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I am planning to retire in about 18-24 months, and have in mind moving to the triangle area. I have several friends and close family there, and have asked their advice on neighborhoods to target, but I thought I'd also toss this out to another group. I'm open to house, townhouse or condo, and hoping to keep the purchase price below $300K (I'm hoping well below that figure--closer to $200K). Something with 2 BRs + office and a little piece of outdoors. Low maintenance. Walkable neighborhood with a sense of community.
I'm accustomed to city living, and don't might street noise. Right now, I live where I can walk to everything I need, and would love to keep that, but see very little in the triangle area that really offers that. Some downtown condos might fit the bill, but I'd love the get the monkey of a high condo fee off my back, and the ones I've eyeballed tend to run pretty high in that department.
So, apart from downtown Raleigh, any suggestions? I've looked around Fearrington Village, and rather like it, though the walkability factor is low apart from that one little area. Powell Place looks like it is shaping up into a nice community, and housing prices are pretty reasonable, but it doesn't look like the commercial part of the "mixed use" is going to happen any time soon. Southern Village looks nice, but it does not appear that much comes into the market in my price range. Historic Hillsborough looks exactly right, except the houses that come onto the market tend to have rather large yards, and I'd prefer not to have to maintain all that.
I realize that nothing is perfect, and the "flaws" I've identified with each of the identified areas are not fatal by any means. But I'd love more ideas of places to check out.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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I'm only familiar with Chapel Hill and Carrboro. You might find some older, smaller homes around Carrboro that are walkable to several things. I find Carrboro to be a bit rundown/gritty but if you are located right in the central area there are plenty of things to walk to such as coffee shops, restaurants, the great Farmer's market, the town's community center with classes and other things.
I live in Southern Village and it's much more polished and "faux" than downtown Carrboro but works if you want a walkable place (which is why we moved here). It seems more family-oriented than some other communities, but there are a fair number of retirees here. The condos might be in your price range or there are some 2-bedroom townhouses that might come up in your price range. But things do move quickly in SV and I see messages all the time on our listserv with people wanting to move here.
Another similar option to Southern Village is Meadowmont. That development seems to have a greater range of people - not just families with kids. I don't know the prices there - similar to SV. But those on the Durham County side tend to be cheaper. They have a small "faux" downtown area, too with coffee shops, a Harris Teeters, restaurants, etc.
Hillsborough is a cute downtown, I agree. And housing is very reasonable there. Not sure about the types of properties they have though.
Smaller than Hillsborough is Pittsboro. Downtown is only about two blocks long and outside of the downtown it is quite rural. But it's cute and may be worth a look if you want a small-town feel..
I wish we had paid more attention to the amenities of a community before deciding on our retirement home.
We found a home in your price range in a sweet HOA in Cary. We can walk to the grocery store, a book store, and all sorts of restaurants and shops and are near a busline that will take us to the library, etc. We use the walking trails every day.
But the best part has been the swimming pool. We've met all sorts of neighbors at the pool. Found I love to tread water. Who knew? Unfortunately, our pool is only open for a few months out of the year. Wish we had looked for a community with an indoor pool and year round work out area.
Governors Club is on the only HOA I know of with an indoor pool. Are there others?
Thank you! This is great info. Michgc, I see what you mean about Carrboro, and I've had my eye on it too. Prices there seem a bit higher than most of the rest of the triangle area, but I have seen some fixers come on the market in my range (realtor.com and I have become good friends). I don't think I'd mind a "faux" downtown if it has some vitality, which in my one visit to Southern Village, it seemed to have. But I've only ever lived in a traditional one.
ERH, I'll look into Braddock Park. Thanks.
GotHere, you raise a good point that I hadn't put high on my list, but see that I should. I'm still thinking in terms of someone who spends most of her time at work. I have a feeling that reversing that mindset is going to be a challenge for me.
As it happens, my brother and SIL live in Cary, and have been trying to get me to buy in their neighborhood (we get along extremely well and I count them as good friends in addition to being family). But the houses in their neighborhood are way too big for my desire to keep up, with the corresponding too-high price. But I'd be open to Cary if I could find the kind of community there that I want. There certainly seem to be plenty of places in my price range there.
I have had my eye on Governors Club, and have noticed some condos in my range there. I hadn't realized about the indoor pool. Fearrington's community pool is outdoors, but the Duke Center at Fearrington Village has an indoor one. I haven't been able to find anything about prices online though, so I'm wondering about it. I do love to swim.
Thanks, and I'd love more thoughts. So glad I stumbled on this site!
Most of the triangle is so spread out that it will be hard to get all of what you want in a walkable environment. However, the older areas inside the beltline (i-440) of Raleigh would have much of that if you live near/in Cameron village, Raleigh which is a short free bus ride from downtown where you will find the museums, arts, etc.. You could buy a 2 bedroom townhouse style condo in Cameron village, the yards are taken of, yet open with no fences.
If you want small town feel with amenities and 15 mins to downtown Raleigh, you could check out Knightdale. I have lived all over Raleigh and like that here, we are close to everything but yet have a quiet, safe, well run town.
They are getting ready to start building a couple of nice neighborhoods with homes in various price ranges, including yours. The first one to be built is down the street from me off First Street, Knightdale (just after Smithfield Rd) and is by the folks who built Preston in Cary. It is kind of behind Lowe's Home Improvements and next to the new Knightdale Station Park Town of Knightdale, NC : Knightdale Station which will also have a amphitheater and has trails and a dog park. It is close to the Neuse River and about 15-30 minutes to the Mudcats (baseball) stadium in Zebulon.
Knightdale is 10 minutes from Triangle Town Center mall but also has the usual sporting goods store, Best Buy, Target, etc.. as many as medical offices. We have an independent sports pub that many locals frequent for its great homemade food. While we have lots of open land around us, you also see the downtown Raleigh skyline from many parts of town.
Wendell is building a really nice comunity, Wendell Falls, similar to Heritage in Wake Forest. It's about 7 minutes from Knightdale so you would use knightdale for shopping, restaurants, etc. 15 minutes north of us is Wake Forest. Heritage community is another place to look at. It is quite big and has different sections in different price points. Homes are lovely. They have on site golf, swimming, shopping, etc.
We had intended to buy a townhome when we started looking. Downsizing and all. But we could not find one with a big enough family room and large enough kitchen in our price range. We ended up with a house and a yard. My husband enjoys the yard work and I like to garden, so that worked out well. It's been a boon when the kids come home. They usually stay for a week or so and bring their dogs, significant other, friends... There is no way we could have crammed everyone into any of the townhomes we looked at.
But the real boon has been the privacy it offers us. DH can be watching his endless and tedious football down in the family room while I write or read up in the living room, etc. This has been heaven sent. If we had bought one of those open concept townhomes, I'd be spending my retirement hanging out in the bedroom.
I wish we had looked at Governors Club a little closer. I know nothing about the community, but the location is ideal to get to all sorts of restaurants, etc.
That said, I love Cary. It's a well run community. I was surprised to see the snow plow come down our street not once but several times during the two recent snowstorms. Lived in MN and AK and never saw a snowplow this often.
I'm not sure I am going to like it as much in years to come. Planning is aimed at walkable urban and high density housing.
OP, I would be surprised if you found something at the Governor's Club for $200k. I saw a end unit condo with garage for around $280k. Not sure what the HOA's are. But certainly your $300k range seems to give you options there.
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