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I have posted already about how we are a family of 6, relocating from PA. When we initially visited the area, I really liked the Bedford area in N. Raleigh. The homes were idyllic and the neighborhood was full of kids (great!). However, my husband stayed in a hotel in the area and the commute to RTP was about 30 minutes (which, coming from Philly, that's not bad at all). That being said, a bunch of the homes that we saw a month and half ago are still on the market.
I am very interested in W. Cary as well, based on feedback and research (and a few custom neighborhoods). However, the homes in Cary move SO quickly - why is that? Is it just primarily because of the short commute to RTP? Are the schools in one area viewed more favorably than the other? The latter question is the one that worries me the most, since I have 4 young children (Kindergarten and younger). I just want to make sure I am not missing something…in my head, I would have thought the homes in Bedford would go just as quickly as those in W. Cary?
Thank you, everyone, for your feedback, it's greatly appreciated.
Cary tends to attract an enormous amount of relocators, it's a safe choice on many key points. In my company, seventy-five percent of everyone who relocated from the Northeast moved there (based on a dozen families). Think about it, a large number of professional people moving to a new place looking for people that seem familiar, close proximity to the primary jobs center (RTP) and, despite the higher price tags for most new construction, it's still cheaper than wherever they moved from.
Cary was a safe choice for us when we came down in 2007, which is exactly why we didn't buy there; my wife and I hate safe. Plus, my wife felt that Cary looked and behaved too much like Long Island and both of us didn't want to try and replicate what we were leaving, we wanted a new experience.
I will tell you this, if I could do everything all over again and knowing what I do, Bedford would be my primary target. The houses are really nice (both medium and large models), the commute to RTP bearable, the neighborhood crammed with families, lots of sidewalk traffic and activity and it's laid out in a visually appealing way. I was hung up on having a bigger piece of property and wanted puh-lenty of space between my house and my neighbors (I was permanently scarred by apartment living) and so rejected even considering buying there.
Cary was a safe choice for us when we came down in 2007, which is exactly why we didn't buy there; my wife and I hate safe. Plus, my wife felt that Cary looked and behaved too much like Long Island and both of us didn't want to try and replicate what we were leaving, we wanted a new experience.
This is the second time I've seen this comment (were you the person who posted it in the other thread too?), and it boggles my mind. I lived in and around NYC for 8 years and I cannot stand Lawn Guyland. I now live in Cary. Drawing a comparison between the two is mind boggling to me. IMO, they could not be more different.
OP -- I love Philly, and this area won't really compare when it comes to "big city" type things (arts, museums, sports, etc.). But it's a great place to raise a family (I'm starting to think that should be the official Triangle tagline..."Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill -- It's a great place to raise a family!"). I've heard a lot of good things about Bedford, but to be honest, have never been in that area. It might as well be on a different planet. I frequently go to Durham, downtown Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Chapel Hill. I never have a reason to go to North Raleigh.
This is the second time I've seen this comment (were you the person who posted it in the other thread too?), and it boggles my mind. I lived in and around NYC for 8 years and I cannot stand Lawn Guyland. I now live in Cary. Drawing a comparison between the two is mind boggling to me. IMO, they could not be more different.
OP -- I love Philly, and this area won't really compare when it comes to "big city" type things (arts, museums, sports, etc.). But it's a great place to raise a family (I'm starting to think that should be the official Triangle tagline..."Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill -- It's a great place to raise a family!"). I've heard a lot of good things about Bedford, but to be honest, have never been in that area. It might as well be on a different planet. I frequently go to Durham, downtown Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Chapel Hill. I never have a reason to go to North Raleigh.
Absolutely spot on. Cary is nothing like Long Island, with the exception of LI transplants living in Cary.
What even odder is making a distinction between Bedford and any number of W. Cary, Apex etc.. neighborhoods.
NYCtoRDU is just crazy like that glue. Livin on the edge in Raleigh. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Sorry can't help OP since I'm a newbie too but was wondering where Bedford area is? I've not come across it on my N Raleigh travels/ scouring of google maps. Anyone point me in the right direction please?
Sorry can't help OP since I'm a newbie too but was wondering where Bedford area is? I've not come across it on my N Raleigh travels/ scouring of google maps. Anyone point me in the right direction please?
It's right by Falls River. Intersection of Durant and Falls of Neuse. If you look there, then go further out on Falls, you'll see Falls River turn into Bedford. They're connected.
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I frequently go to Durham, downtown Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Chapel Hill. I never have a reason to go to North Raleigh.
It's rather similar to Cary in many ways, so I can see why you wouldn't. I live in North Raleigh and rarely visit Cary or Apex for likely the same reasons: I can pretty much get the same things in North Raleigh, only closer to home.
This is the second time I've seen this comment (were you the person who posted it in the other thread too?), and it boggles my mind. I lived in and around NYC for 8 years and I cannot stand Lawn Guyland. I now live in Cary. Drawing a comparison between the two is mind boggling to me. IMO, they could not be more different.
OP -- I love Philly, and this area won't really compare when it comes to "big city" type things (arts, museums, sports, etc.). But it's a great place to raise a family (I'm starting to think that should be the official Triangle tagline..."Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill -- It's a great place to raise a family!"). I've heard a lot of good things about Bedford, but to be honest, have never been in that area. It might as well be on a different planet. I frequently go to Durham, downtown Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Chapel Hill. I never have a reason to go to North Raleigh.
It might have been me, I've shared this perspective before. But you may be thinking the wrong way about what I meant.
While I can make a compelling argument that Old Cary is laid out somewhere very similar to Long Island (congested roads, too much retail and sometimes confusing roads) it was more about the people that lived there. Basically, it came down to the simple realization that there was an abundance of people from places like Long Island living in Cary, so much so that it sort of felt like that's where we were. One of the things we did during our due diligence phase of scoping out Raleigh was to visit playgrounds and parks around the Triangle. In talking to and meeting people in places we noticed things like the style of strollers and diaper bags, make/model of cars in the parking lots and what people were wearing. It was unmistakable that there was a degree of materialism evident in Cary that's not necessarily indicative of the overall Triangle. We just wanted to avoid any of the "Keeping up with the Jones" nonsense that's prevalent on Long Island.
To be certain, the people are definitely nicer and more polite in Cary than from where we moved, but in seven years of living here I haven't really changed my opinion very much about what we didn't like.
Absolutely spot on. Cary is nothing like Long Island, with the exception of LI transplants living in Cary.
What even odder is making a distinction between Bedford and any number of W. Cary, Apex etc.. neighborhoods.
NYCtoRDU is just crazy like that glue. Livin on the edge in Raleigh. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Technically you're right with regards to establishing a meaningful distinction between Bedford and most any planned community, not just in Cary, but anywhere in the Triangle. We locked in on North Raleigh for a variety of reasons (e.g. house of worship, proximity to RDU, areas where expansion had slowed or stopped, to name a few) and so Bedford held greater appeal.
And as I illustrated in an earlier post, there are parallels to be drawn between Cary and Long Island, even if Cary is a way better place to live (it is, there's no question about it). Truthfully, I could probably make a helluva good argument that it's foolish to claim that any one area of the Triangle is better than any other (except, perhaps, for Southeast Raleigh). But when people are looking for some separation and asking for insights and opinions it turns out I have some, even if half the forum thinks I'm wrong.
Also, thanks for calling me crazy, it makes me feel just a little bit dangerous.
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