Senior Living
About a dozen of Reginald Jones’ high school classmates live in Atlanta, so when he looked for a retirement home, Jones headed south, from New Jersey, to be close to them and his home state of Alabama.
The ranch-style home that he and his wife, Lillie, bought in Sun City Peachtree was the 500th home purchased in the Del Webb development in Griffin. Jones, 61, who is retiring from the banking industry, chatted about choosing metro Atlanta and Sun City Peachtree.
Q: Were you thinking a while about moving to Atlanta?
A: I was thinking about moving back south. I just wasn’t sure. When I started exploring locations, I saw the Del Webb facility in South Carolina (Sun City Hilton Head). Then when I came through Georgia to visit some friends, I decided to check out the three locations there. I’m originally from Alabama, and at least 10 or 12 of my high school classmates live in the Atlanta area. We have a class reunion every five years. Every two years, we get together just celebrating everyone’s birthday.
Q: Why did you like the location of this community?
A: It’s only 45 minutes from the Atlanta airport, and I travel a lot in general.
Q: What was appealing about the floor plan?
A: The guest room and the library are on the other side of the house from the master bedroom. If you have guests, they can be on their side of the house at night. You don’t have to worry about disturbing one another. That had a lot to do with it.
Q: Did you make additions to the floor plan?
A: We added the sunroom. It has a nice open space with lots of natural light so if you want to sit in the morning or read, it is perfect.
Q: What extra touches did you choose?
A: They were giving [discounts] on the upgrades. It allowed me to add things I wouldn’t have added before, like the kitchen and bathroom countertops and the sound system [the granite countertops and electronics packages from Best Buy remain incentives].
Q: The amenities are a big part of active adult communities. Sun City Peachtree has a 45,000-square-foot recreation center and a golf course. What activities are you planning on getting involved in?
A: I’m an amateur photographer, so the photography club. I’m pretty athletic, so I work out at least four or five times a week [in the fitness center]. There is pool and volleyball. There is line dancing. I noticed that there’s a wine tasting group that somebody holds in their home. I see that there are a lot of opportunities to volunteer, so I figure that in my spare time, I will volunteer to help some of the local groups.
Q: How did Sun City Peachtree fit what you envisioned doing in retirement?
A: It fits exactly. We talked about being in an active adult community where there was an activities center. We would never be bored because there was always something to do.
At a glance
Reginald and Lillie Jones’ new home in Sun City Peachtree has two bedrooms, two baths and about 2,250 square feet. They purchased it in February. Homes range from $131,000-$241,000.
