Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We just moved to the area in July. I'm starting a post-doc at UNC and my husband is working for the state. We have a 2 year old and although we're renting right now, we're thinking about buying a house for the long term and settling down here.
When we lived in Pittsburgh there was an awesome neighborhood (Regent Square) that was super family and community oriented. There were block parties, tree-lined streets, neighborhood-wide yard sales, and 5K races. Most residents would walk the neighborhood after dinner and you'd regularly see neighborhood kids playing together in front yards.
Are there any neighborhoods like this in Chapel Hill/Carrboro? Or should we start looking somewhere else? Oh, I also forgot to mention that our housing budget is on the low end for Chapel Hill. Southern Village and Meadowmont are way out of our league. We're in the 200-350,000 range.
We also moved from PA to Chapel Hill and definitely wish they had Pittsburgh home prices here! It's a tough market in the lower price range. You are probably best off to rent for a while. I think that it is smart to learn about the lower priced neighborhoods to find out which are safe and friendly. Also note that many fewer streets here have sidewalks than in PA. Also, PA was built more densely because it was built earlier and with snow in mind. The homes here, especially those built in the 1960-1980s tend to be more scattered on larger lots, which reduces the amount of casual neighborhood interaction.
Good luck! I've heard nothing but good things about the area and in fact, if we wind up getting down there, will be looking in CH to live. I drove the area extensively a while back and found lots of nice neighborhoods--even a few with kids outside riding bikes.
Try driving up N. Greensboro Street from Downtown Carrboro to where it intersects with Old Fayetteville/Old 86. All along N. Greensboro St. (which merges with Hillsborough St.), you will see several neighborhoods off to the right. We're actually looking in this same zone. Though the whole Chapel Hill/Carrboro area tends to be rather expensive, we've seen several homes lately that are in the upper end of your range (which is the same as ours, btw).
The nice thing about this particular section is that you are right on the free bus line to Chapel Hill, there are many children in the neighborhood, and you can easily bike it or bus to the Carrboro family hot spots of Elmo's Diner, Weaver Street and Tyler's. Also, you would be zoned to Macdougle Elementary and Middle Schools, which are excellent. There are several great neighborhoods that are actually within walking distance of these schools. Oh, and you can hop on those same free buses to get to UNC.
Another area you might want to check is around the library in Chapel Hill off of Estes Drive. There are some slightly older homes- split levels, ranches, etc, that would fall into your price range.
I'm sure someone who knows the area better might have more advice, but we're pretty much focusing in Carrboro, on the bus line, off N. Greenboro.
There is limited inventory in this area, though, so be prepared to move on something you really like. We're not going to be seriously looking for another year, so we won't be competing... ;-)
Feel free to PM me if you want- I have a 22 month old daughter and we live out in the county but are looking for the same things you are- a good family neighborhood in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, and in the same price range. I'd love to hear about your impressions.
thanks to everyone for your responses. I think we're still going to be on the hunt for a while. Glad to know that there aren't any neighborhoods that are not family oriented. It's true that things are much more spread out here. Maybe I just have to get used to it. I miss having sidewalks though. Do people go for walks on the street and just hope that cars will stay over to the side?
Also, I'm think I'm going to have to put on a renovation hat when I look at these places. Ikea kitchens anyone?
Any chance property will go down? I keep hearing national stories about the impending housing crisis but I wonder if that's only in California and Florida?
thanks to everyone for your responses. I think we're still going to be on the hunt for a while. Glad to know that there aren't any neighborhoods that are not family oriented. It's true that things are much more spread out here. Maybe I just have to get used to it. I miss having sidewalks though. Do people go for walks on the street and just hope that cars will stay over to the side?
Also, I'm think I'm going to have to put on a renovation hat when I look at these places. Ikea kitchens anyone?
Any chance property will go down? I keep hearing national stories about the impending housing crisis but I wonder if that's only in California and Florida?
I would say there is zero to no chance of prices dropping in Chapel Hill....
Supply and demand...
Demand remains high and housing inventory is and will be low,
There are sidewalk neighborhoods but they are pricy like Southern Village and Meadowmont.
As a former cabinetmaker, I'm underwhelmed by Ikea furniture; too much chipboard for my taste. I often see it in various states of crumbling at thrift stores and roadside. I don't know if the cabinets are any better. You may be able to remodel with the existing cabinets. Often they are made with solid pine or good plywood. In our last home we changed the kitchen layout. We moved the existing cabinets where we wanted them and only had to buy a few new ones, new counters, and new handles. The quality of the new cabinets (from Lowes) was worse than the existing cabinets. The countertops were ok. We painted all the cabinets to match and the whole thing looked fine. In our current house, we incorporated an inexpensive but sturdy Goodwill 9-drawer wood dresser into the kitchen layout until we get around to a more extensive remodel. Personally, I'd rather have a 60's or 70's house made with all wood and plywood and wood floors than a newer home that was made with chipboard, OSB, vinyl, and carpet.
The most reasonably neighborhood-y houses in CH or Carrboro tend to be older brick ranches in areas established in the 1960-70s. To get a reasonable price, these will be dated/in need of repair or fairly small (less than 1800 sq ft). Even then, prices are likely to be 250-350k min. The value is there, though, as nicely fixed up homes from this era that have been updated/expanded tend to sell for well over 400k. There are sidewalk neighborhoods in both CH and Carrboro, but as stated earlier, not a lot of inventory and the prices are high.
In Carrboro, Bolin Creek is one example an established neighborhood with some sidewalks, some trails, and fairly easy walking distance to downtown shops. Here's a sample listing (WSR - Properties in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Chatham and Orange Counties (http://www.weaverstreetrealty.com/67/512 - broken link)) to give you an idea of prices/type. More dated homes from the early 80s/70s that are in nearby areas will be less.
Prices are calming down a bit here, but I don't think we'll have the kind of slow down that other areas are starting to experience.
Just drove around Bolin Creek area this morning and liked it a lot. Sidewalks and play equipment are both great signs. I guess we'll just have to wait and see and jump on something if it comes along. November or December should be a better time to buy I hope. Where are trail heads around there? Does the city have a map?
I'll have to look at Ikea cabinets more closely. I have heard that they're better quality than the furniture and some have rated them quite positively. They look quite pretty in the pictures but usually Ikea does and when you get up close you're disappointed. Here's a link with regards to the great Ikea cabinet debate:
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks
