Townhouse or Single Family Home in Smryna? (Smyrna: rental, credit)

[easydoesit42]

My fiance and I are starting the house hunting process next month. We have a rather small budget - $200,000. It seems that the best thing for your money in the area is a townhome. Just about all of the single family homes I see online are very small and much older. We'd like a 3 bed/2 bath at minimum. I have lived in Smyrna for several years and love it's proximity to downtown. We both work in the city so we don't want to go out farther than Smyrna.

What are your experiences with homes in the area? Should I be concerned about Campbell Middle and High? We do want kids in the future. Is a townhome a bad investment? We prefer indoor space over outdoor space so at this time it seems like the best option.

[lorilove]

I live in a townhome in Smyrna. Just know that townhomes are much more volatile when it comes to home value. They drop faster and rise slower than a single family home.

Here is the con for a young couple. I live in a neighborhood that everyone has enjoyed living in. But it is not a good place for kids. Not enough space to play, too many stairs etc. Young couples almost always move out shortly after their first child. The risk is that when you are ready to move, there is no gtd what the market will be like. So that is a big risk. For those that can afford it, they buy another home and rent the townhome (if the market is bad). This works out great if you have the credit to do it and can take the risk of a rental property.

For that reason, you might be better getting one of the older homes that have been renovated.

I would not worry about Campbell Middle or High. They are not bad and only continue to get better as the average income and home prices in Smyrna continue to increase.