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I'm planning to check out a lot of different areas in Wake County in a very short amount of time (2 days) this Xmas. I'm going to check out Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest. This will hopefully be the first of multiple visits over the next year and a half with the ultimate plan being to buy a house in one of these locations in the summer of '08. Can someone give me advice on what I should be looking at/doing with such a short amount of time to work with? I was planning on checking out the downtowns, parks, drive by the schools and grocery stores, glance at some of the houses that are in our price range, and maybe hit one of the malls. Hopefully, I'll be able to spend a week or so at each of these places in '07. I'm looking at getting a school system job, so what school I work for will play a big part in where I live, but I want to get some idea ahead of time of where I might want to settle down. Any advice for my longer stays in '07 would also be appreciated, but my main concern right now is my "quick and dirty" trip this Xmas. Thanks so much!
I'm planning to check out a lot of different areas in Wake County in a very short amount of time (2 days) this Xmas. I'm going to check out Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest. This will hopefully be the first of multiple visits over the next year and a half with the ultimate plan being to buy a house in one of these locations in the summer of '08. Can someone give me advice on what I should be looking at/doing with such a short amount of time to work with? I was planning on checking out the downtowns, parks, drive by the schools and grocery stores, glance at some of the houses that are in our price range, and maybe hit one of the malls. Hopefully, I'll be able to spend a week or so at each of these places in '07. I'm looking at getting a school system job, so what school I work for will play a big part in where I live, but I want to get some idea ahead of time of where I might want to settle down. Any advice for my longer stays in '07 would also be appreciated, but my main concern right now is my "quick and dirty" trip this Xmas. Thanks so much!
Please keep "Christ" in Christmas (xmas is an offensive slang term)
By giving yourself this kind of time frame I am sure you will find what you are looking for, but get a good realtor involved - they have a wealth of info on their local areas.
Please keep "Christ" in Christmas (xmas is an offensive slang term)
By giving yourself this kind of time frame I am sure you will find what you are looking for, but get a good realtor involved - they have a wealth of info on their local areas.
I am so glad you said that!! I was thinking the same thing when I read that.
Where are you coming from and what is your ballpark price range? What style of house/yard/neighborhood would you prefer? Do you have kids in school, too, or are you just concerned about where you work? You've named a very wide range of locations, just driving between them could take hours. I agree that finding a good realtor to give you some specific things to see would be helpful, especially if you want to hit the highlights in two days. You may want to skip visiting the schools until you have more time - just take a look at the school report cards either at www.wcpss.net or www.ncreportcards.com to get an idea of what schools you would like to work at and which ones to avoid. As a former teacher here, I'd be happy to talk to you in more detail about the schools, just pm me.
As you're planning your longer trips in '07, you may want to focus each trip on one geographic location to really immerse yourself in each one, rather than try to see a little of everything in each trip.
"Xmas is an offensive slang term" is a myth perpetuated by evangelical fanatics. How about helping the guy out with his question instead of pushing your beliefs?
Back to the original poster...
Two days is a really short time, and during the xmas time the weather may not be great, but it's certainly doable. I would recommend prioritizing your time so that you scope out the areas during daylight, and then visit the mall or grocery stores after it gets dark. Here's a sample itinerary I would try...
Day 1 - Arrival
Find a Staples store and pick up a copy of the ADC Map Book of Wake County ($13 or so).
Head "Inside the beltline" - Drive into downtown Raleigh and scope out the state capital area, Glenwood south and the areas just west of downtown around Hillsborough Street (perhaps look at the NCSU campus) and just north of downtown.
"North Raleigh" - Head out of downtown along Six Forks Road and stop by the North Hills outdoor pedestrian mall at the corner of Six Forks & 440 for lunch. Continue up Six Forks and check out the suburban areas of North Raleigh. Try to cover Six Forks, Falls of Neuse, Lynn Road, Creedmoor Road, basically just drive around the entire area and look at different neighborhoods from the more established ones further south to the areas above 540.
Wake Forest - Cut across to US-1 and check out Wake Forest, make sure to look at the downtown area.
By now it should be dark so you can head back down US-1 Capital Blvd (make sure to drive on this road as it is one of the busiest roads in Raleigh, full of car dealerships and shopping centers). Get back on the Beltline (I-440) west and exit on US-70 west to Crabtree Valley Mall. Check out the mall and perhaps get some dinner.
Day 2 -
Head straight to Cary. First exit on Walnut Street south from US 1/US 64 and check out the big-box shopping area. Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. are here. Circle around back up Walnut Street and you will pass by Cary Towne Center which is an indoor mall. From there go straight into downtown Cary. Quaint and quiet with a few restaurants and shops but not much else. Head north along Harrison Avenue until you hit Cary Parkway. Now take a left on Cary Parkway and circle all the way around Cary checking out neighborhoods. One note, at the corner of Cary Parkway and Kildaire Farms Rd (south part of town) a new Trader Joe's is being built!
To get to Apex from Cary I would take Lake Pine Drive south from Cary Parkway. You will pass by a nice lake park and you'll hit US 64. Go west on 64 and exit into Apex's downtown. You can then drive around and check out the neighborhoods of Apex. The big box shopping area of Apex is mostly centered on the corner of 64 and 55.
If you have time, head up 55 or Davis Drive and check out the Research Triangle Park area, and the Brier Creek neighborhood by the airport (northwest corner of Wake County near the Durham County line).
Future trips could include more detailed looks at these areas plus visits to Chapel Hill or parts of Durham if you're interested in seeing more of the triangle.
Please keep "Christ" in Christmas (xmas is an offensive slang term)
By giving yourself this kind of time frame I am sure you will find what you are looking for, but get a good realtor involved - they have a wealth of info on their local areas.
Sorry about using Xmas. It will be Christmas from here on out!
This may sound naive, but I've never used a realtor before. I've only owned one home (the one I'm in right now), and I knew the area I was living well enough that I didn't need a realtor. Would a realtor cost me money? Or do they make their money off the seller? Also, will he/she only show me those homes that that particular realtor is trying to sell (assuming that they make their money off the seller)?
Would a realtor cost me money? Or do they make their money off the seller? Also, will he/she only show me those homes that that particular realtor is trying to sell (assuming that they make their money off the seller)?
In NC, the seller typically pays all realtor fees which are split between the company that lists the home (has the sign in the yard) and the selling company (the company that brings the buyer). More often than not, these will be two different companies. Your realtor has access to every house on the market, through the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), so for someone relocating to the area, this is by far the best way to know if you are getting a fair price in a good neighborhood. Their job is to protect your interests as you invest in a house.
Tarp had great advice. I would also suggest that you look in only 1 or 2 model homes, don't get bogged down in the house on your 1st trip, focus on the neighborhoods, b/c the houses are really so beautiful, and are being built all over, that you need to narrow down the neighborhoods 1st.
"Xmas is an offensive slang term" is a myth perpetuated by evangelical fanatics. How about helping the guy out with his question instead of pushing your beliefs?
Back to the original poster...
Two days is a really short time, and during the xmas time the weather may not be great, but it's certainly doable. I would recommend prioritizing your time so that you scope out the areas during daylight, and then visit the mall or grocery stores after it gets dark. Here's a sample itinerary I would try...
Day 1 - Arrival
Find a Staples store and pick up a copy of the ADC Map Book of Wake County ($13 or so).
Head "Inside the beltline" - Drive into downtown Raleigh and scope out the state capital area, Glenwood south and the areas just west of downtown around Hillsborough Street (perhaps look at the NCSU campus) and just north of downtown.
"North Raleigh" - Head out of downtown along Six Forks Road and stop by the North Hills outdoor pedestrian mall at the corner of Six Forks & 440 for lunch. Continue up Six Forks and check out the suburban areas of North Raleigh. Try to cover Six Forks, Falls of Neuse, Lynn Road, Creedmoor Road, basically just drive around the entire area and look at different neighborhoods from the more established ones further south to the areas above 540.
Wake Forest - Cut across to US-1 and check out Wake Forest, make sure to look at the downtown area.
By now it should be dark so you can head back down US-1 Capital Blvd (make sure to drive on this road as it is one of the busiest roads in Raleigh, full of car dealerships and shopping centers). Get back on the Beltline (I-440) west and exit on US-70 west to Crabtree Valley Mall. Check out the mall and perhaps get some dinner.
Day 2 -
Head straight to Cary. First exit on Walnut Street south from US 1/US 64 and check out the big-box shopping area. Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. are here. Circle around back up Walnut Street and you will pass by Cary Towne Center which is an indoor mall. From there go straight into downtown Cary. Quaint and quiet with a few restaurants and shops but not much else. Head north along Harrison Avenue until you hit Cary Parkway. Now take a left on Cary Parkway and circle all the way around Cary checking out neighborhoods. One note, at the corner of Cary Parkway and Kildaire Farms Rd (south part of town) a new Trader Joe's is being built!
To get to Apex from Cary I would take Lake Pine Drive south from Cary Parkway. You will pass by a nice lake park and you'll hit US 64. Go west on 64 and exit into Apex's downtown. You can then drive around and check out the neighborhoods of Apex. The big box shopping area of Apex is mostly centered on the corner of 64 and 55.
If you have time, head up 55 or Davis Drive and check out the Research Triangle Park area, and the Brier Creek neighborhood by the airport (northwest corner of Wake County near the Durham County line).
Future trips could include more detailed looks at these areas plus visits to Chapel Hill or parts of Durham if you're interested in seeing more of the triangle.
Good luck!
Tarp, why am I not surprised that you would have an opinion on what is offensive to other people. The fact that YOU think this offensive slang term has been "perpetuated by evangelical fanatics" shows your total ignorance on the subject. First of all, I am neither "evangelical" or "fanatical", but rather a very mainstream moderate Christian. The writing of Xmas in place of Christmas is a lazy shorthand that many Christians find offensive. Any one who cares about the true meaning of the holiday does not want to see the man the holiday is named for x-ed out. I politely pointed this out to the poster, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he may not be a Christian and therefore would not understand how offended some of us reading it might be. THEN, I do believe I offered him a helpful piece of advice. Please quit looking for things to argue about on this forum.
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(xmas is an offensive slang term)
naive question
