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Hi, I am moving from Australia to the Triangle to work at RTP and I would appreciate any general information from the people who live there.
I realise these questions are subjective, but it would be good to get different opinions because my knowledge of the area is limited as it is currently based on the information provided on government and tourist websites. Information I was wanting to know (or get your opinion on) was:
1. If I am working at RTP is it best to live at Durham, Raleigh, or Chapel Hill. How far is it to drive and how long in peak hour traffic. Is it possible to ride a push bike - how long would that take? Is there good public transport?
2. Rather than ask what are the good suburbs to live in as this is different for everyone (but please feel free to give your opinion on the good suburbs if you wish!), what are the areas to stay away from as most people tend to agree on this more.
3. Does approx $1000/month get you a decent rental property (2-3 brm unit/apartment/townhouse)?
4. My two young children (primary school age) will be going to school whilst there so any information on good public schools would be appreciated. Any good websites to find out this information?
Any information would be greatly appreciated - TIA
The two bedrooms would be in your price range, but the three might be high. It seems like it is one of the more expensive apartments in the Cary area, but generally you get what you pay for. The school (Carpenter Elementary) is brand new and excellent, but it is year round which not everyone wants. The commute should be reasonable to RTP.
1. If I am working at RTP is it best to live at Durham, Raleigh, or Chapel Hill. How far is it to drive and how long in peak hour traffic. Is it possible to ride a push bike - how long would that take? Is there good public transport?
2. Rather than ask what are the good suburbs to live in as this is different for everyone (but please feel free to give your opinion on the good suburbs if you wish!), what are the areas to stay away from as most people tend to agree on this more.
3. Does approx $1000/month get you a decent rental property (2-3 brm unit/apartment/townhouse)?
4. My two young children (primary school age) will be going to school whilst there so any information on good public schools would be appreciated. Any good websites to find out this information?
Best blend of proximity to RTP (within biking distance), decent schools, $1000/month rent would be Southwest Durham, around the Woodcroft area in the Jordan high school school district. Puts you about 4-8 miles from most businesses in the RTP, several routes of access. Public transportation in the triangle, outside of chapel hill, is poor.
Working in RTP I think that your best choices will be Raleigh or Chapell Hill. I think that you can find a 2 bedroom for about $1000 per month. Now, the city of Cary is definitely known for great schools and Cary is also more trendy. But Raleigh also has great schools. If you want to learn more about Raleigh, Chapell Hill or Cary,
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 10-03-2007 at 04:27 PM..
Reason: Realtor solicitaton
1. If I am working at RTP is it best to live at Durham, Raleigh, or Chapel Hill. How far is it to drive and how long in peak hour traffic. Is it possible to ride a push bike - how long would that take? Is there good public transport?
Any of these areas will provide a reasonable commute to work. There may be a few communities that are close enough for riding your bike to work, but the vast majority will require a car for commuting. There is some public transportation available, but it is not great. However, it is possible to use public transportation to get to work. It tends to take longer than driving, though - up to twice as long once all the bus transfers are factored in.
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2. Rather than ask what are the good suburbs to live in as this is different for everyone (but please feel free to give your opinion on the good suburbs if you wish!), what are the areas to stay away from as most people tend to agree on this more.
That depends on what you are looking for. For some, an urban environment is a must-have. For others, suburbia equals nirvana.
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3. Does approx $1000/month get you a decent rental property (2-3 brm unit/apartment/townhouse)?
Its been way too long since I've rented, but I think you can get a 2 bedroom apartment in that price range that is both in a good area as well as convenient to RTP. It is probably best to try to narrow down the area in which you are interested and then find a good apartment in your price range. Others who are renting will be able to provide better feedback, though.
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4. My two young children (primary school age) will be going to school whilst there so any information on good public schools would be appreciated. Any good websites to find out this information?
Much of RTP has good schools. Many feel the Chapel Hill/Carboro school system is the best in the area. Wake County has generally good schools across the board. However, there is some growth issues in Wake County that has led to frequent school reassignment and busing. Durham has more of a mixed bag - there are some good schools, and some that are not quite as good.
Good luck with the move! My husband and I will soon be moving to Raleigh in November. I am interested to know about what type of work you will be doing and if you are transferring within a company or if this is a brand new venture? This is because I will be looking (and have been) for myself in my field of accounting. So I'm interested in your success story
Hi, AussieGirl - good to hear that other Aussies are moving to the area. In case you haven't checked, I sent you a direct message if you wish to chat about the move.
You should try and visit your daughter in Australia to find out for yourself why she loves it so much!!
One reason might be because there is only just over 20 million residents and the continent is about the size of the US, however much of the area is non-liveable due to the dry hot outback. So most of the population lives in reasonably large cities (approx 1-3 million) along the coast line. It is very laid back and the weather is usually hot summers and mild winters (for most of the country...not way down south though). Australian's love the outdoors as the coastline has great beaches and inland there are great mountain ranges, deserts, and rain forests.
1. If I am working at RTP is it best to live at Durham, Raleigh, or Chapel Hill. How far is it to drive and how long in peak hour traffic. Is it possible to ride a push bike - how long would that take? Is there good public transport?
If you want to live as close to RTP as possible, you'd want to live in southern Durham or Morrisville. Some places on the western side of Cary could be good for you, too. You could easily get to work in 10 or 15 minutes (by car) from many neighborhoods there. Most people find that the public transportation system here isn't very convenient. You pretty much have to have a car.
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2. Rather than ask what are the good suburbs to live in as this is different for everyone (but please feel free to give your opinion on the good suburbs if you wish!), what are the areas to stay away from as most people tend to agree on this more.
This is a VERY general statement, but most people tell new-comers to avoid south-east Raleigh and east-central Durham. There are some decent neigborhoods to be found in both areas, I'm sure, but it's better to get to know the area first & learn where those spots are.
All of the suburbs around the Triangle seem to be fairly safe & quiet. What makes one better than another is all up to personal preference.
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3. Does approx $1000/month get you a decent rental property (2-3 brm unit/apartment/townhouse)?
I think you should be able to find something for that price. I have friends who are renting apartments in Cary and Morrisville. Both have 2 bedroom apartments & I think both pay less than $1K a month.
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4. My two young children (primary school age) will be going to school whilst there so any information on good public schools would be appreciated. Any good websites to find out this information?
Most of the public schools here are set up on county-wide systems: Wake County, Durham County, Johnston County, etc. The only exception to this rule is the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school system. Although located in Orange County, it is seperate from the Orange County school system.
The quality of the school systems within the Triangle is an extraordinarily popular (and controversial) topic. Dozens of threads have been created to discuss them. I suggest you use this forum's search function to find those threads. You'll get a wide variety of opinions so I'm afraid it may be a confusing task, but at least the opinions you get will be honest. You will find people from every school district who love what their children's schools have to offer. You will also find people who are frustrated with their children's schools.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
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