American Idol rocker and area native Chris Daughtry, who began working on his debut album last week, has reportedly purchased a new roomy home in an upscale suburb of Greensboro.

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According to The Associated Press, Daughtry and his wife spent $690,000 for a four bedroom, 3,782-square-foot home with a swimming pool and putting green on a little more than an acre of land.

It's located in Oakridge, a suburb north of Greensboro with a population of about 4,000. NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick lives nearby.

The home will surely be a marked change from where the couple previously resided in small McLeansville, and definitely a switch from the humble home in which he and his family resided during the years they lived in Lasker.

The Lasker home, located next door to his grandparents, Barbara Jean and Calvin Daughtry, well-known as the founders and managers of the Lasker Grand Ole Opry, but owned by his parents Pete and Sandra, is now occupied by Chris's long-time friend Johnny Outland and his wife Candy.

Daughtry's grandmother Barbara Jean said “of course” she is happy Chris decided to purchase property in North Carolina.

However, she has not had a look at the home. “I haven't seen it yet,” she said. “I only know what I read in the paper.”

Barbara Jean noted it's become pretty difficult to keep up with her grandson, who catapulted to fame last spring as the “rocker” on Fox's hit television show American Idol. His star flared brighter after Daughtry, once thought of as a shoe-in to nab the title and the $1 million recording contract prize, was voted off the show in the season's biggest shocker.

Hours afterward, he was offered to front the rock band Fuel, but he declined, choosing instead to record his own album.

“He's going so many places,” she said. But as far as she knows, Chris, who is married and is a father to his wife's two children, is doing well.

She last saw Chris at the July 29 American Idol concert in Richmond. “It was great,” she said of the show, which she attended with Chris's parents and his brother, Kenneth.

Barbara Jean even ventured backstage and met a few of the other idols, all of whom she said were nice.

Meanwhile, MTV.com reported last week that Chris has recruited several highly respected musicians to help co-write his debut album, scheduled for release Nov. 21., including Rob Thomas and Three Doors Down singer Brad Arnold.

“It's been thrilling to approach this album as a new canvas, with the experience of the show and such an incredible year to draw on,” Daughtry told MTV in a statement.

The site also reports Chris' album will be produced by Howard Benson, who has worked with My Chemical Romance, All -American Rejects and Papa Roach.

He is also working on forming a band to play on the album and to do a live show. The band will reportedly be called “Daughtry.”