Personally I just got done looking at dozens of homes through-out Cary, Apex, and Holly Springs that are if not 1/4 acre [are close to it] and were in beautiful neighborhoods. Found either those more secluded/spread-out neighborhoods like you like in Windward Pointe Holly Springs, or that area just East/Northeast of Apex with the street named after Napa Valley, like St. Helena Ct, Napa Pl., ect.
Obviously more of the older neighborhoods of Cary might fit your bill even better since back when they were produced more space around each home was standard. Love the area around Bond Lake! Now obviously without knowing your exact price point this could be a factor for these areas. Since prices ranged from as low as $185k in Holly Springs to as high as $350k in the Bond Lake area of Cary. The farther you get away from the "big city" the more bang for the buck you get as it is everywhere! Good luck.
p.s. Sandycat, you are not unusual, most statistics show most people now a days prefer a nice larger home in a nice area on a small lot, than a smaller home on a bigger lot. Now of course if we can all afford it, can we have both??
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