Mary Ann and I visited the Del Webb active adult community The Village at Deaton Creek this week and were very impressed with the new activity center which opened last week and the model homes. The Village at Deanton Creek is located north east of Atlanta. For locals it is up I-85 on the exit for Chateau Elan and Road Atlanta.  This whole area has become a great area for active adults.

The activity center is a good name because club house does not do justice to this 35,000 square foot building.  It is the largest of its kind in Georgia. All the features and activities reminded us of being on a cruise. The lifestyle director gave us a tour.  We were not ready or expecting such a wonderful facility. It has everything.  The communities marketing material has this say: This active adult oasis, known as “The Club at Deaton Creek,” has been specifically designed to enhance and expand the active lifestyle for our current and future residents.” They are not exaggerating.

The entrance is grand and has a registration/service desk and lounging area like a lodge you would see out West maybe in Yellowstone or Montana. Soaring ceilings and wall of glass to the back overlooking the terrace and the river.

The Grand Ballroom is huge and could be separated by rooms but I could see a community gathering for a dance or party taking place here. At one end a group of about 30 residents were playing bridge when we attended. At the other end of this large ballroom was a professional cooking demo room, like you would see at Whole Foods.

The crafts room was actually two colorful rooms and had facilities for ceramic making including a kiln. Also a library/Wall Street Room with wireless Internet access.

The fitness area was huge, again set up like on a cruise ship only much bigger.  Nautilus equipment arranged to look out through the walls of glass. Flat screen TVs and plug ins for music and video.  At the end of the building was a Junior Olympics size indoor heated pool.  Adjoining locker and changing rooms were beautiful.

Outdoors there are upper and lower terraces just outside and part of the activity center overlooking the natural area and river.  Seating groups of wicker were arranged. Good place to sit with friends or by yourself to read a book. This area reminded us of a lodge we stayed at last year in Alaska. Oh, at the end is a huge outdoor swimming pool.

We did a home made video if you would like to take a look. This is our first video so please overlook the technical part but I think it will give you a good feel for the activity center.  For more information on The Village at Deaton Creek visit their website. For more reviews of active adult communities in Georgia.

With this community, you get both the advantages of a an active adult community and also small town living, even though it is part of metro Atlanta GA.

Robert and Mary Ann
SmallTownRetirement.com

I toured the brand new 35,000 activity center at the Village at Deaton Creek. This is a new Del Webb 55 and better community located near Chateau Elan, northeast of Atlanta, GA. 

 This activity center is wonderful  Take a look at the live video I taped this week.
Village at Deaton Creek Activity Center.   I promise you have never seen anything like this. It is the largest of it’s type in Georgia. There are walking trails, tennis complex, mini-parks and a lifestyle director who will coordinate social activities in the community. The bridge club was meeting in part of the ball room when I was there. The Junior Olymic indoor pool looks great. Out pool has plenty of decking and chairs. 

Robert, SmallTownRetirement.com

In a 100 mile radius around Atlanta GA, Boomers and Seniors will have their choice of several new 55+ retirement communities that are under construction right now. Georgia is one of the best states to retire to if the number of new retirement communities and the high number of Internet search inquiries are considered.  Many people who relocated to Florida are now coming back up to Georgia because they are just getting hammered on the high costs of property taxes and home insurance.  Atlanta metro area is now home to over 5 million people and as is the case nationwide, people like to retire to a community close by.  Parents are retiring to Georgia to be close to their adult children who found jobs there as the econony grew over the last few years.

Del Webb/Plute has three very nice communities under way and Levitt and Sons also have three active adult communities in progress. These offer numerous amenities, modern recreational facilities, breathtaking surroundings and livable home designs that make active adult communities a great place to live and relax.

One exciting community is Del Webb on Lake Oconee.  This community will offer great access to Lake Oconee where I understand fishing is wonderful on this large relatively shallow GA lake  Del Webb at Lake Oconee will offer more than 850 homes located across 400 acres bordering Lake Oconee and adjacent to award-winning Reynolds Plantation. 55 Plus Lake Property Retirement Communities are hard to find. Look for this community to be available in late Summer but you can get more info at the link above as well as get on their email list for announcements and invitations to visit. Lake Oconee is situated 75 miles east of Atlanta on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Georgia.

Sun City Peachtree Pulte/Del Webb’s Vikek is directing the development of Georgia’s first Sun City Retirement Community in Spalding County on the south side of Atlanta Georgia. It will be a 3,400 homesite community and will include a 38,000 square foot amenity center, a championship gold course and a softball field.

Levitt and Sons has active adult communities in these locations, all within close proximity to metro Atlanta:

Seasons at Laurel Canyon (Cherokee County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Canton GA and has 766 home sites on 350 acres. The prices are $200,000 to $400, 000 based the floor plans and lots. It features a large clubhouse that will be the center of social and physical activities.

Seasons at Lake Lanier (Hall County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Gainesville GA. There are 744 homesites on 410 acres. This is an Active Adult 55 Plus community located on Lake Lanier. Prices are $200,000 to $400,000 and up. The model homes are now available for touring. If you get a chance take a visit and I think you will be impressive with the location and the wonderful livable floor plans and designs. Again, lake property retirement communities are hard to find.

Seasons at Seven Hills (Paulding County) by Levitt & Sons is located in Dallas Georgia on the Western edges of metro Atlanta. There are 724 homesites. Prices range from $200,000 to $400,000.

In addition many local builders are developing communities of the 55+ type or offer nearly the same amenities like ranch style or master on main, walking trails, swim/tennis with clubhouse. On such community is Mountain View located off Hwy 140 East of Canton. Several builders in this community. Price ranges in the low $200s to $300,000. RL Glosson Homes 678-493-0696 is one of the builders. There are two sections,  Autumn Ridge at the top with wonderful mountain views and Creekside. Mountain View is located on the top of a high ridge with wonderful mountain vistas. Mountain property in the metro area - nice!

Make a weekend visit to tour these communities and take a look at the model homes, clubhouse and other amenities.  I think you will be impressed.

For more information visit  Active Adults communities in Georgia
For information about retirement communities inside the Perimeter in the City of Atlanta 

Robert Fowler
55 Plus Communities

I recently tour the 10 model homes set up in the  Levitt & Sons new Active Adults 55 Plus communities on Lake Lanier in Northeast Georgia.  A number of features were impressive and nice to see all in each home. Each was decorated with dazzling style, even flamboyance. 

Besides the furnishing, they were build with the livable designs in mind, those things that make a home more livable, that is more comfortable, easier and safer for independent living. These were nice!

Most were ranch style homes (one level) with no steps.  A deck or screened porch is also a nice feature when you are spending a lot of time at home. This gives up a place to go outside the normal living space to breathe some fresh air and get a change of pace.

Several have finished basements suites to die for!  One had a large bar, pool table, game table, and full bath and bedroom for guests. Some had a full media room complete with stadium chairs. These terrace levels didn’t look like a basement at all. They had nice Berber carpet, recessed lightening, and colorful walls trimmed expertly. Bay and other windows gave plenty of lights and visuals to the outside.

The back yards had fireplace, sitting groups, gazebo and professional landscaping.

Interior floor plans include the open kitchen, an extra room or two that could be used as a den family room, or office.

These active adult communities really are offering up some attractive features that us baby boomers will appreciate.

Robert Fowler
SmallTownRetirement.com

Just returned from a trip to Lake Hartwell Georgia.  Beautiful day on the lake.  Saw many lake homes and cabins along the shoreline as well as many undeveloped areas.  The couple we visited has had their lake front cabins for years.  They are retiring but do not plan to live their full time but just make more visits during the week from their home in Hamilton Mill near Atlanta.

The good part about being retired is that you can visit the lake during the week when it is much less crowded and the party makers have long gone.  So they are just going to “Retire” to the lake during the week.  They say they may entertain more at the lake house as they have more time to do so.  The 24 foot pontoon boat was a blast.

So I learned that a retirement home does not only have to be full time. They are enjoying theirs whenever they want to.

Located 30 miles North of Atlanta up GA 400, Dahlonega is at the base of the North Georgia Mountain.  For anyone moving from Metro Atlanta Dahlonega is worth a visit and consideration of a place to move to.   It is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city, yet your could meet your Atlanta friends for lunch. With the way the growth is heading north, you should be right at home sooner than you like.

When it comes time to retire in Georgia, many people just look North to the Georgia Mountains, a short distance from Atlanta.  You are still in your home state and can easily visit the metro Atlanta area to visit friends or attractions.  Also you can get to know the new area where you will be living full time even before your move by making frequent visits to get to know the area. 

 My friends Jim and Jean did just that.  Knowing they would like to move to the North part of the state, Jim got a transfer to the Gainesville office a few years before his retirement date.  This put them in a perfect situation to go ahead and move up to Banks County Georgia, where they build a perfect retirement home with screen porch overlooking a stream on five areas.  This worked out so good Jim even delayed his retirement since he almost felt he was retired.   This transition to a new area by relocating his job worked out for the best. 

Jim and Jean visit us in Alpharetta or we just meet in Gainesville dinner,  half way for each for us.  Really it is not harder to get together with them now than it was when they lived in DeKalb County. 

They both live living in the North GA mountains even thought there are some inconveniences.  Jean says the water supply line has broken many times to their home and the major just keeping making repairs rather than run new lines that are needed.  She says he has a “small town mind” about things and just looks as people like them as complaining “wealthy people from Atlanta”, which she says they are not.  However building a barn and getting a horse, chopping your own firewood from your property and just listening to the crickets perform a symphony from your swing on your screened in porch makes in all worth it.

Jim and Jean knew what they wanted and went for it.  I know I and others who envy them.

Georgia has many interesting small towns and places to live away from the city.  North Georgia mountains especially have appeal for many people.  If you are familiar with any of the towns in North Georgia, please leave give us your assessment of the area.