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Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area
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Old 12-06-2014, 07:09 AM
 
128 posts, read 289,781 times
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We're starting to think about a move within the area. Dh works in CH (about a half mile from the mall), I work in downtown Durham. The kids both go to FPG Bilingue (spanish) and we live near Southern Village. Traffic is bad and getting worse, and every morning and evening, both DH and I drive through the mess of 15-501 near UNC. Our house is ok but not great for us and that, plus the commute, plus the anticipated growth between Southern Village and Pittsboro, has us wondering if a move soon would be a good idea.

We aren't sure where to look. We like the whole area, and we have friends in both Durham and Chapel Hill. If we were to move somewhere off of 15-501 between the Raleigh Rd and downtown Durham, we would improve our commutes.

Schools are an issue. We like the CH school system and the kids are already in the dual-language program. I've heard both scary and wonderful things about Durham schools.

Where should we look for houses? Are there specific neighborhoods or areas that might work? Dh likes Meadowmont but I'm not sure it's right for us and we don't know Durham's neighborhoods well enough to know what might be a good fit. I like walkable, quirky, interesting neighborhoods. Diversity is important but we want to avoid high-crime, drug problems, etc.

And what about Durham schools? if you have kids in the Durham elementary system, how has the experience been for you? Is there a dual-language option in Durham?

Thanks for any suggestions or info!
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Old 12-06-2014, 08:00 AM
 
Location: Research Triangle Area, NC
6,335 posts, read 5,427,906 times
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If you buy a house in the Durham side of Meadowmont (most of the neighborhood is in Orange County) your kids would go to Creekside Elementary., Githens Middle, and Jordan High. I knew a few people in college (at UNC) who went to Jordan High and it seems like it's probably the best non-charter public school in Durham. Creekside is good as well; I've worked with quite a few kids from there. I don't know much about Githens. The traffic on 54 by Meadowmont is just as bad if not worse than 15-501 between Southern Village and UNC because you have a lot of RTP commuters there.

Chapel Hill without a doubt has ridiculous traffic for a town it's size. Estes, 15-501, Smith Level/N. Greensboro; beyond stupid....but I still think if you can afford to own a home in CH there's a lot of value in the schools and overall QOL there compared to Durham. Not a shot a on Durham at all; I just recently moved from CH to Durham myself despite working in Chapel Hill; but that is as a mid-20s single dude who is renting and had roommates who needed to be closer to RTP.

FPG is a great school; as is Mary Scroggs (which is where I assume your kids would probably go if they wren't in FPG magnet). I'm still a long way from having kids but if and when I do; I'm hoping to be able to buy a house in Chapel Hill school district if I'm still local to the Triangle area.
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Old 12-06-2014, 08:01 AM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,253,512 times
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What kind of home are you wanting beside walkable and quirky? I wouldn't consider Southern Village or Meadowmont quirky, though both are walkable within themselves, but not great for going other places in town. What's your price range? Are you just wanting homes built w/in the last 20 years or so or are you open to an older home?

Consider moving closer to UMall in Chapel Hill such as an older neighborhood like Ridgefield, Coker Hills, Estes Hills, Lake Forest, Booker Creek, Colony Woods. Many older homes in CH/C have been remodeled and refurbed. In my older neighborhood there are some really nice remodeled houses with big yards. You could also move north in Chapel Hill and take Weaver Dairy to Old Erwin Rd or Mount Sinai to Old Erwin to Durham. Mount Sinai is a particularly nice ride although it is out a ways. I wouldn't think traffic would be too bad getting to the UMall area from there —*just a shot down Weaver Dairy or down MLK to Estes.

Or in Durham consider moving off Old Erwin Rd. I'd avoid commuting on 15-501. Actually I pretty much always avoid 15-501 if I can (too many lights, too much traffic) and prefer to go to Durham either on Old Erwin or Old Chapel Hill. Woodcroft is also very popular although I don't think it would improve your husband's commute any. It might be good for you, though.

I am in Chapel Hill and not as familiar with DPS, but I have several friends who love Central Park School For Children which is a charter. They don't have a dual language program, though. I can't recall a dual language school in Durham, but there may be a magnet that has it. I have friends who have also had good things to say about Hope Valley Elementary and Githens Middle for their kids and I have heard positives about Creekside Elementary.

My instinct would be if you like the CH schools, to move closer to your work w/in the CH district. That's not going to get you a great commute to downtown Durham, but you could certainly avoid the 54 bypass and 15-501 going to Durham. My neighborhood in CH is right in the middle of Chapelboro (close to MLK/old Airport Rd) and I almost never use the bypass. Winding my way through Estes and neighborhood streets might not be super fast, but it's just no fun getting stuck in traffic on 54. I can usually get to Durham in about 20/25 minutes, but occasionally have gotten into bad traffic and had it take longer. I can walk to the mall along the Bolin Creek greenway.
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Old 12-06-2014, 10:03 AM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,499 posts, read 53,879,234 times
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Seems like only yesterday you were moving here and deciding to rent and then own. How long has it been?
We live in the northern part of CH (off Homestead) and love it. nice bike ride to Carrboro, hop to I 40 for easy access to Durham and Raleigh. I wouldn'
t think uprooting the kids out of CH school system would be worth a move to Durham. But maybe that's just me.
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Old 12-06-2014, 10:21 AM
 
128 posts, read 289,781 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no kudzu View Post
Seems like only yesterday you were moving here and deciding to rent and then own. How long has it been?
We live in the northern part of CH (off Homestead) and love it. nice bike ride to Carrboro, hop to I 40 for easy access to Durham and Raleigh. I wouldn'
t think uprooting the kids out of CH school system would be worth a move to Durham. But maybe that's just me.
It's been four years

I started with a preschooler and an infant and now have two elementary-aged kids. We rented for a bit near Glenwood Elementary, but moved just south of Southern Village 3.5 years ago. You have a good memory, no kudzu

We love Chapel Hill, and we love Durham. Both are really appealing communities. I'm stuck on the schools issue, but commutes are also a factor and many Durham houses and taxes seem like a good deal when compared to CH. But then youre paying for school taxes and the CH schools are excellent. I keep going around in circles on this...
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Old 12-06-2014, 10:58 AM
 
Location: Chapelboro
12,798 posts, read 16,253,512 times
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I wouldn't want to live south of Southern Village. That almost seems like outside Chapel Hill to me. Are you in Dogwood Acres or Heritage Hills or elsewhere? I'd really consider moving closer into town. You may find it to be a pretty different experience traffic wise. Most of Chapel Hill and Carrboro are north of the 54 bypass and if you can find a place you like there your options for a commute that do not include getting caught in traffic on 54 really open up. Where you are now, you're kinda stuck. You could go along 751 to downtown Durham, but I'm not sure that's much better and there's not really a way to get to the UMall area from where you are now w/o negotiating 54 unless you come through Carrboro via Smith Level. But from the vast majority of homes in Chapel Hill you wouldn't be forced to deal with that.

My spouse walks to work at UNC and I work from home so am only in rush hour traffic two days a week when my kids have classes at that time (one 4:30-5:30 and one 6-7). I know lots of alternate roads, though, so am usually able to avoid traffic and I am only ever on 54 for maybe 1/4 of a mile and on 15-501 for less than that. The one time I really got stuck there was a bad wreck near Europa Dr.

Estes can get a little boggy, but you can avoid that if you want to by going downtown (Franklin, Rosemary, North St) or Hillsborough to Umstead. If you found a place in Carrboro (love Carrboro, but it's not that close to downtown Durham) you could even go Homestead to Calvander to N Greensboro or Old Fayetteville or Eubanks to Old Fayetteville.
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Old 12-06-2014, 11:33 AM
 
Location: Research Triangle Area, NC
6,335 posts, read 5,427,906 times
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Any of the neighborhoods around Eastwood Lake would be close to your husband's work and an easier commute to downtown Durham for you too. A lot of families with kids in those neighborhoods.
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Old 12-06-2014, 02:54 PM
 
128 posts, read 289,781 times
Reputation: 76
Thanks for the responses.

We're in Heritage Hills and it's ok, but could be better. With the new construction, we have more traffic and I think it will just continue to get worse. The worst part of my commute is 15-501 between Southern Village and the Raleigh Rd, both am and pm.

we're going to look in Briarcliff and the neighborhoods near Eastgate, at least to start.
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Old 12-06-2014, 03:05 PM
 
9,680 posts, read 27,111,406 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elizabeth_John View Post
It's been four years

I started with a preschooler and an infant and now have two elementary-aged kids. We rented for a bit near Glenwood Elementary, but moved just south of Southern Village 3.5 years ago. You have a good memory, no kudzu

We love Chapel Hill, and we love Durham. Both are really appealing communities. I'm stuck on the schools issue, but commutes are also a factor and many Durham houses and taxes seem like a good deal when compared to CH. But then youre paying for school taxes and the CH schools are excellent. I keep going around in circles on this...
There may be a rail line to assist commuting. With good schools a priority, think hard before leaving CH.
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Old 12-06-2014, 03:57 PM
 
Location: Research Triangle Area, NC
6,335 posts, read 5,427,906 times
Reputation: 9962
I think you should buy the one house that is currently available in Briarcliff on Churchill Drive...and then sell it to me in 10-15 years.
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