Help with what area of Raleigh to purchase a home (Durham: for sale, real estate)

[laotzutj]

We are relocating to the Raleigh area and would appreciate any advice on what area of Wake County would be best to purchase a home.

1. We are seeking a single family home in the $170-200,000 range. Minimum 2,000 square feet...3 bedrooms...2 baths. Schools are not an issue(no kids) but crime and quality of life is. New home is okay but resale home is probably going to be the best bang for the buck in that price range. We live in the suburbs of Richmond, VA now so we are flexible on type of area. We just don't want to live in the city proper. Lot size is not really important although a decent size backyard is on the wish list but is not a necessity. We would love to be near some kind of water but that's just not doable in our price range.
2. Are there specific areas of Wake County to avoid due to high crime, traffic issues, etc.?
3. My wife will be working as an R.N. at either the WakeMed Raleigh Campus Hospital or the Duke University Hospital. More likely the former. I understand these two hospitals are not anywhere near each other so advice on both areas would be appreciated.
4. We want to be outside the beltway but within a reasonable commute. I have been looking at homes southeast and northeast of the city of Raleigh because there are a lot of homes for sale in those areas in the $200,000 price range. Your thoughts on these areas? I understand immediately northwest of Raleigh seems to be the best property values but frankly those houses are out of our price range. Any specific neighborhoods and/or subdivisions you would recommend? We don't mind a reasonable commute so an area like Wake Forest(out of our price range) or another nice town in our price range would be great.
5.. We just started looking today so we have not made contact with any Raleigh area real estate agents yet. Any agents that read this are welcome to email us. We obviously will need an agent relatively soon. Just please do not call us yet! I made the mistake of registering on a Raleigh site today and received a call from a real estate agent within thirty seconds. I was so startled that let's just say that conversation did not go well for the agent...lol.

Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated.

[marsbound2024]

Hello! I'm not from around the area, but I thought I'd ask if you were peferring a more rural or small-town feel when you purchase your home? Obviously, $200,000 will get you different things in the city and outside of it. Usually the "best bang for the buck" can be had in rural or semi-rural areas from what I've seen and read. Not sure how it is in Wake County, though. Good luck.

[MikeJaquish]

New home?
Resale home?
Size of lot?

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by laotzutj

We live in the suburbs of Richmond, VA now so we are flexible on type of area. We just don't want to live in the city proper.

I'd advise you to not close your option to the actual city of Raleigh. My brother and his wife lived outside of Richmond while she was grad school and they told me how there was a stigma for a lot of people to actually living in the city limits of Richmond. This isn't true for Raleigh.
Also, unlike Richmond, Raleigh belongs to its county (Wake) and shares services including schools.
I am just saying that the relationships between cities and counties is completely different in NC than it is in VA. You can move outside the city limits (in the county) and find yourself living in the city eventually when it's annexed.

[bdavis511]

OP, I wish you luck with this search. Our home search began in about the same price range, with similar requirements. We have a daughter, so we wanted good schools, etc. Since then we have been forced to increase our price range to at least $250K. NOTHING in Raleigh in a decent area, that wasn't a cookie-cutter home, could be found for that price range of under 200K. Just so you know, I saw you mentioned south-east and south Raleigh. STAY AWAY!!!! Worst schools, bad crime rates, scary shopping experiences, etc. My sister made a mistake of buying a home in south raleigh, now that she realized her mistake, she can't sell it. No one wants to buy it. Foreclosed homes in the neighborhood, shootings in the neighborhood, and this is a newer neighborhood by KB! Some of the homes are lovely, but the neighbors are not. (Chastain). There's a sexual offender in the neighborhood as well. Home values have dropped, etc.
Anyway, basically our realtor told us for that price range you have to be willing to commute from somewhere like Fuquay Varina, Clayton, Holly Springs, etc. If your wife works at Duke, you might be able to find something in Durham for that price range, but not in a good neighborhood in Raleigh. Sorry if this is discouraging, but get a good realtor who will work with you and understand your limitations. I'm in a similar boat and wondering where all these "good deals" everyone and their mother keeps talking about actually are...

[FVmommy]

I second the pp who said the relationship between cities and counties is completely different in NC than in VA - parts of the City Of Raleigh have much more in common with Short Pump or Midlothian than with the City of Richmond. If you give me an idea of areas around Richmnond that you'd like to find something similar to, I might be able to give you some tips/comparisons - I lived in that area for several years before moving here.

[CHTransplant]

Originally Posted by laotzutj

4. We want to be outside the beltway but within a reasonable commute.

By the way, we call I-440 here the "Beltline," not beltway (and the rings of it are referred to as the "inner beltline" and the "outer beltline). And for what it's worth, I-540 is called the "outer loop."

[imtheone81]

For the record, I live in East Raleigh, inside the beltline and I love my neighborhood.

However, for what you've described (especially considering the emphasis on low crime), you sound like a prime candidate for a larger, older home in Cary. It's as safe as safe gets, and you can find 2000 sq ft for around $200k. Nice neighborhoods.

Good luck!

[Rick Tortora]

Have you considered Wake Forest? It's a straight shot on the 98 to Duke and worth the commute of 30mins. Here you can find what your looking for I can assure you!

[DebbieF]

Love Wake Forest am buying something there myself.