Moving to North Carolina (Durham/RTP area)

xjwebb1982

I accepted a position at a company located in Durham/RTP. I am looking for advice on where to live to have less than a 30 minute commute and ideally I'm looking to rent a house and would want 2000ish square feet, a fenced in yard, and a safe location that allows a dog (75lbs). Tall order but trying to make my transition comparable to my current living conditions.



Current suggestions I've received are to check out Cary or Apex, and possibly Holly Springs as there may be a toll road nearby that can be taken fairly cheaply with a yearly pass and it would get me to work in less than 30 minutes.



I'm also seeking advice on things to do and see once I get settled in so please share anything you think is a must do for the area. Heard nothing but positive things about the area such as it's proximity to the beach, mountains, and plenty to do locally so I'm looking forward to relocating (in Columbus area currently).



Thanks!

arch_8ngel

Originally posted by: xjwebb1982



Heard nothing but positive things about the area such as it's proximity to the beach, mountains, and plenty to do locally so I'm looking forward to relocating (in Columbus area currently).



Thanks!

It is probably 3+ hours to get to the beach from anywhere around Durham.



Seemed like a nice enough set of cities when I visited my sister in Chapel Hill, though.





Good luck on your house search.

SilvertongueBullet

Honestly, I'm going to shoot straight with you. I would not live anywhere in Durham period. Crime rate has been super high lately. I would move to one of the smaller towns surrounding it. If your cool with making the drive there and back everyday.... But there are alot of nice places surrounding the Raleigh/Durham area. Country towns and whatnot.... Good luck!!!

DefaultGen

If you ask on Reddit or City Data, people who live in Durham will say "Come live in Durham, it's cultured, cheap, and great" people who don't live in Durham will say "High crime and bad schools, no thanks". Are you looking for food, bars, and "character" like Durham, a boring, safer suburb full of NY transplants like Cary, or a college town feel like the areas around UNC and NC State have? Lots of my coworkers live in Holly Springs because you can get a bigger house for the money if you can live with a 20 minute commute. I'm pretty sure Holly Springs is nothing but suburban housing, I don't even know if there's a city to go with it. There's also Morrisville which has a nice tiny location in the middle of RTP and on top of the airport, pretty similar to Cary. It's mostly housing developments and everything that's not a housing development they're trying to turn into a housing development with as many cookie cutter houses crammed in as possible, so there's that.



I would be surprised if you didn't end up in Cary/Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, or Wake Forest, especially if you're looking for a big house. It seems like all the NC transplants end up there for one reason or other, whether it's boring suburb life close to work, getting a bigger house for the money rather than living in the city, schools, or being around Northern folks...

DefaultGen

Also, yeah, +1 on the Durham hate train. I just tried to be more balanced in saying that above.

SilvertongueBullet

Lol, anybody with any kind of sense about themselves that live here in NC long enough know that Durham is a NO-GO when it comes to good living.

Ausden

Stay far away from Durham. I would look at Knighdale, Clayton, Garner. Really nice smaller communities just outside of Raleigh. The rent will be much cheaper too unlike in Cary/Apex.

DefaultGen

Uh oh, 3 people who say don't live in Durham. We're dangerously close to someone coming here and telling us only specific neighborhoods of Durham are bad and then complaining gentrification is ruining Durham anyway and they're happy you're not moving there  

SilvertongueBullet

Originally posted by: DefaultGen

Uh oh, 3 people who say don't live in Durham. We're dangerously close to someone coming here and telling us only specific neighborhoods of Durham are bad and then complain gentrification is ruining Durham anyway and they're happy you're not moving there  

Lmao! That's what happens when the truth is told these days.

xjwebb1982

Thanks for the replies so far. Much appreciated and keep them coming! I currently drive in bumper to bumper traffic half of the way to and from work in Columbus which makes my commute around 25-30 minutes so a new commute around 20 minutes would be a welcomed change. I'll have to check out city data for more info as suggested. Would like to get as much input to go on as possible. And Arch is right, the beach is a bit more of a trip than I presented it as but knowing I can be there in 3 hours and do a weekend trip beats the 12-13 hours from Columbus to FL I've done for vacations  



Is there a toll road near Holly Springs and surrounding areas so I could expand my search and still be under 30 minutes to RTP? Rentals that met my criteria are a bit sparse in Cary and Apex, especially with the pet restrictions. My dog won't damage anything but is 75lbs and most places said they only accept small dogs if they do allow pets. I'm hoping I can offer a larger deposit or something to entice them to budge on the restrictions.



Also, what are the go to places for good food and entertainment?

xjwebb1982

Additional context - I'm 35, no kids, and the girlfriend and I are most interested in checking out the local food scene and events, taking a weekend trip to the beach or surrounding cities, the mountains, etc. Willing to drive places for entertainment and prefer the quiet living of the suburbs.

SilvertongueBullet

As far as Beaches Topsail is where I like to haunt. If you like music and drinking Wilmington is where it's at but it can get rowdy at times. Seafood go to the overcrowded Cape Hatteras in Ocracoke county.