Taking up tennis, walking trails with her dogs, attending monthly block parties and playing cards with neighbors are part of Kathleen Locke’s new routine now that she’s living in metro Atlanta.
The move to Soleil Laurel Canyon, an active adult community in Canton, is her third move in 18 months, taking her from Annapolis, Md., to Hilton Head Island, S.C., to a rental in Soleil and finally into her new home. Locke, a retired reading specialist, chatted about choosing Atlanta after her husband’s sudden death in 2012.
Q: What prompted the move to Georgia?
A: In August 2011 my husband and I moved to Hilton Head Island to build our retirement home. That fall, we worked with an architect designing the home. It was to start on Jan. 15 of 2012. My husband died very suddenly Jan. 3, 2012. I was able to stop all the plans. It was going to be a large house and I didn't want to go through with it.
Q: How quickly did you decide to leave Hilton Head?
A: I really was not interested in leaving Hilton Head. I'm a beach person. I just loved it. But there I was by myself. My two sons both live in Atlanta. They just kept saying, "Mom, we want you closer." In March of 2012 my first grandchild was born. When I saw her, I just decided if I was going to have a relationship with her, it would be really great to be closer.
Q: How did you search?
A: I found a lot of neighborhoods that I loved in Buckhead, Brookhaven and Morningside. But nothing was gated. I was by myself now. I felt a little vulnerable living in the city by myself. Then the Fulton County taxes were very, very expensive. I just decided it wasn't for me. I went back to Hilton Head and said it's in God's hands, if I'm supposed to be in Georgia. I Googled 55-and-older communities in greater Atlanta. (Soleil came up.)
Q: What’s a favorite activity in the community?
A: I have always wanted to learn how to play tennis. I started taking lessons (from Soleil's tennis pro) the end of August/beginning of September 2012. I didn't even know how to hold a racket. He just invested a lot of time in me and got me so that I was able to play on the spring ALTA tournament team and the fall team. That has been just really, really fun for me.
Q: What are some of your favorite features in your home?
A: The 11-foot ceilings make a huge difference in just feeling that the home is more spacious.
Q: Did you make any changes to the floor plan?
A: I bumped out the master bedroom and put in a bank of windows. I added windows in the great room. In my bathroom I elected not to do a tub. I just made it a very large zero-entry shower with a seat. It turned out beautiful.
Q: Did you update any features?
A: I did put a lot of upgrades into the house. It's 100 percent hardwood floors. I put bead board in the dining room and around my 10-foot center island. I did much larger molding (8 inch) throughout. Even my laundry room has molding.
At a Glance
Kathleen Locke’s home (the Mansfield model) in Canton’s Soleil Laurel Canyon has two bedrooms, two baths and about 2,300 square feet. She moved into the home in March 2013. Brenda Laird with Prudential Georgia Realty, which is now Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, assisted her in the purchase. Soleil is priced from the $200,000s to $400,000s.
About the Author
