The homeowner: Many young professionals like Jennifer Shannon have moved to the lively community of Smyrna, about 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta. In fact, 33 is the median age of the residents in Smyrna, which was founded in 1872. Shannon has enjoyed visiting the restaurants, library and recreation facilities in the city's revitalized downtown, featuring the award-winning Village Green (which also hosts concerts and events) and the Market Village (opened in 2002 with locally owned shops and restaurants). "There's a lot to do," said Shannon, 31, who works for a human resources consulting firm in Marietta. Shopping at Cumberland Mall and a 10-minute commute to work were important factors when she purchased her two-bedroom, two-bath condo. "If you want to be close to the city and still have things to do in the suburbs, you're not going to get any better than the Smyrna area," she said. There's also 304 acres of park and green space in Smyrna, known as the Jonquil City for the flowers that bloom every spring. And housing options have flourished, with townhomes in Paces Walk and around Market Village, and single-family home construction in subdivisions such as Cooper Lake and Belmont Chase. Foreclosures also have made some homes available below $100,000. Smyrna offered affordability for Shannon, who found her condo, which was built in the mid-1980s, in the low-$100,000s price range. "Young professionals like Smyrna and migrate there. It's a place that probably will be up-and-coming for young people," she said.
About the community
Smyrna
County: Cobb
Price range: $20,000s to more than $1 million
Taxes: Less than 1 percent of the sale price
Styles: Craftsman, traditional, ranch, Victorian, European, lofts
Schools: Nickajack Elementary or Argyle Elementary, Campbell Middle, Campbell High
More on schools: schools.ajchomefinder.com
Getting there
Take I-75 to Exit 260 (Windy Hill Road). Travel west about 3 miles and turn left onto South Atlanta Road. Turn right onto Village Green Circle.
For sale right now
$795,000
4286 Weaver St. S.E., Smyrna 30080. A five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath Craftsman-style home built in 2008 in the Cooper Lake neighborhood with Sub-Zero and Wolf kitchen appliances.
$135,000
3118 Prestwick Place S.E., Smyrna 30080. A three-bedroom, one-bath brick ranch home built in 1960 in the Highlands neighborhood with hardwood floors.
Housing trends in ZIP code 30080
Sales of new homes: 186, down 23 percent
Sales of existing homes: 466, down 9 percent
Median price of new homes: $330,624, up 25 percent
Median price of existing homes: $189,750, up 9 percent
Source: AJC's Metro Home Sales Report, 2009 data
