Our house hunter:

When Lisa Hallworth decided to relocate herself and her family —- Amelia, 12, and 10-year-old twins Mitchel and Felicia —- she knew that house-hunting from Richmond would be a challenge. A manager for a data integration company out of California, Hallworth could work from any location. She has friends and family in Atlanta and likes its diverse population and friendliness. "It's a great town," she says.

The process:

Hallworth wanted a great school system, a two-story floor plan and "a fixer-upper to make my own." She heard about Marc Takacs of MD Team, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Midtown, through a friend and immediately knew she'd found the right Realtor. Takacs may be based in East Atlanta, but, Hallworth says, "He really knows the entire Atlanta area, inside and out, east Cobb, Decatur . . . ," she says. "I knew he would not just help me find a house; I knew he'd help me find the house."

Choice #1: This 1929 traditional bungalow in the Great Lakes neighborhood has five bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. Hallworth liked the privacy as well as the school system and the neighborhood. Listing at $394,900, the house was a walk away from tennis courts, a pool and downtown Decatur.

Choice #2: Hallworth spotted this two-story 1963 Colonial online and Takacs took shots of the house and the Green Oaks Forest neighborhood for her. With four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, it listed for $315,000. Its basement was partly finished and the house has hardwood floors throughout. It needed some work, Hallworth says, but "it has great bones."

Choice #3: A short-sale, the pricing structure of this traditional home in Decatur's Sycamore Ridge subdivision was very attractive, Hallworth says. Originally listed at $359,999, it has five bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. It needed a little work inside, but Hallworth liked its airy kitchen and two-story living room.

Which home did she choose? House No. 2 is the family's new home. It's in the Henderson Middle School and Lakeside High School school district, and her friends —- who saw it before Hallworth did —- gave both the house and the neighborhood their unanimous approval. "With a little work, it will be a real showplace," Hallworth says. She does all the cosmetic work herself. And now that school's out and Ameila, Felicia and Mitchel have joined her, they're having fun enjoying all the space and exploring the city.

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