Where to get the most for your money? Clayton, Smithfield, Willow Springs, etc. (Raleigh: houses, safest area)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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My husband recently accepted a job in Clayton and we are looking to move by mid-October. We currently live in Irmo (small town outside of Columbia) SC and enjoy the small-town feel but with the convenience of Columbia shopping and dining within 10 minutes of us. We are both in our late 20s and have a 10 month old little boy So we'd like in an area that we would be able to get a house with at least a half-acre of land, safe community, and no more than a 25 minute commute to Novo Nordisk. Our max budget is <200k so we'd like to know what area we can get the most for our money (1600+ sq ft, 3 br/2 bath, newer or renovated home with granite, master bath with separate tub/ shower, etc) but still be convenient to dining and maybe a Walmart/target/pharmacy and of course in the safest area. We've looked online at houses in Broadway, Smithfield, Clayton, and Willow Springs but we have no idea about any of these areas. Any guidance would be appreciated!
I really like Willow Spring. If you like country, you will love it. Some nice homes there as well. Will probably be safe from over-development for some time to come.
My husband recently accepted a job in Clayton and we are looking to move by mid-October. We currently live in Irmo (small town outside of Columbia) SC and enjoy the small-town feel but with the convenience of Columbia shopping and dining within 10 minutes of us. We are both in our late 20s and have a 10 month old little boy So we'd like in an area that we would be able to get a house with at least a half-acre of land, safe community, and no more than a 25 minute commute to Novo Nordisk. Our max budget is <200k so we'd like to know what area we can get the most for our money (1600+ sq ft, 3 br/2 bath, newer or renovated home with granite, master bath with separate tub/ shower, etc) but still be convenient to dining and maybe a Walmart/target/pharmacy and of course in the safest area. We've looked online at houses in Broadway, Smithfield, Clayton, and Willow Springs but we have no idea about any of these areas. Any guidance would be appreciated!
Not sure about newer, with granite etc. but aside from that I think you can find something in your budget in any of those places, so at that point getting the most for your money will come down to things like future resale, total distance to commute and associated costs etc.
Just me, but if I knew I was going to be working in Clayton and there was a high probability of being at same job for 5-7 years I'd buy in Clayton to be closer to work if nothing else. Sometimes getting the most for your money simply means getting the most overall value out of the purchase as it applies to your particular needs. Some people mean "more space" or "more land" when they say more for your money. If those are your main criteria one of the other places may be better.
You can get something in Clayton and be right there. Yes, you can buy a bigger house for the same money in Smithfield. You will be hard-pressed to find something like Harbison within 10 minutes of those areas. Smithfield does have outlets and chain restaurants like it but not with that size of a strip. In Clayton, you will enjoy other benefits but not proximity. Be sure you visit the towns you listed before making a decision. Driving around them will give you a fair idea quickly.
On a side note, welcome. My wife and I are both Gamecocks and she still has a mother and two sisters in Irmo. We live in Clayton ourselves.
Thank you both. We definitely consider getting more land and space as more important just because we plan to expand our family. What about Goldsboro or Selma?
You can get something in Clayton and be right there. Yes, you can buy a bigger house for the same money in Smithfield. You will be hard-pressed to find something like Harbison within 10 minutes of those areas. Smithfield does have outlets and chain restaurants like it but not with that size of a strip. In Clayton, you will enjoy other benefits but not proximity. Be sure you visit the towns you listed before making a decision. Driving around them will give you a fair idea quickly.
On a side note, welcome. My wife and I are both Gamecocks and she still has a mother and two sisters in Irmo. We live in Clayton ourselves.
Thank you! We are actually originally from a very rural town in Southwest Virginia. We attended Virginia Tech and moved to Irmo after college. We love that we can have the small town in Irmo and then have Harbison right down the road! It's truly the best of both worlds! But we miss the land we had in Virginia. We currently live in the Ashford subdivision and hate that all of the houses are so close together so that's something we definitely don't want this time around. A 25-30 minute commute is well worth it to us.. Haha
We plan to visit the area with a realtor, I just like to be a little proactive and get an idea of the areas from someone who isn't trying to sell me a house.
I used to live in Clayton and it's pretty nice. There is a cute downtown area with a coffee shop and even a craft brewery, Deep River Brewing. Do an image search for 'clayton nc events' and search on zillow.com for zip code 27520 and put in your search parameters. There are quite a few really cute homes on half acre lots. Good luck!
We definitely consider getting more land and space as more important just because we plan to expand our family. What about Goldsboro or Selma?
I think you should consider Selma but not bother with Goldsboro. Selma has the outlet shopping and restaurants around the I-95 and small-town amenities. IMO, Goldsboro is just further away without significant advantage.
I am not sure that you will find a small country house that has been updated with granite within your budget. However, you can certainly find that house on land. There are several within Clayton already meeting your requirements for new and more than a half acre. Being close to work will become more important when you have a family.
Last edited by goldenage1; 08-11-2016 at 04:11 AM..
I really like Willow Spring. If you like country, you will love it. Some nice homes there as well. Will probably be safe from over-development for some time to come.
Eliminate Smithfield right off the bat.
Why drive from Willow Spring each day for a job in Clayton. Drive through 40/42 area morning and evening. I don't think so. If you work in Clayton, live in Clayton. Easy commute to Raleigh.
If you expect to be in the house until the future children enter school, you might give some attention to the elementary schools. I would favor the schools in Clayton over (for example) Smithfield. You should also consider the schools for future resale value if this is not your "forever house".
I also suggest crossing Broadway off your list as too remote from the job. It is in Lee County, a suburb of Sanford, and the schools may not be a good as Johnston County.
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