Jimmie and Barbara Walters knew they would retire to the Atlanta area. They previously lived in Marietta before moving to Myrtle Beach, S.C., in 1988, but their daughter and affection for the Atlanta Braves were too strong to keep them away.
Jimmie Walters, former director of cultural and leisure services for the city of Myrtle Beach, and Barbara, who worked in the accounting department for a developer and property management company, lived in their camper at Stone Mountain while their home was under construction. Jimmie, 65, chatted about their house in Sterling on the Lake in Flowery Branch.
Q: How did you make your way to Sterling on the Lake?
A: We came over here last April. We spent two weeks camping down at Stone Mountain. That’s when we decided we wanted to live up [I-85]. When we got home, Barbara went online and found Sterling. Then we came back in about two weeks. When we drove in and we saw how well it was kept, and all the lakes, the green areas and trees, we didn’t really look anywhere else. It was a matter of, “OK, do you have a lot?”
Q: Why did the location appeal to you?
A: We wanted to be somewhere close to the mountains. We wanted to be close enough that we could hop into the camper and get to somewhere and not have to spend a lot of time on the road. This area is more like the foothills. It is still close enough where I can be downtown within 30 to 40 minutes. I’m a big Braves fan and I wanted to be near the Braves. We’ve got the Gwinnett Braves right down the road [in Lawrenceville].
Q: What features did this home and lot offer?
A: We wanted to back up to a wooded area because we like to spend a lot of time on our back porch. They had some lots available that back up to the green area. It’s got some big bay windows in it, so when you walk into the house, you walk back into the forest. Also, we wanted the master bedroom on the first floor.
Q: Did you make any changes to the floor plan?
A: We added a covered porch on a deck. It comes down to a 20-by-12 slab, and we put an outdoor fireplace and bar.
Q: Why was outdoor living a focus?
A: When we first got married, we lived in Florida and we had a pool. When we were in Marietta, we had a stream behind our house. We lived on a lake in Myrtle Beach. We’ve never backed up to the forest. We do spend a lot of time outside. We barbecue outside. I’ve got a TV out there where I can watch the Braves. It’s another room on your house, if you really look at it.
Q: What’s a tip you would give other retirees?
A: Everybody needs to pick their niche. We wanted to move into a community with all age groups. Here, we’ve got pools, we’ve got lakes, we’ve got walking trails. We’ve got all age groups using them. It’s a real healthy mix.
At a Glance
Jimmie and Barbara Walters’ new home, built by D.R. Horton in Sterling on the Lake, has four bedrooms, 31/2 baths and about 3,000 square feet. They purchased it in November. Homes by D.R. Horton are in the $200,000s.
