#1 – Unexpected Culture

First up, I’ve heard many times that the culture in a homeowner’s specific area was different than expected, and does not fit with their desired lifestyle.

One of the great things about Raleigh is the vast cultural diversity that exists throughout the entire Triangle area.  There is an ideal spot for just about everyone, but the challenge can be, finding that right location because it’s not always obvious from the outside looking in.  

While Raleigh itself changes throughout the different areas, Raleigh’s suburbs tend to each have a unique identity of their own, as well as the neighboring Durham and Chapel-Hill.  While cultural diversity is celebrated in the greater Raleigh area, some people simply match better with certain environments than others, and for those families, a mis-match for them can cause issues adjusting to a new city.

So, how do you make sure you find the right location for you?  Simply put, do your research, and spend time in the community.  Real estate agents by law are unable to provide specific demographics of an area, but an experienced agent will create a customized strategy for you to ensure you are knowledgeable of the area you are buying.

When you visit, spend time in that community.  Walk around the neighborhood, visit local restaurants, parks, and entertainment areas, and tour the schools you are considering.  Utilize social media as well to ask questions and get to know the members of the community.

#2 – Capped Schools

Alright, moving into another Oh Sh*t moment that can be devastating for families, capped schools.  

The Wake County Public School System is growing rapidly with the population increase, and naturally families relocate to areas with the best schools.  Unfortunately, those schools only have so much capacity, and many of them are now capped.  

This  means that even if you move into that particular school’s assigned area, until that school releases their capped status, you will have to attend a backup school that may or may not be as highly rated.   

For families that choose a specific area for that particular school, finding out that it’s capped when you go to register can be pretty disheartening.  But, the good news is, you can pretty easily avoid this mistake.

The handful of Wake County schools that are capped can be disclosed by your real estate agent but also easily looked up on the Wake County website.  Note that it will not show up on sites like Zillow where many see assigned schools initially, so make sure you visit the actual Wake County website.

Now, there is a very small chance that a school could be capped between when you decide on a house vs when it officially closes, but if you are concerned, I would advise working with a school advisor who may have the latest information.

#3 – Location Not As Expected

Moving on, I see also see quite a few people who relocate to Raleigh who didn’t end up happy with their location, whether it be that it was further out than expected, traffic was worse, or even the neighborhood itself was different than they thought.

Similar to the first topic we discussed, this pitfall can be avoided through the guidance of an experienced agent who really knows the area, along with your commitment to exploring when you visit.

There is certainly a lot of information you can gain from testing the location and commutes using google maps, but if you test out your commute one morning or afternoon before you offer on the house, that is the best way to make sure you’re comfortable.  

Again, testing out driving to grocery stores, restaurants, parks, and more can help you determine if it works for you, as well as spending some time walking around the neighborhood to ensure it’s the right fit.

I see this a lot, and many times a buyer falls in love with a home and doesn’t truly take to heart what their real estate agent is telling them.  If they had spent more time driving around, it could have changed their mind.

#4 – Changing Surroundings

This next one is a little tougher to predict at times, but it involves a variety of different situations that change the surroundings around your new home.  

Examples of this include a power line or substation built near you, or the trees that previously lined your backyard and provided privacy are suddenly knocked down for a new development, or even a new road or highway is built nearby.  

Some of these situations could be somewhat unpredictable, and involve just having bad luck.  But, when they do occur, they can vastly impact your property from both a value and atmosphere perspective, and be pretty devastating if you weren’t aware of them before buying the home.  

You can be pretty well prepared though, and that starts with looking at the properties surrounding you.  What’s the size, who owns it, does it look like an area that could be sold off to a developer?  If the local power company owns it, you could almost guarantee that it will be built on one day.  

And for roads, understanding if you are in the study area of any major roads or highways that are currently in the planning and routing study phase.  This is something that is legally supposed to be disclosed by a seller, but unfortunately it’s not done 100% of the time.  

Again, these are all things that experienced agents look for as well when you’re looking at a home, but it helps for you as the buyer to be knowledgeable on the potential risks as well. 

#5 – Property Restrictions

Another instant regret I see is a new homeowner realizing they cannot modify the property as they originally intended due to HOA, City, or County Restrictions.

I see many people wanting to add sheds, driveway extensions, garden features, remove trees, and more, just to find out that the HOA will not allow them to do so.  On a larger scale, someone who wants to add a pool, large patio, or additions to a home could be restricted by certain city or county limits, such as impervious surface limitations.  

We experienced this on our personal home, where we wanted to add a driveway extension after buying a home and figured we could take the driveway within a few feet of the property line like others in the neighborhood, only to find out the HOA allowed builders to do that during the build process, but required a 10’ setback for homeowners wanting to extend their driveway afterwards.  

If you are purchasing a property and a planned modification will make or break your experience in that home, I would highly advise making sure you know that modification can occur before you offer on the home.  

HOA documents are not fun reads, but understanding them can save you a major headache later on.  City and County restrictions can be a little harder to understand, so if you are planning a larger modification, I would suggest consulting a qualified General Contractor for guidance on if your modification can be completed.  

#6 – Entertainment Style

Lastly, I have seen people moving away from Raleigh as a whole due to the entertainment not being as expected, and this is mostly with the younger crowd.

Raleigh has plenty to do for anyone, but as mentioned many times before, it does not have an abundance of big city entertainment with nightclubs and professional sports.  Raleigh does have both of these, just not on the same scale as other cities, and is known more for its’ family atmosphere and offerings as a whole.

If you’re used to a busy nightlife in a larger city, I would highly suggest spending a weekend in downtown Raleigh, Durham, and North Hills before you move here to make sure it fits your lifestyle.  The people who move away for these reasons are typically ones who require significant offerings, or have not spent enough time exploring as Raleigh’s entertainment is much more spread out than most cities.

I hope these examples gave you something to think about if you’re looking to Relocate to Raleigh, or even within Raleigh itself.  

If you need any help finding that perfect spot in the Raleigh area for you, our team specializes in this skill and would love to help you.

Please reach out via our contact information below:

Phone:  919-504-5265

Email:  alison@thewgroupraleigh.com

Website:  www.thewgroupraleigh.com