where do blue collars live?

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by raynesdad97

I guess I was just nervous after reading posts on this sight for 2 hours straight. I got the opinion that it was a ritzy area as a whole, and that the aveage joe must be a renter. Here in Youngstown, Ohio if I dropped 750k on a house I would easily have one of the nicest ones around. I am actually going to look for a duplex to purchase with a friend and each live in half. That should give us a decent start. The schools in Durham kind of worry me though. Not exactly stellar reports. Thanks again for the responses.

The duplex angle might get you a good deal. Lots of duplexes around. Many in rental areas, i.e., few with owner occupants. But it might be a great way to get your feet on the ground and have an investment if you move into a permanent SFR.
You can buy a SFR for much less than 750K.
Under $200K is doable, and not in the sticks.

But, yep, we do have some intriguing high-end stuff in this area, too.
Youngstown?
I haven't been to the Boardman Mall for 25 years. Is it still there?

[raynesdad97]

Yes, the Boardman mall is still here. It is probably the worst mall around but it is here.

[NINJARICK]

Originally Posted by amsm196

I have to say this is a great post, A true classic! And yes its amazing how many insecure people we have in the world that actually would judge another by how much money they make, what they do for a living and looks.

Blue collar folks can live anywhere they wish in NC. We are what is considered " Blue Collar" and we are looking into single family homes in Cary & Apex. I guess it depends how much money your going to be coming in with ( such as a down payment ) and of course can your salary cut the mortgage.

Good luck

Yeah I have to agree with that it's not how much money you earn it's how much you have left over after you pay your bills , and if you have a larger down payment your mtg is smaller i'm not a professional person either and when I move to the raleigh area I"ll have 150k to plank down on a home so that means for me a nice home for $220 would have only 70k left on it as opposed to what I have on my current home which is over 220k I can probably work at a dept store while my wife could get a job at a school and we'd both live large of course i'm setting my goals a lot higher than wal mart i'm just saying it's how much you have to pay monthly that should be the only concern

[alice_61]

If you are uncomfortable with the schools in Durham, then you should trust your instinct and concentrate on a location that would be best for your child and which would have reasonable commutes for the adults. A child would probably prefer to live in a safe area with a good school, even in a very modest home, then in a bigger home with a scary school and/or neighborhood. If you both work all day then your child needs a safe neighborhood with supportive neighbors.

[DRMAdvisor]

Without knowing specifics of your worries about Durham schools, here is more information about public school performance that allows you to better compare systems:

http://www.durhamnewsservice.com/pdf...ool_scores.pdf

Durham students perform on par with their peers across the state, though like any school system there is always room to grow and close the gaps.

There are many great things happening with school-age children in Durham, including Durham recently being named one of the top 100 communities in the nation for young people, based on its programs and initiatives for youth.

Hope this helps you focus more on other factors related to a move, and good luck in finding the right place!

Originally Posted by raynesdad97

I guess I was just nervous after reading posts on this sight for 2 hours straight. I got the opinion that it was a ritzy area as a whole, and that the aveage joe must be a renter. Here in Youngstown, Ohio if I dropped 750k on a house I would easily have one of the nicest ones around. I am actually going to look for a duplex to purchase with a friend and each live in half. That should give us a decent start. The schools in Durham kind of worry me though. Not exactly stellar reports. Thanks again for the responses.

[sacredgrooves]

I have been trying to convince all my relatives that wont leave Youngstown to come down to Raleigh. Youngstown is just lacking on opportunity, and I am thankful everyday my parents decided to move us here when I was a kid. I dont understand the loyalty to that place. Good for you deciding to get away from it!

[piedmont]

To the OP: Some of the best real estate deals would be small towns on the outskirts of the triangle. South of Raleigh, places like Fuquay Varina did fall in the category (but prices are going up). Angier is still in that category. Out towards northern Durham or Orange County, I'd be looking at Rougemont, Efland, Cedar Grove. Given the prevalence of big chain stores near interstate intersections, a huge drive isn't always in order (but you will be care dependent living further out). If you had 100k to buy a house, you could find a small (900-1400 sq ft) home on .5-2 acres in one of these outlying areas. If you are open to a modular home or mobile home, the options will increase. You will also find the Burlington area to be more affordable (this is on the western edge of the triangle/eastern edge of the triad, but it is growing).

You might also want to look at the Triad (Greensboro/High Point/Winston Salem) areas.

[procfreq]

We're here for a post-doc at Duke... so while not exactly blue collar, we make a good bit less than you and your wife do! That said, we were still able to purchase a 3 BR 2.5 BA SFH in south Durham in a nice, established neighborhood with a HOA. Like the others have said, I'm sure you can do even better on the outskirts of town, but don't feel like you're priced out of the city either--because you're not. Things are moving quickly, but for the time being, there is still plenty of stock in the $100s, IMO.

[lamishra]

Check into central Cary. There are multiple single family homes in your price range in nice, safe areas. In fact, there is a Petco AND a Sam's just a few miles apart on Harrison Avenue which is about 5-10 minutes from our central Cary Neighborhood. Look into zip code 27511

[IdaClaire]

On the Raleigh side, I'd maybe check out Clayton, Angier, Knightdale, Garner, Fuquay-Varina, and Holly Springs.These communities have affordable new homes and might feel comfortable and down-home. In fact, some folks are commuting now from as far away as Sanford, now that Highway 1 has widened, and that might be an option.

Durham has some nice, affordable neighborhoods. If you like older homes, you might check out Northgate Park or Old West Durham. The Penrith area has some decent contemporary 80's style homes.

Also, parts of Apex are still affordable, but I would go a few miles south into Holly Springs.

Westward, you could try Efland, Mebane, parts of Hillsborough, Cedar Grove, or rural Orange/Alamance County. I know folks who live as far out as Graham who have lots of home for the money.

And despite our reputation for having the highest number of PhD's per capita, it's still a welcoming, friendly, warm area for people who consider themselves blue collar.