Suggestions on relocating from Northern CA to the Raleigh area (Cary: real estate, to rent)

[NorriesMama]

My husband and I are considering relocating from Northern California to the Raleigh area and I would love some suggestions with regard to what to expect, especially from anyone who has made a similar move.

I was born and raised in the Bay Area and my husband grew up in Southern California. We both lived in the Silicon Valley before moving to the greater Sacramento area 4 years ago. My husband has been contacted for a job with a company in Cary and from what we've learned so far, this seems like it could be a really positive move for our family.

We are flying to Raleigh next week to visit and check out some neighborhoods. We plan to rent for about a year while we get settled. We'd like to rent a house in a neighborhood where we'd ultimately buy a home. Currently, we live in "suburban sprawl" and don't really like it.

We're looking for:
- a neighborhood with some character - older or historic homes are fine, just nothing cookie cutter
- a good school district
- family friendly - we have a 9 month old baby
- a neighborhood with a strong sense of community - where we live currently, people pull into their garages and close the door before they get out of the car. We'd like to know our neighbors and be friendly with them.
- homes ranging in price from $175K - $300K
- the ability to walk to coffee shops, stores, restaurants, etc. would also be nice

Any advice on where to look would be very much appreciated!

Also, since we are going to be in the area for a week, we'd love any suggestions on place to eat and things to see.

Thanks so much!

[gotsomedata]

Originally Posted by NorriesMama

My husband and I are considering relocating from Northern California to the Raleigh area and I would love some suggestions with regard to what to expect, especially from anyone who has made a similar move...

I moved from the "Bay Area" to the "Triangle" in the '90s (and there are many posts on this forum dealing with the CA/NC relocation, so you should read those historical references). I general, my opinion is that Californians make the transition well and love it here; some positives are (what you will consider) next to no crime; (also in your perspective) very low housing costs; essentially no traffic; great public schools. Possible issues here include that it is much more humid here than by the Bay (and will seem much hotter in summer and cloder in the winter); you will have to get used to different food and (in mu opinion) will look harder to find outstanding places to eat (you will not be right beside the Salinas Valley producers anymore; much of our grocery produce is shipped from there). As for where to live, we have a number of great Real Estate people on this forum who can advise you there. What profession brings you to the area?

[MikeJaquish]

Cary was 4,000+/- population in 1970. Growth to 125,000+/- has been achieved by new construction.
Historic homes are nearly non-existent, and seldom available.
But, the price point you mention is workable in neighborhoods from the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's. There has been a on and off effort to bring a broader variety of commerce into the small downtown area, and there are many neighborhoods around downtown Cary that are within walking distance.

Apex also has done a nice job of revitalizing their central downtown, which is actually cuter than Cary's, albeit only a few blocks long.

[NorriesMama]

gotsomedata - Thanks for the suggestion! I will definitely do some searching for historical threads on this topic. . . I'm sure I'll find some good information. The weather isn't a huge concern. I know humidity can be awful, but I'm willing to trade in our summers of 100+ days in Sacramento (I don't think there are too many days over 100 there??). It'll be a nice change to have 4 real seasons! You make a good point about the produce. . .I hadn't thought about that, but you're right. I would guess that means it's more expensive as well? With regard to profession - I am currently a stay at home mom, but spent years in recruiting. My husband is an auditor and specializes in compliance work. Thank you so much for your help!

Mike - Wow - that is a huge population increase. We are very flexible on the age of the house and aren't ruling out new construction. It's good to have an idea of what we can get for the money, so thank you for that. Since we'll be in town next week and staying in Cary, we'll definitely make it a point to check out both areas. Thanks again!

[saturnfan]

If you're fed up with suburban sprawl, you'll likely not enjoy this area.

There are so many new subdivisions that it's hard to find real communities except in the downtown type areas.

Come and look, then decide.

P.S. Almost no public transit if that's important to you.

[Waterboy526]

Suburban sprawl here is nothing like it is/was in places like NYC, DC, LA, etc.

You'll be able to find something decent, although it'll be much higher in your price point, towards $300k most likely. It'll also be farther from downtown areas than you might like, unless you want to live in a more crime infested area.

[magichappens]

Living near downtown is overrated. Frankly, it's much more for the younger crowd.

You can definitely find homes in your price-point with nice communities (esp since you don't care about the age of the home) in many areas of North Raleigh. Some places could be walking distance to shops, cafes, etc. Most will be a 5-10 minute drive.

I moved here from San Francisco about a year and a half ago. I currently live in Wake Forest, but that is too family oriented and the housing is more expensive. After spending time here, I've found that the North Raleigh area really suits me more than the rest of the Triangle.

Just my 2 cents

[JBGRA]

The biggest thing I've heard from friends who recently came here from the Bay area is that you aren't bombarded with fresh vegetables all the time, laundry will sour if you let it sit in the washer too long because it's more humid here and they spend about 2/3's less time in the car. They only lived in NoCal for about 4-5 years though. I would balance areas to consider with where you will be working. There has been a lot of sprawl here and you'll find that if you put yourself within 30 minutes of work you will find about all you need within a 30 minute radius including shopping, schools, restaurants, etc...

[Rick Tortora]

Hi-
We're from Fairfield , CA and relocated here 3 years ago. My perspective is that the public education system is far superior then that of CA, especially middle school & up. The quality and affordability of housing is much better and there is something and somewhere for everyone (housing style diversity). Raleigh has a small downtown area not quite as large or sophisticated as Sac...but striving to get there. The Cary are is along the lines of Roseville in it's urban sprawl. Chapel Hill offers nice suburbs and a downtown that is predominantly an extension of the UNC campus and very similar to the town of Davis (UC Davis).

It's a great time to consider buying here while home prices have remained somewhat stable unlike Nor Cal as of recent years...there are some good investment opportunities in some nice communities. Not knowing where you live now and what you have I can't make a direct comparison and or suggestions. You may consider Bedford at Falls River, Wake Forest, North Ridge all locations i think may appeal to a CA transplant. Good luck and by the way the weather changes day to day so you never get sick of too much heat, rain or gray skies...it'll change in a day or so...the produce isn't as fresh and doesn't last nearly as long in the fridge especially the strawberries, there is humidity in the summer months, the beaches are beautiful and only a 2+ hour drive with great swimming and stuff to do for the whole family. I think you too will like it...

[grassby]

Originally Posted by NorriesMama

My husband and I are considering relocating from Northern California to the Raleigh area and I would love some suggestions with regard to what to expect, especially from anyone who has made a similar move.

I was born and raised in the Bay Area and my husband grew up in Southern California. We both lived in the Silicon Valley before moving to the greater Sacramento area 4 years ago. My husband has been contacted for a job with a company in Cary and from what we've learned so far, this seems like it could be a really positive move for our family.

We are flying to Raleigh next week to visit and check out some neighborhoods. We plan to rent for about a year while we get settled. We'd like to rent a house in a neighborhood where we'd ultimately buy a home. Currently, we live in "suburban sprawl" and don't really like it.

We're looking for:
- a neighborhood with some character - older or historic homes are fine, just nothing cookie cutter
- a good school district
- family friendly - we have a 9 month old baby
- a neighborhood with a strong sense of community - where we live currently, people pull into their garages and close the door before they get out of the car. We'd like to know our neighbors and be friendly with them.
- homes ranging in price from $175K - $300K
- the ability to walk to coffee shops, stores, restaurants, etc. would also be nice

Any advice on where to look would be very much appreciated!

Also, since we are going to be in the area for a week, we'd love any suggestions on place to eat and things to see.

Thanks so much!

When you visit you should look at the Six Forks area in Raleigh where I believe that many of your requirements will be met.