need help finding neighborhoods with larger wooded lots (Raleigh, Durham: transplants, chapel)

[meanieme]

my parents have been visiting me for about a month and i've been showing them the city.....they like the area, esp the trees and are seriously considering relocating here from Texas so i've driven them all over town looking at neighborhoods

what they have now in Texas:
- $750s custom built home all brick
- pool, heavily landscaped backyard
- golf course view with large pond in back

what they would like to get here:
- nice peaceful setting
- larger lot 1+ acre
- wooded, pond/lake view is a bonus
- convenient to shopping centers and major highway 540 (they don't want to be out in nowhere, and able to hop on to go to airport or for me to visit them)
- new or near new (<5 yrs old).

problem is i'm having trouble finding neighborhoods like this in the same price range.

In Cary, lots are small and homes overpriced.
- West Cary/Morrisville (Amberly, Cary Park, Twin Lakes, etc) - most of the lots are small and subdivisions have no character. If you want larger lots (around .5 acres), seems like you have to go with custom builders, and then you'll easily looking at the +$600K range. There's a lot of new construction in West Cary west of 55 that have wooded lots, but again, lots are sub .5 acres
- South Cary/Holly Springs (Sunset Oaks, Sunset Lake, Ten Ten area, etc) - again, small wooded lots, no real shopping yet, not as convenient to 540, home prices are high

In Raleigh
- Northwest (Brier Creek, Long Lake) - Brier Creek is nice but way overpriced, 3000sq ft homes with no trees and no golf course view selling for $600K.
- North (Creedmoor, Durant, Six Forks, Bartons Creek) - this is the only area that seems decent so far, large 1+ acre lots, but the ones with the decent views sell upwards of $1M.....chatsworth, cross gate, sheffield, bayleaf
- Northeast (Bedford, Wakefield) - Bedford is too tight, Wakefield is ok but no large lots

Durham and Chapel Hill are not their style. Inner Beltline is too cramped for them. Knightdale, Garner, Clayton, Fuquay are out as well and far from where I live (near RTP).

I'm thinking of taking the day off tomorrow and checking out Wake Forest with them, which I've never been myself, but my first reaction is that's pretty far out there but that seems like the best shot at still getting decent price and value for home, with larger lots.

My parents are in an opposite situation from the transplants coming from the Northeast, where it seems cheaper to live here and you get more land. They are coming from Texas, where you can build your dream home for cheap and coming here they can only get some cookie cutter home in a 1/4 acre lot.

Sorry for the blog, but venting my frustration at what I once thought was an ideal place for them but now finding out prices have gone up out of control in the past several years and developers building more tight neighborhoods with no character still demanding outrageous starting prices. The only new neighborhoods with 1+ acres are custom built ones where developers want $1+M. (Parker Falls, Hasentree, etc)

If there are neighborhoods I'm missing, let me know! I have all day tomorrow to drive them around.

[southernpixie]

What price range are you looking for? I guess I got a little confused. They are coming from a $750ish but some here $600ish are too high? Or was it that the lot was too small for that price?

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Wow, seems like you have definitely done a lot of searching on your own. FWIW, why not get a RE to help you out with the search. I'm sure they could really help you identify areas that meet your parents needs and help reduce the amoutn of exploring you have to do on your own.

Just an FYI, while not a rule by any means, fidning newer properties with waterfront views can be difficult in my opinion beacuse there are Riparian Buffer Regulations in many areas around here that require new developemtn to have 50' vegetated buffers around blue line streams and water bodies (water bodies that appear on USGS topo maps and County Soil Surveys). This helps protect the water quality and reduce nutrient runoff from stormwater.

So if the home was only built in the last few years near water, and it is in Raleigh or Cary most times it will have vegetation and trees blocking the view. Liek I said this is not everywhere here, but it is something to keep in mind.

[meanieme]

Originally Posted by southernpixie

What price range are you looking for? I guess I got a little confused. They are coming from a $750ish but some here $600ish are too high? Or was it that the lot was too small for that price?

sorry for the confusion, yes the lot is too small for that price, they can go up to $750ish, but not for homes with lots less than .5 acres

[House Lady]

looking for something with all those criteria. For our area you are asking things which are in direct opposition to one another: greater than an acre, new and yet close to RTP and amenities for $600K. Not happening! I actually get many people looking for what your parents want. Their wishes are not unusual. This area is too high demand for property to go for less $$$. There are many nice things about living here and people know it. Not that Texas isn't nice! I have over 500 relatives in the Houston area. I have sent this message to you with some alterations via Private Messaging.

[needhalc]

Try Brackenridge in FV...right on the border of HS & FV off of Sunset Lake Rd. Not too far out. Beautiful neighborhood and I think what you are looking for.

[leighbhe]

Originally Posted by meanieme

my parents have been visiting me for about a month and i've been showing them the city.....they like the area, esp the trees and are seriously considering relocating here from Texas so i've driven them all over town looking at neighborhoods

what they have now in Texas:
- $750s custom built home all brick
- pool, heavily landscaped backyard
- golf course view with large pond in back

what they would like to get here:
- nice peaceful setting
- larger lot 1+ acre
- wooded, pond/lake view is a bonus
- convenient to shopping centers and major highway 540 (they don't want to be out in nowhere, and able to hop on to go to airport or for me to visit them)
- new or near new (<5 yrs old).

problem is i'm having trouble finding neighborhoods like this in the same price range.

In Cary, lots are small and homes overpriced.
- West Cary/Morrisville (Amberly, Cary Park, Twin Lakes, etc) - most of the lots are small and subdivisions have no character. If you want larger lots (around .5 acres), seems like you have to go with custom builders, and then you'll easily looking at the +$600K range. There's a lot of new construction in West Cary west of 55 that have wooded lots, but again, lots are sub .5 acres
- South Cary/Holly Springs (Sunset Oaks, Sunset Lake, Ten Ten area, etc) - again, small wooded lots, no real shopping yet, not as convenient to 540, home prices are high

In Raleigh
- Northwest (Brier Creek, Long Lake) - Brier Creek is nice but way overpriced, 3000sq ft homes with no trees and no golf course view selling for $600K.
- North (Creedmoor, Durant, Six Forks, Bartons Creek) - this is the only area that seems decent so far, large 1+ acre lots, but the ones with the decent views sell upwards of $1M.....chatsworth, cross gate, sheffield, bayleaf
- Northeast (Bedford, Wakefield) - Bedford is too tight, Wakefield is ok but no large lots

Durham and Chapel Hill are not their style. Inner Beltline is too cramped for them. Knightdale, Garner, Clayton, Fuquay are out as well and far from where I live (near RTP).

I'm thinking of taking the day off tomorrow and checking out Wake Forest with them, which I've never been myself, but my first reaction is that's pretty far out there but that seems like the best shot at still getting decent price and value for home, with larger lots.

My parents are in an opposite situation from the transplants coming from the Northeast, where it seems cheaper to live here and you get more land. They are coming from Texas, where you can build your dream home for cheap and coming here they can only get some cookie cutter home in a 1/4 acre lot.

Sorry for the blog, but venting my frustration at what I once thought was an ideal place for them but now finding out prices have gone up out of control in the past several years and developers building more tight neighborhoods with no character still demanding outrageous starting prices. The only new neighborhoods with 1+ acres are custom built ones where developers want $1+M. (Parker Falls, Hasentree, etc)

If there are neighborhoods I'm missing, let me know! I have all day tomorrow to drive them around.

I believe when people come to wake forest they do feel like it is in the middle of nowhere, but the longer you are here the more you realize that you can hop on 540, etc. In wake forest, I would suggest:

galloway (custom builders)
glenmoor (custom builders)
st. ives (my favorite neighborhood!) (custom builders)
Kenwood reserve (david weekly neighborhood)
La Ventana (custom) just off of 98

You are not going to get the land at heritage or wakefield, even though the houses are nice and there are great amenities.

Glenmoor, galloway and st. ives are all conveniently located, with st. ives being the "closest" to things like target, etc. For access to 540, the least stressful way (avoiding capital blvd) is 98 to creedmoor to 540. Or 98 to six forks to 540.

If you have any questions, email me or PM me. All of the neighborhoods I listed are within 7 miles of each other.

Leigh

[scorp200]

I am purely guessing here and others will know a lot more than I do -- but what about Hillsborough? It's right off 85, so it's gotta be a fairly decent commute. I get from the skating rink in Hillsborough to my job in RTP at 8:00 a.m. in about 25 minutes. It looks like there are large lots up there and it's really charming.

[meanieme]

Originally Posted by House Lady

looking for something with all those criteria. For our area you are asking things which are in direct opposition to one another: greater than an acre, new and yet close to RTP and amenities for $600K. Not happening! I actually get many people looking for what your parents want. Their wishes are not unusual. This area is too high demand for property to go for less $$$. There are many nice things about living here and people know it. Not that Texas isn't nice! I have over 500 relatives in the Houston area. I have sent this message to you with some alterations via Private Messaging.

even if the budget was upped to $750, it still doesn't help and that's the dissappointment....in that we don't know whats driving prices up insanely around here....people are pricing their homes $100-$200K more than what they paid for several years ago....

my parents are probably thinking, sure it's nicer here for retirees, more trees, etc....but texas is cheaper, more convenient shopping/dining....

so they're just frustrated that if they come here, they have to exchange their current home for some much less desirable here.

i'm getting embarrassed driving them around and realizing how expensive homes are getting here....don't get me wrong, i like this place and intend to still get them to come here

LOL!

[CAKD]

In the older parts of sunset ridge/sunset lake you should be able to find that size lot with woods and even a view of the golf course and or lake. But it does not give you the ability to hop on the 540 at this time like you mention.