A Dallas-based homebuilder is launching a master-planned community for first-time buyers in a northwest pocket of the Peach State, catering to a consumer segment increasingly shut out of the housing market.
UnionMain Homes said it has started sales for Three Rivers in Rome, Georgia, about 70 miles outside downtown Atlanta.
The three- to five-bedroom, single-family homes range in size from approximately 1,375 to 2,540 square feet and have prices starting at around $300,000, according to the builder's website. The first residents of the 923-home development are expected to move in by spring 2026, a company spokesperson told Homes.com in an email.
Affordability challenges have kept many would-be buyers from jumping into the market over the past few years, analysts say.
The share of first-time U.S. homebuyers declined to 21% from 2024 to 2025, according to the National Association of Realtors. It's the lowest reading recorded by the trade group in a survey that started in 1981.
Rome's median sale price over the past 12 months is $260,000, up 4% from the previous 12 months, Homes.com data shows.
Rome offers 'small-town feel'
The city is roughly equidistant from Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee — close enough for convenience, "yet far enough away for peace, quiet, and a genuine small-town feel," UnionMain CEO Tim Gehan said in a statement.
Rome, with a population of more than 38,000 and the county seat of Floyd County, is set amid seven hills and three rivers, and it's known for a robust downtown corridor, according to Homes.com.
Healthcare, manufacturing and education anchor Rome’s economy, and Atrium Health Floyd is the county's largest employer with more than 3,400 workers, noted Toby Jorgensen, senior director of market analytics for Homes.com. First-time homebuyers would likely be attracted to healthcare administrative roles and medical technician positions, he said.
On the manufacturing side, Mohawk Industries makes flooring, while Pirelli Tire North America specializes in automotive components, Jorgensen said. The companies offer positions for production associates, machine operators and quality control inspectors.
"These jobs often provide on-the-job training and stable wages, making manufacturing attractive to the younger workforce," Jorgensen said.
UnionMain sold 184 homes last year, ranking as the 192nd-largest U.S. homebuilder according to Builder Magazine. The company builds in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta areas.