Moving from Cupertino CA to Cary Nc, Please advise (Raleigh: real estate, renting)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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Folks, we are considering a move from Cupertino,
where we are renting to Cary where we could buy
a house. Our kids go to the best schools here
and that is the best part of living in Cupertino,
and the only part. Everything else is very expensive.
If someone has been in our shoes and have moved
from San Jose or bay area, please comment on the
schools in Wake county compared to the public schools
in the bay area (e.g. Monta Vista or Lynbrook high
are nationally ranked) Will we miss these schools?
We recently moved from the Raleigh/Cary border to San Jose, so I can give you a little comparison of the two areas. The difference in the cost of real estate is mind blowing. Your money will take you so much further in Cary than in Cupertino. And you'll get a much nicer place for it. The homes in NC are generally much larger and often much newer. And while there aren't as many people, shops, etc., in Cary/the Triangle as in Cupertino/the South Bay, I doubt you'll miss too much. The traffic's not great in the Triangle, but it's much more manageable than 101/280/880/etc.
As for schools, we don't have kids yet, but my understanding is that there are schools in Wake County (the district Cary's in) that are comparable to the best South Bay schools. And, the schools in Wake County are much better overall - there don't seem to be the huge disparities in schools that there are throughout the South Bay. For example, Green Hope, which is a newer high school in the Cary/Morrisville area, was ranked above Cupertino High on the latest Newsweek list. (It was ranked lower than Monta Vista and Lynbrook, but it's still nationally ranked.) Broughton, also in Wake County, is nationally ranked, but I think (other posters correct me if I'm wrong please) that it will draw from within the Beltline (i.e. closer to downtown Raleigh). Other Wake high schools are very good but aren't ranked by Newsweek - Panther Creek has a decent reputation, and there are some magnet programs that are well-regarded. Additionally, if you really want your kids to go to a top-ranked school, you could live in the Chapel Hill area. Both Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High are ranked above Monta Vista and Lynbrook. Chapel Hill real estate is generally more expensive than Cary, but it's not THAT much more expensive, and you could probably afford a nice home there as well. You wouldn't pay nearly the premium to live in Chapel Hill that folks pay to live in Cupertino. Also worth mentioning, Durham County schools have some high schools that were ranked highly on the list, so Durham Co. is also a possibility.
...Dublin Berkley San Lorenzo Cupertino San Jose....sorry, I always think of that commercial when I hear any of those names! We moved from So Cal...so a little different...we wanted to get away from those schools! But our experience with Wake County schools has been very good so far...
OP, I think you will feel right at home. Cary is the NC version of Cupertino. I came from Mountain View and live in Raleigh. I find Cary a little bland, but many folks like it.
I am considering a move from the Sacramento area to Cary. I have family in the area. My problem is the job hunt in NC. I'm about to jump ship from $100k+ a year into the unknowns of NC. CAfamilyman, what was your secret?
We lived in Cupertino for many years and my oldest went to Monta Vista High. He's 25 now so that was a little bit ago. My youngest just graduated from Wakefield High in North Raleigh this year (we moved here when she was in 8th grade). We selected this North Raleigh location for the schools. We ruled out Cary because to us it seemed more crowded and most like Silicon Valley and we wanted something different with this next phase in our lives. My husband works in RTP and his commute is VERY easy compared to SV traffic.
As for the schools, you will probably notice some differences. You will still find AP/Honors classes here however I don't think you will find the schools as competitive.....which we appreciated. Cupertino schools were way too academically driven especially in the Math and Science areas. We found the schools to be much more well rounded here and one can still get a stellar education and acceptance to some of the most prestigious colleges.
Personally I don't think you would regret moving here. For us it was the best decision we have ever made! The quality of life is SO MUCH better here than in Silicon Valley.
I am considering a move from the Sacramento area to Cary. I have family in the area. My problem is the job hunt in NC. I'm about to jump ship from $100k+ a year into the unknowns of NC. CAfamilyman, what was your secret?
Hi StrongMama, Yeah the job search is the hard part.
No secrets, but I am prioritizing the schools first.
No point if the schools are worse.
Btw, the scary part to me about schools in NC are the mixed ratings they get depending on the folks.
E.g. Green Hope has mixed reviews on Great Schools . net
So I am encouraged by some of the other posts here.
It was a good move for us initially but I am not sure anymore. We moved from Santa Cruz (we worked in San Jose) to Raleigh 6 years ago. It is very different from California is many ways (people, food, weather). I think you make an area work often by your attitude once you get here. I have to keep my own attitude in check.
The weather has been really draining for me. The high humidity and long summers may be the very reason we return to the West Coast.
Sometimes I think the idea of home-buying does get over-rated and although we've always owned our own home I'm not sure I would put that so high up on the radar when considering an area to move to. Yes, it is nice to own a home but don't let that be the only reason to buy in an area.
I like the North Raleigh area over Cary but it is because I wanted a home with some space (1 acre).
I think schools are what you make them...even the bad ones. Being involved as a parent in your kids education daily is what truly matters rather than the schools test scores. We left Wake County schools for lots of reasons and moved into a school district that some would consider a step down. I have been thrilled with the school my kids (6 and 9) attend and am glad we made the change. I think everyone has a different opinion about schools based on their own personal experience...sometimes you just have to decide to forget the other opinions and find your own through your own experience.
I can't stress how important it really is to come and visit here several times before making the ultimate decision to live here. We only came a few times and never in summer which I think someone from California needs to experience for themselves.
I moved to Raleigh from SF/Redwood City in 2002. I purchased my home in Cary a few years later. I don't have children, so I can't comment on the quality of the schools, but I'm happy to give you my perspective on what it's like to live here, jobhunt here and transition from the Bay Area.
I will say there are many, many things I miss about living in the Bay Area (I was there for 19 yrs). The summer weather here is HOT and HUMID. I don't like it, but it's not like I didn't know about it.
I'm always thrilled to meet prior Bay Area residents so contact me if you'd like.
Just couldn't help jumping in here!!! I lived in the Bay Area and especially Cupertino from 1955-1985 with a few hiccups in-between. I went to Cupertino HS and De Anza College. I now am living in VA near South Hill, reason being I have horses and need acreage that is practically dirt cheap. Nice to hear about Cary. I'll have to take a drive!
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