Wife and I - Moving to Raleigh to Start Family from Massachusetts (need your advice) (Durham: real estate, apartments)

[Bull City Rising]

Originally Posted by ncboundwentt

My husband and I have been talking about moving to NC over the past 3 years. I would like to relocate after I finish school in a couple of years. The neighborhood in Maryland where I live is very diverse. There are many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The private school that my kids attend is the same way. What is it like in the Raleigh area? Cary? North Raleigh? etc. I read that there are a lot of people from outside of NC residing there, but I'm unsure about the ethnic and cultural backgrounds. I like my kids to experience a wide range of backgrounds, ethnic and cultural. How mixed are the communities and schools? I know this is a touchy subject, but it is a real concern when relocating with children. I don't want to move to an all white or all black community.

Hi there! This was a big factor for my wife and I before moving to N.C. Before coming here, we had lived in culturally and socioeconomically diverse communities (downtown Silver Spring, Md., and Cambridge, Mass.) and living in a community such as this was important to us, too.

Durham fits the bill for us in this regard. As of 2005, Durham was about 46% white, 38% African-American, and 11% Hispanic origin. There are pockets that are both largely-white (rural far northern Durham county) or largely-black (including the eastern section of Durham), but most of the remaining neighborhoods have a mix of cultures and ethnicities represented.

Cary on paper is "less diverse" (82% white, 6% Af-Am, 4% Hispanic origin); however, I've also heard that Cary has a large number of non-US born persons (about 14%), much of which is driven by non-American professionals working in adjacent Research Triangle Park, and that it's a very accepting place.

Raleigh is relatively diverse as well -- about 63% white, 28% Af-Am, 7% Hispanic origin. I suspect this varies quite a bit by areas within Raleigh, but others around here may know better than I.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro may also be worth a look, as a university/college town.

Good luck!

[NYer]

Originally Posted by raleighnative

...you may want to check out the areas where schools are being converted to or opening on a year round calendar (45 days in school, 15 days out - all year long - no summer break)....

One quibble- there is a summer break on at least 2 tracks- on ours, for example, we get 4 weeks. Thn we get a 3 week break in September, and over a month in December, which is great, so that is why we like it. If we had a summer house would we like the year round schedule? Not so much!

[Dnaylor]

Check out my thread. I've received a lot of helpful tips from NC's. We are moving from MA also!
Good Luck.
DNaylor

[ncboundwentt]

Originally Posted by Bull City Rising

Hi there! This was a big factor for my wife and I before moving to N.C. Before coming here, we had lived in culturally and socioeconomically diverse communities (downtown Silver Spring, Md., and Cambridge, Mass.) and living in a community such as this was important to us, too.

Durham fits the bill for us in this regard. As of 2005, Durham was about 46% white, 38% African-American, and 11% Hispanic origin. There are pockets that are both largely-white (rural far northern Durham county) or largely-black (including the eastern section of Durham), but most of the remaining neighborhoods have a mix of cultures and ethnicities represented.

Cary on paper is "less diverse" (82% white, 6% Af-Am, 4% Hispanic origin); however, I've also heard that Cary has a large number of non-US born persons (about 14%), much of which is driven by non-American professionals working in adjacent Research Triangle Park, and that it's a very accepting place.

Raleigh is relatively diverse as well -- about 63% white, 28% Af-Am, 7% Hispanic origin. I suspect this varies quite a bit by areas within Raleigh, but others around here may know better than I.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro may also be worth a look, as a university/college town.

Good luck!

Thank you. I'm so glad to hear that we aren't the only ones with this concern.

[on the move]

[quote=raleighnative;212163]
You mentioned a home in the $200K to $250K range. One neighborhood that I love that you might want to look in is North Hills. There is also Greystone and North Ridge (you can find some bargains in North Ridge - but there are also multi million dollar homes in this area). These are established, stable neighborhoods. There are newer ones that I don't know as well that could also be of interest.


Do you know any of the web addresses for these neighborhoods?

[raleighnative]

I'm sorry, I don't have that information. I'm not even sure if the neighborhoods have websites. I'll check to see what I can find for you.

[lovemyguys]

It's hard to compare Raleigh and surrounding areas to MA/North Shore as down here it is all county run. You are used to city/town goverment. That was one of the hardest things we had to figure out when we moved here.

A bit of unsolicited advice....eat all the PIZZA, CHINESE FOOD and ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES you can before you move. Still haven't found any good pizza, chinese or RB sand (can you bring me some Nicks when you come next time!!!!)

[Bear717]

Originally Posted by lovemyguys

It's hard to compare Raleigh and surrounding areas to MA/North Shore as down here it is all county run. You are used to city/town goverment. That was one of the hardest things we had to figure out when we moved here.

A bit of unsolicited advice....eat all the PIZZA, CHINESE FOOD and ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES you can before you move. Still haven't found any good pizza, chinese or RB sand (can you bring me some Nicks when you come next time!!!!)

thanks so much for the PM - will do on the Nick's Roast Beef !

in other news, the wife and i are coming to visit in less than 1 month...

any last minute tips you guys can offer? you've (this board) has been truly instrumental in guiding our trip down, dont know what i would have done without it. this board is great !

thanks
e

[Bear717]

how about towns like Clayton??

that are just over the Wake County line in Johnston County??

they look like you get more for the buck and theyre not stock piled on each other like Cary or Holly Springs or Garner...

is that too far of a commute to Raleigh?? give or take 30 minutes??

is it possible to find homes that arent stockpiled on top of each other in Wake County

[NCHomeFinder]

Originally Posted by Bear717

how about towns like Clayton??

that are just over the Wake County line in Johnston County??

they look like you get more for the buck and theyre not stock piled on each other like Cary or Holly Springs or Garner...

is that too far of a commute to Raleigh?? give or take 30 minutes??

is it possible to find homes that arent stockpiled on top of each other in Wake County

30 minutes from Clayton is a stretch, especially if you're driving during peak times. There are back roads you can use to avoid 70, but it'll still be closer to 40 minutes or more unless you're on the far east end of Clayton. That said, there are beautiful neighborhoods with more land, a terrific downtown, and you can do most of your day to day living/shopping in Clayton, yet still be close enough to Raleigh for a trip to the mall. I'm working with clients now from the DC area who think the commute is a breeze from Clayton!

You can also look in northern Wake County, around hwy 98, to get more land. These areas are technically Wake Forest. Do you have an idea yet where in Raleigh you'll be commuting? I would recommend looking at both areas if you have time!