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Thank you all! As a teacher for the last 18 years, I do tend to focus maybe even a bit too much on schools. I understand how the reports all work, and know that personal experience is the only true measure. My husband has Clayton on his mind, as well as Garner. I'm not very familiar with either, and we intend to check again when we revisit.
As an FYI, Clayton and Apex are about 30 miles apart. Additionally, Clayton is in Johnston County, not Wake County.
Can I ask where you did finally settle? And are you happy?
While we started out our relocation planning in 2006 with the same short list as everyone else, we wound up finding exactly what we wanted in North Raleigh (just west of Creedmoor Road and north of I-540). We now live in an area that can best be compared to Old Brookville (loads of horse farms and large, one acre plus, lot sizes). We kept to our budget of $350k or under and were in an area with well respected schools.
And we are very happy living in the Triangle. There's a slow adjustment curve you'll likely work through in terms of pace and attitude, as well as the challenge of rebuilding a network of people you can rely on and share your lives with. But given enough time and with realistic expectations it eventually materializes. Relocating was the best decision we've made as parents.
Oh, and the schools will be at least fine wherever you wind up moving to, despite all of the "sky is falling" rhetoric.
Thank you all! As a teacher for the last 18 years, I do tend to focus maybe even a bit too much on schools. I understand how the reports all work, and know that personal experience is the only true measure. My husband has Clayton on his mind, as well as Garner. I'm not very familiar with either, and we intend to check again when we revisit.
If your husband is working in Apex, move to Apex or to the Apex side of Cary. You can find both good schools and good neighborhoods without saddling him with a long commute to work.
These areas are also central enough to the rest of the core of the Triangle that if he ever switches jobs, he'll still not be too far from home unless he takes one on the far side of the Triangle area.
The neighborhoods that have been suggested so far are all very good starting points.
Don't be lured by larger houses and less expensive homes that will leave him with a long commute. You do not need a long commute to live here and afford a good home for a family.
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If your husband is working in Apex, move to Apex or to the Apex side of Cary. You can find both good schools and good neighborhoods without saddling him with a long commute to work.
These areas are also central enough to the rest of the core of the Triangle that if he ever switches jobs, he'll still not be too far from home unless he takes one on the far side of the Triangle area.
The neighborhoods that have been suggested so far are all very good starting points.
Don't be lured by larger houses and less expensive homes that will leave him with a long commute. You do not need a long commute to live here and afford a good home for a family.
Yes. Commute time is not quality time, and is often so avoidable.
Thank you all! As a teacher for the last 18 years, I do tend to focus maybe even a bit too much on schools. I understand how the reports all work, and know that personal experience is the only true measure. My husband has Clayton on his mind, as well as Garner. I'm not very familiar with either, and we intend to check again when we revisit.
Don't. There isn't anything wrong with those places, but there is no good reason to have a long commute here.
Yes, I definitely agree about commuting time. What I neglected to mention is that my husband will be working from home at least two or three days a week. He has some friends who recently relocated to Clayton, which is why he wants to look there. I just wanted to get some opinions on the town/county. I'm not sure how far the commute from Clayton to Apex would be, but seeing as he's done an hour and 15 to an hour and 45 minute commute twice a day for the last 20 years, anything shorter than that is a bonus. The research I've done has still. left me not knowing much. All I seem to see/hear is that "Clayton is so up and coming, the next Cary". Whatever that means.
In ten(?) years when the outer loop of I-540 is completed, then Clayton or Garner might be reasonable places to live for a job in Apex. Until then, not so much. While you could live almost anywhere in the Triangle (or lots of places outside of it) and have a commute of less than 1:15, why would you want to do that? One of the big advantages to moving from the dense northeast to the Triangle is a reduction in commuting time for most people. You should take advantage of that. It'll be a lot easier to drive to Clayton to visit your friends (presumably during non-rush-hours most of the time) than to drive from Clayton to Apex every day (or almost every day).
Also, the schools in Apex, Cary and Holly Springs are generally rated better (based on test scores) than the schools in Garner and Clayton. We have two kids in a Garner elementary school and think that the teachers and administrators do a great job. Our kids certainly aren't bored and they're learning. I think you'll find this anywhere in Wake County. But if you want great test scores, stick to the area around Apex.
Yes, I definitely agree about commuting time. What I neglected to mention is that my husband will be working from home at least two or three days a week. He has some friends who recently relocated to Clayton, which is why he wants to look there. I just wanted to get some opinions on the town/county. I'm not sure how far the commute from Clayton to Apex would be, but seeing as he's done an hour and 15 to an hour and 45 minute commute twice a day for the last 20 years, anything shorter than that is a bonus. The research I've done has still. left me not knowing much. All I seem to see/hear is that "Clayton is so up and coming, the next Cary". Whatever that means.
Coming from a person that commuted 1.5 hours each way every day (my house on LI to LIRR and then walked to my office in the city)- I would never go back to anything like that commute. I don't even like doing over the 10-15 minutes I have now. Look in Apex and Cary (close to Apex).
Yes, I definitely agree about commuting time. What I neglected to mention is that my husband will be working from home at least two or three days a week. He has some friends who recently relocated to Clayton, which is why he wants to look there. I just wanted to get some opinions on the town/county. I'm not sure how far the commute from Clayton to Apex would be, but seeing as he's done an hour and 15 to an hour and 45 minute commute twice a day for the last 20 years, anything shorter than that is a bonus. The research I've done has still. left me not knowing much. All I seem to see/hear is that "Clayton is so up and coming, the next Cary". Whatever that means.
Test scores only hold so much merit with me. I have been a teacher for almost 20 years, in presumably one of the best school systems in our country. They are only a small piece of the puzzle. I like Apex very much, and think that we could be happy there. My only issue with settling there is actually finding a home! The housing market, in our price range, is so very competitive. Since we would like our children to start school there in the 2016 school year, I'm afraid what we will have to do is start out with a rental. I have no problem with that, except that I don't want to uproot them more than once when we are finally there. So wherever we were renting would have to be in the exact same area where we ultimately purchase. I realize that is asking for almost the impossible. Since I am completing this school year as a teacher, I don't really have the flexibility to travel back-and-forth, looking for a home. Once June is here, I'm free! But that is just cutting it way too close.
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