I live 1.5 miles from Princeton Manor. I've very familiar with Knightdale and PM. The tracks are not a problem. I am not sure if they use the track(?). In 10 yrs of driving down Hodge Rd where PM is located, I've never seen a train. I asked another person who lives in a subdiv almost across from PM, he said he hasn't heard one.
The homes in PM are all custom, and nice homes. My daughter has some friends in PM and so I've been in 3 of the homes. I also watched the neighborhood as they were building it. It's a quiet and well maintained place. There are a decent # of families with children and they seem to all be friendly with each other. There are a handful of neighbors who keep to themselves also.
The location is very good. It is the first light off the I-540 Raleigh exit. It's 1/2 mile from Target, Best Buy, Kohls, TJMaxx, 2 ER's and med clinics. And, a mix of asian, fast food, steak, wings, subs food places are at the 540 exit. You can be just about anywhere in Raleigh, Wake Forest, or Cary in 20mins to 1/2 hr. Downtown is 20mins rushhr. it is also close to the Neuse River for canoeing, and has a city park nearby. There is a dance school in Knightdale and piano lessons are avail in the subdiv next to PM - if you are interested.
Rockbridge - I checked it out last year. The homes are nice but i think Princeton Manor is nicer as the homes are custom and it's smaller, and it's 10 mins closer to everything above. PM house styles remind me of Desperate Housewives set
Schools - your kids are so young, you have nothing to worry about. The way that Wake Co is growing and with our new school board who wants to return to neighborhood school...we all take it year by year. Of course we all do what we can to plan as far out and be strategic but the board is in charge.
The elementary schools nearby are Lockhart and Knightdale. Lockhart has always been very well-respected, and sought after. Knightdale, my neighbor had an issue with the old principal but she is pleased with the new one.
Middle schools - Wendell MS is a brand new bldg, just opened this school year. And, we have a charter school nearby that is excellent. The HS would either be Knightdale HS or East Wake. There are mixed reviews on these schools. With the return to neighborhood schools, we don't know how many kids they'll move out of them. I will say that there is a parent group that is working with the school system to bring about changes to the schools here.
Gangs, a few yrs ago (3+ ?) I heard there were issues with this in that they defaced property. The town enforced a curfew, made some changes to how they handle these crimes and I think the curfew is long gone and we don't hear of issues anymore. The"gangs" were teens trying to act tough. Just like I've heard of in other areas of the triangle.
Knightdale in one of the last small towns that many of its original residents stayed in. It is pretty spread out and has pockets of homes built in the 60's, then you'll see some fields, homes built in 40's/50's, or shops, and then country roads with nice, newer subdivisions and homes on larger lots.
Its mayor is the former mayor of Cary, so you see some of the same types of rules.
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