed within a month. We waited until the home was actually sold [to start looking]. I had been looking at houses online. Of course, at the age we are, now that we’re both retired, we knew we wanted certain things.
Q: What were some of those requirements?
John: A one-story home.
Marilyn: Master on the main. With a one-story, we felt we needed to have a larger area and a kitchen where you could actually be in the kitchen and see everybody, if you had company. The house we found here was just perfect for us.
Q: How did this neighborhood seem right for you?
Marilyn: When we came out here –-- I think the first time we actually looked at the house -- the neighbor next door came out and we talked to her. She was just wonderful and we’ve become good friends with her. Before we moved in, too, the couple across the street was coming home from dinner one night and we ended up at their place. It’s a lot of couples our age. For Halloween, we put the fire pit out and the neighbors all came together. We sat on the front driveway with the fire pit going, laughing and talking, and kids came up and we gave them candy.
Q: How is buying a home in retirement different than other purchases?
Marilyn: To me, the older you get, the more you know about yourself and what you like and what you don’t like. The thing is not to settle. Just keep looking because it’s out there somewhere.
At a Glance
John and Marilyn Tortoriello’s new home in Cumming’s Court at Fieldstone community has three bedrooms, two baths and about 2,000 square feet. They purchased it in August, assisted by Marie Dinsmore with Re/Max All Properties. Homes in the neighborhood start in the $170,000s-$190,000s.
