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New Hill is a community, never incorporated (well it was once but lost it), so most people associate it with a zip code that runs through 3 counties--Wake, Chatham, Harnett. Your actual place of business could place you next to Fuquay, Holly Springs, Apex, or Moncure/Bonsal, along a 10+ mile corridor. The first two still have some charming old homes scattered throughout the countryside that might appeal to you, while Apex is getting bought out by developers and investors so you would need to act fast. Moncure and Bonsal are modest little communities with few/no modern amenities. New Hill itself is rural except for several large new developments with big homes on tiny lots. Start looking in 27562 then expand out from there. The benefit of buying a home in the county rather than in a town is of course lower taxes. Wake county per se has the lowest property taxes around as long as you are in the unincorporated area.
I often see homes out in the country that appeal to me, but as you said, they are scattered and not part of a neighborhood. I like a neighbhorhood feel where I can "walk around the block" so to speak.
I currently live in a tract house neighborhood. It was one of the first subdivisions in my area in the early 90s, so is more well-established. It was not my first choice of HOUSE, but it was the best location for work and lifestyle (30 minute commute, 5 minutes from huge nature preserve.) There are trees, and the houses still have a few extra feet between them. Many of the houses look alike, but you don't have any exact replicas side-by-side like in the newer developments. What I do like about tract house neighborhoods is the pool in the summer, and the walkability. I'd like more privacy, but this can be achieved slowly over time with shrubs.
What I hate about tract house neighborhoods is the shotty workmanship. If it looks like a house, then it must be a house---NOPE. I feel like I live in a caricature of a house, like something you'd see at an amusement park. My spouse was the first in his family NOT to join the family construction business. They are used to building custom homes, so when we had some of them over to make repairs, they were aghast at the poor workmanship of our home. Gutters hung wrong, insulation wrong, strut spacing not to code, etc. The list goes on and on.
The OP said they were wanting a more Boone-like place and less Charlotte-like place.
My frame of reference is that all my in-laws live in Charlotte and we have a family home in Boone, so I'm in both of those locations pretty frequently. I can't see Cary as a good recommendation. Have y'all ever been to Boone?
I mentioned Boone because love loved loved all the outdoor recreation and local restaurants. The people were so friendly. That being said, it has changed A LOT since I was there. So much to do in such a small area. You can get from one side of town to the other unless than half an hour even in traffic.
I get that people have strong personal opinions about places. I try not to let my own factor in what I post. There are some places that I would never live in, but I don't automatically go in and crap on any thread where those places might be mentioned.
Back in 2005 when I was looking to move to the Raleigh area, I let negative comments about Cary steer me away from it (Containment area, more for your money, only snooty people live in Cary, blah blah blah). I confined my home search to Apex, I landed in a newer (to me) home in clear cut subdivision. It wasn't long before I realized I made a big mistake.
Two years later I sold it and moved to (omg) SW Cary, where I am surrounded by nature, greenways, and lots of trees & wildlife. I've taken advantage of numerous classes offered by the town and in general have really enjoyed living here. The main reason I changed my mind about this being my "forever/retirement home" is the weather, and maybe a little bit the rampant construction (starting to remind me of Northern VA).
Anyhow, just because you hate a place, there's no need to constantly try to dissuade other people from living there. Hopefully they will hear enough from both sides to make an educated decision and not make a mistake like I did.
Back to the OP - He/she has a long wish list that will be difficult to fill in the Raleigh area (which I think is not all that different from Charlotte). In the end, something will have to give - whether it be mid-century modern, a short commute, museums, Boone-like or whatever else. I wish them good luck in their search!
Yes, I have never bought a home or moved without compromising. I am down that reality. But it doesn't hurt to ask.
I've lived over near West Cary for years and am now next to Downtown Cary and there's such a big difference between living in a modern HOA neighborhood over there and living over here in a 50 year old house on a large lot with mature trees where we can walk to restaurants and shops and the art center,etc.. It's a large town and nothing is one size fits all. People seem to realize that the Raleigh experience can be very different depending on where you live (for instance downtown vs. five points vs north hills vs bedford. all very different vibes). For some reason they tend to dismiss Cary as beige/HOA, but, say, inside the Maynard loop and west of 55 are very, very different.
Things are changing fast over here though with downtown development and Ikea/Fenton/Cary Town, so who knows what things will like in a decade or two.
While my neck of the woods tends to be older split levels, there are a handful of homes sprinkled here and there that have a MCM vibe. Some of the split levels would also probably lend themselves to architectural changes to make them more of a MCM feel, too.
Yes, I think you get what I'm saying. I would love to find a place in one of those older neighborhoods. In Charlotte, they are tearing down those modest 1960s/70s/80s homes and replacing them with charmless mansions. I have no need for a mansion. I have no desire for a big house. Whenever we look at buying land, it all seems to come with the strings attached that your house has to be 3000 sq. ft. or larger. Puhlease. Only if you want to be house poor. Who needs that? I'd rather travel.
I am in the first group, because I know my way around town.
It is a disservice to try to convince someone from out of town that the second group is emblematic of all of Cary.
Mike, I am looking for something inbetween the two I guess, lol. The first picture is beautiful, and I'd love a house like that. However, sometimes those houses are 3000 sq. ft. or so, so it could be a bit big. The townhouse, while a more manageable size, i dislike because it is two-story monotony with no yard. While the first picture is so beautiful with all that nature, I need more shrubs and less trees so I can get enough sun in the yard to grow my veggies! I hope to stumble across something in the middle.
I have purposely omitted budget. Of course I want to spend as little as possible, but just wondering where I can find what I'm looking for and how much.
I have purposely omitted budget. Of course I want to spend as little as possible, but just wondering where I can find what I'm looking for and how much.
The price you pay won't change based on posting your budget on here, unless you use MJ as your realtor.
Your questions are too vague w/o budget or more specific parameters. You could find a single story older home in any number of places. Or a single story multi-million dollar ranch. Have you looked on any of the real estate aggregator sites? I know Realtor.com will allow you to select single story as a filter. Probably you're best off to just work with an agent.
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