Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill NC

[belichick]

Anyone know anything about Bolinwood Condos? As condos I'm sure you get major variety regarding how well they are taken care of, but any general feedback?

[JustChill]

Anyone know anything about Bolinwood Condos? As condos I'm sure you get major variety regarding how well they are taken care of, but any general feedback?

Absolutely stay away from any of the places on Estes! I lasted about two weeks at Bolinwood before escaping with my life. Two of my friends lived in a place nearby, I think called Estes Park, and their car was broken into twice during that year. I know the price is attractive, but it's not worth it. 

[viggosloof28]

Does anyone know anything about the Royal Park apartments in Carrboro/UNC?  They look pretty promising based on the website...any and all advice is appreciated - feel free to chime in with suggestions!  I'm especially looking for something within walking distance (within 2 miles) of UNC-CH's campus.  Thanks in advance!

[JustChill]

I don't know anything about Royal Park, but here are crime statistics for Chapel Hill and Carrboro apartment complexes, which might be useful when you're looking for a place to live.  I hope this helps a little. 

 

http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=665

http://www.ci.carrboro.nc.us/pd/PDFs/UCRStats.pdf

[lpeppersauce]

nugget3 and sooshaloosh,

I'm not there anymore, but I did a masters program at NCSU in 2008-2010, so I may be able to help you out with apartment stuff.

 

A lot of students live along Avent Ferry Rd just south of campus.  North of campus is more of a business section, and south is residential.  In general, the closer to campus the complex is, the less expensive it is, but the closer ones also tend to be less well maintained and a lot louder, because they cater to undergrads.  $500-600/month is pretty typical of a one-bedroom right near campus.  Personally, I lived about 4 miles away, paid ~$750-800/month, and had a nice apartment where I didn't have to deal with the undergrad party noise (my complex was The Summit at Avent Ferry).  They've put in bike lanes along some of Avent Ferry, so biking to campus shouldn't be too difficult from there.  Personally, I drove because I don't like biking and a parking pass for campus is pretty cheap.  The WolfLine services the apartments closest to campus, but it didn't go all the way out to mine.  There's a Food Lion right there on Avent Ferry a couple miles from campus - not particularly upscale, but a perfectly adequate grocery store.  For more shopping, Cary is only a few miles away and has all the big box stores, a pretty nice mall, a movie theater, and a lot of restaurants.  I wouldn't recommend trying to bike to Cary, though, because the streets through there get very busy and a bit confusing.

 

Also a couple miles off of Avent Ferry Rd is the big farmer's market run by the Department of Agriculture.  It's open year-round 7 days a week, and it's huge.  All the farmers in the area come and set up booths to sell their produce, and there's also butchers, dairies, bakeries, florists, wineries, and pretty much everything else you could want, though, obviously, the selection is seasonal.  There are also restaurants there, and on weekends the crafts building opens up.  It's one of the things I missed most about Raleigh when I moved away.  Strawberry season down there is just to die for.  Where I am now, "farmer's markets" are just produce stands that sell the same imported produce as the grocery stores.

 

Anyway, I hope that helps.  Please let me know if you have any other questions!

[sooshaloosh]

Thank you, lpeppersauce!

 

I'm glad to hear about the farmer's market.  I lived in Philly for 4 years and since I moved back home to Texas I have really missed real farmer's markets!

 

I've been having a lot of trouble finding rentals that fit my (admittedly picky) criteria.  How is the rental market near campus - am I just looking way too soon?  When should I start realistically trying to find a place?

[lpeppersauce]

It's probably too soon for anyplace to know about open apartments, etc. for the fall.  As far as I know, most require 60 days notice before you move out, so they may not know about vacancies until May or June.  It's never too early to start looking for a place, though!  If you get your name on their list now, they can contact you when something becomes available.  What are your criteria?  I was very picky when it came to choosing an apartment, and I was pretty happy with where I ended up.

[mpheels]

On 2/20/2013 at 10:30 PM, viggosloof28 said:

Does anyone know anything about the Royal Park apartments in Carrboro/UNC?  They look pretty promising based on the website...any and all advice is appreciated - feel free to chime in with suggestions!  I'm especially looking for something within walking distance (within 2 miles) of UNC-CH's campus.  Thanks in advance!

I would not recommend Royal Park or any other complex owned/operated by GSC. They are the bottom of the barrell for apartment management in the area. Royal Park is also not especially walkable, and a large stretch of the walking route is about to be closed for construction (which will ultimately make it more walkable, but for the next 18-24 months, no).

 

We don't really have apartment locators/brokers here. It just isn't part of the culture. Do you have a sense of budget? If you can share how much you're will to spend on an apartment and the number of rooms you need, I can recommend some complexes. The CH bus system is laid out to serve apartment complexes, and it's free/clean/safe. So even if an apartment isn't walkable, it will be an easy transit ride.

 

On 1/20/2013 at 10:53 PM, ChemLeg said:

I hate to put it bluntly, but I have no better way to ask this: where in the triangle is it friendly to observant Jews to move to?

 

I'm serious - I'm actually an observant Jew from NYC. Is Cary my only option (or is it a bad option), or does Durham or Chapel Hill offer alternative options?

Fairly observant myself. Any suggestions? Proximity to Kosher food is a big plus. I don't want to be perpetually attached to the Hillel club. 

(I have applied to Duke, NCSU, and Chapel Hill for my programs)

You should not have trouble finding Kosher groceries for day-to-day use anywhere in the Triangle area. There is a significant concentration of Orthodox (Lubavitch) Jews in North Raleigh (mostly in the North Ridge neighborhood that is walking distance to the Synagogue), and a Kroger grocery store in the same area that caters to that community. A lot of people from the Triangle visit that store for specialty/specific items, especially as Passover. You will not have as many options for restaurants, depending on how observant you are (i.e. we have vegetarian restaurants, it that is enough, but they are not certified Kosher).

[viggosloof28]

I would not recommend Royal Park or any other complex owned/operated by GSC. They are the bottom of the barrell for apartment management in the area. Royal Park is also not especially walkable, and a large stretch of the walking route is about to be closed for construction (which will ultimately make it more walkable, but for the next 18-24 months, no).

 

We don't really have apartment locators/brokers here. It just isn't part of the culture. Do you have a sense of budget? If you can share how much you're will to spend on an apartment and the number of rooms you need, I can recommend some complexes. The CH bus system is laid out to serve apartment complexes, and it's free/clean/safe. So even if an apartment isn't walkable, it will be an easy transit ride.

Yikes - thanks for the warning!  I ended up in a terrible apartment complex in Houston for part of my MA program...definitely not anxious to repeat that experience!

 

I'm looking for a 1 bedroom apartment that will allow my cat.  Hoping to spend not too much more than $700/month (plus utilities), if possible?  Any suggestions you have would be VERY greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[cp12]

You may want to check out University Apartments. I have a friend there now in a 1 BR who really likes it. $850/month including utilities. Not sure about the pet policy, and my sample size is one on that, but he likes it and finds it worth the money.

 

I would avoid Royal Park and Carolina Apartments but Chambers Ridge, directly across from them, is pretty nice. It's not a GSC complex. No break-ins, no crime. I've left my car unlocked a few times and returned to my stereo still there. Most, if not all of the floor plans, are 2 BR but the 2 BR layout is pretty private. Takes about 10-15 minutes to get to and from campus on one of the bus lines, about 15 minutes by bike. University Apartments will be far more walkable, but my rent and utilities usually come to about $500 a month.

 

I get around primarily by bus and bike and find it very easy. My morning commute from Carrboro to Franklin Street is always 15-20 minutes. The buses are great, definitely, but the service drops quite a bit on the weekends. Keep that in mind if you don't have a car or bike as a secondary mode of transportation.

[nugget3]

Thanks for all the advice! The farmer's market sounds totally awesome, I'm definitely going to try to buy locally grown produce after having lived far up north for several years. 

 

I will have to check out University Apartments. I also just found this page, http://www.universityapartmentsonline.com/apartmentSearch.php, which seems to have a few different complexes in Raleigh. I'm going to take a look at their websites now!

[mpheels]

$700 for a one bedroom is doable in CH/Carrboro. I can recommend Ashbrook and Rock Creek from personal experience. I can also recommend Poplar Place, The Bridges, The Villages, and Laurel Ridge based on friends experiences. You might have to negotiate rent, or ask if they have any specials coming up. As far as I know, all of the apartment complexes allow pets, though you will have to pay a one-time pet fee around $200 (not refundable), plus $10-$15/month for "pet rent." Pets are generally limited to 2 per apartment, and they can't weight more than 100 pound combined. There are also usually breed restrictions based on insurance requirements. The property managers I have worked with over the years have all been pet friendly, including checking in on my cat when I had to go out of town for a family emergency.

[iowaguy]

$700 for a one bedroom is doable in CH/Carrboro.

 

How would this compare to Durham?  How much would a "nice" one bedroom with private bath run for in a shared house, within 2 miles of campus?  (i.e. a 3 bedroom house where you share kitchen/living area with 1 or 2 others but have your own bedroom and bathroom).  Thanks!

[queenleblanc]

If you are interested in individual leases, (you get your own locking bedroom and private bath, share kitchen/living), check out 5110 old chapel hill rd.  It used to be called "The Verge" when I did undergrad and grad school and the utilities are all inclusive.  I think the price at that time was around $515, which may have changed.  Very nice community, and they run a direct shuttle bus to UNC's campus every 30 minutes.  There are some undergrads, but they are usually pretty quiet.  It's marketed for UNC students, so you might get one or two random ones from NCCU or Duke but not many.  I think the complex is now called fifty-one ten.  Worth checking if you are going for a campus visit. 

[PolyWonk]

When one goes for a visit, is it best to meet with a realtor or apartment/condo/townhouse finder, or make appointments directly with each complex? Thoughts? Experiences?

[queenleblanc]

We don't really have apartment finders down here... Your best bet is to visit each condo or apartment you are interested in. Apartment guide, rent.com, and other rental websites will be helpful. What town are you going to?

Edited March 1, 2013 by kcald716

[PolyWonk]

I'll be at Duke, so Durham I suppose. I am having a really hard time getting a feel for the area from out-of-state. 

 

From what I can pick up, I think I'm interested in 

 

Neighborhoods:

-Old West Durham

-Hope Valley

-Watts-Hinsdale

 

Complexes:

-Anything by Tincon Properties

-Lenox

-Deerfield

 

Any other suggestions?

[iowaguy]

Durham - how loud is the train that goes through Durham?  I am a light sleeper and made the mistake a few years ago of living somewhat near train tracks in another town which was miserable...

I notice that the tracks run on the south end of Old West Durham (which I'm looking at for a potential home).  Can you hear the train horn/rumble very far from the tracks?  Thanks in advance!

[queenleblanc]

Check the Raleigh/Durham craigslist for rental housing -- that is really popular down here, too.  Also, the local coffee shops have bulletin boards with postings sometimes (although those usually get rented pretty quickly).  The train doesn't come through Durham too often, and as long as you don't live in American Tobacco campus / West Village (the converted warehouse-loft style condos), you won't really notice it too much.  Most people get used to it, but you might consider noise-canceling ear plugs or something like that if you are super-sensitive to the sound of a train at night.  

 

Ticon properties is good - I viewed several of their properties.  Also check out Apple Realty.  A church acquaintance of mine owns it, and they have a lot of rental homes near/ around Duke and the rest of Durham.  Really solid company with good maintenance / values.  

 

Avoid GCS if you find any rentals in Durham.  I have heard only negatives about them.  

 

If you are looking between Duke and UNC, there is a set of apartments on Garrett Rd at 15-501 that you should absolutely STAY AWAY from.  Lots of crime in those apartments.  I can't remember the name at this moment but it is right at that intersection, a bunch of brick buildings.  Also, if you see a posting for "Fayetteville Street" -- there is a good end, and a bad end.  Try to get closer to south pointe mall if you are looking to be near I-40 and Fayetteville St, although you will pay more there.  Fayetteville st. basically runs through NC Central University's campus, and there is a high crime rate in the neighborhoods around there (as well as increased gang activity).  By all means, do NOT drive down canal street or driver street, if you can avoid that area at all.  Bloods and Crypts (sp?) fight there all the time, and well-meaning passers-by get caught in the middle. 

 

Lenox and Deerfield are pretty good places.  Google the name of any apartment community you are looking at, plus the word "complaints" and you'll find any negative stuff out there on them.  

 

Hope Valley can be a bit pricey, but there are some apartments at Woodcroft that I have heard are more affordable.  If you are looking near Duke, check "American Village" - there are a couple of apartments there, I think one is called The Forest.  Very good, quiet area, right down the road from Duke (down Hwy 751 / Moreene Rd).  There is also a very nice residential community there, lots of families, but spread out (good property size).  You might be able to find a really nice rental home there if you are willing to commute to Duke. The BEST rentals (and usually better value for the space) are the ones that aren't advertised.  Driving around the area you want to live, look for rental signs up in the yards or on doors.  

 

Our local papers are The Herald Sun (Durham), and The News and Observer (Raleigh and Durham).  I think you can view classified ads online without a subscription.  

 

I grew up in Durham and went to UNC for undergrad and my first master's, and worked in Chapel Hill for a year, so I'm pretty familiar with that whole side of town.  If I think of anything else, I'll def. come back. 

[sculptress]

If anyone has questions about Chapel Hill/Carrboro feel free to PM me. I grew up there and am currently in the area as well. Its a great place!

[iowaguy]

Sculptress - how long and how doable is a bike ride from Carborro to Duke?  Do you know anyone that commutes via bike from Carborro to the West Campus of Duke?

[mpheels]

Sculptress - how long and how doable is a bike ride from Carborro to Duke?  Do you know anyone that commutes via bike from Carborro to the West Campus of Duke?

I'm not a cyclist but... I would not recommend commuting by bike between Carrboro and Duke. It's about 15 miles, and the routes are either 4-6 lane/congested or narrow/winding with very impatient motorists (says the regular pedestrian). If you're planning to live in Carrboro and commute to Duke without driving, I'd recommend a combo of biking and bus (Triangle Transit Authority). If you're a Duke affiliate, you should be able to get a free TTA bus pass, and I believe the buses all have bike racks.

[sculptress]

I'm not a cyclist but... I would not recommend commuting by bike between Carrboro and Duke. It's about 15 miles, and the routes are either 4-6 lane/congested or narrow/winding with very impatient motorists (says the regular pedestrian). If you're planning to live in Carrboro and commute to Duke without driving, I'd recommend a combo of biking and bus (Triangle Transit Authority). If you're a Duke affiliate, you should be able to get a free TTA bus pass, and I believe the buses all have bike racks.

 

Agreed. Biking between Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Duke would mean taking some pretty serious back roads (avoiding the insanity of 15/501). As mpheels said, there are busses between the two that have bike racks. Thats the safest way to go, especially since there aren't bike lanes everywhere. I'm sure that somebody does it but its taking ones life in ones own hands.

[EcoBren]

When do people generally start finding fall housing in the area? Are students already securing their leases? And do students generally pay for the summer before a term starts or after? That is to say, we're planning on moving to Durham in August and would prefer to not pay for June and July.... Thanks for any insights!

[iowaguy]

Another biking question:  if I bought a house in Old West Durham, is it fairly easy to get to campus via bike?  Looking at a map, I don't see any bike lanes that would take me all the way there...  Do many people bike to campus from there?  Is the highway and railroad crossing safe/easy?

 

Hoping I can leave my car parked for most of the year and only use it on out-of-town trips!