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Two years later I sold it and moved to (omg) SW Cary, where I am surrounded by nature, greenways, and lots of trees & wildlife. I've taken advantage of numerous classes offered by the town and in general have really enjoyed living here.
I've lived over near West Cary for years and am now next to Downtown Cary and there's such a big difference between living in a modern HOA neighborhood over there and living over here in a 50 year old house on a large lot with mature trees where we can walk to restaurants and shops and the art center,etc.. It's a large town and nothing is one size fits all. People seem to realize that the Raleigh experience can be very different depending on where you live (for instance downtown vs. five points vs north hills vs bedford. all very different vibes). For some reason they tend to dismiss Cary as beige/HOA, but, say, inside the Maynard loop and west of 55 are very, very different.
Things are changing fast over here though with downtown development and Ikea/Fenton/Cary Town, so who knows what things will like in a decade or two.
While my neck of the woods tends to be older split levels, there are a handful of homes sprinkled here and there that have a MCM vibe. Some of the split levels would also probably lend themselves to architectural changes to make them more of a MCM feel, too.
Well, maybe teddy can clarify, but I took his comments here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by teddy_clark
Boone was by far the best place I have ever lived lifestyle and people-wise, but I hate the cold so not a good long-term fit.
Been in Charlotte far too long and now upcoming job transfer to New Hill area. Thank God I'm leaving Charlotte. The tract house monotony is giving me anxiety. Seriously just the sight of all those decimated trees and cube-farm homes makes me want to die. There is absolutely no charm here what-so-ever.
to mean that he would prefer some place more like Boone than like Charlotte. Cary is much more like Charlotte than it is like Boone.
This part right here describes Pittsboro and Carrboro, but I would stick with Pittsboro since it is closer to New Hill and would give a better commute. I would suggest the south side of Pittsboro for commuting ease.
Quote:
Originally Posted by teddy_clark
LOVE:
- short commute to New Hill (less than 30 minutes during rush hour) yes for Pittsboro, commute would be about 20 minutes.
- alternative education (i.e. homeschool co-ops; montessori) yes, lots of homeschoolers around Chatham County, Montessori charter school (Willow Oak)
- mid-century modern homes/neighborhoods there are some, more older architecture/farmhouse type
- mature landscaping beautiful mature landscaping
- parks/nature great parks, check out Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park. It's got fantastic tree trunk play structures: Benefits of Unstructured Play
Of course Jordan Lake (tons of bald eagles and ospreys) is right at Pittsboro as is the Haw River (very popular kayaking spot)
- small scale vegetable gardening (currently making it work on the typical postage stamp lot but would love to expand) Great place for local food. There is just an awesome local food movement in Chatham. Tons of local and organic farms. Check out the Abundance Foundation.
- home 2000 square feet OR LESS (aspiring minimalist). Currently in 1600 sq. ft. and it's too much but of course lay-out has a lot to do with that. Tiny house friendly
- neighborhood one could walk in for exercise (would much rather walk outside every evening and hear the birds than bore myself on some gym equipment. This is a significant activity for our family, a ritual we partake in daily and significantly increases our happiness, health, and bond. And it's free!!!) definitely not a problem in Pittsboro
- Running into similarly educated people (Master's degree) every now and then (not required because we value all paths, but it is nice to meet people every now and then that understand your references. Lots of folks associated with UNC live in Chatham. Chapel Hill and Carrboro have one of the highest populations with advanced degrees in the country. Some of that bleeds over into Chatham, but it's more Boone-like in that there is still a strong rural element in Chatham Co.
If we aren't working, we're taking our small child to the library/museum, hiking trail, biking, scuba diving, kayaking, gardening. We tend to eat at home and spend as much time outdoors as possible. There's a nice library in Chatham, lots of hiking, I guess maybe you could scuba dive in Jordan Lake, but I don't know anything about that—anywhere in the Triangle will be closer to the coast than Charlotte, thoguh, plenty of opportunities for kayaking and gardening
I just really don't see Cary as giving Teddy what he's asking for. I have no problem with Cary if it's what folks want, but it really sounds like it's exactly like what Teddy doesn't want. No slag on Cary, but it's NOT what he's asking for. There is mature landscaping in parts of Cary, sure. There is also mature landscaping in parts of Charlotte. He hates Charlotte and wants some place very different. Cary is not very different from many parts of Charlotte.
Boone and Pittsboro share many similarities. I would recommend Hillsborough or Chapel Hill/Carrboro due to Chatham Park coming in, but the commute would be longer. I think if you stay south and west of Chatham Park there will still be plenty of rural Pittsboro/hippie flavor like you find in Boone. (Again, a reminder, we have a house in Boone. We also have a house in Chapel Hill and my spouse grew up in Charlotte and all the in-laws live there so I am very familiar with Teddy's references.)
I personally think there's some bad advice in this thread, and it's important to remember that some posters may have preference to a certain area for various reasons.
Downtown Cary is changing for sure, but someone living in Downtown Cary is not going to live in a Downtown Cary bubble where they will never have to leave. You don't need to go far outside of Downtown Cary or the Maynard Loop in order for it to become exactly what the OP doesn't want. Also it's inevitable that those older parts of Cary will be redeveloped at some point.
I personally think there's some bad advice in this thread, and it's important to remember that some posters may have preference to a certain area for various reasons.
Downtown Cary is changing for sure, but someone living in Downtown Cary is not going to live in a Downtown Cary bubble where they will never have to leave. You don't need to go far outside of Downtown Cary or the Maynard Loop in order for it to become exactly what the OP doesn't want. Also it's inevitable that those older parts of Cary will be redeveloped at some point.
"...at some point?"
Before Mr. Goodnight is done transforming Pittsboro?
I dunno bout that.
There is no "bubble" anywhere.
Just some interesting opportunities that should be presented with an open mind.
I personally think there's some bad advice in this thread, and it's important to remember that some posters may have preference to a certain area for various reasons.
Downtown Cary is changing for sure, but someone living in Downtown Cary is not going to live in a Downtown Cary bubble where they will never have to leave. You don't need to go far outside of Downtown Cary or the Maynard Loop in order for it to become exactly what the OP doesn't want. Also it's inevitable that those older parts of Cary will be redeveloped at some point.
He's going to see it no matter where he lands...he's driving to New Hill every day. BOOMTOWN incoming!! It's a bit ridiculous to think you'll never have to drive by housing styles you don't like in your everyday life. I mean seriously, unless he DOES plan to live in a bubble, do we really think he's never going to have to visit a McMansion? Do we think he believes his kids will never be-friend the kids of John and Shannon in McWestminster Oaks at the Estates? Kids here tend to have friends all over the area (one of the things I love about living here...)If he DOES believe that he shouldn't be a homeowner, especially if he doesn't want to live in an HOA where he has ZERO CONTROL over what gets built around him. Nor does he control what gets developed in an area like Pittsboro which we've already visited in this thread. There's a lot of stuff in his OP that he just threw out there and it's caused him more problems than it solved here in this thread. We all probably don't have to be so damn literal about everything he said. A little guidance is likely what he was after, not a bunch of strangers to plan and run his life.
He's going to see it no matter where he lands...he's driving to New Hill every day. BOOMTOWN incoming!! It's a bit ridiculous to think you'll never have to drive by housing styles you don't like in your everyday life. I mean seriously, unless he DOES plan to live in a bubble, do we really think he's never going to have to visit a McMansion? Does we think he believes his kids will never be-friend the kids of John and Shannon in McWestminster Oaks at the Estates? Kids here tend to have friends all over the area (one of the things I love about living here...)There's a lot of stuff in his OP that he just threw out there and it's caused him more problems than it solved here in this thread. We all probably don't have to be so damn literal about everything he said. A little guidance is likely what he was after, not a bunch of strangers to plan and run his life.
I personally think there's some bad advice in this thread, and it's important to remember that some posters may have preference to a certain area for various reasons.
Downtown Cary is changing for sure, but someone living in Downtown Cary is not going to live in a Downtown Cary bubble where they will never have to leave. You don't need to go far outside of Downtown Cary or the Maynard Loop in order for it to become exactly what the OP doesn't want. Also it's inevitable that those older parts of Cary will be redeveloped at some point.
To be perfectly fair, there's NOWHERE in the Triangle that doesn't have some of what the OP doesn't want if he drives a little bit outside the neighborhood/area that he chooses to live in.
Every quaint little place around here is just down the street from an HOA neighborhood and/or tract housing, big box retailers, chains, etc.
The larger issue is whether or not an area near his home appeals to him and gives him access to the things he wants to drive to within a reasonable amount of time (which he knows and we do not, except the commute to New Hill).
There is no special force field around any place that protects it and while I agree that nothing here ticks off all his boxes, the one thing that makes me pause about Pittsboro is that it will undergo a dramatic transformation in the coming years. Settling on someplace that's already developed nearby it, be it in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, or Carrboro would shield (to a certain extent) against the OP winding up in some sort of planned, suburban hell that did not exist prior to his home choice.
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