Smyrna help... (Atlanta, Dunwoody, Mableton: for sale, house, established neighborhood)

[gumboula]

What are areas of Smyrna are more desirable in a home search? I started by searching by the better schools, but there is still a ton for sale. What other ways can you narrow down a home search in the city?

[David1502]

Originally Posted by gumboula

What are areas of Smyrna are more desirable in a home search? I started by searching by the better schools, but there is still a ton for sale. What other ways can you narrow down a home search in the city?

First of all, what is your rice range?
In general the closer you are to I-285, the greater the appreciation you will get. Now to be more specific: Atlanta Rd. is great as long as you are south of Windy Hill. The neighborhood east of Market Village (where Atkins Park Restaurant, etc. is) is really taking off with a lot of tear downs being replaced by $500K craftsman homes. In addition the Bank St. neighborhood just west of Market Village is taking off, too. Also, all of the newer neighborhoods along Atlanta Rd. - Montclair, Heritage at Vinings, etc. are great, too as well as the older Forest Hills neighborhood (Lee St./Dunn St., etc.) is an excellent choice also, and it too has a lot of tear downs or as we say around Atlanta, "scrapes". Ridge Rd. is another good area to check out.

West of South Cobb Dr. is where it gets trickier. In general, on Concord Rd. as you head toward the Covered Bridge (which I would not advise going west of)stay south of Concord or stick to the subdivisions which front onto Concord on its north side. You definitely don't want to be north of Church St. west of S. Cobb Dr. Cooper Lake Rd. west of S. Cobb is another good choice and has the added attraction of quick access to the Silver Comet Trail - arguably metro Atlanta's most popular bicycling and jogging trail. Once you go further west along Cooper Lake past the massive Vinings Estates neighborhood (which is in Smyrna City Limits) you get more into Mableton where you don't get as much of the "close in appreciation" factor.

In general, Smyrna is "the secret" with quick access to most of the metros major destinations (Airport less than 25 minutes), Buckhead (10 to 15 minutes), Perimeter (15 minutes), Downtown Atlanta(20 minutes) and the Cumberalnd/Galleria office area at its doorstep. Also, Vinings Village with its trendy restaurants and shops just 5 minutes away. You have made a great choice.

[gumboula]

Excellent info, thanks! We are trying to find a place that balances both a Buckhead commute and a downtown commute for under $400k. I like the trees of an established neighborhood, but want to avoid older neighborhoods with lots of tear-downs. Any suggestions of specific subdivisions? Newer subdivisions are fine too. What about parks and playgrounds? Is that typically a neighborhood amenity or are there some nice city/county parks?

[sweettea1]

Look in Teasley District...Paces Ferry Park and along Atlanta Road. Rebecca Mohandiss (cityside realty Keller Williams) is the ultimate Smyrna resource and the nicest person on the planet!! I cannot recommend her enough...she sold our house in Smyrna when we moved to Dunwoody.
She will help you so much!