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I am about to be relocated to the RTP area and have been looking at resales and new construction in the areas listed above. I have an office in Cary so that is where I will be communting to but I am thoroughly confused as to where I should live. I have a 6y old, potentially new baby on the way and I have in-laws living with me. I need at least 5000sf and am trying to find the right blend of family neighborhood, great schools and larger enough property (at least 1/2 acre but preferrably 1+ acre) with my own pool and can spend between $700 to $1m.
I am coming from Ct from a larger very private setting but I am making the move for a qaulity of life so I am willing to sacrifice property size and/or square footage. I area of Ct I live in is absolutely beautifulI found a builder I love and was all set to build right past Jordan Lake in Windfall on a 5 acre lot. After drving through some of the other neghborhoods in other towns listed above I now have some serious concerns about whether or not I am making the right choice in moving to Chatham COunty. I also just read an article that Legacy out there just went bankrupt and now I am even more nervous. I truly love the look and feel of Cary but I have not been able to find a newer home large enough for my family with any property at all.
I really like the developments that have alot of families and have plenty of natural trees and privacy. The thought of looking outside and seeing my son playing with the neighborhood kids has a very nice ring to it. I currently live in the land of the play date even though we are part of a development. I cannot stand the wide open McMansion developments and cannot ever see living in one of these areas ever again. My main concern is just cannot seem to find the perfect development or area that allows me the best of both worlds. I also looked in Fuquay at Breckenridge and thought they were nice as well as a few other nice areas in Cary but with smaller lots. I am coming back into town this week to look in N Raliegh. I have also read some nice things about Clayton and Garner.
The bottom line is I am really struggling with the decision of which town to settle in and whether or not to buy a resale or build new. I was also curious to see anyone's thoughts on the real estate market as a whole in RTP and how home prices have been effected. All of my co wrkers seem to have their own opinions but I am looking for any unbiased thoughts on any of the areas listed above understanding that I need to communte to Cary off Tryon rd and Rt 1.
I moved here from Long Island almost 14 years ago, we lived on the North Shore, in the town of Northport. We had a custom home built in the Lochmere sub division, great area to raise kids, mine were in 4th and 6th grade when we moved here. They are now grown adults. The commute from CLayton to Cary, not so good. Garner...not for me. Have you looked on Ten Ten road in Cary, there are many High end homes in that area and for some reason I can't think of the names of the sub divisions. Off of Regency Parkway, and Ederlee, off of Penny Rd. There is Penny Rd School, traditional scedule and Oak Grove which is year round. Here is a link to Zillow that will help you;
Moderator cut: Links to real estate properties are NOT allowed, per the Terms of Service.
The real estate market did stall here, it is picking up, I have seen more new homes sell then the resales, (just what I observe by the real estate signs) But our values did not fall as much as Florida, California, and New York. Not to familar with North Raleigh, Have some friends that live north of 540 but getting to cary would be rough, there is also Preston.
I hope this was helpful. My house in Lochmere would have been perfect for you, 4000 square feet, inground pool, inlaw apartment. Oh well... Maybe you should consider renting? to get a feel for the area.
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Good Luck.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 05-08-2010 at 08:44 PM..
Wake County native here.. Lived in upstate NY (Weschester County) for 4 years of college. Coming from a place where real estate is much more expensive you will find that here in "the south" property is much cheaper. You may actually find a suitable place for 550-800k
I have a few good neighborhood suggestions for ya..
The Jordan Lake area is very nice
Wakefield Plantation is also a good but a bit more pricey choice
Brier Creek Country Club is also nice but larger lots are scarce
The Hamptons at Umpstead is also very nice
If your Job is in Cary, I would tend to focus on properties in Cary or in nearby Apex or Holly Springs. Maybe even Fuquay. A daily Commute to Cary from North Raleigh or Clayton can get tiresome real quick. (I don't know much about the commute from Chatham County, or the schools there). I think you should be able to find what you are looking for in your price range, but will leave recommendations to others with better first hand info. Good Luck!
Please check out Copper Leaf in West Cary. Lots are 1/2 acre+, wooded, gorgeous 5K sf homes. I believe the pricepoint starts high 600s-700s to around 1.1 million. We toured them last year during Parade of Homes and were mesmerized at the homes amenities. All the bells and whistles one could want.
Thanks for the feedback. I have looked at Copperleaf and like the development. I have also looked at some of the developments off of Penny Rd and really like that area as well but it is much harder to find anyt lots with even 1/2 an acre. I liked Rennaisance but the lots were just too small and I really likes Greyhawk landing and as well as Brackenridge estates in Fuquay. As I said I was all set to build in Windfall in Chatham County right past Jordan Lake but the developments in the other areas seem to havee a much nicer sense of "community" and cater more to family with children. I will be coming into RTP this week and looking in North Raleigh and possibly some areas in Wake Forest. Any more feedback would truly be appreciated and thank you. As you can imagine these are big decisions and I want to get as much real information on the areas as I possibly can.
If I had that budget & my office was in Cary I'd also look at Copperleaf or Chapel Hill. You might get a slightly smaller home, but schools are excellent in CH and it has a great vibe. Many areas of CH are easily commutable by access via O'Kelly Chapel to Rt. 751.
Luckily you have a lot of options, but personally I would NOT be looking to add another 25 or 30 minutes each way to my commute by moving to Fuquay or past Jordan Lake.
The part of fuquay where the op is looking is less than 20 min to where they will be working - breckenridge is probably less than 15 minutes - definitely closer to their work than chapel hill is. There's another neighborhood I'd recommend looking at off of hilltop needmore road in fuquay - about 5 min from breckenridge. New construction and beautiful lots - the name escapes me though. I'll look it up and post again. I live a few minutes further and can still get to tryon/rt 1 in under 20 min (albeit during non- peak traffic)
ok- it's called High Grove. I haven't driven back in it recently and am honestly not sure of it's status. I know they started building just before the market tanked. I know there are some builder-owned lots or you can "bring your own builder." the entrance is beautiful and very well maintained.
Last edited by FVmommy; 05-10-2010 at 02:55 PM..
Reason: Found name of development
You are correct on both counts for I have a friend that lives near there and the commute is only 20 min. I looked at bith developments and do like them as well but every time I mention Fuquay to my realtor or co-workers they seem to try to talk me out of buildong there. Any feedback on Fuquay living would be appreciated. Thanks for all of the information
Depending on where in Cary, you could live in North Raleigh or Wake Forest. My friend drives from hwy 98 Wake Forest to Harrison Ave and the commute is 30 mins on average going on 540. North Raleigh between 540 and 98 has some lovely homes, acreage, and next to Falls Lake. I know there are homes there with the land and sq ft you require. The zip is 27614 I believe. Feeder streets would be Creedmoor Rd, Six Forks Rd, Falls of the Neuse Rd. If you go straight up Six Forks and veer right onto Possum Track, there are one or two newish subdivisions on the left. I think they are gated. If I win the lottery, you will see me there
Wakefield Subdivision between Falls Neuse and Capital blvd should also have some similar. It's a lovely family neighborhood with golf course, medical offices, bank, and shopping on site. There are plenty of things for kids to do around there.
Good luck!
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