Feedback on Holly Springs, Garner, Knightdale and Clayton (Welcome, Mulberry: job, hospital)

[NadiaP]

Original poster,
We are alaso moving to Clayton in 2 weeks, and many of the posters here were a great help to us in narrowing our search (Lauren and Ferrickhead). We also looked at all the areas you mentioned and more and Clayton won us over hands down. We checked out East Clayton Elem for our 3rd grade daughter and the HS for our Freshman, who is coming from a private school here in Albuq., and was impressed with them both. Great house value for the money too. The lady who drives the bus for our little one actually CALLED me the other day to let me know when and where she would stop...that would never happen here in Albuq!

[nynraleigh]

I chose Knightdale, price point was great, where I had the home built, my house is not on top of my neighbors house like you would find in Queens NY...I chose a large lot, with plenty of side yard...I love my home. However, I don't feel the vibe of the town...to me it's very Blue Collar...not what I am accustomed to...my neighborhood, although very nice, is a mix of blue & white collar...so it just doesn't work for me...I am accustomed to being around other professionals, whether they are single, married, and/or married with children...If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen Knightdale...my mind set was concentrated on the home, pricing, and growing area...too me...Knightdale is too rural for my taste...maybe I will grow to like it, maybe not...I now understand why people have chosen other areas...my house is for sale...I will be heart broken to leave the house...afterall it was months of planning, building and settling in...but it's just a house...all I can do is pray that it sells and move on...I have my eyes on Brier Creek, Southpoint, Cary, and even Chapel Hill...I think those areas would be a better fit for my needs...also...I will be sure to work with a buyer's agent this time...more so to learn/choose an area that will best fit my needs...and ofcourse to get the best possible price

[ferrickhead28]

Originally Posted by nynraleigh

I chose Knightdale, price point was great, where I had the home built, my house is not on top of my neighbors house like you would find in Queens NY...I chose a large lot, with plenty of side yard...I love my home. However, I don't feel the vibe of the town...to me it's very Blue Collar...not what I am accustomed to...my neighborhood, although very nice, is a mix of blue & white collar...so it just doesn't work for me...I am accustomed to being around other professionals, whether they are single, married, and/or married with children...If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen Knightdale...my mind set was concentrated on the home, pricing, and growing area...too me...Knightdale is too rural for my taste...maybe I will grow to like it, maybe not...I now understand why people have chosen other areas...my house is for sale...I will be heart broken to leave the house...afterall it was months of planning, building and settling in...but it's just a house...all I can do is pray that it sells and move on...I have my eyes on Brier Creek, Southpoint, Cary, and even Chapel Hill...I think those areas would be a better fit for my needs...

Yeah, Knightdale was always lackluster to me too. I grew up in the triangle so I always remember Knightdale as this small city. They never really had much to it. Now, its expanded but it still lacks a personality or something.

Good luck on the house sale!

[lauren4521]

Originally Posted by NadiaP

The lady who drives the bus for our little one actually CALLED me the other day to let me know when and where she would stop...that would never happen here in Albuq!

Congrats Nadia...on your upcoming move! I think that the bus driver calling is standard...we got the same call from the bus drivers here at the River Dell Elem. school.

Lauren

[bull136]

We where renting in wake forest for 6 months. We would have had to spend atleast 250k to get the same house we bought in clayton near the area of 42 east and buffalo road for $184,000 (4bed 1 acre 2000sqft). My son went to 9th grade at Wake Forest High for a week then we pulled him out to home school until we moved to clayton. The TRAILERS that make up the 9th grade section are not even on the highschool grounds they are 2 miles away. They are in a section of town that calling them shacks would be nice. The police where always driving around the school , so i asked the cop , " is this a bad section of town or something and he said " we have had some problems around here ". Now Clayton High NO TRAILERS and not in the ghetto and closer to raleigh , wait to you drive down capitol at 5pm or anytime of day for that matter ( reminds me of jersey traffic ) the traffic on 70 is way better and I can get to Raleigh in half the time. Wake forest is up there and you always have to get onto capitol which we hated. We liked the down town and the people , but the prices where to high most of the houses had sloped driveways and yards. We like clayton much better. (and its closer to the beach.)

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by bull136

We where renting in wake forest for 6 months. We would have had to spend atleast 250k to get the same house we bought in clayton near the area of 42 east and buffalo road for $184,000 (4bed 1 acre 2000sqft). My son went to 9th grade at Wake Forest High for a week then we pulled him out to home school until we moved to clayton. The TRAILERS that make up the 9th grade section are not even on the highschool grounds they are 2 miles away. They are in a section of town that calling them shacks would be nice. The police where always driving around the school , so i asked the cop , " is this a bad section of town or something and he said " we have had some problems around here ". Now Clayton High NO TRAILERS and not in the ghetto and closer to raleigh , wait to you drive down capitol at 5pm or anytime of day for that matter ( reminds me of jersey traffic ) the traffic on 70 is way better and I can get to Raleigh in half the time. Wake forest is up there and you always have to get onto capitol which we hated. We liked the down town and the people , but the prices where to high most of the houses had sloped driveways and yards. We like clayton much better. (and its closer to the beach.)

Several schools in the area have seperate 9th grade centers away from the main campus. There has never been a crime problem at that school (It was an elementary campus until this year) even though, yes, it is in the Dubois area...the poor section of Wake Forest. I wouldn't call it 'ghetto' and there are plans for improvements already being put into motion. Yes, the police do patrol there...but well....that just makes sense now doesn't it? Would you prefer that they don't, just because it's poor?

The high school is set for a major (and I am talking major) remodel in the next year. They are thinking of moving the entire school to the new Heritage High school building before Heritage opens so they can complete it.

Yes, the drive into Raleigh is not the greatest....but the are widening South Main...and the rest of what you are complaining about it actually in Raleigh....not Wake Forest.

Wake Forest isn't for everyone...but then again, neither is Clayton.

[bleighorr]

I just moved into a subdivision in Johnston County, and was worried about it b/c i'm not so far out in the country (not used to it....used to live in Garner, a walk from the Food Lion). Now I'm in this community s/d and really starting to enjoy the area. There's a bunch of NY transplants, nice neighborhoods, neighbors who are cordial but mind their own business, and a state of the art workout center free for residents (guests have to pay $10 per trip). Not only that, but there are biking/walking trails and two supposedly great schools my kids will be going to in a few days.

Point being: Five years ago, this would NOT have been the spot for me b/c my children are multiracial, etc. and Johnston County was always considered "redneck" with "poor schools..." ....but not any more. There's such a racial mixture in this community now. It's a mixture of setting as well: country out of the development, and community within. I'd strongly advise that wherever you go, the benefits of a health club and outdoors activities are wonderful for your mind and body, especially as we age I mean grow *wink*.

It's growing on me....this little spot in the country. I hear the traffic on the country roads during rush hour can be awful, but hopefully some of it will be cut back by the bypass scheduled for next year.

[Desdemona25]

Originally Posted by momof3grls

If you are looking into Johnston County, I would also highly recommend that you look into the Cleveland School/I-40 and Hwy42 interchange area. It is a beautiful area with excellent schools serving the area. It is also just as convenient as Clayton is to the White Oak shopping district, and is within 15 minutes of downtown Clayton and downtown Smithfield as well. None of the schools, including the high school, serving this area is more than 8 years old. We lived in Wake County for 12 years and my oldest is in high school now, both of my older children are considered to be academically gifted. I am very happy with both of their current academic situations, although I will say that Johnston County approaches these special needs kids in a really different way than Wake County did. If I were going to compare test scores I would probably look into how the SAT and ACT scores compare once the kids are in high school...did they learn what they needed to in order to move on to college?

I'm curious...how do they handle an academically gifted child for Johnston County? I now have Johnston County on my radar.

[ferrickhead28]

Originally Posted by Desdemona25

I'm curious...how do they handle an academically gifted child for Johnston County? I now have Johnston County on my radar.

My daughter is academically gifted. Some schools have "classes" in Smithfield they attend once a week OR they can have it at their own school. Mostly it's extra work that will hold their attention instead of the basic lessons they are past.

I like JC's program better than Wake's. I didnt feel that Wake county's program was strong enough. My daughter has far exceeded expectations with the gifted program she is in now. We are very pleased with it.

[Desdemona25]

Originally Posted by ferrickhead28

My daughter is academically gifted. Some schools have "classes" in Smithfield they attend once a week OR they can have it at their own school. Mostly it's extra work that will hold their attention instead of the basic lessons they are past.

I like JC's program better than Wake's. I didnt feel that Wake county's program was strong enough. My daughter has far exceeded expectations with the gifted program she is in now. We are very pleased with it.

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I was worried about it only being something extra once per week.