Tale of Two Realtors (Cary, Apex: for sale, house, neighborhoods)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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I spoke to two realtors tonight about the prospects for a single family home on a budget of up to $450k. One realtor was optimistic and set up a time to talk. The other repeatedly stated that I would only be able to afford a home with a well and septic tank, and getting anything more than 3 bedrooms on a half acre lot would be very difficult. Why do they sound so different? Who is closer to the truth? (I have no restrictions on where to live in the Triangle, I do not know the area at all. I prefer a neighborhood with good public schools.)
I spoke to two realtors tonight about the prospects for a single family home on a budget of up to $450k. One realtor was optimistic and set up a time to talk. The other repeatedly stated that I would only be able to afford a home with a well and septic tank, and getting anything more than 3 bedrooms on a half acre lot would be very difficult. Why do they sound so different? Who is closer to the truth? (I have no restrictions on where to live in the Triangle, I do not know the area at all. I prefer a neighborhood with good public schools.)
If you can drop your land requirement down to .25 acres, it opens up worlds especially if schools are important. Not that half acres are unheard of, but that extra quarter acre will drop your options considerably.
Go with the first realtor. Or talk to some of the realtors on this board who are likely more knowledgeable than the ones you talked to.
If you can drop your land requirement down to .25 acres, it opens up worlds especially if schools are important. Not that half acres are unheard of, but that extra quarter acre will drop your options considerably.
Go with the first realtor. Or talk to some of the realtors on this board who are likely more knowledgeable than the ones you talked to.
You can get a single family home for your budget no problem (in a good school district) - your land requirement is probably the killer though if you are willing to be more flexible on that.
If I'm not mistaken, would not a .25 acre lot be the sort of environment where we would hear the neighbors' conversations and smell their food? We live on a 0.88 acre lot now and already have these problems. Whenever I've seen the triangle from the airplane window, it did not look as crowded as San Francisco, so what gives?
If I'm not mistaken, would not a .25 acre lot be the sort of environment where we would hear the neighbors' conversations and smell their food? We live on a 0.88 acre lot now and already have these problems. Whenever I've seen the triangle from the airplane window, it did not look as crowded as San Francisco, so what gives?
.25 acre lot is on the large-side for homes in the Triangle....most new construction...even for homes with 3000+ sq ft...is on .15 acre lots max. Land isn't as profitable as it was here 15 years ago so builders generally have to cram as much house onto as little land as possible to stay ahead of the game.
No you don't hear your neighbors on .25 acre lot. On those zero-lot lines they build everyone on now....I'd imagine it's more common.
If you aren't set on new construction (or really anything built after 2005) you should very realistically be able to get a SFH with some "elbow room" in an area of Wake County assigned to "the good schools".
Last edited by TarHeelNick; 12-19-2016 at 07:45 PM..
there are more than 300 homes for sale right now in the triangle MLS that are 4 BR with a .5 acre, can be had for $450K.
The 2nd agent is either not very bright, or heard something in your discussion that made them believe it would be in their best interest not to pursue helping you. The first agent appears to be right, but a really good agent is going to narrow down your criteria a long way beyond what you've shared before getting too excited. Maybe that happens in the first meeting you have. I assume you have been or will be pre-qualified prior to meeting.
there are more than 300 homes for sale right now in the triangle MLS that are 4 BR with a .5 acre, can be had for $450K.
The 2nd agent is either not very bright, or heard something in your discussion that made them believe it would be in their best interest not to pursue helping you. The first agent appears to be right, but a really good agent is going to narrow down your criteria a long way beyond what you've shared before getting too excited. Maybe that happens in the first meeting you have. I assume you have been or will be pre-qualified prior to meeting.
Limit that search to Western Wake's "big dog" high schools (Green Hope, Panther Creek, Apex, Apex-Friendship, Cary, Leesville)...and that number goes down to 13 homes for sale. 9 active, 4 contingent. Granted it's the lowest-listing time of the year.
"Good school district" is pretty subjective; but typically in Triangle-relocator lingo that translates to neighborhoods that feed into those aforementioned Western Wake high schools.
My oldest child is in first grade. We're not sure if we want to move here, it depends on what the area has to offer. Right now, it sounds as if we would have to pay twice as much for half the house. We bought our current home in another state for $190k, 2000 sqft, 0.88 acres, two blocks from both the elementary school and middle school (rated above average).
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