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Most people come to the Triangle to avoid that lifestyle, people around here would rather drive to work than take the bus/train, so in terms of behavior it's kind of ironic that they are supporting that in the future by buying big homes on small lots.
Citation needed. I don't buy that argument. I don't think the majority of people here, especially people in the RTP / downtowns want to drive. I'd love to avoid my commute by taking a train, doing pre-work on the way to work.
Younger generations also are increasingly of this mindset.
Member of that younger generation here! I agree with the above, and especially with what Bull City Rising said (cd won't let me rep you again). I moved here for one reason only, and that was a good job in my field.
I would prefer to live in a dense, walkable community with easy access to services, stores, entertainment, and restaurants. I'd love to not have to drive everywhere, and I really enjoy the type of vibrancy that comes with that sort of development.
The "market" (since someone else brought it up) agrees. After the housing bubble burst, the inner ring suburbs near transit, services, and urban cores retained their value much more than sprawled out subdivisions. People (mostly people my age) are choosing denser housing, and moving back into city centers in droves. As are jobs, entertainment, etc.
Not to say that suburbs are dead. Everyone appreciates greenery and space. Just that the suburbs of the future will likely be more dense, and vibrant than the Pleasantvilles of the past. And tbh, that denser model is much better from an environmental standpoint, an economic one, and by some measures quality of life (more walking/cycling=better health, and more opportunities to socialize and build community, rather than walling yourself off).
the inner ring suburbs near transit, services, and urban cores retained their value much more than sprawled out subdivisions
There's no doubt that ITB recovered quickest. One can argue why, however. Lifestyle preference might be the answer. But another possible answer is simply supply... there is a nearly-fixed supply of housing ITB, whereas construction OTB has continued. It's also true that there were fewer foreclosures ITB and therefore fewer properties that were dumped onto the market in 2009. To some extent this reflects the income streams of ITB which are more driven by public sector jobs like NCSU.
Note that values also increased in western Wake (Apex, Cary, Morrisville, and Holly Springs) which is classic suburbia.
Not to say that suburbs are dead. Everyone appreciates greenery and space. Just that the suburbs of the future will likely be more dense, and vibrant than the Pleasantvilles of the past. And tbh, that denser model is much better from an environmental standpoint, an economic one, and by some measures quality of life (more walking/cycling=better health, and more opportunities to socialize and build community, rather than walling yourself off).
Can you explain to me how a dense suburb like Cary (pop 150k+) is better for the environment than a suburb of say, 30k. I can assure you that very few people in Cary are walking anywhere, even if where they want to go is within a walkable distance.
I'm not trying to argue here, I'm really trying to get the other side of the story. People keep pulling the environment card, and I just don't see how a suburb of Cary's size is helping the environment in any way. Yet dense neighborhood after dense neighborhood keeps getting built.
Member of that younger generation here! I agree with the above, and especially with what Bull City Rising said (cd won't let me rep you again). I moved here for one reason only, and that was a good job in my field.
I would prefer to live in a dense, walkable community with easy access to services, stores, entertainment, and restaurants. I'd love to not have to drive everywhere, and I really enjoy the type of vibrancy that comes with that sort of development.
The "market" (since someone else brought it up) agrees. After the housing bubble burst, the inner ring suburbs near transit, services, and urban cores retained their value much more than sprawled out subdivisions. People (mostly people my age) are choosing denser housing, and moving back into city centers in droves. As are jobs, entertainment, etc.
Not to say that suburbs are dead. Everyone appreciates greenery and space. Just that the suburbs of the future will likely be more dense, and vibrant than the Pleasantvilles of the past. And tbh, that denser model is much better from an environmental standpoint, an economic one, and by some measures quality of life (more walking/cycling=better health, and more opportunities to socialize and build community, rather than walling yourself off).
"Millenial" here too. I agree with all of this. I think Durham/Chapel Hill and ITB/North Hills are the few select places in the Triangle where this market exists. Western Wake will probably never really be that way. The reality is because even though these denser, more walkable areas in the Triangle are way more popular for people our age; the suburban family dynamic definitely exists and thrives in these "hip" areas to.... just not in the overwhelmingly dominant caliber it does in Cary/Apex/HS and mostly (with a causality relationship) at a higher $ premium . I think most people who choose to live in Western Wake do so for that more homogeneous suburban dynamic that holds it's own there.
Would I rule out moving back to Apex when a wife and kids come along? Definitely not (I would rule out Cary..sorry Cary). But for right now I'm definitely happier in the more dynamic Chapel Hill-Carrboro young professional set.
Member of that younger generation here! I agree with the above, and especially with what Bull City Rising said (cd won't let me rep you again). I moved here for one reason only, and that was a good job in my field.
I would prefer to live in a dense, walkable community with easy access to services, stores, entertainment, and restaurants. I'd love to not have to drive everywhere, and I really enjoy the type of vibrancy that comes with that sort of development.
The "market" (since someone else brought it up) agrees. After the housing bubble burst, the inner ring suburbs near transit, services, and urban cores retained their value much more than sprawled out subdivisions. People (mostly people my age) are choosing denser housing, and moving back into city centers in droves. As are jobs, entertainment, etc.
Not to say that suburbs are dead. Everyone appreciates greenery and space. Just that the suburbs of the future will likely be more dense, and vibrant than the Pleasantvilles of the past. And tbh, that denser model is much better from an environmental standpoint, an economic one, and by some measures quality of life (more walking/cycling=better health, and more opportunities to socialize and build community, rather than walling yourself off).
I'd just like to point out that by the time you hit 28, you start to see them move out to the burbs again, because babies.
And, there are more of my parents generation that is moving into denser housing, for the same reason that SINKS and DINKS like to live closer in.
Citation needed. I don't buy that argument. I don't think the majority of people here, especially people in the RTP / downtowns want to drive. I'd love to avoid my commute by taking a train, doing pre-work on the way to work.
Younger generations also are increasingly of this mindset.
If you can get some work done in this environment, then have at it:
The under 30 crowd likes to live within walking to bars and restaurants because it makes getting plastered and hooking up easier due to tighter drunk driving laws.
When we moved here in 2007, we chose a larger home on a very small lot outside the outer ring. We had two tweens and wanted them to have green spaces to play and to be close to friends. We did not want a big yard of our own to maintain.
Now that they are in college, we have sold that house and bought a place downtown. We are Gen Xers who want no external personal space and to be able to walk as many places as possible. I grew up in a very rural area with acres of space, and I always wanted to be able to walk to shop and eat. (not so much on the getting drunk and hooking up - been married for 25 years)
What has amazed me the most about this thread is the inability of some posters to even imagine how someone else could want a home with different characteristics than those the poster would choose. Why is it so hard to understand that we all value different things in housing?
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