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Hi everyone. So glad to see this forum, I've already gleaned a lot of helpful information about your area and I hope to learn more!
My husband and I (early 40s, no kids, 2 Labradors) are considering the big move from NY in spring/summer 2017 provided we can sell our home here on Long Island. We will be in south Jersey at a wedding in October and thought we'd swing down there to check you out for a couple of days.
First on the list is rounding up Realtor.com listings and driving around to look at the neighborhoods, get a feel for what we would like. The HOA threads are scaring me a bit and I think we would prefer not to deal with that. We won't waste a realtor's time until we get closer to the actual move date. I think in general, staying within a 30 minute drive of Raleigh since that's where I would be working is what we would shoot for.
Besides that, we're open. We'd like to see what fun things there are to do, plan on visiting some parks and take a hike, shopping, maybe some nightlife and dancing. Don't know where are good places to do that yet, besides looking it up on TripAdvisor.
We always stayed at the Embassy Suites in Cary when we came to visit and I would still recommend it because it's a good central location right off I40 so you can get to various places quickly without searching for the highway. You can get to Southpoint Mall and Crabtree Valley Mall if you like mall shopping and it's close to Umstead Park for hiking.
Be aware that if you don't want an HOA you're talking about an older property - not sure if you care (and it won't be old to you by Long Island standards!). HOAs are fine, but you do need to read the covenants and look around the neighborhood. If you drive though my neighborhood you'll see that while all our mailboxes are pretty much identical, there's enough diversity to see that the HOA isn't hovering over our business all the time. Drive through my parents neighborhood....well, they've lived there 6 years and I still need to look at the number on the mailbox to discern which house is theirs and I'm not exaggerating. The houses are actually all slightly different in color of siding/stone used but you really have to look to see it.
We always stayed at the Embassy Suites in Cary when we came to visit and I would still recommend it because it's a good central location right off I40 so you can get to various places quickly without searching for the highway. You can get to Southpoint Mall and Crabtree Valley Mall if you like mall shopping and it's close to Umstead Park for hiking.
Be aware that if you don't want an HOA you're talking about an older property - not sure if you care (and it won't be old to you by Long Island standards!). HOAs are fine, but you do need to read the covenants and look around the neighborhood. If you drive though my neighborhood you'll see that while all our mailboxes are pretty much identical, there's enough diversity to see that the HOA isn't hovering over our business all the time. Drive through my parents neighborhood....well, they've lived there 6 years and I still need to look at the number on the mailbox to discern which house is theirs and I'm not exaggerating. The houses are actually all slightly different in color of siding/stone used but you really have to look to see it.
Thanks! I've been to Cary for work once or twice, I'll check the Embassy Suites out for sure.
My current home was built in 1950 so I'm not afraid of an older one. I watch a lot of home improvement shows and wonder about the quality of new construction these days. At least with a home that families have lived in for decades, you hope they took pride in it and upgraded over time.
I grew up in Levittown, I know a thing or two about cookie cutter houses. I'm definitely interested in branching out! lol
Do HOAs dictate things like your landscaping, how much ground coverage you have (driveways, patio, etc), what color you're allowed to paint your house? These are things our friends and family deal with here, and invariably, the neighbors who police the neighborhood, quick to tattletale. We are laid back people but I don't like feeling watched or controlled.
1. keep reading the forum until you arrive. then you'll know what's going on and you'll read many other topics about "what to see in the Triangle?" that already exist.
2. do know that depending on when exactly you visit, part of western Raleigh will be dominated by the NC State Fair (google the dates)
3. the Embassy Suites in Cary is indeed an excellent option for "home base" for a couple of days.
4. You don't need to worry about housing at all. Your move is 2 years out. Prices can change up or down. The neighborhood(s) you expend all kinds of effort looking at now could be out of your price range then, and then it would have been wasted work. You're trying to decide if you'd like to live here. Yes our housing is "cheap" and our taxes "low". What about the rest of your day - groceries, gas prices, etc etc etc.
5. Spend your time mapping out what you do want to do in your limited time. While we have a generally good roadway system, and limited traffic - like any place it would be easy to get somewhat lost and definitely turned around.
6. You should be able to draw a rough "30 minutes from this location" circle and investigate generally the feel of the areas, and the everyday amenities (google, yelp, etc).
1. keep reading the forum until you arrive. then you'll know what's going on and you'll read many other topics about "what to see in the Triangle?" that already exist.
2. do know that depending on when exactly you visit, part of western Raleigh will be dominated by the NC State Fair (google the dates)
3. the Embassy Suites in Cary is indeed an excellent option for "home base" for a couple of days.
4. You don't need to worry about housing at all. Your move is 2 years out. Prices can change up or down. The neighborhood(s) you expend all kinds of effort looking at now could be out of your price range then, and then it would have been wasted work. You're trying to decide if you'd like to live here. Yes our housing is "cheap" and our taxes "low". What about the rest of your day - groceries, gas prices, etc etc etc.
5. Spend your time mapping out what you do want to do in your limited time. While we have a generally good roadway system, and limited traffic - like any place it would be easy to get somewhat lost and definitely turned around.
6. You should be able to draw a rough "30 minutes from this location" circle and investigate generally the feel of the areas, and the everyday amenities (google, yelp, etc).
Yes, I intend to be active here, reading and learning. Thanks for the tip on the fair too, I think I'd like to experience that!
The house prices aren't as much of a concern as is getting a 'feel' for the neighborhoods things that appeal to us are in. For example, after living and gardening on a 1/4 acre or less all my life, I want a half or more. I know that limits our choices. As someone who has only visited a few times, I'd like to see the variety of neighborhoods and homes. The listings are just a jumping off point really.
You're right, cost of living is something I need to get a handle on, salary ranges for our professions, how it differs from what we're accustomed to. Plenty of time for that, and a good forum to help figure that out.
Do HOAs dictate things like your landscaping, how much ground coverage you have (driveways, patio, etc), what color you're allowed to paint your house? These are things our friends and family deal with here, and invariably, the neighbors who police the neighborhood, quick to tattletale. We are laid back people but I don't like feeling watched or controlled.
Yes, generally - but that's why I recommend taking a good look at the neighborhood to see how strict they are. As far as ground cover, that is a municipality issue and there was a recent thread about it here. Search "impervious surface" here on the forums. Due to water issues, the towns and cities have limits on how much "impervious surface" you can have on your lot.
There is a lot of thinking that goes into relocating, but there are things that get overlooked (such as impervious surface rules). You're moving to a completely different part of the country and there is a lot of growth and building. It's completely different in that respect from living on Long Island. Keep reading here and you'll get a good overview of any issues.
Yes, generally - but that's why I recommend taking a good look at the neighborhood to see how strict they are. As far as ground cover, that is a municipality issue and there was a recent thread about it here. Search "impervious surface" here on the forums. Due to water issues, the towns and cities have limits on how much "impervious surface" you can have on your lot.
There is a lot of thinking that goes into relocating, but there are things that get overlooked (such as impervious surface rules). You're moving to a completely different part of the country and there is a lot of growth and building. It's completely different in that respect from living on Long Island. Keep reading here and you'll get a good overview of any issues.
Thanks so much for the info. I'm reading and trying, but it's a little overwhelming, the fear of the unknown. Good thing I have a lot of time to take it all in.
If you would recommend where you live, would you mind sharing where that is?
Do HOAs dictate things like your landscaping, how much ground coverage you have (driveways, patio, etc), what color you're allowed to paint your house? These are things our friends and family deal with here, and invariably, the neighbors who police the neighborhood, quick to tattletale. We are laid back people but I don't like feeling watched or controlled.
When I read a post like yours, the first thing that enters my mind is all of the folks I have known over the years who brought expectations from their previous city to the triangle area. The very early stages before the long process of enlightenment begins always starts the same way: "We are used to ______ ".... (fill in the blank with whatever). It could be snow, traffic, long-commutes, older home construction, lack of HOA, etc. .... "so that won't be an issue for US.."
But, and I'm being very sincere -- just because those things were not a problem where you came from doesn't mean that you won't feel entirely different about them here once you become accustomed to the area and the differences that those individual factors bring to a different locale. Of the folks I've known over the last several decades who started that way were disappointed, and either moved away or changed their perspective so dramatically from the one they moved here with.
The "tattletales" around here, when it comes to HOA are the ones who have a good grasp of property values and what it takes to achieve long-term appreciation in the largest investment most people will ever make. Once you have lost tens of thousands of dollars in home equity because of redneck neighbors who fill their life and their property with as much clutter as possible, while simultaneously not maintaining their home, then your eyes will be opened to an entirely new perspective on HOAs. Their crummy and/or lazy habits usually don't translate to a direct money loss until you decide to sell your home for whatever reason, then you realize you can't get rid of it without holding a fire sale and taking your loss. You'll watch the homes around you fail to keep up with the market and sell short of what they otherwise should on a per sqft basis.
There is a long list of people around here who have learned this the hard way, and will prefer "tattletales" over the riff raff that "duz whatever they feelz likes doin'", unwittingly costing themselves and their neighbors large amounts of money as they devalue their own neighborhood and observe the rapid decline to a slum.
That said, there is always "rural" living as an alternative. Buy enough land that you can't see what your neighbors are doing, then it becomes less of an issue.
When I read a post like yours, the first thing that enters my mind is all of the folks I have known over the years who brought expectations from their previous city to the triangle area. The very early stages before the long process of enlightenment begins always starts the same way: "We are used to ______ ".... (fill in the blank with whatever). It could be snow, traffic, long-commutes, older home construction, lack of HOA, etc. .... "so that won't be an issue for US.."
But, and I'm being very sincere -- just because those things were not a problem where you came from doesn't mean that you won't feel entirely different about them here once you become accustomed to the area and the differences that those individual factors bring to a different locale. Of the folks I've known over the last several decades who started that way were disappointed, and either moved away or changed their perspective so dramatically from the one they moved here with.
I see your point. With nothing else to compare it to yet, I don't know the differences so I'm sharing my personal experience so that the person I quoted could tell me if it's similar in the Raleigh area or not.
I'm sure you hear things like that a lot "Back where I used to live..." which I liken to a new employee coming on board. There's some politeness as they talk about their old company, comparing and contrasting, but after a while you just want them to stop.
Quote:
The "tattletales" around here, when it comes to HOA are the ones who have a good grasp of property values and what it takes to achieve long-term appreciation in the largest investment most people will ever make. Once you have lost tens of thousands of dollars in home equity because of redneck neighbors who fill their life and their property with as much clutter as possible, while simultaneously not maintaining their home, then your eyes will be opened to an entirely new perspective on HOAs. Their crummy and/or lazy habits usually don't translate to a direct money loss until you decide to sell your home for whatever reason, then you realize you can't get rid of it without holding a fire sale and taking your loss. You'll watch the homes around you fail to keep up with the market and sell short of what they otherwise should on a per sqft basis.
There is a long list of people around here who have learned this the hard way, and will prefer "tattletales" over the riff raff that "duz whatever they feelz likes doin'", unwittingly costing themselves and their neighbors large amounts of money as they devalue their own neighborhood and observe the rapid decline to a slum.
That said, there is always "rural" living as an alternative. Buy enough land that you can't see what your neighbors are doing, then it becomes less of an issue.
How much is too much, to you? What would be the thing that a HOA would say to you that is over the line? I've never dealt with them personally, and can see the value in maintaining the general aesthetics of the neighborhood absolutely. But I don't know how far they can go with dictating what you can and can't do, so I don't know enough about whether it's something I'd like to avoid. And of course, not all HOA are created equal so some may be better than others.
Making sure your neighbors cut their lawn and don't have cars on blocks in their front yard is definitely good I think!
I'm also walking on eggshells, trying not to sound like a "typical" new poster, Yankee, northerner, etc because there's some tension in some of these threads.
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and I'm not exaggerating. The houses are actually all slightly different in color of siding/stone used but you really have to look to see it.
