Job offer near Haw River, where's a good place to live? (Raleigh: transplants, apartment complexes)

[TiredNomad82]

Just a few days ago, my husband got a job offer from a company near Haw River, NC. Currently we live near Bay City, MI and are very willing to move as we are unhappy with where we are now. I am doing a frantic search to try and decide if we would enjoy moving here!

My main concern is finding an affordable place. The job salary my husband was offered was not outstanding which is making this decision harder. I also want to live somewhere that is friendly, creative, and a good place to start a family. We are a young couple that are still in our first year of marriage and would like to have kids in the next few years.

Carrboro catches my eye, and I'm also trying to learn about Burlington and Hillsborough. Any suggestions/opinions? We are willing to live somewhere within a 30min commute, though closer is obviously better. We also have a dog so we would need a pet friendly rental to start out.

Thank you!

[JackieRTP]

Mebane is a growing area right near Haw River. You could also live in Haw River itself, Graham, or even Burlington. Alamance county taxes are a bit cheaper than say Orange county 9where Carrboro and Hillsborough are) when you go to purchase a permanent home.

[findinghope]

i second Mebane. i have to be honest...haw river--no so asthetically pretty, neither is burlington, although it has everything you need.
i think Mebane is a great place to love--we love it so far

[findinghope]

Originally Posted by TiredNomad82

Just a few days ago, my husband got a job offer from a company near Haw River, NC. Currently we live near Bay City, MI and are very willing to move as we are unhappy with where we are now. I am doing a frantic search to try and decide if we would enjoy moving here!

My main concern is finding an affordable place. The job salary my husband was offered was not outstanding which is making this decision harder. I also want to live somewhere that is friendly, creative, and a good place to start a family. We are a young couple that are still in our first year of marriage and would like to have kids in the next few years.

Carrboro catches my eye, and I'm also trying to learn about Burlington and Hillsborough. Any suggestions/opinions? We are willing to live somewhere within a 30min commute, though closer is obviously better. We also have a dog so we would need a pet friendly rental to start out.

Thank you!

ashbury in mebane has very nice apartments (we lived there while choosing a home) and they are very pet freindly.
haw river is about 10 miles from here--hardly any traffic

[ausmerika]

I'd say Mebane too--close proximity to Haw River, easily accessible to 85/40 to get to Chapel Hill, Southpointe, Raleigh, etc. It's still a small community with many amenities and more coming. Small town America. I'd say Graham would be my next choice, but definitely not Burlington. I just don't think it's a nice town, as another posted said. Also, there are many inherent problems now in Burlington. Just comes with the growth/size of the town.

[playnice]

Is Mebane growing at a reasonable rate or is growth suddenly overtaking the area? I just discovered Mebane and would appreciate knowing how long y'all hope and expect to enjoy that small town feel?

[J_Lurk]

I'll put in another vote for Graham. My sister lived there for a number of years when she was working in Burlington. Her kids started school at North Graham Elementary and she loved the small size of the school and the fact that everyone knew everyone.

Mebane is great, but is probably growing at a faster rate as it has been attracting people who commute from there to RTP. On the other hand, the price of gas may slow that growth!

[TiredNomad82]

Thanks everyone! I've been looking more closely at Mebane and found a few apartment complexes that look like they could work for us (Ashbury Square, Deerfield Crossing, and Spring Forest).

I've read in other forums on here that some people who have moved to NC from the north do not feel very welcome. Is this really a problem that anyone can tell me about?

[piedmont]

Jumping in late: Yes, look at Mebane for complexes, Graham for rental houses (if that is of interest), especially a bit out in the country. You will pay a lot more in Carrboro (but that might be worth it if one of you works in Chapel Hill). There is fare free bus service in Carrboro/Chapel Hill, so that can be a big plus. Haw River would be about a 40 minute drive from C/CH.

Until recently, we lived south of Mebane in Orange County (but would have paid a lot less tax if we lived in Alamance County).

Mebane's downtown is slowly transforming itself from a textile center to a little shopping district; the burbs and developments around the town are growing (they weren't there 10 years ago). Personally, I find all the growth unpleasant, as I prefer farms as neighbors, but there are certainly a number of more reasonably priced housing options available.

Many transplants from the north and west live in the area. Attitude is more important than origin! Mebane and Haw River are both very close to I-85, so it is a fairly quick trip to the triad or triangle, depending on commuting needs.

[TiredNomad82]

Originally Posted by piedmont

Until recently, we lived south of Mebane in Orange County (but would have paid a lot less tax if we lived in Alamance County).

Mebane's downtown is slowly transforming itself from a textile center to a little shopping district; the burbs and developments around the town are growing (they weren't there 10 years ago). Personally, I find all the growth unpleasant, as I prefer farms as neighbors, but there are certainly a number of more reasonably priced housing options available.

Can you tell me some of the pros/cons of living on the Alamance side versus the Orange County side? I've read that Orange County schools are better, but what else?

Also, is anyone familiar with the Ashbury Square apartments? Thanks!