Byline: Jason M. Reynolds
Oct. 22--VARNELL, Ga. -- John Rocker said real estate development is giving him something he never received from baseball: Flexible time.
'There's no extreme rush. You can work at your own pace,' Mr. Rocker said. The former Atlanta Braves closer is spending his days developing homes, doing charitable work and writing a book, 'The Truth About Everything.' His real estate ventures include Rockingham, a subdivision in Whitfield County, which he is developing with local builder Karen Horne. The nice thing about real estate, he said, is it allows him to spend much of his time in a casual atmosphere and maintain the standard of living he grew used to as a professional athlete, although without the hectic schedule. 'At my age, it'd take 10 years to become a doctor,' the 32-year-old southern Georgia native said. Mr. Rocker left baseball behind last year after playing most recently for the Long Island Ducks minor league team. Life threw him a curveball in the form of rotator cuff surgery, which diminished his famous fastball. He had become infamous in 1999 for an interview he had with Sports Illustrated denouncing New Yorkers and foreigners. A friend in Atlanta was doing real estate developments, which piqued his interest, he said. Whitfield County drew the new developer's eye because of his friendship with a local Realtor. Eric Simmons, with Coldwell Banker Kinard Realty in North Georgia, said he has known Mr. Rocker since they were children in Macon, Ga., where they attended the same church and played Little League baseball. Ms. Horne is a friend of Mr. Simmons' mother-inlaw, he said, so he connected the developers together. In case you were wondering, Rockingham is named for a city in England, not for Mr. Rocker or for a famous raceway of the same name, Ms. Horne said. The subdivision's streets are British-inspired as well: Wexford Place, Somerset Place and Yorkshire Place, for example. The 73-acre subdivision will have 59 homes once it's completed, plus a clubhouse and swimming pool, Mr. Rocker said. Seven lots have been sold and five are under construction, including two speculative homes by Ms. Horne. Lot sizes vary from 0.64 acre to 1.74 acres, Mr. Simmons said, and homes must be a minimum of 2,200 square feet for a singlelevel or 2,600 square feet for a two-level or split-foyer. Other features include uniform cast iron mail boxes, and mountain and wooded views. Ms. Horne said one house she's building, listed for $344,000, has African yurango gold granite kitchen countertops, mist spray nozzles in glassedenclosed showers and whirlpool tubs. The Frank Betz design also has stainless steel appliances and custom stairway railings. A price hasn't been set yet for the second house, which will have granite countertops, hardwood floors, a downstairs master bedroom and a deck. Each home has a double oven, a feature many women want, she said. E-mail Jason M. Reynolds at jreynolds@timesfreepress.com ON THE WEB johnrocker.net kinardrealty.com
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