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.
My fiance and I will be relocating to your lovely area in the Autumn of this coming year.
I'm a professional baker/pastry chef specializing in artisan bread with a decade of experience. My fiance is looking to return to school for a technical degree.
We'll be coming from Washington State where we've both spent the majority of our lives... and we're looking for any advice and information that you locals might think we'd benefit from!
Does anyone have any "locals" tips on housing, etc? We're looking to rent initially, and would prefer a house to an apartment. Is that a feasible idea while still enjoying walking distance to markets/stores? We're very much outdoorsy people, and neither of us have experience with apartment living. Are there any specific areas/neighborhoods we should investigate?
I love what I've seen of your downtown, but I haven't really gotten a "feel" of your city. Could you give me an example of what to expect? Food is obviously very important to me, and local ingredients/cultural heritage is a large part of that. Is there a diversity to the population? Are there community programs/events that strengthen your area?
I'd be so grateful for any information you'd like to share! We are so excited to be moving to such a vibrant and interesting area!
Definitely rent first. Hillsborough is terrific - but the downtown area is a few blocks long - and houses near it are very pricey (gorgeous, historic) and probably not for rent, though I don't really know. I'm sure there are rental houses in Hillsborough and with luck maybe near Weaver Street Market (which would surely carry your bread!). The riverwalk has opened there adding to the walkable score.
I feel like what you're looking for is better served by Carrboro, Chapel Hill, or Durham - because each has a larger downtown - but the good thing is that you can certainly be active in all four. There are a lot of farmer's markets and local food is important here. Durham is the most diverse of the four. You could of course move east of Durham but as you make artisan bread I selfishly hope you don't - stay close by, please :-D
Check out Carrboro Farmer's Market and the vendor list:
I don't think many Hillsborough folks post here very much, but there are quite a few Chapel Hill folks, like myself, who are regulars who can take a stab at some of your questions. Maybe some Hillsborough folks can set us straight if we're not on target.
Yes, renting a house, rather than an apartment should not be a problem, depending on your budget. Obvs, older homes will be closer to downtown and newer homes further out. I know folks who live in some of the older homes close in and personally, I think that would be ideal, but if you're wanting a newer home you'd most likely be out of the walkable areas. I'm not sure how often rentals come up w/in walking distance to downtown. That could be tricky.
Weaver Street Market (based in Carrboro, branch store in Hillsborough) makes and sells fantastic breads. I'm not a gourmet, but most folks I know who are think they do a great job. They have a food house in Hillsborough and do hire bakers from time to time. I don't know what your plans are, but it might be a good place to start. Weaver Street Market | Community-owned natural foods grocery . There are a couple of top notch restaurants in Hillsborough, too, but the scene is small, as you'd expect from a town with a pop of around 6000. There are a couple of good farmer's markets in Hillsborough and the Triangle in general. There's a great local and organic farm-to-table scene, especially Orange, Chatham, and Durham counties. The Carrboro farmer's market has a national reputation. Check out Piedmont Farm Tour | Carolina Farm Stewardship Association for more on local farms and the annual farm tour in the spring.
This is exactly the kind of information I'm looking for!
We love older houses (they've got that "soul" to them, you know? ) so that's what we'd prefer to rent and eventually buy.
It's good to know that even though it's smaller, Hillsborough is alive and well. Bigger cities are wonderful for their diversity... but I'm a small town girl!
Do you all think maybe we should look at Chapel Hill for a home instead?
Again, all this info is just wonderful! Thank you so much.
Finding an older home for rent within walking distance of downtown is going to be tough, I think. Here is a great article about Hillsborough that will make anyone want to move there:
Finding an older home for rent within walking distance of downtown is going to be tough, I think. Here is a great article about Hillsborough that will make anyone want to move there:
Ooooh I LOVE farm to fork events! I just helped with one this last summer. Nothing like it to get people excited about food and local agriculture businesses!
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.
