Great quick overview of the Clayton area!  Clayton is just one of many wonderful towns surrounding the Research Park Triangle area. 

Raleigh Relocation Information Package

Holly Springs NC Makes Top 100 List

One of Five North Carolina Towns and Cities

For the second year in a row, Holly Springs NC has been touted as one of the top 100 places to live in the nation by Relocate America, an online site that connects relocating families and individuals with community resources.

Here's what helped Holly Springs NC make the grade:

- Interviews with local leaders

- Feedback from residents

- Economic, environmental, and education data for the past year

- Employment, housing, and crime data for the past year

Top North Carolina Destinations

Raleigh/Durham made the top 10, and Apex NC and Fayetteville NC were also on the list.

Find out why - Raleigh Relocation Information Package

Holly Springs is ideally located in the southern part of Wake County, and is a prime destination not only for those who work and study in Raleigh, but also for Fort Bragg military families or civilian employees. 

Read More About Holly Springs NC:

 Holly Springs NC Library

 Holly Springs NC Preschools (Half Day)

 You may also be interested in:

Holly Springs New Homes - Communities, Lots and Land

Additional Raleigh New Homes, Lots, and Land

5 Easy Steps to Buying a Lot or Land in the Raleigh Area

Other Available Land and Lots in Communities

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New Homes Raleigh NC - Raleigh Relocation Package

Raleigh NC Noted as Hot Market by Money Magazine

One of Three Markets where Prices Have Risen the Most Over the Past Year

Money Magazine just published a "What $1 Million Can Buy You" article - and named Raleigh, NC as one of the top three markets in the country for rising values.

Does that mean values are overinflated and likely to spiral? 

Well, in 2008 Raleigh saw a 4% appreciation rate.  Not exactly a double digit, "get rich quick" increase. 

But compared to many other markets, the attractions of the Raleigh area (and the fact that prices NEVER saw double digit increases, even at the height of the market) make this one of the best places to live.

Read the Money Magazine article here.

A slow, steady rise in values is a good sign for any homeowner.  And reasonably priced homes are selling quickly. 

Want to see the most recent Raleigh area market reports?

More Raleigh Market Reports 

Raleigh Relocation Package

Raleigh NC Top Place to Move

Still One of the Fastest Growing Regions in the Country

The population of Raleigh NC grew 3% in 2008, to 385,507, according to the Growth Management Division of City Planning.

That's an average of 31 new residents per day adding Raleigh NC to their return address, and enjoying everything the area has to offer.

And that doesn't even take into account new residents of Apex, Cary, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Chatham County, Clayton, Durham, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Willow Springs, and all the other great surrounding cities and towns! 

Raleigh is one of the Top 50 largest cities in the nation, but with plenty of available land, price tags have not seen the double digit acceleration seen in other parts of the country.  This is good news for new and current homeowners - home values have remained steady. 

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

Forbes is pretty good at putting together Top 10 lists. 

Their most recent: America's Top 10 Recession-Proof Cities

Raleigh made the list, along with cities like San Antonio, TX, and nearby neighbor Charlotte, NC.

Here are some of the numbers that made Raleigh jump out as the #5 most recession-resistant city in the nation, according to author Joshua Zumbrun:

Raleigh, N.C.

Median home price: +4%

Unemployment:

4.2% (versus 5.1% national average - and even that is still low compared to the 2002-2004 rates of 5.7-5.9%)

Key growth:

Professional and business Services, +7.4%; education and health, +6%

Where do these numbers come from?

The US Department of Labor continuously measures growth across a multitude of industries.  In the last 12 months, all Raleigh area industries have grown except for a small information sector.  

Zumbrun notes that it's a combination of growth across different sectors of the economy combined with stable home prices that have kept Raleigh very strong.  

Real estate appreciation in the Raleigh area has grown very slowly and steadily, with about 6% per year over the past 5 years, and even last year appreciation in the Triangle was still close to 4%.  This appreciation reflects a continued demand for housing in the area, which in turn reflects a strong job market. 

Nice to see that Raleigh has ranked well on yet another Top 10 List! 

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

If you have a career in a more "unusual" field, you may be in luck in the Raleigh, NC metro area!

I ran into these rankings online, and found it interesting that (in 2006), the Raleigh area had:

• 11.7 times the average metro area jobs for Forensic Science Technicians

Maybe they're employed in the Research Triangle?  It's not like the FBI is based here - that's in Virginia! 

• 10.7 times the average metro number of vocational education teachers in middle school

Hmm.  Are we teaching along a more vocational track in Raleigh?  Read here about the "School to Career" program in Wake County.

• 10.3 times the average number of biochemists and biophysicists

Now that's not a surprise!  Between GlaxoSmithKline, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the US Environmental Protection Agency, BioMarck Pharmaceuticals, and more in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) - this are has one of the nation's highest concentrations of doctorates.

• 6.1 times the average number of insurance appraisers and auto damage

Does this mean we have more accidents here?  Don't think so.  Maybe it's because there are more insurance companies based in Raleigh?

• 5.0 times the average number of environmental engineers

If you've studied environmental science, the Triangle is a great place to be.  And there's also a growing Green Building movement, which has even become a focus at local universities.

• 4.2 times the average number of fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators. 

Between the Carolina Ballet, the North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Theatre, Broadway Series South, the North Carolina Museum of Art, and great ArtWalks sponsored by nearly every town in the Triangle, this doesn't come as that much of a surprise either  

• 3.5 times the average number of network systems and data communications analysts

Raleigh and the Triangle has been called the "Silicon Valley of the East".  Lots of great companies like SAS Technologies, Red Hat, IBM, and Cisco Systems are located here. 

Some of these numbers are surprising, and some not so much.  But chances are, no matter what your field, you'll find a company in this area that specializes in what you do!

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

Thinking of relocating to the Raleigh Area?

Want to live in Wake County?

Towns and Cities surrounding Raleigh, NC in Wake County

Wake County is just one of several very popular counties in the Triangle, the desired locations around Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham.   If you're not that familiar with the area, here's an overview of the possibilities in Wake County alone.  Remember some cities straddle county lines: one portion may be in Wake County, while another section is in Chatham, Johnston, Orange, or other counties.

The City of Raleigh

Estimated population July 2006 - 350,000.  Median resident age - 30.9.  Median household income in 2005 - $48,131.  Population density - 2991 people/square mile. 

Homes near downtown can be older, but there's new construction on the outskirts too. 

Town of Cary

Estimated population July 2006 - 112,114.  Median resident age - 33.7.  Median household income in 2005 - $77,395.  Population density - 2541 people/square mile.

Cary has some of the best shopping in the area.  Home prices here average higher than elsewhere in Wake County.

Town of Garner

Estimated population July 2006 - 23,741.  Median resident age - 35.8.  Median household income in 2005 - $49,400.  Population density - 1750 people/square mile. 

Just minutes south of downtown, Garner can be a more affordable alternative to Cary.  Plenty of open space and larger homesites.

Town of Morrisville

Estimated population July 2006 - 12,513.  Median resident age - 30.3.  Median household income in 2005 - $58,900.  Population density - 1800 people/square mile. 

Morrisville is a popular destination for those who work in the RTP (Research Park Triangle), and home prices and lot sizes reflect the popularity.  Also, until recently, building was very limited in this town.

Town of Apex

Estimated population July 2006 - 30,208.  Median resident age - 31.2.  Median household income in 2005 - $74,000.  Population density - 2718 people/square mile. 

Apex is a happy meeting ground between Raleigh and Durham.  Just minutes down 64 from Cary, or take Hwy 1 to the beltline for easy access to Raleigh.  Can be pricier than Holly Springs or Fuquay-Varina.

Town of Wake Forest

Estimated population July 2006 - 22,651.  Median resident age - 31.5.  Median household income in 2005 - $54,500.  Population density - 2475 people/square mile. 

On the far north side of Raleigh, Wake Forest is another great growing town. 

Town of Holly Springs

Estimated population July 2006 - 17,425.  Median resident age - 30.7.  Median household income in 2005 - $72,500.  Population density - 2039 people/square mile. 

Holly Springs is nestled just south of Cary, and offers easy access to Cary shopping and Raleigh workplaces.

Town of Fuquay-Varina

Estimated population July 2006 - 13,669.  Median resident age - 32.6.  Median household income in 2005 - $44,700.  Population density - 1792 people/square mile. 

Fuquay-Varina has lots of larger lot developments.  Many on the outskirts have a half acre, three-quarters acre, or more.   There's a old-time downtown area, but also plenty of newer retail. 

Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs are especially popular with couples relocating to Fort Bragg.  When one spouse works in the Triangle and the other works at Fort Bragg, these towns on the southern side of the Triangle can provide a meet-in-the-middle home. 

Wake County property taxes are quite low compared to many parts of the country.  Here's an easy reference:

Click here for information on Wake County tax rates.

Like anything, where you decide to live in the Raleigh area depends on a lot of factors:

• What is your housing budget?
• Where will you be working?
• Do you prefer country or city?

And then there are more personal preferences, like the "feel" of a city.  Take some time to explore the area.  No matter what you're looking for, chances are you'll find it in the Raleigh area.

Here's some information on other available ready-to-build communities near Raleigh, to give you a little bit of a feel for the area:

Cattail Creek in Chatham County (Homes in the mid $200s to the mid $300s)

Lakestone Village in Fuquay-Varina (Homes in the upper $200s to upper $300s)

Vintage Acres in Fuquay-Varina (Homes in the $280s-$350s)

South Pointe in Fuquay-Varina (Homes in the mid to upper $300s)

Sherman Pines in Fuquay-Varina (Homes in the $300s)

The Preserve at Jordan Lake in Chatham County (Homes in the upper $400s to the $800s)

If you'd like a free estimate of building costs on a particular home plan, please let us know.  We'll be happy to help.

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

Bob Vila is a reknowned home improvement expert, who has books, tv shows, and a huge internet presence. 

Homeowners listen to Bob Vila when they want to know about the most recent trends.   They go to BobVila.com when they want information about their homes, and when they want to know what everyone is talking about.  So it was a pleasant surprise to see Raleigh, NC pop up, yet again, as one of the best places to buy a home. 

This housing article by Greg Vazzana on BobVila.com has some great advice for homeowners on what to look for in their next home - in a big way.

The big point:

Move to where populations are growing, and are likely to continue to grow.

When more people are moving into an area than are moving out, the demand for housing is strong.  Home values continue to rise - maybe more slowly than in past years, but they do rise.

Real estate appreciation is carefully monitored.  In Raleigh, appreciation was still 3.6% in 2007, even amidst tough news from real estate markets elsewhere.  

And Raleigh, NC is unlike areas like Seattle, San Francisco, and New York.  Sure, they're very popular places to live.  But land is VERY limited - each is surrounded by water.  Which means it's also VERY expensive.

Raleigh doesn't have these kinds of geographical limitations.  There are communities surrounding the three cities that make up the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill).   Generally, a longer commute means cheaper homes.  But there can be plenty of job options inside the towns of Apex, Garner, Clayton, and Pittsboro as well. 

And it's not just Triangle jobs and opportunities that are drawing people to the area.  Fort Bragg is just 50 miles away from downtown Raleigh.  Many military families have one spouse that works on the base, and one that works in the Triangle.  There are several popular areas to buy a home for these families, including Willow Spring, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, and, slightly farther out, Sanford, Lillington, and Angier.   And as Fort Bragg is anticipated to continue expanding for the next several years, this is just another reason why housing remains a good investment in the Triangle. 

Raleigh was also just rated #1, again, by Forbes as the "Best Place for Businesses and Careers".   Whether you're a teacher, a nurse, a computer programmer, a recruiter, a chef, a retirement specialist, or just about anything else, Raleigh, NC is worth checking out.  

Even BobVila.com thinks so.

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide