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My husband's job is relocating to RTP in 2012. We can live within a 30-45 min radius of Cary. I would love some opinions/direction regarding the best schools (public and private) in the area. I have also heard there are some immersion programs in Chinese/Spanish in the area... would love more info on which schools offer it. Any links you could share regarding school data/rankings is appreciated. Also, anything else that you would be willing to share... your dream neighborhood... which city is your favorite in NC and why? I have young children, so I would hope to find a street with lots of little friends for my kids. Think Halloween... where are the best places to trick or treat? Best parks? We're hoping this is the last move we will make until we retire... looking for our dream home! I grew up in Fairfield, CT in the 70's/80's and LOVED it. Would love to be able to provide that same Norman Rockwell type environment for my own children. Any information you can provide is appreciated!
Wake County is a very very large area, and it would help you get some responses if you could give us some more detail......it can take 20 minutes or more to drive from one side of cary to the other! How much are you wanting to spend on a house?
The schools question is a loaded one, which will get you many many answers. Right now, we are in the midst of a new school board, which may or may not change some of the recent changes that were made. Sound confusing? Well, the school board changed last year with a new majority of leadership, then there was a recent election that changed the make up of the board again....So, currently you can find a plan in place that involves the choice plan: Wake County Public School System
And, in the elementary and middle school ages there are year round and traditional calendar options. In the year round schools, kids start school in july (all except track 4) and there are four tracks. Three tracks are in school at a given time and the kids rotate on a 9 weeks in school 3 weeks out of school for the whole year. You can find that calendar on the wcpps site as well.
There are many private schools in the area. Probably half are religious based, and can run in the 10-15k a year range. The least expensive non religious school is Thales Academy, and right now it has a plan for a middle school but not one. Thales runs about 5-6k a year. A good place to find out about the private schools is on the carolina parent website, they at least have a list of the schools in their index and often the price of admission.
The triangle area has three "main" cities, raleigh, durham and chapel hill. In between and all around those cities are bedroom communities (apex, carrboro, holly springs, wake forest, fuquay varina, clayton, etc etc etc) Each of those towns have fantastic neighborhoods. Lots of your choices will come down to a visit and which town you have a good feeling about. I personally live in wake forest and love it, but you can find another person who does not. I have lived in the triangle the majority of my life and moved from cary to wake forest, because I did not love cary-----but that is just me!
I agree with Leigh....to put it in perspective, your question is almost as broad as asking "I'm getting a job in NYC - what's the best suburb for me?" Too many choices! It's a very spread out area with LOTS of options. Give us a budget, must haves (aside from kid friendly and good schools - everyone wants that), maximum commute time, etc.
I would definitely suggest that you use this site's search function.
I suggest you check out Quick Search Results Page for school info, knowing that we have very good schools, but a county-widfe school system so there's well over 100K kids in it - elementary classes routinely in the 23-25 child range. A reasonably wide array of private schools as well.
on living/housing/neighborhoods - you can find whatever you want, in a kid-filled environment, anywhere in the Triangle.
Ditto everyone else. Also, you say you want to live within a certain minutes' distance of Cary...but RTP isn't even in Cary Do you mean you want a certain commute from his office?
If you share your price range and whether you want newer construction (=v. small lot, few trees), well-established (=built in the 80s-90s, larger lots and larger trees), or very well established (=built prior to 1950), it would help. Also, the school issue is crazy right now and no promises can be made within Wake county. In fact, I would recommend Chapel Hill and environs right now so you could get both good private school options and solid public options. Stability will NOT be the code word for Wake county now.
I am might be moving to Raleigh in the next two months and have a similar question. I live in West Palm but grew up in Southwest VA northeast TN so comfortable with both traffic and with long drive times to get to work so not real concerned with distance to work. I am looking for the best locations to start looking and can narrow it down from there. I'm sort of looking to start a free for all with what is the best area and why. Open to anywhere in the triangle.
Key Quality's
Great Schools have a 4 year old and 7 year old so pre-school up
Convenient shopping (i.e. target, costco, sams, grocery and such with in 15 min, malls don't matter)
Considerations
initially renting house or larger appartment sub 2000 mo
Purchase latter sup 400,000
I'm not really sure what my money will rent looking for at least 1800sf 3 bedroom don't really care if apartment or single family house.
Like new construction and very well kept homes less than 20 years old.
I am might be moving to Raleigh in the next two months and have a similar question. I live in West Palm but grew up in Southwest VA northeast TN so comfortable with both traffic and with long drive times to get to work so not real concerned with distance to work. I am looking for the best locations to start looking and can narrow it down from there. I'm sort of looking to start a free for all with what is the best area and why. Open to anywhere in the triangle.
Key Quality's
Great Schools have a 4 year old and 7 year old so pre-school up
Convenient shopping (i.e. target, costco, sams, grocery and such with in 15 min, malls don't matter)
Considerations
initially renting house or larger appartment sub 2000 mo
Purchase latter sup 400,000
I'm not really sure what my money will rent looking for at least 1800sf 3 bedroom don't really care if apartment or single family house.
Like new construction and very well kept homes less than 20 years old.
When you say, RTP, that is an office park. Is he going to work there? Or by saying "RTP" did you really mean to say "the Triangle," which describes the general area?
If you can live 30-45 minutes radius of Cary, why can't you live in Cary? Or Raleigh? Both are quite family friendly.
Your question was broad and confusing, so it is somewhat difficult to answer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denise2012
My husband's job is relocating to RTP in 2012. We can live within a 30-45 min radius of Cary. I would love some opinions/direction regarding the best schools (public and private) in the area. I have also heard there are some immersion programs in Chinese/Spanish in the area... would love more info on which schools offer it. Any links you could share regarding school data/rankings is appreciated. Also, anything else that you would be willing to share... your dream neighborhood... which city is your favorite in NC and why? I have young children, so I would hope to find a street with lots of little friends for my kids. Think Halloween... where are the best places to trick or treat? Best parks? We're hoping this is the last move we will make until we retire... looking for our dream home! I grew up in Fairfield, CT in the 70's/80's and LOVED it. Would love to be able to provide that same Norman Rockwell type environment for my own children. Any information you can provide is appreciated!
I am might be moving to Raleigh in the next two months and have a similar question. I live in West Palm but grew up in Southwest VA northeast TN so comfortable with both traffic and with long drive times to get to work so not real concerned with distance to work. I am looking for the best locations to start looking and can narrow it down from there. I'm sort of looking to start a free for all with what is the best area and why. Open to anywhere in the triangle.
Key Quality's
Great Schools have a 4 year old and 7 year old so pre-school up
Convenient shopping (i.e. target, costco, sams, grocery and such with in 15 min, malls don't matter)
Considerations
initially renting house or larger appartment sub 2000 mo
Purchase latter sup 400,000
I'm not really sure what my money will rent looking for at least 1800sf 3 bedroom don't really care if apartment or single family house.
Like new construction and very well kept homes less than 20 years old.
Thanks
2000/400000 will get you what you seek in Cary, Raleigh, etc...
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Do you mean you want a certain commute from his office?
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