VASNA WILSON / Staff Arnold Ernst, who moved with his family from near Emory University to a new house in College Park about a year ago, is so impressed that he is planning to move his law practice to the area from north DeKalb County.   Related: COMPARE PRICES BY ZIP CODE • Complete Home Report 2004

New homes in the Cascade section have doubled in price in the past year. Prices also have jumped in Union City and Fairburn, according to the 2004 AJC Home Sales Report.

East Point again sold hundreds of homes -- 642 last year, a 2 percent increase over 2002, according to data provided by Smart Numbers.

In College Park, the median price of new homes showed virtually no change. Sales of existing homes slowed down, too, in the two cities, compared with the promising figures of 2002.

However, growth continues in south Fulton. Its housing inventory -- and the value of that inventory -- has increased drastically since 2000, according to numbers provided by Metrostudy, a real estate research company.

• 7,422 homes were closed on last year, compared with 1,895 in 2000.

• Construction began on 9,142 new homes, compared with 2,081 in 2000.

• 13,133 homes were finished, compared with 2,814 in 2000.

Just this quarter, 2,431 homes were closed on, 3,276 homes are being built, and 5,341 homes were finished.

In the Fairburn area, the median price of a new home was $169,450, a 22 percent increase over 2002. Fairburn had a 38 percent increase in the number of new homes sold.

Prices of new homes remained largely unchanged in Union City, but the volume of sales went up by 503 homes, a 47 percent increase over 2002. The median cost of existing homes increased 45 percent, to $115,000.

In the Cascade area -- ZIP code 30311 -- the median price for a new home was $225,100, a 53 percent increase over the year before.

New subdivisions have attracted many home buyers to Union City and Fairburn.

A month ago, Dale Winfrey bought a new house for $155,000 in the Valley Lakes subdivision on High Point Road because she liked the natural serenity.

"It's just a nice, quiet area. It's also easy to get to the freeway," said Winfrey, 51, who works in an insurance office in Buckhead.

East Point and College Park offer older, stately neighborhoods with active neighborhood associations and plenty of fixer-uppers .

Arnold Ernst and his family used to live near Emory University in a neighborhood that was pretty and convenient, but held no special memories for the attorney.

Now, the Brooklyn native and father of two is making new memories in the historic district of College Park, where a year ago he and his wife bought a new four-bedroom/five bathroom house for $395,000 built by College Park developer Anthony Bondhus' Bauhaus Design Build. He says he knows neighbors' names and attends block parties.

"We think it's great. If you spend any time hanging out there, I'm sure you know what I mean," he said.

He said he loves the town so much that he is planning to move his current office from North Druid Hills Road in north DeKalb County.