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We have looked at the N.Raleigh, and Wake Forest areas extensively. We were down last week and looked in Holly Springs and Apex but didn't have enough time to explore the way I would have wanted to.
We are moving for a better quality of life for our 3 daughters who will be 18, 8 and 7 when we move. We want to live in a pool community and an area that is very family orientated, that does things, where kids play outside. This is of the most importance.
Please, we will be making our decision in April as we are moving in July, please offer any advice if you love where you live, if you don't, etc.
We live so far away it is hard to know what the real deal is! :-)
We are looking at homes for 250K and open to renting or rent with option to buy.
I think you will get replies from places all over the triangle, which is a really really big place! Most importantly is to narrow your search (for us) in that, do you have a commute to worry about? You would not want to live in fuquay varina if you are working in North Raleigh......Driving from one side of cary to the other can take someone 20 minutes, so it is all relative, get what I mean?
There are just numerous small towns within the triangle and everyone seems to like the one they are in, and they all have great qualities. Most people pick the town they purchase a house in because of: commute to work, amenities in the town, size of home v. price of home, etc.
Within your budget it all depends on what you need in a house, how big, how much land, etc. You will find more acreage in the outer lying areas (north raleigh, wake forest, zebulon, fuquay varina, holly springs, clayton, to name just a few).
For me personally, I live in wake forest and have for 5 years, before that, I lived in cary, and before that, holly springs. The house we are in now is the one we will stay in, and I absolutely love wake forest. I did not love the area of holly springs we were in, but that was many years ago and holly springs has really changed since then, and the commute for my husband from our house in cary was not what he wanted, and after 4 years we moved to wake forest. We moved on the west side of town, less populated, and a better commute for him.
I would definitely try to rent first if possible. It takes at least a year to really get to know the area enough to make a good decision (in my opinion). I am now thankful that the first rental we got did not want to sell it. I was sure the first few weeks of living there that I wanted it to be our first home. After several months of having to drive 15 minutes to go to the park or library, I realized it was NOT what I wanted at all. Take your time getting to know the area.
you need to know where you are going to be working before making a decision on the area you want to be in.
Now, if youre retired or work from home, obviously its not a big deal, but if you are going to have to commute you really need to take that into consideration.
My DH and I went up to Wake Forest for the first time last week. We never looked there because my sister and parents moved here first and live in Cary and Apex and we figured what's the point of living so far from them (althought it is not TERRIBLY far). Anyway - we settled in Cary and after seeing Wake Forest I think we made the right decision FOR US. It just didn't really appeal to me the way I thought it might.
But the areas you mention are all nice, good, safe areas and honestly if you are moving here from SI you will most likely be happy with any of them. It's just a matter of being used to where you land. By that I mean if my DH and I had moved our family to Wake Forest, and liked it, and then drove to Cary one day and looked around, we'd probably be saying we were happy we didn't move there for "whatever" reason.
In many respects you are making a leap of faith, as anyone who voluntarily relocates is doing. Are you coming down in April? If so spend a few days in Apex and Holly Springs and see what you think.
Also - the things you say you want are what anyone raising a family wants. Try to think more specifically. Do you want a 3,4 or 5 BR home? Do you want a certain size property? Do you want a basement? Do you have a favorite store or stores that you like to shop at that you'd like nearby? Do you like to be within 5 minutes of a mall? Do you like to be able to walk to the grocery store, bank, drugstore? These are all things we looked at - we wanted .3 acres or more, my DH loves to walk to do his errands, we did not want new construction but we didn't want formica countertops, etc and so on. That helps narrow things down, and can help this forum help you better.
My advice would be to rent for 6 months to a year close to your job so you can enjoy the area and explore. The Triangle has so many different neighborhoods that it could take months to decide where you like and get a feel for the neighborhoods. I live in Apex and when the weather is 70-75 degrees like it has been latley all the kids are outside playing enjoying the day and is very family orientated. I lived in North Raleigh (Mueirfeild apts. ) when I first moved down and loved the area just not my commmute to work. Being in Apex cut my commute in half as I did not have to take 540 or Falls Neuse-good luck with your move and enjoy this area you won't be disappointed!!!
We are open to renting, but want to at least rent in an area we want to stay in (or at least think we may want to) so that I don't have to pull my kids out of school again.
I have 3 daughters at home, so 3 bedrooms and a bonus or 4 bedrooms without one can work. 2100-1500 sg ft. I don't want formica counter tops either! Honestly we want a pool community and one that is very family orientated. Living and working in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island my whole life, and that is 4 decades, I don't want to be far from anything.....I'm expecting I will have to go though a huge adjustment period.
I work full time in NYC as a public health nurse and my husband is a cop and will be doing a lateral transfer there. I hope to work part time, wanting more of a home life balance there......
Giving up what we know for the unknown because quite honestly, there is just no place left in NY for us to go.
Find a job first. The rest will fall into place beautifully. You can get wonderful advice here if we all know where you'll be working. Helps figure out needs vs. commute time.
I have 3 daughters at home, so 3 bedrooms and a bonus or 4 bedrooms without one can work. 2100-1500 sg ft. I don't want formica counter tops either! Honestly we want a pool community and one that is very family orientated. Living and working in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island my whole life, and that is 4 decades, I don't want to be far from anything.....I'm expecting I will have to go though a huge adjustment period.
I work full time in NYC as a public health nurse and my husband is a cop and will be doing a lateral transfer there. I hope to work part time, wanting more of a home life balance there......
Giving up what we know for the unknown because quite honestly, there is just no place left in NY for us to go.
Thanks all.
Don't turn down a house because of the countertops. It's an easy change. If you don't have cash for it there are options for 0% interest.
If you don't want to be far from anything I don't understand why you are looking in Wake Forest.
I would think North Raleigh, Cary, or Apex near the Beaver Creek area would be a better fit.
Don't turn down a house because of the countertops. It's an easy change. If you don't have cash for it there are options for 0% interest.
If you don't want to be far from anything I don't understand why you are looking in Wake Forest.
I would think North Raleigh, Cary, or Apex near the Beaver Creek area would be a better fit.
Totally agree.
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