About this report

Information for the AJC 2004 Home Sales Report was compiled from sales deeds filed at courthouses in a 16-county metro area of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale and Walton. The data was provided by Steve Palm, an analyst with Smart Numbers, a firm that spots trends in the real estate industry. Data was analyzed by Diane Glass, AJC research and analysis editor.

Figures for new and existing home sales for 2003 were the basis for the analysis. Condominium and townhome sales are included, but mortgage assumptions, refinancings, foreclosures, HUD sales and lot sales are not included. Due to a lag in the processing of home sales deeds for 2003, home sales were forecasted for a few of the metro counties.

ZIP codes with less than 75 home sales were not included in overall analysis, but are reported in Community Editions on Thursday. ZIP codes reflect those in use by the Postal Service as of May 2004.

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