By Carolyn Crist
For the AJC
Some baby boomers are making moves now, enticed by factors such as low interest rates, to be prepared for the future.
To avoid moving again as they got older, Dennis and Lisa Astor, who are in their early 50s, relocated a bit north, from their two-story East Cobb County home to a new house in Cherokee County.
A recent survey found that 37 percent of baby boomers plan to move once they retire. Of those, 42 percent plan to buy a smaller home, according to research by The Demand Institute, the non-profit think tank run by the Conference Board and Nielsen.
Lisa, a real estate agent, talked about the three-bedroom home that she and Dennis, a software developer, bought in Canton’s Harmony on the Lakes neighborhood.
Q: Why did you decide to purchase?
A: We had been talking about moving to a new home on one floor that still had space for the kids to visit. When we pulled up some houses online, we saw several that were priced well and heard good things about the builders here.
Q: What was the market like?
A: It had picked up a good bit and was starting to sell in this neighborhood. Now houses have sold on our street, and houses are selling on another street nearby as well.
Q: How did you move on this home?
A: We went into the sales office and gave an offer. We knew by the next day that it was accepted. The whole process was very easy. The builder did the walkthrough with me, and I was surprised that we closed on time during the hard freeze back in February. I didn’t think they’d be able to fix the little stuff in time, but they did, and even the outdoor changes had been done.
Q: What have you added so far?
A: We put a fence up and added little things, like light fixtures and a mirror. I love feeling like I’m in the country, so we’ve fixed up the back porch with a table and chairs to sit outside. The front porch is also awesome, and we put up hanging ferns and two rocking chairs, which I’ve always wanted.
Q: What do you love about the neighborhood?
A: The neighborhood has a lot of different age groups in it. The lake is beautiful, and the amenities are great with two pools, eight tennis courts and tons of activities. Also, the location is nice with not as much traffic as East Cobb but still close to Woodstock and Canton with plenty to do.
At a Glance
Dennis and Lisa Astor’s new home, built by Fortress Homes, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,000 square feet. Homes in Canton’s Harmony on the Lakes neighborhood range from the low $200,000s to low $300,000s.
