Raleigh Information?

[fasternyou929]

Looks like I'm heading to Sony in RTP for an interview the weekend of the 28th.

From RTP, where would be a good place to have a realtor show me around? Cary? Raleigh? Pros and cons of them? Any other areas I should look at?

Besides real estate, anything else you could recommend I check out while I'm there?

Last, but certainly not least... PLEASE tell me the riding is better out there than in Miami?!

Thanks!
-Dan

[TRaGiK]

Riding here in central NC pretty much sucks. You've got to head atleast 2 hours away to find any GOOD roads.

Otherwise, I can't help you. Sorry.

[ApolloCreed]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Looks like I'm heading to Sony in RTP for an interview the weekend of the 28th.

From RTP, where would be a good place to have a realtor show me around? Cary? Raleigh? Pros and cons of them? Any other areas I should look at?

Good luck on the interview. I know one person who went permanent there, but it was mostly for the commute. You must feel good about it if you're visiting a realtor while you're out here!

Where you want to live depends on what you want. If you want to live near some nightlife, you might check out properties near Glenwood Ave, downtown Raleigh, way inside 440. If you want to settle down with a family, check out Cary. Raleigh is tending to grow Northward and that's why I chose to get a place there. If you want more privacy and/or more value for your money and don't mind a commute, look at areas a bit farther away from the cities, like Fuquay or parts of Wake Forest. Cary and Raleigh are both generally nice places to live. If you're going to work in RTP, you should also consider Morrisville, because the commute will be a lot easier and that will improve resale value, since a lot of well paying high-tech and bio-tech jobs are in RTP.

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Last, but certainly not least... PLEASE tell me the riding is better out there than in Miami?!

Maybe... I don't know anyone who is thrilled about the roads in the area, but there are fun roads just a couple of hours away and of course, there's always deal's gap.

[Haz-Matt]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Looks like I'm heading to Sony in RTP for an interview the weekend of the 28th.

From RTP, where would be a good place to have a realtor show me around? Cary? Raleigh? Pros and cons of them? Any other areas I should look at?

Besides real estate, anything else you could recommend I check out while I'm there?

Last, but certainly not least... PLEASE tell me the riding is better out there than in Miami?!

Thanks!
-Dan

Stay away from Durham. As for places around there, theres a new place in RTP called Davis Park. Really nice. Outtat my price range though lol.
Other than that, Raleigh, Morrisville, Apex, and holly springs are all very close commutes to RTP. I work there as well.

Riding though, unless you like to just commute, youll have to tag along our scheduled rides. Good luck with the interview.

[DirtyBrit]

A good realtor is Dolly Helbert - Remax http://www.dollyhelbert.com/ She has placed tons of people from my work with good houses and is straight talking.

Dont use her partner - Betsy - not good reviews.

Depends if you want suburbs or something with some life.. houses in Apex, Cary, Holly springs - you get more for your money, is close to Raleigh for night life and you get to watch yer neighbors mow their grass on sundays

[sukemecuke]

Unless you feel like spending a shit ton of money on a house for nothing stay away from Raleigh, Cary, and coming soon Apex. Holly Springs is crazy cheap for what you get. Building a house right now in Holly Springs its 3 floors 2800 sq ft with 2 car garage for 246k. House like mine would easily cost in upwards of 400+ in cary and 350+ in Apex. Trust me we looked. Roads here suck, but we make frequent trips to the twisties.

Good luck with Sony if you get it we may have to do lunch sometime. I got a job with Cisco and its literally down the street from ya.

[fasternyou929]

Thanks guys, all great info. so far! So far I'll look in Cary, Morrisville, Apex (what rider wouldn't want to live in a town called Apex?!), Davis Park and Holly Springs.

I'm moving there with my wife and we're looking for a place where we can have a yard (for the pup now, maybe kids in a couple years), has that quiet, secluded feel, but isn't terribly far from city life either.

For housing... can't touch anything for less than $400K down here (and you DON'T want to live there); hoping to find something more options up there. Please keep the info. coming, and hopefully I'll be able to join you all on a few rides this summer!

[Haz-Matt]

if you want a yard, and easy commute, Apex and Holly Springs ftw. Cary is jsut too uppity and rich for my tastes. They dont want you to even own a truck.

[sukemecuke]

Originally Posted by YZFNoob

if you want a yard, and easy commute, Apex and Holly Springs ftw. Cary is jsut too uppity and rich for my tastes. They dont want you to even own a truck.

WERD!! However even the new housing developments in Apex are getting plain nuts. I think I saw a new one that started at 600k+. If you want a yard you can pretty much rule out cary and 90% of Apex.

Oh so what do you do for Sony? Or what would you do?

[ApolloCreed]

Originally Posted by sukemecuke

Unless you feel like spending a shit ton of money on a house for nothing stay away from Raleigh, Cary, and coming soon Apex. Holly Springs is crazy cheap for what you get.

Yeah, there are $250k++ 2000 sq ft condos in downtown Raleigh and $250k 3000 sq ft single family homes 30-40 minutes away. It all comes down to what you are able and willing to spend and what you want. Do you really need to live downtown? Do you really need a short commute? Do you really need 3000 sq ft? Figure out the answers and a realtor will be better able to help you. Basic economics dictates that a thing is worth what people are willing to pay for it. If you can balance value and convenience, I think you'll find a more liquid (easier to turn over) property. Of course, it's your money to do with what you want. Buy the home you want and be happy.

[JMGDucati]

Originally Posted by ApolloCreed

Yeah, there are $250k++ 2000 sq ft condos in downtown Raleigh and $250k 3000 sq ft single family homes 30-40 minutes away. It all comes down to what you are able and willing to spend and what you want. Do you really need to live downtown? Do you really need a short commute? Do you really need 3000 sq ft? Figure out the answers and a realtor will be better able to help you. Basic economics dictates that a thing is worth what people are willing to pay for it. If you can balance value and convenience, I think you'll find a more liquid (easier to turn over) property. Of course, it's your money to do with what you want. Buy the home you want and be happy.

I couldn't find a 2000 sq ft condo in downtown Raleigh for under $400K. The $250K ones were more like 800 to 1100 sq ft.

I live in a subdivision about 2 miles from your office (in Morrisville) and there are houses for sale here with small but serviceable yards, nice facilities, and decent houses for around $250k to $300k. Less if you're willing to sacrifise some yard and go with a townhouse.

[ApolloCreed]

Originally Posted by JMGDucati

I couldn't find a 2000 sq ft condo in downtown Raleigh for under $400K. The $250K ones were more like 800 to 1100 sq ft.

I was thinking of Hudson Square, but the price may have gone up since I last spoke to them. I expect the price to drop a lot once the RBC tower is built. This ain't what fasternyou wants, though. I wouldn't want it either. I have a dog! There used to be a cheesy downtown dog park just one block away, but now that they are demolishing the block at Davie and Wilmington (YAY! It's mostly ghetto), that's history, too. It's fun to look out the window and watch the demolition, though.

[kazlab67]

If you are intent on raising a family in a nice community look in Cary. Granted the prices are higher here and a lot of the folks can be uppity, there are also established neighborhoods like mine where they don't have Covenants or Homeowners Assoc.'s. and the crime rate is virtually nil. I also have a .25 acre yard and my street is heavily wooded. Very comfortable place to live.
If you are young and single, Cary will most likely bore the hell out of you.

Yes you can go further out and get more bang for your buck, but you also have to consider no zoning laws and what may be an open field today could be anything tommorrow. And you have to deal with ever increasing traffic. Try rolling down Tryon Rd at rush hour...ugh!

[Haz-Matt]

Originally Posted by kazlab67

If you are intent on raising a family in a nice community look in Cary. Granted the prices are higher here and a lot of the folks can be uppity, there are also established neighborhoods like mine where they don't have Covenants or Homeowners Assoc.'s. and the crime rate is virtually nil. I also have a .25 acre yard and my street is heavily wooded. Very comfortable place to live.
If you are young and single, Cary will most likely bore the hell out of you.

Yes you can go further out and get more bang for your buck, but you also have to consider no zoning laws and what may be an open field today could be anything tommorrow. And you have to deal with ever increasing traffic. Try rolling down Tryon Rd at rush hour...ugh!

Try working at 40/540 Emporor Blvd in RTP in rush hour ;P

[Hobert]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

Thanks guys, all great info. so far! So far I'll look in Cary, Morrisville, Apex (what rider wouldn't want to live in a town called Apex?!), Davis Park and Holly Springs.

I'm moving there with my wife