An acre with a decent commute to RTP (Raleigh, Durham: for sale, renting)

[chime]

It's time to start house hunting!

Here's the criteria, so far:
* At least an acre, more if possible
* Trees
* Quiet (outside major RDU noise contours)
* Place where clotheslines, gardens, and chickens are acceptable
** The chickens are not a deal breaker.
* $300-$400k
* 2000+ sq ft
* Doesn't have to be a new house but not looking to do major work
* Decent (<25 min) commute to RTP - 55 near 540
* No HOA (or at least a non-restrictive one, see: chickens/clothes line above)


It's looking like North Raleigh (around and north of 540 around Creedmoor Rd and up towards Falls Lake) is going to be our best bet so far. There are a lot of beautiful houses available there in our price range on close to an acre. Not sure about the chickens, though.

The northern part of Chatham county is appealing but there's not a lot available there within a decent commuting distance. We drove it today and the area around Fearrington is pushing the commute limit, although there are some nice houses around there.

I love the vibe of Chapel Hill (and the school district), but it's hard to find something on an acre there. A few possibilities right now. I'd love to live there but I'm not sure we can find a house that will work in our price range.

I'm not seeing a lot in Durham in our price range on an acre, so I've kind of ruled it out for now. North Durham might be a possibility, but that may not meet the commute criteria.

Am I missing anything?

We're renting in Cary right now, and have been for the past year, so I know this area pretty well but the rest of the towns are a bit fuzzy.

[MikeJaquish]

Schools are not an issue??

[NewUser]

You described my neighborhood to a "T" until you said <25 minute commute to RTP. . . well. . . and probably the chicken thing too . We are about 25-30 minutes to that intersection if you offset your commute by 30-60 minutes to avoid the heat of rush hour.

[chime]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

Schools are not an issue??

Haha! The million dollar question.

They are, and they aren't. I was a teacher (in both public and private schools) so I am completely overthinking this and I'm honestly up in the air about schools right now. I'd love for my son to go to a great school (with "great" not necessarily defined by who has the highest test scores) with the same kids year after year. I graduated from high school with a few kids that started in kindergarten with me and I'd love for my son to have that experience too.

That's kind of why I've narrowed our search to areas that are also near Durham/Chapel Hill. If we end up in an area with great public schools, with little to no redistricting, that's wonderful. I love the dual language options in a few of the Chapel Hill Schools, for example, but I'm not willing to base my housing choice solely on whether or not my kid wins that particular lottery.

And, if the public schools aren't a great fit for us, there are a ton of wonderful private schools in Durham and Chapel Hill, and we're lucky enough that those can be an option to us. And I'm ok with homeschooling, too, if that's what's going to work best for my son.

So. Yes. And No.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by chime

Haha! The million dollar question.

They are, and they aren't. I was a teacher (in both public and private schools) so I am completely overthinking this and I'm honestly up in the air about schools right now. I'd love for my son to go to a great school (with "great" not necessarily defined by who has the highest test scores) with the same kids year after year. I graduated from high school with a few kids that started in kindergarten with me and I'd love for my son to have that experience too.

That's kind of why I've narrowed our search to areas that are also near Durham/Chapel Hill. If we end up in an area with great public schools, with little to no redistricting, that's wonderful. I love the dual language options in a few of the Chapel Hill Schools, for example, but I'm not willing to base my housing choice solely on whether or not my kid wins that particular lottery.

And, if the public schools aren't a great fit for us, there are a ton of wonderful private schools in Durham and Chapel Hill, and we're lucky enough that those can be an option to us. And I'm ok with homeschooling, too, if that's what's going to work best for my son.

So. Yes. And No.

If you are willing to home school, there are housing options that fit your description well in the area south of Raleigh, Swift Creek, Lake Wheeler area.
And the schools just might suit you too.

I think an acre in Carrboro-Chapel Hill SD with a 2000+SF non-fixer will be difficult to locate.
Easier in N Durham, although the RDU drive may max out for you.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

I think an acre in Carrboro-Chapel Hill SD with a 2000+SF non-fixer will be difficult to locate.
Easier in N Durham, although the RDU drive may max out for you.

Mike, in Chapel Hill don't you think it's possible to find this in the Orange County Schools? ?????? Or possible Chapel Hill in Chatam Co????

[kickchick2000]

Check out Black Horse Run in N. Raleigh

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by PDXmom

Mike, in Chapel Hill don't you think it's possible to find this in the Orange County Schools? ?????? Or possible Chapel Hill in Chatam Co????

I may have spoken a little too quickly!

$300,000--$400,000
2000+SF
1 acre +
Any C/CH schools, yields 4, with varying claims of renovation, 1.0 to 3.3 acres.
Nothing new. Newest built in 2001.

I'm not sure about Chatham schools. I heard some builders saying they are great. (Guess where they are building....)
Some parents saying they are very happy. And some moaning and groaning, which I would not discount out of hand.

[askhery]

Hello! There is a home for sale in my community for 500ish, I don't know if that is over budget? It has all the criteria you are looking for, located off of Big Woods Rd & Windy Ridge Rd. in Chatham County (Chapel Hill address). We do have an HOA of 200 a year- non-restrictive, allows up to 10 chickens - no joke, lots of trees on little over five acres. I love it here.... Best of luck!

[chime]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

I may have spoken a little too quickly!

$300,000--$400,000
2000+SF
1 acre +
Any C/CH schools, yields 4, with varying claims of renovation, 1.0 to 3.3 acres.
Nothing new. Newest built in 2001.

I'm not sure about Chatham schools. I heard some builders saying they are great. (Guess where they are building....)
Some parents saying they are very happy. And some moaning and groaning, which I would not discount out of hand.

There are a couple in that area that I have my eye on but I haven't done more than drive by yet. We'd probably be ok with redoing a kitchen or replacing a roof if there was room in the price for our budget to allow it. Not looking to do major electrical or plumbing work, but again if the price is right and the "bones" are good I could be talked into just about anything. Completely redefining "major work" from my initial post.

There's supposed to be a great charter school in Chatham county (again with the lottery risk, though), and if we ended up there and didn't like the public schools options I would apply to send my son to Carolina Friends School in less than a heartbeat. That is my ideal school. He's only 2, though, so I still have a few years to figure this out.

Can't seem to edit my initial post but my husband points out that the "no HOA" criteria may not be quite accurate. We're ok with living in an HOA neighborhood, just not one where we're going to get a nasty letter in the mail if our blinds aren't straight and our garage door is up for more than three minutes. The less restrictive ones are fine (except probably regarding the chickens, which are still up for debate in our house at this point anyway).