Toll Brothers or Weiland New home (Raleigh, Durham: neighborhoods, buying, new construction)

[gunni]

We are considering buying a new home in Brier Creek or Southbridge.
Our most important considerations are family friendly neighborhoods with good schools and easy commute time to Duke and Morrisville.
Any suggestions would be helpful and experiences with builders for new construction
Thanks!

[Apex Hawk]

Any of the builders in Copperleaf would be better, if that is your price range.

[senalj]

Are you set on living in Brier Creek? If not, check out Grandale in SW Durham (15 minute commute to Duke and right next to Morrisville). The homes are built by Centex Homes and the neighborhood is awesome. I've linked both home types they build in the area below. The Sovereign has 3 homesites left (as of Tuesday).

Centex Homes - Community

Centex Homes - Community

Good luck!

[gunni]

Our budget is 600 - 650K
thought Copper leaf was more expensive and we havent gone there yet.

Originally Posted by Apex Hawk

Any of the builders in Copperleaf would be better, if that is your price range.

[codyhopkins]

Anything NOT built by Toll Bros. will be better housing stock and higher quality!

[Dire Wolf]

In that price range I would look at one of the many excellent custom builders in the area. I'm not at all impressed with the big boxes that Toll Brothers is throwing up near me. The price is high because of the square footage, but the homes have a terrible use of space with less usable space that much smaller homes in my nearby neighborhood and without the attention to detail that the custom builders usually provide. And I'm frankly amazed that at that price point they are only providing a little postage stamp patio instead of a nice screen porch. I just don't think they quite "get" the local market here and how important a screen porch can be (they've been lucky so many people have been moving from out-of-state and haven't realized it either until they go a few summers in the house).

[ma91pmh]

I would agree with the above comments. I'm sorry I don't have any great recommendations around that airport area as I am out in North Raleigh, but I remember we moved here 3 years ago and looked at the Toll Brothers homes and was stunned at the poor quality finish and dull interior. Basically they build a huge big box and charge a fortune for it. Wieland is not much better, they make their show homes look spectacular but their spec homes are very, very basic. The local custom builders tend to be much better. There is a place not too far from there Chestnut Oaks that had a couple of lots left that were in the 6-700 range. Copperleaf is further south - in my opinion a little out of it on that side - but has a strong team of builders and I think you could easily get something good for 650 especially if it's already built and builders needs rid of it.We built or home with one of the Copperleaf builders in Bedford. I'd love to recommend Bedford of course but don't think it's a good Duke commute (fine for rtp with the 540). I will say that what we had done not much above that price range is far, far superior to what you will find in Toll Brothers $2m top of the line 'estate' homes

[silverflash]

OMG what do you people do for a living? seriously? 600-700k? I think i make decent money (very high 5 figures) and I think 300k is towards the pricey side of things....

are you both (assuming 2 worker income) working at very good paying jobs like each over mid 150's? Just curious. Don't have to answer obviously.

:-)

[ma91pmh]

ha! well it is an anonymous forum. in theory with 20% down you "should" be earning around 120k+ to afford 6-700k. In my zip code 27614 that is around the average:

http://www.city-data.com/zips/27614.html

Note 20% of residents earn over 200k... hence plenty of homes in that kind of price range. I am single earner in family earning mid-high six figures. It is not that unusual in this area, it is a pretty affluent part of the world

[Big M]

Don't waste your money paying 600K for a Toll Bros. house. They really aren't worth the money. Check out some of the resales in the earlier streets in the community in Palm Bay Circle, Sporting club drive etc.

The houses already look incredibly dated inside and out and have been sitting on the market for months and months and months. There's many better options out there. Like an above poster, I would go with a local custom builder.

M