Looking to buy a house (Raleigh, Apex: rentals, townhomes, neighborhood)

[lovebrentwood]

Here are pics of Brentwood houses from NorthRaleighGuy's thread. Scroll down on that page past the historic homes.

The Houses of Raleigh Project ~ 2009 <-click

When I grew up in an 1880's Victorian, I thought anything newer was "cookie cutter." My recurring childhood nightmare -- seriously -- was walking down a treeless pastel neighborhood and not knowing which house was mine!

Then I moved to Raleigh. Egads. All the homes built from the 1980's to present -- they are SO alike!

In comparison, Brentwood has been around long enough so the residents have made them their own. I don't see cookie cutter at all. There are: split-levels of different types, ranches, raised ranches/split foyers, Cape Cods, and what I call "modified splits," where, in one case, someone added a Victorian front porch.

There are lawyers, publishers, real estate agents, police detectives, air traffic controllers, authors, nurses, teachers, accountants, police officers, programmers/developers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and all kinds of other types of people living in Brentwood. Like me, they probably could have gone to neighborhoods with higher price tags. And usually, agents will steer a qualified buyer to the top of what they can qualify for. (They're no dummies.) My agent did that, and many others have done it as well. I found Brentwood on my own, and I'm glad I did.

The thing I liked about Brentwood is that it isn't a typical subdivision. I see it as a little bit more creative. It is less pretentious than typical subdivisions. It also has an active garden club, a wonderful printed newsletter, an active "Exchange Club" (volunteer group that does community service), neighborhood crime watch, an active online discussion group, web site, Facebook page, and a neighborhood association. All of those things improve the quality of life for its residents.

If you want to go live by yourself downtown next to boarded-up houses, go right ahead.

[miamiblue]

Originally Posted by needcaffeine

I agree. It's so beautiful and it's all going to waste being boarded up and...it's just so freaking sad. 0.6 miles west (I had my GPS on me), the houses are going for 200K+. I would love to be part of such a beautiful community but I look at this like the stock market. It's crap because there is so little investor confidence and no one is buying. But you don't want to be the first to take the plunge. I don't want to live in a house that is 100ft from the site of the only random robbery homicide in Raleigh in 2009. And even if I convinced myself that I should do it, my fiancée will be too freaked out.

I completely understand what you mean. When I went to that open house on E Hargett, I spoke to the realtor who was a pioneer in Boylan Heights when it was bad, and is now putting her money into east downtown. She said that she is living in/renovating a house on E Jones in the South Park neighborhood and claims that the area is generally safe, and that she walks from her house to her office on Hargett closer to downtown without worry. I guess she is just braver than I am! She said that her goal was tro try to bring owners into the area who care about their properties, which is definitely what the area needs.

I'm trying to find a detached single family home. I have two dogs, and we want a place with a yard and porch (optional). We've been spoiled by where we live right now and the neighborhood we are in (Mordecai).

I've also been spoiled, living in the Glenwood South area. It is hard to think of living anywhere that I can't walk to all the places that I can walk to now. If I can't walk, it absolutely must be within a short bike ride to downtown, I just can't imagine having to drive every time I want to go to any of my favorite places.

Originally Posted by needcaffeine

You're going to be offended. I looked, and the homes there looked kinda cookie cutter to me-- at least in pictures and Google street view. Perhaps my opinion will change if I get my realtor to take me a house there. Also-- not really a fan of subdivisions. At least the subdivisions I've visited. But I'm willing to be wrong.

Unfortunately, you'll probably also find the Lockwood and Longview neighborhoods to be fairly cookie cutter as well. They are mostly mid-century brick ranches on nice sized lots with mature trees. I don't care for the cookie cutter look either, but I have friends who live in a similar type neighborhood in Asheville and after seeing what they've done to their little house, it has endeared me to those brick ranches in a way I never thought possible! Also, since seeing my friend's place on Glascock, it is encouraging. I'd still love an early twentieth century bungalow, but I really don't see that as being realistic in my price range.

I've driven through Brentwood on a few occasions and can see where it is a nice looking neighborhood. However, some streets seem fairly iffy to me, and seem to have a lot of rentals. I work a little farther north and know that there are definite pockets of crappy areas in this part of Raleigh (a guy was found dead in the street not far from where I work). And while I'm sure some people love them, I cannot stand split levels! The main thing for me is that this neighborhood is not as close as I want to be to downtown. No offense to you, lovebrentwood.

And I completely agree with buying a house to live in, not to make money off of - the "house as investment" concept is what caused a lot of the current real estate problems.

[needcaffeine]

lovebrentwood: What are the geographical boundaries of the Brentwood neighborhood? I can't seem to figure this out to do a realty search.

edit: nevermind. around brentwood park.

[lovebrentwood]

I'll reply anyway: Capital Boulevard, New Hope Church Road, Atlantic Avenue, and then Brentwood Road. When I talk about Brentwood, I'm talking about Brentwood subdivision, not any apartments. And the houses on Atlantic are not representative of the other homes in Brentwood; they are rentals.

[weluvwakeforest]

Originally Posted by needcaffeine

You're going to be offended. I looked, and the homes there looked kinda cookie cutter to me-- at least in pictures and Google street view. Perhaps my opinion will change if I get my realtor to take me a house there. Also-- not really a fan of subdivisions. At least the subdivisions I've visited. But I'm willing to be wrong.

Are there any other Brentwood homeowners out there?

[lovebrentwood]

On this board? I don't think so. If you are, unlurk yourselves.

There is a Brentwood discussion list for Brentwood residents.

[Nelson919]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

I'll reply anyway: Capital Boulevard, New Hope Church Road, Atlantic Avenue, and then Brentwood Road. When I talk about Brentwood, I'm talking about Brentwood subdivision, not any apartments. And the houses on Atlantic are not representative of the other homes in Brentwood; they are rentals.

Here is a map of Brentwood as defined by Wake County on the real estate data website. This may differ from the boundaries recognized by residents. Note the border with the ironically named Brentwood Today subdivision in situated further east and to the north.

If I am not mistaken, most if not all of the houses on Atlantic Ave and New Hope Church Road are two-family homes.

I have heard that Atlantic Ave was pieced together by connecting and widening several existing streets and it is my understanding that when Brentwood was developed, the road that would eventually become part of Atlantic Ave was little more than a cul-de-sac. The fact that two-family houses were built there makes me suspect that plans were in the works to construct what would become present-day Atlantic Ave all along. That is, they built higher density housing in anticipation of what would eventually become a relatively major thoroughfare.

I agree that the houses on Atlantic Ave and New Hope Church Road are not representative of the rest of Brentwood. More than a few of them are poorly maintained and unsightly.

[Nelson919]

...And because this thread is about other neighborhoods too, I thought I would throw in a recommendation for Pinecrest which is located near Brentwood, on the other side of the railroad tracks behind Duke Raleigh Hospital.



Pinecrest was developed in the early 60s and has smaller houses than in Brentwood, mostly less than 1200 sq ft.

I also agree with the previous recommendation for Lockwood/Longview. Anything ITB east of Brookside Drive and north of Milburnie Rd is worth checking out as a potential good value, in my opinion.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

What price range are you looking in? I love ITB and downtown but as a person who was looking for a place sub $200K the options are slim and often times require pioneering unless you are in a higher price bracket.

I'm in N. Raleigh now, but hope to one day live closer to downtown.

[rc1199]

Back on the subject about the house on E Davie St near Freeman St, the rental house just to the west of that house has been shot into two separate times in the past month. A police officer was nearly run over by a car in front of that house when a prostitute jumped from a moving vehicle and the driver tried to run the cop over a few weeks ago. These are only a few problems that have occurred within 50 feet of that house in the past couple of weeks. If you're brave, go by that house at 2am and then decide. There's a lot of problems to overcome before these new and renovated homes in the area are worthy of their prices. I commend anyone who invests and commits to living in that area. The more good people who move in, hopefully will eventually grow over the bad.