Malinda Howe

Affordability in Current Housing Market

BY MALINDA HOWE

It’s crazy to think that, as of April 22, the national median sale price for homes hit a historic high of $329,900, according to the National Association of Realtors. Who remembers the years when the median home price was $200,000 or less?

The good news is that Acworth still ranks high in offering affordable housing. See how the cities in Cobb County ranked in median home price for single family homes and townhouses/ condominiums:

Single Family Home Average Price

1. Clarkdale, $190,000 2. Austell, $235,000 3. Powder Springs, $315,000 4. Acworth, $315,250 5. Mableton, $327,410 6. Kennesaw, $330,000 7. Marietta, $385,000 8. Smyrna, $434,200 9. Atlanta Cobb, $763,000

For those in the market for new-construction homes, Acworth has you covered. Here are a few of the newest housing developments available in the Lake City: • Terraces at Logan Road – 34 townhomes by Fortress

Builders. https://builtbyfortress.com. • Heritage at Acworth – 25 townhomes by John Weiland. www.jwhomes.com. • Rosewood Farm – 128 townhomes and 56 detached cottages located off of Baker Road. • Carruth Circle – 14 townhomes located off of Carruth

Circle and Southside Drive. • Cowan Road – 50 townhomes. • Beckett’s Walk – 85 single family homes by Waterford

Homes, Inc., starting from the high $600,000s. Located at the corner of Cheatham Road and Old Stilesboro Road. www.waterfordhomes.com. • Courtyards at Camden – A 55-plus active adult community with 95 homes by Traton Homes starting from the mid-$400,000s. www.tratonhomes.com. • Westside Farm at Cobblestone – A 55-plus active adult community with 24 villas by Elevation Builders, starting from the low $400,000s. Located on Acworth Due West Road, near Nance Road. www.westsidefarmatcobblestone.com.

Townhouse/Condominium Average Price

1. Austell, $203,374 2. Acworth, $231,360 3. Marietta, $243,000 4. Kennesaw, $255,000 5. Powder Springs, $267,000 6. Mableton, $304,000 7. Smyrna, $307,250 8. Atlanta Cobb, $350,000

Malinda Howe is a broker and owner of Anchor Realty Partners. Howe is also vice chairwoman of the Acworth Tourism Board.

The KSU EMBA class of 2021 graduation celebration. Kennesaw State Offers Three Ways to Earn an MBA Degree

GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT

Acworth resident and 2021 EMBA graduate Kristian Adams with her husband, Greg, at the program’s graduation dinner.

Age: 35 Current Position: Technology Account Executive at SHI Years of experience: 15 in the IT Hardware, Software and Services industry. Family: Kristian and Greg have three sons, Kelli, 15, Traci, 7 and Jace, 6. The 2021 CEO Magazine Global Executive MBA Rankings are out, and Kennesaw State University’s (KSU) Executive MBA Program has been ranked No. 1 in Georgia, No. 2 in the nation and No. 8 in the world — not surprising, given the rapid growth of the university in both student body and reputation.

KSU is now the second largest university in Georgia and the Michael J. Coles College of Business is one of the largest business schools in the state, with more than 7,000 students and 160 faculty members. Coles College offers bachelor’s degrees in 11 majors and 16 minors, six graduate degree programs, dual-degree options and executive education programs.

For those looking to get an advanced degree, KSU offers three MBA programs designed to meet students’ individual needs and preferences.

1The Executive MBA (EMBA). This program is designed for working professionals, typically manager and above, who want to enhance their business acumen and advance their career. Classes are held one weekend per month, making this an ideal option for completing the degree while working full time. Project- and team-based, this program uses an applied integrated curriculum, combining business acumen, leadership and strategy, and is designed to be applicable instantly in the workplace. Teams are composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds, giving participants the opportunity to learn from other industries.

Since 50%-75% of EMBA students do not have undergraduate business degrees, the first semester is foundational and covers accounting, economics and finance. The program only enrolls one cohort per fall semester, and begins with an opening residency and weekend retreat. During the retreat, students participate in an Income|Outcome board game, where teams compete to run successfully a fictional company that manufactures royals, a generic term for any product. The primary objective of the simulation is to