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My family and I are considering relocating to the Raleigh area from South Florida and have a trip planned next weekend to drive up and check out different areas to see what we like. We're in our late 30's with two young children (4 year old boy and a 4 month old girl). These are some of the things we're looking for:
Neighborhood:
* Safe
* Good schools
* Parks/playgrounds nearby
* Grocery shopping close by
House:
* 3+ bed / 2+ bath
* Nice sized back yard
* 1700 sq ft+
* < $250k
I work from home so commute times aren't a major concern for me. Eventually, my wife will be looking for employment and doesn't want to commute 1 hour or more to work every day.
These are the areas we're planning on targeting based on internet research:
* Clayton
* Zebulon
* Holly Springs
* Apex
Would anyone be able to offer any insight into these areas? Do they match our criteria? I'd also love to hear other suggestions. We don't plan on making these kind of trips very often so I'd like to check out as many decent neighborhoods as possible while we're in town next weekend.
While I don't know exactly how large of a lot you are referencing when you say "nice-sized backyard", I can tell you that it will be easier to find larger lots which match your other criteria in Clayton than Apex or Holly Springs. Zebulon can easily accommodate your budget and size but you need to decide how you feel about it. Also, Zebulon exists in 4 counties (Wake, Johnston, Franklin and Nash). That means 4 different school systems.
It is difficult to tell you how far she would be be commuting without knowing to where she would be driving.
It may be worth having a conversation with your realtor about your criteria, so he/she can set up a search for you and you can see actual matches to see what you all think of the areas.
What kind of job would your wife be looking for? That may also play a role. I would probably rule out Zebulon because of the 4 school district aspect of it. But you may love it. I've heard great things about the schools in Clayton, Apex and HS but nothing positive about Zebulon. People I know who go there send their kids to East Wake Academy and they do like that.
Do you ever fly for work? If so you'll want to factor that in. Clayton and Zebulon are farther from the airport than Apex or HS.
I'd move as close into the center of the Triangle as your budget will allow, search for a back yard that'll give the kids a bit of room to play, can be fenced and/or trees added for privacy, and is near community parks for additional outdoor play opportunities.
I would NOT move way out into a rural area for a yard. You may wind up with kids who don't like to spend as much time in the yard as you thought they would and who'd prefer to join a sports team or some other such thing.
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Ok, thanks for the pointers. I didn't realize that Zebulon had 4 different school districts. That hardly seems like something we'd want to mess with.
And by a large yard I don't mean a HUGE yard; just enough to send the kids outside to play, put a swing set, etc. Some of the houses we've seen on Trulia, Zillow, etc. have been super nice but with a tiny patch of grass for a back yard. That would NOT work.
I also rarely fly for work. I've been working from a home office for 2 years now and haven't had to fly to our main headquarters yet, so that shouldn't be a factor.
My wife's job is up in the air at the moment. She's a teacher but isn't sure the salary will offset the cost of daycare for her to work. But she is thinking of getting another Master's degree while the kids are still young.
Teachers don't make a lot here. When my wife quit teaching, she was making 36k (with her MAT) after 5 years of experience. We checked with the daycare closest to our house and it was going to cost just north of $1900 per month for us to send our two kids there. I am not saying there aren't cheaper options but it is something to consider.
Ok, thanks for the pointers. I didn't realize that Zebulon had 4 different school districts. That hardly seems like something we'd want to mess with.
I'm not sure what the other person meant, because there is ONE school district for the entire county (Wake county) for Zebulon. Almost every school district in NC is at the county level.
Zebulon is pretty darn far from everything, though.
I'm not sure what the other person meant, because there is ONE school district for the entire county (Wake county) for Zebulon. Almost every school district in NC is at the county level.
Zebulon is pretty darn far from everything, though.
Ok, thanks for the pointers. I didn't realize that Zebulon had 4 different school districts. That hardly seems like something we'd want to mess with.
And by a large yard I don't mean a HUGE yard; just enough to send the kids outside to play, put a swing set, etc. Some of the houses we've seen on Trulia, Zillow, etc. have been super nice but with a tiny patch of grass for a back yard. That would NOT work.
I also rarely fly for work. I've been working from a home office for 2 years now and haven't had to fly to our main headquarters yet, so that shouldn't be a factor.
My wife's job is up in the air at the moment. She's a teacher but isn't sure the salary will offset the cost of daycare for her to work. But she is thinking of getting another Master's degree while the kids are still young.
Our beloved governor cut the extra teacher pay for Master's degree holders and is battling to eliminate tenure. NC is not a good place to teach unless the government changes in November.
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