Upscale Single story homes nestled among other mostly single story homes, ~3,000 sf up. Where? (Raleigh: landscaping, neighborhood)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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Got it. I misunderstood, and thought the issue was distance from town, not septic tanks in particular.
I don't think you rule out too much with that, or propane.
Propane is not uncommon, as natural gas expansion in the area only happened in the 1970's, but you should be able to find something that doesn't have propane. I think finding mostly upscale single level homes with the desired lot size comprising most of a neighborhood is more restrictive.
Still, you have several suggestions that could be workable, including building a custom home.
We don't want a huge lot, just generous separation from neighbors and room for the type of house we'd like.
It's very time-consuming comparing communities and amenities within those communities, not just houses.
We don't want a huge lot, just generous separation from neighbors and room for the type of house we'd like.
It's very time-consuming comparing communities and amenities within those communities, not just houses.
Unfortunately, you are going to be stuck with the time-consuming comparisons. Urban areas just do not have builders who give generous amounts of land to single-story homes. Can you imaging asking that question in Northern California??
One last suggestion: River Landing in Wallace. It is a golf course community about 40 miles inland from Wilmington, and a 90-minute drive from Raleigh. Look for estate properties and build a custom home: https://riverlanding.com/properties
Prices are much less than in Raleigh and natural gas and sewer is available. However, avoid lots near water, as the many houses were badly flooded during Hurricane Fran. The Vineyards section is away from water, and you can watch grapes grow from some lots. Try this house on half an acre, 3500 SF, mostly single-story as an example: https://riverlanding.intracoastalrea...8466/100279149
Last edited by goldenage1; 08-16-2021 at 07:39 AM..
We don't want a huge lot, just generous separation from neighbors and room for the type of house we'd like.
It's very time-consuming comparing communities and amenities within those communities, not just houses.
With your "normal-sized (1/3 to 1 1/2 acre, approximately)" in your original post, you are verging into large to huge for city services.
1/3--.5 is not uncommon, particularly in older neighborhoods, but in good locations, old larger lots are being subdivided as teardowns and new builds.
Yup. It will be a quest.
Have you seen housing online that has some appeal, for which you could post links, perhaps ranging from a low threshold to a real dream?
.....Have you seen housing online that has some appeal, for which you could post links, perhaps ranging from a low threshold to a real dream?
Great idea. I don't know if the OP is looking for a modern style, or a very traditional one, for example.
The example she posted on Cricket Court in Landfall was last for sale 3 years ago. She seems to be using PrivateCommunities.com rather than a MLS site, and that may be out of date.
I am in West Cary, just over the Chatham line. I am in a community of 80+ homes, all super large (4500-6500 square feet), except for the area I live in the back of the neighborhood. Ranch houses, 2700-4000 square feet on .33 acre lots that are not heavily wooded. A new builds. My neighbor tried to sell a couple of times. Look up a house on Islesky Drive. 10' ceilings, 3 car garages - these ranches are really gorgeous. Some also have 1.5 story.
Unfortunately, you are going to be stuck with the time-consuming comparisons. Urban areas just do not have builders who give generous amounts of land to single-story homes. Can you imaging asking that question in Northern California??
I live in a suburb in the SF Bay Area and I like suburbs of urban areas, with all the close-in amenities offered, like great library systems that have numerous branches, excellent shopping. performing arts centers, museums, one or more excellent universities, top-notch healthcare. There are lots of suitable houses here, but they cost significantly more for what I want than they do in NC. .
We do have one advantage, and that is that our property taxes are structured such that if you stay in a house for many years, your taxes go up no more than 2% per year, max, after the initial purchase price year. That cap on taxes makes it very easy to plan, and is especially important as one ages.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenage1
One last suggestion: River Landing in Wallace. It is a golf course community about 40 miles inland from Wilmington, and a 90-minute drive from Raleigh. Look for estate properties and build a custom home: https://riverlanding.com/properties
Prices are much less than in Raleigh and natural gas and sewer is available. However, avoid lots near water, as the many houses were badly flooded during Hurricane Fran. The Vineyards section is away from water, and you can watch grapes grow from some lots. Try this house on half an acre, 3500 SF, mostly single-story as an example: https://riverlanding.intracoastalrea...8466/100279149
Thank you. However, the following picture illustrates a style of house which is not at all to my taste:
I am not concerned about legal fireworks, as long as they don't mask the use of illegal fireworks.
NC has the same ban on illegal fireworks as California, from what I have read. What I want to avoid are hours upon hours of constant, illegal bottle rockets, pyrotechnic devices and much, much worse going off in my own residential neighborhood and landing in my yard, and the sense of terror when houses burn due to the actions of the few who do it.
Could you describe the fireworks situation there, Mike?
We enjoy civic displays of fireworks, but not war zone residential "displays."
I am in West Cary, just over the Chatham line. I am in a community of 80+ homes, all super large (4500-6500 square feet), except for the area I live in the back of the neighborhood. Ranch houses, 2700-4000 square feet on .33 acre lots that are not heavily wooded. A new builds. My neighbor tried to sell a couple of times. Look up a house on Islesky Drive. 10' ceilings, 3 car garages - these ranches are really gorgeous. Some also have 1.5 story.
Thank you, but isn't that Apex? And does it matter?
You live in a nice neighborhood, and it looks like good value; however, we don't want a clear cut, bare lot (been there, done that, too old and tired to do it again) and would really prefer pretty, mature landscaping in a more mature neighborhood. A new house in an old neighborhood that we do not need to build ourselves would be great, or a highly renovated older house.
With your "normal-sized (1/3 to 1 1/2 acre, approximately)" in your original post, you are verging into large to huge for city services.
1/3--.5 is not uncommon, particularly in older neighborhoods, but in good locations, old larger lots are being subdivided as teardowns and new builds.
Yup. It will be a quest.
Have you seen housing online that has some appeal, for which you could post links, perhaps ranging from a low threshold to a real dream?
I have created a "dream house" folder that I started years ago, but it's not tailored to your area. It's also not created of links, and I don't want to upload directly.
Could you explain that "subdivided" comment? I don't want to buy next to a lot where the lot itself gets subdivided and or rezoned. If you just mean that someone comes in and tears down an older home and rebuilds a similar house on the same lot, that's fine. But I do not want to live near tall duplexes and you can take a look at davebarne's frequent postings of his neighborhood and his building in Denver, CO to see what I mean.
Are you having the same "infill"/rezoning problems in NC that we are having here, especially in the areas nearest the best amenities?
I am not concerned about legal fireworks, as long as they don't mask the use of illegal fireworks.
NC has the same ban on illegal fireworks as California, from what I have read. What I want to avoid are hours upon hours of constant, illegal bottle rockets, pyrotechnic devices and much, much worse going off in my own residential neighborhood and landing in my yard, and the sense of terror when houses burn due to the actions of the few who do it.
Could you describe the fireworks situation there, Mike?
We enjoy civic displays of fireworks, but not war zone residential "displays."
I'm in Cary and hear fireworks from all directions. Some are fairly minor, but every now and then, someone buys some really nice shells and puts on quite a display.
I have not heard of any actions by HOAs or police to stop them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SFBayBoomer
I have created a "dream house" folder that I started years ago, but it's not tailored to your area. It's also not created of links, and I don't want to upload directly.
Could you explain that "subdivided" comment? I don't want to buy next to a lot where the lot itself gets subdivided and or rezoned. If you just mean that someone comes in and tears down an older home and rebuilds a similar house on the same lot, that's fine. But I do not want to live near tall duplexes and you can take a look at davebarne's frequent postings of his neighborhood and his building in Denver, CO to see what I mean.
Are you having the same "infill"/rezoning problems in NC that we are having here, especially in the areas nearest the best amenities?
We have infill and gentrification, for sure, as in any hot area.
Builder buys a 3/4 acre lot, tears down a house, and splits the lot to build two houses. Or, three houses, if zoning allows. Availability of city water and sewer services makes those smaller lots possible.
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