Where should we look? (Charlotte, Raleigh: new home, neighborhood, good schools)

[jco]

I'm hoping that those local to North Carolina can help. We're finally making the trip to NC to scout out a place to move. We're a young family looking for a safe and family-oriented area with good schools. We'd like a 2,500 sq ft home for around 200k with a more than cracker box sized yard, but know that prices have gone up since last summer! Can you suggest a neighborhood/area? We've previously been told that Cary is the place for us, but it seems that we could also be paying about 30k more just to say we live in Cary. Also, are there areas in the triangle that we should check out to get a real feel for the lifestyle?

Finally, is there something about Charlotte that prevents people from moving to this area instead of Raleigh? Or Greensboro?

[friendnc]

You could look at the Concord/Kannapolis area (near Charlotte). Also check out the Hickory area if you want a smaller metro.

I know new homes are the thing now, but don't rule out resales. You can get some good deals.