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My wife and I have been kicking around the idea of moving from North Raleigh to the western portion of the Triangle. Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and surrounding Orange County areas are all on the table for consideration. I know housing prices can vary widely, and our budget is low and will be a major limiting factor, but where would you look for detached single family houses in that area if your budget was $250K and schools were important to you?
Age of home and size is not a real issue. Suburban and more rural options all up for consideration. Commuting to Chapel Hill and downtown Durham area for work would be likely, but I'm not overly concerned about commute times at this stage in the process. At this point just trying to identify the universe of possible neighborhoods in that price range to investigate further.
Neighborhoods with detached single family homes are the preference, but if somebody had suggestions for townhome communities that fit the bill I would love to hear those recommendations as well.
Are you looking for your children to attend the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system or Orange County instead? That's one consideration for housing costs annually due to the additional taxes that make properties in the former generally more expensive. Also, what other criteria do you need met? I'm assuming with children you'll need at least 2B/2BA. Do you want a garage, a big front and/or back yard, paved driveway or what? Need more information before making a recommendation.
Are you looking for your children to attend the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system or Orange County instead? That's one consideration for housing costs annually due to the additional taxes that make properties in the former generally more expensive. Also, what other criteria do you need met? I'm assuming with children you'll need at least 2B/2BA. Do you want a garage, a big front and/or back yard, paved driveway or what? Need more information before making a recommendation.
I'm purposely trying to keep this simple at this point:
I'm not looking for a particular school system. Just looking for recommendations from people who may be familiar with the schools in that area and where they would look for housing if schools were a factor and their budget is $250K. Is Chapel Hill-Carrboro out all together based on that budget? I'm not sure, but If so where would you look in Orange County.
Similarly, I don't have specific housing criteria in terms of square footage / yard size / number of bathrooms / garage etc. We are flexible on all that and nailing down specifics like that at this stage would only serve to narrow down what I beleive are probably already a slim set of options in our price range.
If you don't care move to Chatham county or south Durham
If I don't care about what? My housing search is in Orange County and the incorporated areas of Chapel Hill or Hillsborough. I'm not looking to move to South Durham or Chatham County (though I'm sure they a just great places).
I'm purposely trying to keep this simple at this point:
I'm not looking for a particular school system. Just looking for recommendations from people who may be familiar with the schools in that area and where they would look for housing if schools were a factor and their budget is $250K. Is Chapel Hill-Carrboro out all together based on that budget? I'm not sure, but If so where would you look in Orange County.
Similarly, I don't have specific housing criteria in terms of square footage / yard size / number of bathrooms / garage etc. We are flexible on all that and nailing down specifics like that at this stage would only serve to narrow down what I beleive are probably already a slim set of options in our price range.
Thanks!
You can find a detached single family home in Chapel Hill-Carroboro City Schools in your budget. It will be under 2000 sq ft, will probably need a lot of updating, and will be off the market within days so you'd need to move quick; but it can be done. If you find one in "the rural buffer" you'll also save a decent amount on property taxes and still be in the coveted CHCCS district. The areas with "Chapel Hill" address that are north CHCCS boundary are considerably closer to the Orange County schools though.
Orange County schools are good. They aren't the "all star status" of CHCCS but they aren't by any stretch "bad".
The one thing to look out for regarding schools would potentially be distance.... if you were to buy a house in SW Orange County; Chapel Hill address but outside of the CHCCS boundaries (neighborhoods like The Trails fall into this category; awesome houses on wooded lots in your price range)...you're kids would be traveling pretty far to school. All of the Orange County Schools are clustered around Hillsborough and Efland.
Hillsborough is a cool little town. If you or your wife would be commuting to downtown Durham; Hillsborough is probably your best option for that.
The townhomes in Waterstone are in that price point, while the single family start above that. New build, just south of downtown Hillsborough near the new UNC hospital, convenient to 40 and 85 for commuting to Durham, or take 86 to Chapel Hill.
Nearby, you can find single family homes in the established neighborhoods of Cornwallis Hills and Beckett's Ridge within your price range.
If I don't care about what? My housing search is in Orange County and the incorporated areas of Chapel Hill or Hillsborough. I'm not looking to move to South Durham or Chatham County (though I'm sure they a just great places).
about schools*
there is no other reason to live in town unless you have some walkability goal
you said schools are a factor but you don't care about being outside CCHS (rural orange county)
I can't honestly say there would be a big difference in schools between south durham and far flung orange county
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