Judy and Rob Bennett may be the ultimate multitaskers. They were attending a wedding in Manhattan when they closed on a house in Decatur.
The couple lived in Boca Raton, Florida, for more than two decades, but wanted to move closer to their daughter, Jennifer, who lives in Decatur, and their family members who live in Kentucky. They visited Georgia and met for a few days with Nichole Beroset, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta-Midtown, before they headed to New York for the wedding.
Judy, 62, who is retired, discussed their unusual purchasing experience and tips for buying a home in Atlanta.
Q: Why did you decide to buy?
Judy: We've been talking about moving to Atlanta for about a year. We searched for homes online and physically looked at about a dozen while we were still living in Florida. We weren't interested in anything we saw. We found this home (in person with Beroset) and immediately fell in love with it, so we put in an offer. We left for the wedding in New York soon after.
Q: What were your priorities?
Judy: We wanted to live close enough to Jennifer that it made sense for us to move. We live about 10 minutes away now. Rob (53, a ham radio operator with the callsign WD4DUI) needed a place for his radio equipment, and the house has a bonus room upstairs where he can work. We also needed a fenced-in backyard for our dog.
Q: What do you love about this house?
Judy: It had everything we were looking for. I love the fireplace and the warm ambiance it gives the house. We didn't want a homeowners' association, and we weren't required to have that in this neighborhood. The kitchen isn't updated, but the space is so open and airy that I don't even care about redoing it.
Q: How was the closing process?
Judy: It was a breeze. We ended up closing on our way home from New York. It was about a month after we started looking. Nichole did everything while we were away. We just showed up to sign the papers when we were supposed to.
Q: What advice do you have for senior buyers?
Judy: Know what it is that you want, but be open to suggestions. Also, get a good Realtor that you work well with. We left for a wedding and came home with a new house. It really was an adventure for us.
At a Glance
Rob and Judy Bennett’s home, built in 1993, has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and about 1,533 square feet. They purchased the home in 2015. Homes in Decatur’s Lindmoor Woods neighborhood currently range from the $200,000s to $300,000s.
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