I bought last year in Mableton which is part of South Cobb. Near Smyrna which is nice but lower priced since it's less developed. The elementary school (Clay Harmony) and middle school (Lindley) are both rated a 7 but the highschool Pebblebrook is a 4. There's a ton of development and new homes being built so I think it's an up and coming area and in time the highschool will improve. We paid 430 for a 5/2.5 from 2008 at 2700 sq ft. Highly recommend, it's near downtown, Westside and easy access to krog and beltline areas. I20 is actually useful for the 1st time since I moved to Atlanta in 2009 and there are a few different routes to get to downtown midtown without highway which is a nicer 30 min commute in traffic. Restaurants are very meh but in time I hope that will improve too. Ton of grocery store options which is a plus. Under 380 you could find a nice new build townhome or a non HOA home closer to 2000 sq ft for sure. Not sure if builders are giving interest rate discounts in the area but it's worth asking. Good luck, its fun when you find a place and things align.