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Note: I post Durham County because nobody really can distinguish or tell the difference
I would look at homes in and around the Southpoint Mall. It is such a lovely area.
I would agree that there are places that you do not want to turn down, but those are easily avoidable. I am sure that is the same with all big cities (Charlotte, Atlanta, New York, etc)
Buy Low, Sell High... If you wait for Durham to be 'perfect' than you may miss the boat.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 06-10-2010 at 01:38 PM..
Reason: No, we don't want to "stir up controversy" -- thanks.
Honestly, I would like to live in Durham because of all its benefits. If there is an affordable area (houses in the $160's or lower) that I could feel safe I would live there. But I have yet to find that place.
My neighborhood myself and my fiance have never felt unsafe at, and our house is in your range (there are houses that are more expensive also in our same neighborhood). Grove Park.
pegotty, I have many friends and acquaintances with small children who live in Durham—so many I can't count, actually. I'm sure if they felt unsafe they'd move, but there are mostly safe neighborhoods in Durham and not really very many unsafe ones.
I've lived in this area since 1982 and have been hangin' out in Durham since about that time. In the late 80s, as a single woman, I used to take a class at the Durham Arts Center downtown so that was well before the current revival. Personally, I've never felt particularly unsafe in Durham. I've taken wrong turns, but never seen a drugged out mob like you describe (not to say it didn't happen to you, just to say it's not a common occurrence). I worked in Durham for a time and I used to cut home to Chapel Hill through some of the poorer neighborhoods, but I never felt scared about it, just thought they were poor and not kept up. I've seen many a neighborhood like that in my time and it doesn't really scare me if I'm just driving through.
Not sure where you live now, but if you're looking for somewhere more earthy/naturalist/musical and Durham is not your cup of tea, you can come hang in Carrboro or Chapel Hill and get a condo or townhome for that price. You'd be hard-pressed to find a single family detached home for $160, but it might be possible. I've definitely seen them around $200, and many very nice condos and townhomes in the low $100s.
I'm puzzled by the Durham bashing, but I think I rather like it being a secret. Little traffic, lower home prices, independent places, etc. I'll be buying here by the end of the year, so don't let the secret out before then!
Drugged out mobs? Seriously? Did you take a turn into the twilight zone? I've made plenty of wrong turns in the hood and I never saw anything close to what the pp said.
I think most people on here that live in Durham can tell you that you can live in Durham for many years and never have to even drive through the rough areas. I actually do drive through poorer hoods quite often and I don't see anything that makes me feel unsafe. Actually I am always amazed at how little activity I actually do see. I don't see thugs hanging out on the corner with a menacing look. If you want to see that kind of action, you need to go to a "real" city with hardcore urban blight and not in Durham.
I think most people on here that live in Durham can tell you that you can live in Durham for many years and never have to even drive through the rough areas.
I agree, mia. I've lived in the area for 25+ years and have never HAD to drive through the poorer neighborhoods in Durham. I just choose to once in awhile enroute to somewhere else because I like to drive off the main roads and find a super-secret, super-cool back route. Certainly there were many, many other ways to my destinations on well-traveled main roads.
I daresay you'd find more under-the-influence mobs around Duke after a big win than you'd find in a Durham 'hood. Don't think the 'hood is really known for mobs. Must've been something special going on.
As far as "bad" neighborhoods in Durham, I'm sure they're no worse than "bad" neighborhoods in Raleigh. Raleigh's got sketchy areas, too, y'know.
NCGator, I like the Durham-bashing keeping it secret, too. Moderator cut: Inappropriate
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 06-10-2010 at 04:27 PM..
Reason: Deleted off-topic comments
I think I just have bad luck. :-/ My husband's job is sketchy right now anyway, so we're not putting down any roots. By next year we should know where we'll end up settling.
I lived in Cary for 7 years prior to living the last 3 years in Durham (27713 baby!) ...
Out of curiosity, Fester, why did you move to Durham after all of those years in Cary?
Add me to the list of happy Durhamites. My husband and I bought our house here 3 years ago. Before that we spent a year in Hillsborough, but found that we were driving to Durham all the time so it just made sense to move here. We have friends in each of the surrounding towns, but there is something about Durham that just suits us.
Doesn't Durham have a lot of crime and poor performing schools? People I work with tell me to avoid it if I can. Everyone seems to cringe when Durham is brought up. That and Fayetteville. My agent also provided me with tax information for all the towns and Durham doesn't have low taxes at all, contradicting what was stated in the first post.
If you have to beg people to consider a town then it doesn't seem like a good place to consider. I haven't witnessed anyone begging people to consider Raleigh. Quite the contrary.
Last edited by Marietta Man; 06-10-2010 at 05:41 PM..
Reason: Spelling and I may still have it wrong
OK, I have to vent. I have been reading the posts for the last few weeks (months) and everything is Raleigh this and Cary that and how great Chapel Hill is... Whoopee Freaking Do! Now, I do not doubt that these places are all great places to live. I lived in Cary for 7 years prior to living the last 3 years in Durham (27713 baby!), but do me a favor and at least check out Durham. You can thank me later.
More house for your money
Cheaper taxes (don't quote me on that)
Not in the FUBAR Wake County School District
The Southpoint area is 'Da Bomb'
The commute to RTP alone will be worth it
But in all seriousness, do yourself a favor and at least take a look. I am not saying it is for everyone, but just please take a look. I guarantee a few of you will be pleasantly surprised!
OK, time to get off this soapbox and go shave my head,
Fester
Nooooo .. fester600! Shhhhhhhhh Why invite overcrowding and share one of the best kept secrets in the Triangle. Let's just keep this to ourselves and let the Holy County of Wake bask in their the sea of self promotion and superiority complex After-all the scaaaary county of Durham is not elite enough for some of these Pre-Madonnas . Let's just enjoy what we know to be 'da bomb" all by ourselves
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Why invite overcrowding and share one of the best kept secrets in the Triangle. Let's just keep this to ourselves and let the Holy County of Wake bask in their the sea of self promotion and superiority complex 
After-all the scaaaary county of Durham is not elite enough for some of these Pre-Madonnas 
. Let's just enjoy what we know to be 'da bomb" all by ourselves 
