Life at Sun City Peachtree ‘tremendously fun'

By Lori Johnston

For the AJC

Senior Living

Single-level living south of Atlanta brought Pete and Elaine Agur to Sun City Peachtree.

The couple decided their 6,000-square-foot home in McDonough’s Eagles Landing community, where they lived for 14 years, was too much to maintain. Elaine, 70, who retired 10 years ago from the Coca-Cola Co., and Pete, 64, an aviation consultant with the VanAllen Group, chatted about their home in the Griffin active adult community that features a golf course, tennis courts, lifestyle and sports director, and neighbors seeking to socialize.

Q: Why did you focus on Sun City Peachtree?

Pete: Because of my continued travels, we wanted to stay on the Southside, and there’s this magnet called grandchildren, and they’re on the Southside, also.

Q: What were you seeking in a home?

Elaine: The No. 1 priority was single level. I’ve had a knee replacement surgery, and the other house, it was two floors with steps, so that was not very comfortable for me.

Q: How did you downsize your possessions?

Elaine: We gave furniture away to children. We sold some on Craigslist.

Pete: We did donate a number of items. I had a substantial library at the other house. I basically donated a vast majority of that to the local library when we moved over here.

Q: How was the move a positive step for you?

Pete: I can tell you that having watched Elaine, there was a huge sense of relief on her side of not having the sense of responsibility that goes with a much larger home. The community is very much a social community, so we were immediately embraced by people around us. Our particular block has a great number of really wonderful people who really immediately caused us to feel like we were part of something.

Q: What do you do regularly with neighbors?

Elaine: Once a month, our street has either a breakfast, lunch or a dinner.

Pete: We’ve heard people refer to it as a 12-month summer camp for kids, but it’s for adults. You can certainly end up with more than enough to do on any given day. You have retired people who are making appointments with people to get together.

Q: How did it change your image of a retirement community?

Pete: I was concerned about the image of being in a retirement community. I don’t see myself as becoming sedentary. Yet, what I’ve realized is the people here have simply had great careers and have chosen to stay active and have moved into this community. Rather than moving into a holding pen waiting for the Grim Reaper, we’re really in a place that’s tremendously fun.

Q: What should people know about moving into an active adult community?

Pete: There is a deliberate effort to avoid getting sucked into the kinds of things that can happen in a community where folks get into lawn art and create confusion with the architectural definition. Here, it’s very rigidly controlled. If what you want is a huge garden and all sorts of things that are very personal on the outside of the house, this is going to frustrate you. If that’s something you are not comfortable with, don’t do it.

At a glance

Pete and Elaine Agur’s home, built in 2009 in Sun City Peachtree, has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and about 2,800 square feet. Homes range from $129,000 to $240,000.