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Sorry to bore everyone with another potential relocation thread but I have a unique opportunity presenting itself to me. So, long story stort, I grew up in the Buffalo NY region and then moved out to the Denver metro area about 10+yrs ago. I initially enjoyed the area but I'm a bit over it for an array of reasons: tired of constant wildfire concerns, sick of just dry/dead/brown areas everywhere, super long distance to visit family (nearly all my family resides in the NE region) and honestly, I find the people out here to just not be very welcoming (dont get me wrong, I have a good group of friends but its just an odd vibe with trying to meet other people).
Anywho, back to the topic. I work in the IT field and have worked remote for the last 2+yrs. During that time my company was bought out and then merged with another IT company that is based in Raleigh. So while my job is remote, my company could use the extra set of hands within that area to help with datacenter work due to an upcoming migration project. My boss that lives out that way continues to "pester" me to come out for a visit and see if I would consider the move.
Funny thing, I was initially going to move to Raleigh 10+yrs ago but I was offered a job in Denver so I came out this way due to some more "guaranteed" stability.
Im planning on doing a work trip out there in June for about 5 days to obviously do some work items but also explore some areas. I want to do another trip later summer where, if my initial trip goes smooth, I can then just focus on the relocation part.
Simple quick facts about myself. I'm in my mid 30s and honestly, I really just enjoy having my dogs around. Sounds boring but they go with me everywhere which is one thing I really like about Denver and how dog friendly it is. I live in a suburb southwest of Denver where im about a 10min ride into the an area called Littleton CO which has about 5-8 bars/restaurant combos which is perfect for me. If I want to travel up to Denver (I never really care to but its a nice option) it is about 40mins. All of these things are perfectly fine for me. For a home, I am trying to keep the budget under 450k (I got on the real estate train out here in CO about 8yrs ago so I will have a good amount off the sale of my home here).
My boss has mentioned places like Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner and Knightdale. My realtor I have chatted with has mentioned more North Raleigh since I enjoy the brewery, bar and restaurant scenes and that there are an abundance of parks as well that I can take my dogs to. Im not really concerned with traffic since 99% of my job would be work from home and with how awful Denver traffic is, I think I can managed what Raleigh has.
With that said, is there any recommendation on where a good focus point may be? I planned on traveling to each of these locations while I am out for work but since it might be a shorter trip, I really dont want to waste time in an area that may be more of like a retirement area compared to a more "young professional" area? I've read some reviews that Fuquay Varina is beautiful but it lacks any type of "nightlife" or just overall activity for a younger single individual. Not sure how true that is because while I researched the area, there seems to be a good array of options for food/drinks/parks.
I appreciate any and all of your feedback! Thanks!
I think for what you seek the outlying towns would be fine for you. There's plenty of local scene in Holly Springs and it's growing all the time. Not a fan due to traffic but if you don't need to commute a lot not a worry. Just not sure how far $450K with go in North Raleigh so that recommendation from a realtor is a bit of head scratcher. I think you could also be happy in FV, which promises to be the next town to boom and it's close enough to Holly Springs. Not as familiar with Garner and definitely not familiar with Knightdale but come on out and see what you think. THis area is pretty dog friendly.
I think NC is pretty dog friendly, but I don't think those recommendations from your boss are good for you. North Hills area might be all right, but look at Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham — maybe Pittsboro or Hillsborough, although you will find more 30-somethings in the other towns.
Carrboro and Chapel Hill are two separate towns, but joined at the downtown. Chapel Hill is home to the University of NC so full of young people, not all of them between the ages of 18-22, but a lot of them in that age range close to UNC. Carrboro has some college students too, but also folks of many ages. Chapel Hill/Carrboro is about 40 min from Raleigh, so similar to your Littleton to Denver drive. Good restaurants and breweries and bars in Chapelboro.
Durham is very vibrant, but a bit grittier. Lots going on there. Fantastic restaurant scene. Good breweries, too.
The first question that popped into my head was "about where is the datacenter?", as Raleigh is pretty large geographically. While you may be OK with a longer commute right now, there is no reason to have one if you can avoid it. The distance from, say, Carborro to downtown Raleigh is not a commute I would personally want to make. Likewise, commuting from downtown Raleigh to Chappel Hill isn't something I would look forward to.
Do realize that the housing market here is a bit heated. While a house is listed for, say, $450K, it will go for well above that, with a large non-refundable due diligence. Many houses sell sight unseen, so you have to be ready to pounce if you find something you are really interested in, and even then you might not get it. Your buyer's agent should understand what each looks like for the areas you are considering to buy in.
Sorry to bore everyone with another potential relocation thread but I have a unique opportunity presenting itself to me. So, long story stort, I grew up in the Buffalo NY region and then moved out to the Denver metro area about 10+yrs ago. I initially enjoyed the area but I'm a bit over it for an array of reasons: tired of constant wildfire concerns, sick of just dry/dead/brown areas everywhere, super long distance to visit family (nearly all my family resides in the NE region) and honestly, I find the people out here to just not be very welcoming (dont get me wrong, I have a good group of friends but its just an odd vibe with trying to meet other people).
Anywho, back to the topic. I work in the IT field and have worked remote for the last 2+yrs. During that time my company was bought out and then merged with another IT company that is based in Raleigh. So while my job is remote, my company could use the extra set of hands within that area to help with datacenter work due to an upcoming migration project. My boss that lives out that way continues to "pester" me to come out for a visit and see if I would consider the move.
Funny thing, I was initially going to move to Raleigh 10+yrs ago but I was offered a job in Denver so I came out this way due to some more "guaranteed" stability.
Im planning on doing a work trip out there in June for about 5 days to obviously do some work items but also explore some areas. I want to do another trip later summer where, if my initial trip goes smooth, I can then just focus on the relocation part.
Simple quick facts about myself. I'm in my mid 30s and honestly, I really just enjoy having my dogs around. Sounds boring but they go with me everywhere which is one thing I really like about Denver and how dog friendly it is. I live in a suburb southwest of Denver where im about a 10min ride into the an area called Littleton CO which has about 5-8 bars/restaurant combos which is perfect for me. If I want to travel up to Denver (I never really care to but its a nice option) it is about 40mins. All of these things are perfectly fine for me. For a home, I am trying to keep the budget under 450k (I got on the real estate train out here in CO about 8yrs ago so I will have a good amount off the sale of my home here).
My boss has mentioned places like Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner and Knightdale. My realtor I have chatted with has mentioned more North Raleigh since I enjoy the brewery, bar and restaurant scenes and that there are an abundance of parks as well that I can take my dogs to. Im not really concerned with traffic since 99% of my job would be work from home and with how awful Denver traffic is, I think I can managed what Raleigh has.
With that said, is there any recommendation on where a good focus point may be? I planned on traveling to each of these locations while I am out for work but since it might be a shorter trip, I really dont want to waste time in an area that may be more of like a retirement area compared to a more "young professional" area? I've read some reviews that Fuquay Varina is beautiful but it lacks any type of "nightlife" or just overall activity for a younger single individual. Not sure how true that is because while I researched the area, there seems to be a good array of options for food/drinks/parks.
I appreciate any and all of your feedback! Thanks!
If I had a young friend/relative looking to relocate to this area, I'd simply recommend Raleigh itself as a starting point. I'd say get a 6 month lease on an apartment in Raleigh, preferably close to the downtown area where you would have easy access to meet similar young professional people. There are loads of them there, walking dogs, drinking coffee, socializing at the large number of restaurants, bars and breweries. If not in downtown raleigh, 'midtown raleigh' also provides similar amenities. Look up the 'midtown exchange,' and the opportunities for housing/socializing it will provide very soon.
If you have multiple dogs, the apartment route might be a bit more difficult in which case you could look for a small house to rent in this area.
My only caution about those towns that have been recommended to you, is that although I could be wrong- very wrong- my understanding is that families are concentrated/moving to those towns. I remember long ago when I first bought a house in my youth as a single person- it seemed that most people in that particular, small growing town just outside of raleigh, were young families and very little opportunities existed for me to meet other young single, professional people. I ended up driving all the time to raleigh, and within 2 years, moved there (here). I only mention this because it was a drag buying/selling/moving x2 because I felt I was in the wrong place, although the home was great- just not the location for me. I should have taken more time researching before I committed to that location...
So it might be safer to rent a place first, meet some people, make some friends, get a better sense of your surroundings and then narrow down the areas in which you might want to purchase a home. Who knows- in six months the local housing market might cool off and give you a better entry point.
If I had a young friend/relative looking to relocate to this area, I'd simply recommend Raleigh itself as a starting point. I'd say get a 6 month lease on an apartment in Raleigh, preferably close to the downtown area where you would have easy access to meet similar young professional people. There are loads of them there, walking dogs, drinking coffee, socializing at the large number of restaurants, bars and breweries. If not in downtown raleigh, 'midtown raleigh' also provides similar amenities. Look up the 'midtown exchange,' and the opportunities for housing/socializing it will provide very soon.
If you have multiple dogs, the apartment route might be a bit more difficult in which case you could look for a small house to rent in this area.
My only caution about those towns that have been recommended to you, is that although I could be wrong- very wrong- my understanding is that families are concentrated/moving to those towns. I remember long ago when I first bought a house in my youth as a single person- it seemed that most people in that particular, small growing town just outside of raleigh, were young families and very little opportunities existed for me to meet other young single, professional people. I ended up driving all the time to raleigh, and within 2 years, moved there (here). I only mention this because it was a drag buying/selling/moving x2 because I felt I was in the wrong place, although the home was great- just not the location for me. I should have taken more time researching before I committed to that location...
So it might be safer to rent a place first, meet some people, make some friends, get a better sense of your surroundings and then narrow down the areas in which you might want to purchase a home. Who knows- in six months the local housing market might cool off and give you a better entry point.
Best of luck in your potential relocation !
That is great advice if he is looking to rent. But there is no way he is buying a home ITB for $450K (maybe 3x that price, depending on the location). Don't get me wrong, I love the urban areas in Raleigh and Durham, but they can be expensive. Just something to consider when he is looking around.
The Northclift neighborhood in North Raleigh might be a good fit for you. It has super easy access to the greenway and you’re just down the road from North Hills.
That neighborhood has always been lower priced due to a large number of rentals, but that’s changing.
Thanks everyone for the replies and recommendations! All are being considered!
A question on the datacenter - the new one is going to be placed around Lake Crabtree is what I heard. I don't expect the migration to take more than 2-6 months depending on the amount of assets, Im going to lean closer to a 3ish month process. Most of what I do is Automation style projects so yes, my commute might be horrible for a couple months but after that, I may travel to that datacenter once every 3-7 months.
The apartment idea is interesting. It will be a bit of a longshot since I currently have 2 dogs and 2 cats so if I were to rent, I would likely need to rent a home. Still, it may not be a bad option. I actually may explore doing a long term airbnb for like 2 months since I could work remote and explore the areas then make a move.
Herringbone, you make a very good point as well. The house that I currently live in I absolutely love but the location is surrounded by families and retirees. Don't get me wrong, they are GREAT people and wonderful neighbors but I spend most my time traveling 15-25mins to get to areas that are more in my age. That has been something that has bothered me about my location so thank you for "reminding" me of that.
That is great advice if he is looking to rent. But there is no way he is buying a home ITB for $450K (maybe 3x that price, depending on the location). Don't get me wrong, I love the urban areas in Raleigh and Durham, but they can be expensive. Just something to consider when he is looking around.
Sure, of course, he may not be able to buy ITB, but I recommended it largely as the best place to be to meet what would be his 'peers.' I believe they would be the best cohort to inform him as to locations where he might like to live/buy... they would have the most direct, relevant knowledge.
Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina are known for being very family-friendly. North Raleigh to some extent as well. So presuming you'll be single a little longer and a family-friendly neighborhood is not a priority, I'd look at Durham. The downtown scene is smaller, but growing and a little more "bohemian" (Denver-ish?) than Raleigh although downtown Raleigh is quite a draw for mid-range Millennials as well. Durham may be a bit cheaper, and is more central to Chapel Hill & Carrboro, both which have more "under-40" vibes (but also more college kids). There's also the area known as "Brier Creek" that's right on the border of Raleigh & Durham and VERY close to where your data center is, and as I recall has a fairly good range of housing options, as well as being a mid-sized "commerical hub" with a few shopping centers clustered nearby.
You can go to Google Maps & use Streetview to see the "curb appeal" of everywhere; it's a fun way t "scout out" an area without having to actually drive the area. If you don't want Suburbia, Inc., you probably don't want the southern Wake county towns so much.
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