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In that price range, it's going to be nearly impossible. The type of neighborhood you described is going to cost you well over $500k. You can find nice homes and neighborhoods at lower prices here but I can't think of any where you can walk to cute village settings with shopping/dining.
While I find it disappointing that Raleigh's "walkable" communities are also it's most expensive, I do find it encouraging that there is a higher value placed on being closer to the city's center and being in a walkable community. Inner suburban rings die as newer and "fresher" suburban rings are being developed. This may lessen as the price of transportation (gas for commuter's SUV's) continues to increase. Good luck with your search!
Having a vehicle is a must have here, no matter which town you live in. You can get by without a vehicle in some spots, but that is just getting by. To enjoy the area and have a normal life, you must use a vehicle. Even in areas where you can walk to things, there is only so much you can do. How many times can you go to the same old stores at Cameron Village, North Hills or Brier Creek? It would get old really fast. You need a vehicle to get to things all over the area. That is not a bad thing at all, but it may not be what you are accustomed to.
It doesn't have the offerings of Cameron Village, North Hills, 5 Points, but there is some interesting stuff going on, and you can likely get a house, needing redecoration, and a yard closer to your price range.
Cary does have nice neighborhoods with mature landscaping - very attractive and convenient to a lot of things - but it's also an area where residents primarily have to drive everywhere. There are sidewalks, but they're patchy, often leading nowhere. It's a shame, really, and I can never understand how suburban areas like Cary got developed like that in the first place. You really take your life into your own hands if you try to walk many places. You'll end up starting a walk on a sidewalk then they'll be nothing at all and you're walking along some fast-moving 2-lane street with no sidewalk and no buffer between you and sudden death by car. What does this area have against sidewalks? And even if one is put in (finally), it's often just on one side of the road, so that you have to scramble across streets to reach it if you start off on the non-sidewalk side!
What about the neighborhoods on the east side of Six Forks Rd near the North Hills East project? That's the expansion of the very successful North Hills project that turned an outdated mall area into more of midtown Raleigh quasi-urban experience.
Raleigh is just now finding its future and taking steps toward establishing higher density nodes in the city. It might be a good time to do some research and make an "educated bet" on where to invest your money and time because, if the successful "inside the beltline" areas already mentioned are any indication, the right choice will pay off. I think the best safe bet is to look in the emerging midtown area where the North Hills projects are its epicenter.
My husband and I may be moving to Raleigh in the near future. We are just waiting to hear the final word about his relocation from his job.
My husband will be working near the 440 and 401 interchange. We do not have any children yet but this is one reason we want to move out the DC area.
We currently live in Alexandria, Va, just outside of DC. We love the area and how we can walk to restaraunts, coffee shops and unique stores not only strip malls. I am wondering if there are any neighborhoods in Raleigh like this. I have been to Five Points in the city which I think was great but I think the area is too pricey and too in the city for us. We are looking for a single family home with a yard for my chocolate lab and would like to stay under $300K. My husband wants to move and rent for a while but with interst rates so low right now we may buy right away. So I am just trying to get as much information on specific neighborhoods as possible.
Thanks!
Raleigh is not a walking town no matter where you live. It is a city with many housing developments, malls, small strip malls, and large ones like Camron Village (one of the first if not the first mall). Neither is Durham or Chapel Hill, unless you count Franklin Street.
I lived in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill and if I moved back to Raleigh, I would live in Northridge.
Cary Park is pretty walkable but only has a few restaurants and other businesses. There is a 2 mile trail around the pond and easy access to the American Tobacco Trail. The elementary school is right across from the neighborhood and they are building a middle school as well. Great area for families.
Its not exactly close to everything but its walkable in a safety sense (Sidewalks on both sides of the street and friendly neighbors). Plus Bedford comes with a pretty awesome pool. Bedford just opened up a pretty decent pizza place in the community along the same strip as a dry cleaners, Gelato/Deli/Coffee place which is very well used in the summer. Plenty of small little fairs (Safety things, Octoberfest etc) probably within 5-10 mins. Houses range from townhouses in the low 200s to McMansions in the 800+ area.
I know its not exactly what you're looking for but I moved from upstate new york a few years ago and I'm still giddy about not needing a snowblower down here (Yay).
SO from these posts it seems that if you want to live in an area where your family won't need to drive on the weekend (go to a park, eat out, groceries, see amovie) you live in 5 Points or Cameron Village..and those places are pricey?
SO from these posts it seems that if you want to live in an area where your family won't need to drive on the weekend (go to a park, eat out, groceries, see amovie) you live in 5 Points or Cameron Village..and those places are pricey?
yep. just thought there might be more of these types of options............
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Cary is very pretty, but...
