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My wife and I are getting ready to put our house on the market outside of Washington DC, and hopefully will be relocated down to Raleigh/Cary area within the next 4 months. Does anybody have any comments about either Harmony Point or West Lake communities in Cary? Both look pretty nice, my main concern is how the commute is from either of them to RTP, and how backed up if at all does Rt 55 get? We are looking at various new construction communities in the area if anybody has any suggestions of others we should look into. Thanks in advance for the info
I looked at Harmony and wasn't crazy about the lot positions as far as drainage and easements and stuff like that. You might also want to look into how close the new I-540 is going to be to there.
We stopped by WestLake to take a quick look. It's listed as being in Cary, but it's actually just outside of Cary (you pass the City Limits sign just before hitting the SD). So I guess that would put it right into Holly Springs? Our realtor said that it would likely be 30+mins from there to RTP.
There was also another SD just down the street, The Parks at Westlake. Very nice homes, nice neighborhood. I think they're about the same price range. I believe they have several different builders at the park, while the builder at WestLake is DR Horton.
Oh yeah, there's a new Middle School right across the street, so not sure about the noise and traffic (cars, busses, pedestrians) during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-ups.
We stopped by WestLake to take a quick look. It's listed as being in Cary, but it's actually just outside of Cary (you pass the City Limits sign just before hitting the SD). So I guess that would put it right into Holly Springs? Our realtor said that it would likely be 30+mins from there to RTP.
There was also another SD just down the street, The Parks at Westlake. Very nice homes, nice neighborhood. I think they're about the same price range. I believe they have several different builders at the park, while the builder at WestLake is DR Horton.
Oh yeah, there's a new Middle School right across the street, so not sure about the noise and traffic (cars, busses, pedestrians) during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-ups.
I helped some people buy a house at the park at westlake, you are right, there are a number of builders in the community. He works from home, so the commute thing wasn't an issue. I used to live close to that area, near the intersection of ten ten and kildaire farm road. We moved because of the rtp commute (my husband works off of miami) with no traffic it was about 30 minutes for us (so add some if you are at the park at westlake). It was something like 22 miles. Now, in traffic with him trying to go back ways to avoid traffic, it was more like 45 to an hour. We moved from there 2 years ago (to wake forest) and we had been in the house 4 years, it got worse every year.
Of course, that is our experience. So, when I was out at the park at westlake, it is actually considered cary, but there is some confusion! It is going to be annexed into cary, and the homeowner's are suppose to have cary recycling and trash service, but they don't right now, they have shaw sanitation. Not a big deal, but it has caused some confusion for some homeowner's living there. All will be worked out when the annexation takes place. The other issue at the park is that it backs up to a water treatment facility, which hasn't seemed to deter homeowners, but something you may want to investigate.
...I used to live close to that area, near the intersection of ten ten and kildaire farm road. We moved because of the rtp commute (my husband works off of miami) with no traffic it was about 30 minutes for us (so add some if you are at the park at westlake). It was something like 22 miles. Now, in traffic with him trying to go back ways to avoid traffic, it was more like 45 to an hour. We moved from there 2 years ago (to wake forest) and we had been in the house 4 years, it got worse every year.
Leigh
So what's your husband's commute to RTP (from Wake Forest) like now? What route does he take? I'm curious because (if/when we move to the area) my wife would be looking at employment at the VA Hospital in Durham, which is near the Duke hospital/campus. We *think* areas like South Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Clayton, Knightdale and Wake Forest may be too far out for her desired commute to work (30 mins or less). That puts us into the more pricey parts of Wake County and Durham.
So what's your husband's commute to RTP (from Wake Forest) like now? What route does he take? I'm curious because (if/when we move to the area) my wife would be looking at employment at the VA Hospital in Durham, which is near the Duke hospital/campus. We *think* areas like South Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Clayton, Knightdale and Wake Forest may be too far out for her desired commute to work (30 mins or less). That puts us into the more pricey parts of Wake County and Durham.
Right now, we live on the west side of wake forest, it takes him 30 minutes, he goes back roads, doesn't use 540. Generally goes 98, to olde creedmoor, to carpenter pond..........from our house to the VA is about 40 minutes. There are two way to go from our house, 98 or back roads to 85 then south on 85.
Now these times are only true from our side of town (which is why we chose this side).
So what's your husband's commute to RTP (from Wake Forest) like now? What route does he take? I'm curious because (if/when we move to the area) my wife would be looking at employment at the VA Hospital in Durham, which is near the Duke hospital/campus. We *think* areas like South Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Clayton, Knightdale and Wake Forest may be too far out for her desired commute to work (30 mins or less). That puts us into the more pricey parts of Wake County and Durham.
I work at the VA Hospital. Currently, my commute is about 15-20 mins (depending on traffic) from the east side of Durham (out Hwy 98 toward Wake Forest). We looked at moving to Cary or Apex thinking the commute would be about 30-40 mins, but that area seems to expensive for us. So then we looked a little further, at Holly Springs and decided it would be too far. We looked at Wake Forest and thought that would be too far also at about 45 mins. Our current plan is to move to Mebane, which is more affordable and we can get a bigger lot, and the commute is only 30 mins, if that, depending on where we go in Mebane. We have a subdivision all picked out there, so now all we have to do is sell our house in Durham before all the lots are sold!
I work at the VA Hospital. Currently, my commute is about 15-20 mins (depending on traffic) from the east side of Durham (out Hwy 98 toward Wake Forest). We looked at moving to Cary or Apex thinking the commute would be about 30-40 mins, but that area seems to expensive for us. So then we looked a little further, at Holly Springs and decided it would be too far. We looked at Wake Forest and thought that would be too far also at about 45 mins. Our current plan is to move to Mebane, which is more affordable and we can get a bigger lot, and the commute is only 30 mins, if that, depending on where we go in Mebane. We have a subdivision all picked out there, so now all we have to do is sell our house in Durham before all the lots are sold!
Do you own or rent in Durham? What area/SD?
Is that one of the *bad* areas of Durham that people keep talking about? Or is it just in the Downtown area? We did drive through some run down parts of Durham while we were house hunting, but I don't think that we really went into the areas where the gangs and drugs are. Our realtor wouldn't do that.
Mainly for the commute, and for the quality of house that we could get for our money, we are considering the SDs in the SW Durham area. Seems a nice enough area. Your thoughts?
Is that one of the *bad* areas of Durham that people keep talking about? Or is it just in the Downtown area? We did drive through some run down parts of Durham while we were house hunting, but I don't think that we really went into the areas where the gangs and drugs are. Our realtor wouldn't do that.
Mainly for the commute, and for the quality of house that we could get for our money, we are considering the SDs in the SW Durham area. Seems a nice enough area. Your thoughts?
Haven't read much on Mebane from this post...
I live in Clayton, off of Hwy 70 and work in RTP (well, Durham at hwy 55 & 54). I leave my house at about 7:30 and it takes me roughly an hour to get to work. The drive on I-40 west wouldnt be so bad if it wouldnt get so congested with the two lane roads in Cary. You sit in traffic for about 10-15 minutes then once you get pass the Cary section, its smooth sailing. So, plan on about a 45 minute commute if you are coming in from Clayton.
I actually looked at moving to Mebane! Its about a 20-30 minute commute to my office, so add another 10-15 minutes for the heart of RTP. (my office is on the outskirts of rtp) I had mixed reviews about Mebane. It was a cross between too much farmland for me and too much of a tourist stop (cracker barrell, some outlet center *I think* along with several other restaurants). Its right off the interstate and traffic looks just as bad coming in from both directions. I drove there after work (5:00 traffic) and was not impressed with heavy congestion. Its right outside the Triad (Greensboro area) so alot of people coming in and out of that area as well.
There are so many nice sections of Durham. I think the rough places are near the downtown area I think. I know the places near Southpointe mall are nice, thats usually where I hang out at during lunch.
Is that one of the *bad* areas of Durham that people keep talking about? Or is it just in the Downtown area? We did drive through some run down parts of Durham while we were house hunting, but I don't think that we really went into the areas where the gangs and drugs are. Our realtor wouldn't do that.
Mainly for the commute, and for the quality of house that we could get for our money, we are considering the SDs in the SW Durham area. Seems a nice enough area. Your thoughts?
Haven't read much on Mebane from this post...
I own in Durham in a subdivision called Marbrey Landing. It is near the Grove Park golf course, if you know where that is. I don't think it's a "bad" area at all, but it's not the Southpointe area. I haven't experienced any crime or anything like that, it's typical suburban type subdivision living. Quarter-acre lots, houses in the mid-100's basically. (I'm selling, if you're interested! ) The Southpointe area is the "hot" area where most people seem to want to go lately, but IMO that will just make for increased traffic. I don't hit traffic at all on my commute.
Mebane is partly in Orange county and partly in Alamance. Alamance is "Triad" and Orange is "Triangle", but I think people don't really think of Mebane as being really in the Triangle b/c of that. The s/d we liked in Mebane is about 10 miles south of I-85/40 and really feels out in the country. We like that we can get an acre lot, and only have to pay county property taxes there. And then we are 10 mins from all the shopping which is up by the highway. We clocked it by driving after work one day and it was 30 mins from Duke/VA and we didn't really see traffic. I really want to sell my house so I can move there! We also like Efland, which is a tiny town in Orange county between Hillsborough and Mebane, but it is so small and anti-development that there isn't much for sale there.
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Is the commute from WF better than HS/South Cary?
) The Southpointe area is the "hot" area where most people seem to want to go lately, but IMO that will just make for increased traffic. I don't hit traffic at all on my commute. 
We also like Efland, which is a tiny town in Orange county between Hillsborough and Mebane, but it is so small and anti-development that there isn't much for sale there.
