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Hi. We're planning a move in 2013 and have our sights set on Raleigh-Chapel Hill. That being said, I have no idea what neighborhoods within that area would suit us. We have friends in Cary and we like it there, but want to have a range of options. Here's our situation/plan. We want to spend no more than $300K, preferably less and we need 4BR/ and 2-2 1/2 BA. I'd like a little space between houses, so that we're not shaking hands with the neighbors through our kitchen windows. In terms of what we're looking for in a neighborhood, we'd like diversity, professionals, liberal-ish, and quiet. Schools are not an issue as we homeschool our kids. We're very concerned about things like well water and septic, so trying to avoid it if possible. Commute times are up in the air since we don't know where we'll be working. As it stands now, we commute up to an hour each way and that seems normal to us, so I'm guessing that if we use RTP as a hypothetical center, that would give us a pretty decent radius.
We like the idea of being 30-45 minutes away from where we could find nice restaurants, cultural events, arts, etc. I'm attracted to Chapel Hill for that reason, but true suburban living holds some appeal as well. As you can see, we're pretty all over the place. Any advice on neighborhoods would be really helpful. I've checked some of the other threads, but many of them were from 2-3 years ago when the market was in a whole different place. We've been looking at prices, but have no way of gauging whether or not these are areas where we'd be comfortable.
The transition plan is to rent an apartment for a year while we take our time looking for something to buy. We figure this will give us the time needed to settle in and get to know the area. Does this sound reasonable to folks? I'm feeling like this is our last move and we don't want to make a mistake. We're visiting at the end of the month, any suggestions for areas to check out during that trip would be great.
I think Cary would suit your needs....not sure you'll get into CH for that budget. You won't be far from Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill in Cary, Apex or Morrisville...certainly within 30-45 minutes from most locations in those towns.
Seems to be a decent amount of homeschoolers down here...town of Cary even offers some courses thru the Dept of Parks/Rec/Cultural Resources for homeschooled children.
The transition plan is to rent an apartment for a year while we take our time looking for something to buy. We figure this will give us the time needed to settle in and get to know the area. Does this sound reasonable to folks?
This sounds EXTREMELY reasonable! Good planning is the key to success. Good luck on your adventure.
Hi. We're planning a move in 2013 and have our sights set on Raleigh-Chapel Hill. That being said, I have no idea what neighborhoods within that area would suit us. We have friends in Cary and we like it there, but want to have a range of options. Here's our situation/plan. We want to spend no more than $300K, preferably less and we need 4BR/ and 2-2 1/2 BA. I'd like a little space between houses, so that we're not shaking hands with the neighbors through our kitchen windows. In terms of what we're looking for in a neighborhood, we'd like diversity, professionals, liberal-ish, and quiet. Schools are not an issue as we homeschool our kids. We're very concerned about things like well water and septic, so trying to avoid it if possible. Commute times are up in the air since we don't know where we'll be working. As it stands now, we commute up to an hour each way and that seems normal to us, so I'm guessing that if we use RTP as a hypothetical center, that would give us a pretty decent radius.
We like the idea of being 30-45 minutes away from where we could find nice restaurants, cultural events, arts, etc. I'm attracted to Chapel Hill for that reason, but true suburban living holds some appeal as well. As you can see, we're pretty all over the place. Any advice on neighborhoods would be really helpful. I've checked some of the other threads, but many of them were from 2-3 years ago when the market was in a whole different place. We've been looking at prices, but have no way of gauging whether or not these are areas where we'd be comfortable.
The transition plan is to rent an apartment for a year while we take our time looking for something to buy. We figure this will give us the time needed to settle in and get to know the area. Does this sound reasonable to folks? I'm feeling like this is our last move and we don't want to make a mistake. We're visiting at the end of the month, any suggestions for areas to check out during that trip would be great.
Wow, I wrote way more than I intended. Thanks.
That's Cary in a nutshell. That's also why I have to get out of here before I lose my mind. I have never met such fake people in my life. Seriously.
You'd be smart to rent for a year (or less) before you buy property here. As you've said, you don't really know what you want. I find Cary to be pretty cookie cutter with not much personality. I try to avoid going there if at all possible. However, it is more bike friendly than Raleigh and many people seem to like it. Your best chance of success is to rent first before buying.
That's Cary in a nutshell. That's also why I have to get out of here before I lose my mind. I have never met such fake people in my life. Seriously.
While I think the worst of Cary and Chapel Hill are better than the best of so many other places I continue to find that too many of the people who relocate into these areas do so to find a midpoint between what they know and their new hometown. I am routinely amazed after four plus years here how many people who live in either area carry themselves as if though where they live defines them somehow, something so not typical of the common Triangle resident.
Thanks so much for the feedback. I guess what's driving our thinking now, in terms of what we're looking for is affordability and space. Living in the city, even in a private house, you're either attached to the neighbors or like I said, shaking hands out the window and while I like my neighbors, I also like my privacy. I really don't want to smell what anyone else is cooking for dinner or hear anything (good or bad) through the walls or across the driveway. We're feeling a little squeezed. There's also the noise pollution of the city that's just really getting to us at this point. Sirens, car radios, car alarms at 2am, etc. I think we're getting old, lol.
We drove through Cary last summer and spent some time with friends who live there and I can see where it might be described as cookie cutter. That's kind of what I disliked about growing up in the burbs here in NY. Everyone was so much alike, it was terminally boring. I would love to be in a community with artists, writers, scholars, etc, which (with my admittedly limited knowledge of the area) made me think of Chapel Hill, but looking at home prices, CH is likely out of our budget. Part of the plan in relocating is not to have NY-level expenses going forward. We're aiming for a very low mortgage, which means we need to stick to that $300K or less guideline. I guess we'll know more when we get there.
We'll be down there for a week at the end of the month. Any restaurant suggestions? Must see places? Tell me about what it is you love in Raleigh. I think hearing from the folks who live there is a much better means of learning about a place than anything you can find online. Thanks
We drove through Cary last summer and spent some time with friends who live there and I can see where it might be described as cookie cutter. That's kind of what I disliked about growing up in the burbs here in NY. Everyone was so much alike, it was terminally boring. I would love to be in a community with artists, writers, scholars, etc, which (with my admittedly limited knowledge of the area) made me think of Chapel Hill, but looking at home prices, CH is likely out of our budget. Part of the plan in relocating is not to have NY-level expenses going forward. We're aiming for a very low mortgage, which means we need to stick to that $300K or less guideline. I guess we'll know more when we get there.
Durham is a lot cheaper than Chapel Hill (just be wary of the sketchy areas, usually directly east of downtown) and the "artistic" community has always been strong there (I live in Raleigh but am always driving over to Durham for events and groups that meet at the most excellent Durham Arts Council, or the Carolina Theatre) and many neighborhoods there are known for their "funky" interesting people. Where else would you find the annual Beaver Queen Pageant, for example? The neighborhoods near Duke and Ninth Street are the epicenter of this "cool" part of Durham, but the renaissance in the past 5-8 years downtown is chugging full steam ahead. Check out Brightleaf Square (a converteed tobacco warehouse, now a shopping center with neat restaurants and shops) and the American Tobacco Complex (ditto--including a Historically-recognized "Lucky Strike" smokestack you can see from a long way away).
The central-west part of Durham is in some ways becoming "Chapel Hill on a budget" and it sounds like something you would definitely enjoy seeing.
How about Hillsborough, it meets several things on your list, and has the artists, writer buzz too. It is just a few miles to Chapel Hill, and would be cheaper than Chapel Hill.
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In terms of what we're looking for in a neighborhood, we'd like diversity, professionals, liberal-ish, and quiet. Schools are not an issue as we homeschool our kids. We're very concerned about things like well water and septic, so trying to avoid it if possible. Commute times are up in the air since we don't know where we'll be working. As it stands now, we commute up to an hour each way and that seems normal to us, so I'm guessing that if we use RTP as a hypothetical center, that would give us a pretty decent radius. 
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