In East Cobb, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, real estate is on fire because of schools, say local Realtors.

"East Cobb County is a highly sought-after area for a number of reasons," says Realtor Warren Owen, "including the best schools in an excellent school system, progressive county government, suburban environment, historic preservation, excellent shopping, well-maintained infrastructure, and a county-wide transit system."

About the market, Owen says, "The real estate market is rebounding from lower-than-average performance over the last three years to a more balanced market environment, aided by low interest rates. East Cobb County offers a broad range of homes priced from the mid-$100's to well in excess of $1,000,000. New construction is expensive, beginning at $500,000, but there is a plentiful supply of excellent quality homes in the 10 to 30-year-old range priced from about $180,000. These are highly sought-after by families seeking to enroll their children in the top-ranked schools in the state."

Say Realtors Sandy and Jim Koza, "Close-in East Cobb is known for its convenience, excellent schools and terrific shopping. Located in Cobb County East of I-75, East Cobb is a terrific place to live. A well-established area, you will find many wonderful swim/tennis communities throughout the area and golf communities too. There are also quite a number of older subdivisions where you can find nice homes on larger lots. As popular as East Cobb is, the area has long been well built-out."

They advise, "Though there are some newer communities popping up, with little available -- land is at a premium. Expect almost all new homes throughout East Cobb to be well into the upper price ranges. Buyers should be prepared to make an offer on new listings that really shine as those listings likely won't last long."

"This is the perfect time of year to buy or sell a home," says Realtor Sara Ely. "Most people want to be in their new homes before the new school year starts in the fall so they are looking now. East Cobb continues to be the leader in schools and home values. Homes in East Cobb have appreciated dramatically in the last year."

"The interest rates continue to be staggeringly low," continues Ely. "First time home buyers are turning out in droves to buy a home before the interest rates go up. Renters are flying out of apartments to take advantage of the interest rates and buy now. Homeowners are becoming home investors to take advantage of the extremely strong market. East Cobb continues to attract a wide range of buyers including first time home buyers, families, and retirees. Convenient to I-75, 285, and 400, this very desirable area is ideal for commuters who want to be close to all that Atlanta has to offer. East Cobb boasts many amenities including parks, recreation centers, pools, restaurants, and shopping. East Cobb has many award winning schools including Walton and Pope high schools, Dickerson Middle School and Sope Creek elementary school. Visit the Chattahoochee Nature reserve where you can bike, roller blade, canoe or walk the trails surrounding the beautiful Chattahoochee river."