Considering moving to the Durham area for a job, know nothing about the city! (Raleigh: apartment complexes)

[DawnGirl]

Hello!

My boyfriend and I may move to the Durham/Raleigh area. He's been offered a job in downtown Durham. Does anyone have any recommendations on nice neighborhoods/town home/apartment complexes? We'd prefer either a single family home or a townhouse. A washer and dryer in the unit is a must. We are in our mid 20s, kind of "hippie-chique," love Yoga, would prefer to be within walking distance of Downtown type areas. We currently live in Charleston and love the Downtown here.

We also don't really know if this city is "for us" as neither of us have ever lived or visited there. Any opinions on the city would be more than appreciated! We are planning to come visit for 4 days or so, but we won't have much more time than that. We love Charleston for it's physical shell, tons of stuff to do, beautiful places to explore and walk around, etc. but the people are not very involved with each other. There is not really a sense of community. That's something that we are looking for in our next move, along with plenty of outdoor activities, yoga, art, bars, safe places to walk around, and places for people in their mid 20s to explore.

Thanks in advance!

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by DawnGirl

Hello!
mid 20s "hippie-chique" Yoga walking Downtown type areas Charleston

You'll be just fine in Durham.

But if you have a few extra dollars available to you...
(and you don't mind a driving commute to work every day)
then head down the hill a bit (9-111 mi) to Carrboro near Chapel Hill and poke around some before you sign any leases.

[roguesmom]

way of townhomes and apartments unless you look around the trinity park area. many apartment buildings downtown are taken by students. ifyou find a neighborhood, check it out at night - some places arent safe.

[peperoberto]

Originally Posted by DawnGirl

Hello!

My boyfriend and I may move to the Durham/Raleigh area. He's been offered a job in downtown Durham. Does anyone have any recommendations on nice neighborhoods/town home/apartment complexes? We'd prefer either a single family home or a townhouse. A washer and dryer in the unit is a must. We are in our mid 20s, kind of "hippie-chique," love Yoga, would prefer to be within walking distance of Downtown type areas. We currently live in Charleston and love the Downtown here.

We also don't really know if this city is "for us" as neither of us have ever lived or visited there. Any opinions on the city would be more than appreciated! We are planning to come visit for 4 days or so, but we won't have much more time than that. We love Charleston for it's physical shell, tons of stuff to do, beautiful places to explore and walk around, etc. but the people are not very involved with each other. There is not really a sense of community. That's something that we are looking for in our next move, along with plenty of outdoor activities, yoga, art, bars, safe places to walk around, and places for people in their mid 20s to explore.

Thanks in advance!

Durham's known quite well for its sense of community.

There's quite a few neighborhoods that sound like they can suit you well. Some of the more established neighborhoods would be places like Trinity Park, Duke Park, Burch Avenue, Watts-Hillandale, and the like. Some up-and-coming places would be things like Morehead Hills, West End, Walltown, Old North Durham, or Cleveland Holloway. All of these would put you less than a mile from bars and other nightlife, with some of the neighborhoods (like Trinity Park or Burch Avenue) being just a few blocks from Brightleaf Square.

Tons of outdoor activities in Durham. If you're into running or cycling, you may want to check out the American Tobacco Trail. There's also some swimming to be had along the Eno River, at places like the Eno Quarry and Turtle Cove. Also, lots of small hikes you can take near the Eno or in Duke Forest.

I'm assuming that you're looking to rent? There are several large rental firms in the area (places like Bob Schmitz or Apple Realty), but you can also find a lot of rentals just by driving around and looking for signs. It may also help to email a neighborhood association if you're looking for a place in a particular area. You can find contact info at: Durham Hoods - Maps of Neighborhood Mailing Lists in Durham, NC

[Francois]

Durham is a very diverse, "gritty" place that is only getting more so (for the better). but you should never consider moving anywhere without visiting the area for a few days, first. There is only so much info you're going to get from strangers on the Internet.

The Ninth Street area (or places near Duke East Campus) are most what you're looking for, but you didn't say anything about your budget.

Just avoid Southeast Durham.

[mdp_az]

peperoberto gave you some excellent recomendations. For condos/lofts/apartments, check out Station 9, West Village, American Tobacco and Golden Belt.

IMO, there is absolutely no need to commute to Durham from CH/Carrboro. The traffic on the highway between the two towns is quite congested...why bother with that when you could walk, bike or take the Durham Connector bus for free?!

[aldamon]

Originally Posted by DawnGirl

We currently live in Charleston and love the Downtown here.

I love Durham but it's no downtown Charleston. I just don't think they'll ever be similar. If your boyfriend has a job, then it will be fun to live here, but I think your visit will be fruitful. Just keep in mind that it's a little more dead around here in the summer with Duke and NC Central off.