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Willow Spring is VERY RURAL. Not for ME but I have clients who live there and love it.
It is close enough to shopping (White Oak), movie theater, etc.
It is a good fit for someone who wants a bit more land and wants space.
Lots of our rural areas qualify for USDA loans (100% financing) so that is sometimes a plus, as well.
To the OP...it is always good to get opinions but I wonder how many of these people have set foot in Willow Spring! And of course, once you gather all your opinions, you have to visit and make an informed decision based on your own circumstances.
Vicki, I'm an NC native. I grew up in SE NC and I've been up and down 401 a lot in my life. There are a lot of other areas around the Triangle that a person could get a more rural experience that I like a lot better. That's not to say that Willow Spring or Johnston County is bad — just not a good fit for me. I'm more Western Triangle. The OP might be perfectly happy there, but we have seen it time and time again where people post on these boards looking for some place that's not "in the middle of the city" and buy a more exurban property and then come back on here later to complain about how far out they are and how boring it is. I think sometimes the transplant folks don't realize how suburban, and not urban, our cities are. If the OP has been out here looking around several times already they may already realize that and Willow Spring may be just the place for them. Just definitely not the place for ME!
Vicki, I'm an NC native. I grew up in SE NC and I've been up and down 401 a lot in my life. There are a lot of other areas around the Triangle that a person could get a more rural experience that I like a lot better. That's not to say that Willow Spring or Johnston County is bad — just not a good fit for me. I'm more Western Triangle. The OP might be perfectly happy there, but we have seen it time and time again where people post on these boards looking for some place that's not "in the middle of the city" and buy a more exurban property and then come back on here later to complain about how far out they are and how boring it is. I think sometimes the transplant folks don't realize how suburban, and not urban, our cities are. If the OP has been out here looking around several times already they may already realize that and Willow Spring may be just the place for them. Just definitely not the place for ME!
I TOTALLY agree with you!
And we have/had a poster who lived there and was miserable. Sometimes I wonder if it is the area or the person, but that is off topic!!!
I just want the OP to realize that not everyone has first hand experience and there are other opinions to consider.
So, I play devil's advocate and give them additional information to consider.
After all, if no one liked a certain area, no one would live there and that certainly isn't the case!
If it were ME, I'd go to Clayton (in a heartbeat) but Willow Spring just isn't for ME either!
I do like the area around McGee's Crossroads but again, too far for ME.
And we have/had a poster who lived there and was miserable. Sometimes I wonder if it is the area or the person, but that is off topic!!!
I just want the OP to realize that not everyone has first hand experience and there are other opinions to consider.
So, I play devil's advocate and give them additional information to consider.
After all, if no one liked a certain area, no one would live there and that certainly isn't the case!
If it were ME, I'd go to Clayton (in a heartbeat) but Willow Spring just isn't for ME either!
I do like the area around McGee's Crossroads but again, too far for ME.
I like to visit these areas, but wouldn't want to live in any of them.
My experience has been that they just feel too rural for my liking. We so rarely get transplants on here who head to places like Angier and Willow Spring that I'm hesitant to recommend them.
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I will say that most of my clients that live in Angier and Willow Spring ARE from this area but that is just my clients. I have maybe 2 or 3 families in each area.
However, Clayton is another story. I have many many people that have moved here from other areas that love Clayton.
For example...for someone that is looking to spend $250,000 on a brand new home with l/2 acre, Clayton is the area I'd recommend. PLENTY of shopping nearby.
The downside is if you are working in RTP, it could take you an hour to get there during rush hour.
So, it becomes the decision of the buyer...is the land that important to you or can you give up that land, move closer to you job and live with .17 of an acre instead of .50 of an acre.
Decisions, decisions! Again, I just want everyone to know their options. What appeals to the masses may not appeal to them.
It is hard to really recommend any area to people until you really know them. I prefer to explain the different areas and let them make their own informed decisions. And that is where the opinions come into play. They can be helpful unless the opinions are based on heresay and not facts. I like for people to hear the good and the bad!
I am a native of Willow Spring(s). Actually, it's Southern Wake county right outside of Angier. We live about 5 minutes to Fuquay, but we are not in town. Cheaper taxes, almost 1 acre lot, 2300 sq ft, friendly subdivision. And yes, we accept transplants. Raleigh and Cary is about 30-40 mins depending on traffic. I work in Cary. From here, maybe 15 mins to the new 540 toll road. I have lived out here all my life, and can't imagine living anywhere else. Willow Spring is a large rural area, and is technically in two counties. I guess you could find a bad or remote part of the area, but i'm partial to the Wake area due to job, family, schools and shopping. You can check out home listings and drive around a little to make your best decision. Good luck.
I am a newbie to the area in general (2 years). We are in Clayton after living in a city my whole life, this was quite a move. Anyhow, this isn't about Clayton but wanted to say I didn't know Willow Spring existed until on one of my shopping ventures WEST, I was driving back home on 42 and stopped at a thrift store (I'm an ebay queen) and the receipt said "Willow spring"
I thought I was in Fuquay. So, WS is close enough to Fuquay, which has a cute downtown and still not too far from Apex (another cute downtown) and Holly Spring. What I have found here is that even though I am so far removed now compared to living in the center of the city all my life, the drives here are peaceful and not stressful, so I head out that way pretty often. Garner has most of my shopping needs and that is nearby too.
I wanted away from the city too, and am ok here in Clayton, but don't think I'll stay here one the kids are out of school. we'll see. I just notice there are sooo many areas that I love as I drive around, that I would be happy living in so many places. I dont want to live right in a big city again, but Raleigh doesn't have that feel anyhow. My biggest complaint with Clayton is it is more difficult to ebay shop because we are so far from everything, but I am not minding the rural feel after a lifetime of urban,but everyone has their own ideas and opinions. It will come down to what you want and like. If you want rural and removed and found the perfect house, WS could be perfect for you-and you are close enough to FV, Garner, etc for shopping,etc.
I am a native of Willow Spring(s). Actually, it's Southern Wake county right outside of Angier. We live about 5 minutes to Fuquay, but we are not in town. Cheaper taxes, almost 1 acre lot, 2300 sq ft, friendly subdivision. And yes, we accept transplants. Raleigh and Cary is about 30-40 mins depending on traffic. I work in Cary. From here, maybe 15 mins to the new 540 toll road. I have lived out here all my life, and can't imagine living anywhere else. Willow Spring is a large rural area, and is technically in two counties. I guess you could find a bad or remote part of the area, but i'm partial to the Wake area due to job, family, schools and shopping. You can check out home listings and drive around a little to make your best decision. Good luck.
thank you ! i love hearing from people who live in WS, and thanks to everyone who chimed in so far. what you said about cheaper taxes, larger homes with larger lots, friendly people, etc, that is exactly what we are looking for.
we are thinking about making this our 'almost forever home' (raising the kids and living there for another 10 to 15 years) and being as 'forward thinking' as we can about that area. today i was talking to a realtor who told me that it is estimated that appx 104 people move INTO the triangle area PER DAY.
personally i am taking that number with a grain of salt, but it needs to be said that A LOT of people are relocating to the Raleigh area (s). We are coming from a large urban area, southern ca, which is a universe (bubble is a better word) unto itself. Urban sprawl has choked out anything natural and serene about living here. it's not manhatten, but it's not a serene place to live, and it's a rat race.
I could be wrong, but if RTP is growing at the rate it's reported to be growing, it won't be too long (within the next 10 to 15 years) that it becomes a bit of a rat race too.
that is why we are staying away from cary, apex, and raleigh proper. it's growing very fast and will eventually become what we are so wanting to get away from. we are not the kind of 'californians' who want to leave our so. california to end up in another 'little so. california'. we love the charms of the south, we love the people most of all. we love that you can drive a little country road to get to a grocery store.
our goal is to eventually retire with a few smaller rental properties, and we cannot afford that lifestyle here in so cal, but there are still charming homes in NC that are 'affordable' - that would be great rentals, and of course, our plan of attack for those homes would be in the apex's and holly springs' areas. the lure of amenities and lots of places to go and do and see.
but for us, day in and day out, i guess we are a little boring compared to others - sort of home bodies, who enjoy our yard, our gardens and walks in nature, drives through the country. we long to just slow down and see the stars at night...we don't require much in terms of 'city life'.
i will do have one question for those of you in FV and Holly springs, Willow springs is not that far out from those towns, so i'm trying to understand how it's being viewed as "OUT THERE" - i get that it is more residential etc, but with decent shopping 15 min away, is it THAT far out there? or does it just 'feel' like it?
we are going to be flying over on the 4th through the 8th, just to make one last trip before we 'officially move' for good, hoping against hope the house i see on zillow is still on the market when we get there and it's everything i hoped it would be in person, because we want to make an offer. (exciting!) and we will make the drive from WS to FV on up to raleigh and all around, just to see if we are thinking 'right' lol...
I will say that most of my clients that live in Angier and Willow Spring ARE from this area but that is just my clients. I have maybe 2 or 3 families in each area.
However, Clayton is another story. I have many many people that have moved here from other areas that love Clayton.
For example...for someone that is looking to spend $250,000 on a brand new home with l/2 acre, Clayton is the area I'd recommend. PLENTY of shopping nearby.
The downside is if you are working in RTP, it could take you an hour to get there during rush hour.
So, it becomes the decision of the buyer...is the land that important to you or can you give up that land, move closer to you job and live with .17 of an acre instead of .50 of an acre.
Decisions, decisions! Again, I just want everyone to know their options. What appeals to the masses may not appeal to them.
It is hard to really recommend any area to people until you really know them. I prefer to explain the different areas and let them make their own informed decisions. And that is where the opinions come into play. They can be helpful unless the opinions are based on heresay and not facts. I like for people to hear the good and the bad!
hahahaha, i guess we are not your typical 'out of towners' wanting more rural then in the hub of everything. we did have our sights set on clayton...we have friends there and they love it. we also loved parts of clayton too...but to be honest, the homes that are on the market right now (our window to buy) are not fitting our criteria all that much. we will definitely be looking at clayton again when we get there, and although most of the homes are very charming, they feel a bit close together - more subdivision-ish then we want. also lots of HOA's it seems.
it is the 'land' that is important to us - the neighborhood and the house is important, more so than the amenities - heck i live right smack in the middle of 15 large chain grocery stores, and i choose to drive to the farthest one, (about 8 miles away) because it's smaller and not as over whelming to my senses. we also have 4 libraries closer to the one i take the kids to, because i will go out of my way to the one that feels best to me. some of my neighbors think i am nuts, but i just like what i like (and i am a little nutty to be honest )
Last edited by dsadventure2014; 07-25-2014 at 09:12 PM..
Reason: typo
I think what makes Willow Spring feel "out there" is that it is out there when you're talking in terms of the whole Triangle region, which is what many relocators are concerned with. Some place like Brier Creek or Morrisville is very centrally located. Comparatively Willow Spring is relatively far removed from many parts of the Triangle.
I don't think there's any danger of the Triangle becoming like Southern California any time soon. More growth is happening in Wake County and quite a bit in Johnston County, in Clayton, especially. If you're wanting to avoid rampant growth you'd be well served to look in Orange County where it's strictly regulated.
Sounds like Willow Spring might be what you're looking for right now, though. I'm sure the strip malls will come over time, but I don't think we're ever going to see So Cal type growth.
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