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My wife and I are planning to move to the area this year from Florida. We've been here for 7 years and have decided that it is really time to get move on. We had a brief weekend visit to the Triangle area last fall where we spent a day with a realtor looking at homes and took advantage of the Parade of Homes tour the 2nd day. We really liked the Wake Forest area and from what I can find out online it has some really good schools. The biggest negatives that I can see are that traffic in and out of the area was difficult during rush hour and I have some concerns over the amount of bulding that is going on in the area. We both like the somewhat small town feel that right now can be easily found but also appreciate the conveniences of shopping, etc. We are originally from Michigan and although Florida has been fun it has gotten too overpopulated & expensive and we really long for a backdrop more similar to home (but without the harsh weather). We will be making another visit to the area this May and were wondering if there were other areas worth considering or is Wake Forest a solid choice? Our biggest priorities are best value and home for the money and access to good if not great public schools. Thanks in advance for all of your input/comments.
Last edited by cwillisfla; 03-27-2007 at 10:32 AM..
We moved to Wake Forest in 2004 and love it! The town has a lot of character despite its rapid growth in the last 5 years. I will admit that the commute into Raleigh has its painful moments (today it took me more than 45 minutes to get to downtown, usually it's right about 30).
We moved from Florida 3 years ago to North Raleigh, but we are so close to Wake Forest that my kids are in school in Wake Forest. Personally, I'd live there in a heartbeat - I love it, and it's only 15 minutes to the mall, which is a prerequisite for me. For my husband, it's just a *tiny* bit too far for him. He wants to be seconds from everything instead of minutes.
Keep in mind that the county is working on the traffic issues: I-540 is now accessible from hwy 401, so that has eased traffic on Capital somewhat. Also, the Falls of Neuse corridor widening should start any day now, which will divert Wakefield traffic and west Wake Forest traffic away from Capital. Once the traffic is more evenly distributed among those 3 roads, the drive in will be better. It's still not bad, imo - I drive from Wakefield to my office on Strickland Rd. at about 8:00 am, and I'm usually there in 20 minutes, whether I take Capital or Falls. (It depends on my mood and whether I need to hit Starbucks first.)
I agree, too, that Clayton is growing, but it is still quite a bit further from the amenities of Raleigh. You can get to the White Oak plaza in Garner for a movie theater, restaurants, and tons of shopping, but a mall is still going to be a "trip in to town", so to speak. That said, if you're not a regular mall goer and don't mind a 40 minute or so commute, Clayton is great - I love downtown, too! Good schools, beautiful neighborhoods that are more affordable than housing in Wake County, and a rural, laid back atmosphere. And yes, Clayton does even have a Starbucks, a WalMart, and most of your chains, so you won't need to drive far for your day-to-day living!
Love Wake Forest for the shopping, and just the "feel" of it. Try Youngsville. It might be more to your liking (quite a bit little more elbow room), yet still only minutes away from Wake Forest. Or Rolesville - it's a really cute town that is just starting to grow. Lots of good shopping there, too, with a new mall under construction. Still, only 10 minutes from Wake Forest.
Thanks for all of the helpful information. We are really looking forward to our next visit and really hope to zero in on a few neighborhoods that we can focus our search on. With that in mind I was wondering if anyone knows of neighborhoods/builders that are better than others. Some of the communities that we have been considering online are Bishop's Grant, Bowling Green, Dansforth, Thornrose & Twin Creeks. Thanks again everyone for the input. It is very helpful! It's always easier to ask people that live there than to try and go off of pictures on the internet.
...until it becomes over run with development and then it is on to the next sprawlville!
Are you happy with anything around here?
Yes, there is sprawl in the area around Wake Forest...but we also have a commitment to a traditional downtown area, the town is currently planning a traditional, mixed use, walkable neighborhood (not just subdivisions) and the town board isn't approving every new project without thinking.
I dislike what is going on close to Capital on South Main, but that is what happens when a town allows Wal-mart in.
I'd rather live in Wake Forest, where we do have neighborhoods still, at least a plan for growth (how well that plays out remains to be seen) then out in an area like such as those south of Raleigh that seem to be putting tract homes on every treeless track of land they can find. That is sprawl....not growth.
Yes, I'm just in a pissed off mood this AM and I'm trying to avoid doing any real work.
I will say however, that the lack of a city center and public transportation makes me hesitant to move to the Triangle.
Are these threads searchable? I'm looking for info on the TTA rail and I don't want to start a thread if one is already available.
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For my husband, it's just a *tiny* bit too far for him. He wants to be seconds from everything instead of minutes. 
