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My husband and I recently moved from Chicago to Cary. We're currently staying with family within the Maynard loop and are looking for a home to buy. We're in our early 30s and plan to have kids within the next few years. Our realtor has taken us to see the new neighborhoods (Cameron Pond and Greystone) but the lots are really small and they don't seem very convenient to my family's home in the Maynard loop or grocery stores, etc. We've looked at Lochmere, but people have said the schools aren't that great, the school districts tend to change quite a bit, and the homes are older. Need help.
Priorities:
#1. Minimum of 0.25 acres where the houses aren't tightly packed together and with a decent-sized backyard where kids could play
#2. Price range up to $400K
#3. Home no older than 10-12 years
#4. Good school district
#5. Kid-friendly, young families with kids
#6. Convenient to my family who live within Maynard loop
#7. Convenient to grocery store, shopping, etc.
#8. Convenient to airport (but doesn't have to be minutes away)
#9. Convenient to highway but not right behind the house (*I believe 540 is going right behind Cameron Pond?)
#10. Friendly, active neighorhood (but still respecting privacy)
"Near Maynard Rd" together with "no older than 10-12 years old" doesn't exist in your price range. That age range generally means western Cary, and then you have the problem of smaller lots, houses packed together, and possibly 540 in your backyard.
I would say pick which one of those priorities are most important to you and drop the other one.
If you can consider the older neighborhoods, you can find everything else on your list.
Look in Braeloch off of Chapel Hill Road and Maynard. I love that neighborhood. It fits all of your points I think except *maybe* the schools are a toss up. BUT...with the new school board stuff going on, things will probably change again. ALso Wimbledon off Kildaire is not that far from the Maynard loop. I love that one too!
Maynard Road runs entirely around Cary - so that covers quite a large area. Unless "Maynard Loop" means something else? Dedratermi is right though - newer houses and larger lots are usually mutually exclusive.
Thanks for the responses so far. Okay, so I need to revise and update my priorities. I was hoping there was a neighborhood that we weren't aware of that fit all the above. Very sad to hear that newer homes are mutually exclusive of larger lots. What if I expand to houses built since 1990?
#3. - Home no older than 20 years
Clarification on what I mean by Maynard Loop:
#6. - Convenient to my family who live off of Maynard Road, near Cary High School
I'd suggest checking out Wellsley . A great established neighborhood off of High House Rd. Home prices range mid to high 300's, about 3000sf, built late 1990's, lots about 1/3 acre. Gorgeous established landscaping/trees. Very convenient to shopping and about 10-15 min. from your family.
I'd suggest checking out Wellsley . A great established neighborhood off of High House Rd. Home prices range mid to high 300's, about 3000sf, built late 1990's, lots about 1/3 acre. Gorgeous established landscaping/trees. Very convenient to shopping and about 10-15 min. from your family.
Pretty neighborhood. Getting to the upper limits of the OP's age requirement, but definitely worth a look. You might find something in Weatherstone in your price range. Again, those homes are probably a bit over 12 years old, but it's a pretty neighborhood w/ a good elementary school essentially in the neighborhood. Highland Oaks (next to Weatherstone) occassionally has resales under $400k, but nothing right now. Bishophs Gate probably starts in the mid $400s, but those are pretty homes with good school assignment and less than 5 years old.
Wellsley is a nice neighborhood, but on the opposite side of town that the OP is interested in (Cary High School).
Take a look at Carriage Woods and Braelock, they are within your revised age range, and very convenient to Cary High School and I-40, although you may find the lot size too small.
If you really want to stay close to Cary High School, your age range is still too limiting, most of that part of Cary was built in the 60's and 70's, with a few areas developed in the mid-80's.
Wellsley is a nice neighborhood, but on the opposite side of town that the OP is interested in (Cary High School).
Take a look at Carriage Woods and Braelock, they are within your revised age range, and very convenient to Cary High School and I-40, although you may find the lot size too small.
If you really want to stay close to Cary High School, your age range is still too limiting, most of that part of Cary was built in the 60's and 70's, with a few areas developed in the mid-80's.
I live right near Wellsley and go to the Galaxy Theater (very close to Cary High) frequently and it takes me 10 minutes to get there. The OP mentioned that she wanted the location to be "convenient" to Maynard, not necessarily within walking distance.
Thanks for suggestion on Wellsley and Weatherstone. From a few listings that I searched in those neighborhoods, the lots sizes seem good and the schools appear to be good too.
Wellsley listings that I found showed schools as Davis Drive (elementary and middle) and Green Hope (high school). Weatherstone listings showed schools as Weatherstone (elementary), West Cary (middle), and Green Hope (high school). I'll have to get my realtor to show us these. Any strong pros/cons for Wellsley vs. Weatherstone?
And yes, we just want to be convenient to family on Maynard...but definitely don't have to walking distance. I just don't want to be 30 minutes away.
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