Jun. 1, 2007 - Triangle Gated Communities

North Raleigh

1. Stone Falls-Off of Falls and the Neuse and Durant.  Currently no homes on the market.  Homes built in 1995-2000
2. Olde Raleigh-Off of Duraleigh Road.  Homes built in 1989-1997.  Stately traditional homesLocated in a beautifully wooded area between Duraleigh and Edwards Mill Road near Rex Hospital and I-40. The Olde Raleigh community features three gated entrances with nightly security service, three beautiful lakes with centerpiece fountains, indoor & outdoor swimming pools, and two tennis courts. .  Resales start in the high $700s.
3. Bay Leaf Farm-
4. Conveniently located off of Six Forks Rd.  Right on ssum Track. At Fork Stay Right on Possum Track. Go Apprximately 1 Mile to Gated Entrance to Bayleaf Farm on the Right. 
5. 23 Homesites total in this community, about 5 left.  $2M-$3M.
6. Greywalls at Trego-Off of Falls of the Neuse and Honeycutt.  Greywalls homes built in 1990's and a few in 2005. Also a few in 1975.  Price point $800s to over $1M.
7. The Barony-North of I-540.  Small community w/29 lots.  Homes start at $1.5M.
8. Linville- 44 Estate Homes w/minimum of 1 Acre.  Prices start close to $2M. New homes by top custom builders.  Community by Creedmoor Partners.
9. Adams Mountain-Large two acre lots outside I-540.  Homes built in the mid 80s to mid 90s.  Prices start in the low $500s to $750s.

Durham

1. Four Seasons at Lattamoor- Gated community in North Durham near Eno River.  Prices in the $200s.  Homes built 1999-2002
2. Hills of Rosemont-Prices start at $2M.  Located off of 751 towards Jordan Lake off of O'Kelly Church Rd. 

Chatham County

1. The Legacy at Jordan Lake-Gated 628 Acre Gated Community adjacent to The Preserve.  Six phases of construction w/463 lots sold to individual buyers.  Buyers have five years to build with a custom builder of their choice.  Planned spa community with an indoor fitness pool, tennis courts, hiking trails and easy access to all the water activities of Jordan Lake. 

Chapel Hill/Orange County

1. Talbryn-Off of Dairyland,  turn right on Union Grove Church Road, and Talbryn is on the right. Mid 90s.  Resale:  $1.5M.
2. The Valley at Governor's Club- Lots of options in this community.  They even have few lots left-you should see those in the land listings I send to you. 

In 1996 Cary and Carrboro passed ordinances banning gated communities.  They were approved because of concerns that such communities were exclusionary and that they could delay the responses of fire trucks and ambulances.

Apr. 15, 2007 - History of RTP

 Research Triangle Park in the Triangle development and history are a big part of why the Triangle has grown and why so many are relocating to the area. So, how did RTP become what it is today?  What is the premise behind the park? In this area commuters don't travel into the city, they travel into the park.  RTP is home to the heavy hitters like IBM,CISCO, RED HAT, NORTEL, ERICSSON, GLAXO SMITHKLINE WELLCOME, and others.  It's the who's who of Corporate America.  Each company has  a beautiful "campus" with greenway trails and gorgeous settings vs. the downtown corner office syndrome.  It was quite visionary, especially in the '50s. 

Here is the tale about the founding of RTP and the progress since the '50s.  Research Triangle Park (RTP) is a public/private, planned research park, created in 1959 by leaders from business, academia and industry. But the idea of creating a research park started many years before.

Many people in the 1950s started thinking about the concept of a research park including Howard Odum, professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1952, Odum proposed several research center formats that incorporated the idea of cooperation among research organizations. Romeo Guest was another person who was extremely involved with the idea of forming a research park. Guest was one of the first people to use the phrase "Research Triangle Park."

The Research Triangle Committee was formed in September, 1956 to explore the idea of creating a research park to be located between Duke University in Durham, N.C. State University in Raleigh, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Members of the non-profit Committee included leaders from across the State of North Carolina in government, business and the universities.

In April, 1957, an investor, Karl Robbins, was found who agreed to provide funds to acquire options on land. By the end of 1957, 3,559 acres had been optioned or purchased (441 acres were pending) at a cost of approximately $700,000.   In September, 1957, a for-profit company called "Pinelands" was formed with Robbins as the sole stockholder.  

In August, 1958, the chairman of the Research Triangle Committee, Robert Hanes, asked Archie Davis of Wachovia Bank to find other possible investors from North Carolina for the Pinelands Corporation. Davis made two important suggestions: that the non-profit Research Triangle Committee be re-named the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina (RTF), and that his effort would be to solicit contributions for RTF rather than to sell stock for Pinelands.

By December 31, 1958, Davis had raised $1.25 million in contributions from individuals and businesses from all across the State of North Carolina. This amount would enable the non-profit entity to purchase all of the shares of Pinelands stock, and create a separate non-profit RTI International (to perform independent contract research).

On January 9, 1959, Governor Luther Hodges formally announced that Davis' fund-raising drive had raised $1.425 million. He also announced the establishment of RTI International, the construction of the Robert M. Hanes Building (to house the Foundation and RTI), and the acquisition of land assembled by Karl Robbins which would pass control of his venture to the non-profit Research Triangle Foundation. RTI International was the Park's first tenant and served as a focal point for companies interested in the Park, as it still does today -- RTI International is now the nation's second largest independent nonprofit research organization, dedicated to conducting research and development that improves the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. RTI has more than 2,500 staff members who work in Research Triangle Park or one of the eight regional offices in the United States, and five international offices. These dedicated professionals offer innovative research and technical services to governments and businesses worldwide in the areas of health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, advanced technology, governance, economic and social development, energy, and the environment.

The Park overall grew slowly through the early 1960's. Then, in 1965, with the advent of both International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Park concept took off. By 1969, 21 companies had located in RTP. From 1970 to 1979, 17 additional companies located here. By 1989, 28 more companies chose locations in the Park.  

From 1990 to 2000, more than 42 new companies established facilities in RTP. New construction and expansion has totaled over 5 million square feet. A research business incubator was formed to provide interim laboratory facilities for early-stage companies. And Park Research Center, a campus of about 12 buildings that was formerly occupied by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was established to provide wet lab space to smaller and mid-sized research companies.

Also located in the Park is the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, a state-supported initiative that provides grants and creative services to support biotech companies. MCNC offers advanced resources in microfabrication and telecommunications and houses the North Carolina Supercomputing Center . Together, they provide unparalleled resources to North Carolina companies, the universities, and area entrepreneurs. All of these institutions work together with the Park companies, reflecting a special spirit of cooperation and learning within the scientific and technological community, just as Odum once envisioned back in the 1950's.

For further information about the area or if you are thinking of relocating to the area please contact me directly for additional information.

Related Posts:

Raleigh NC Relocation>> Thinking of relocating to Raleigh NC?

Relocating to Cary, NC?

Cary NC Real Estate --->Why I love Cary NC!

Apr. 14, 2007 - Road work continues across the Triangle in Cary, Durham, and Raleigh

Apr. 7, 2007 - Wake Co. Buys 270 Acres Of Green Space

The land is valued at $4.96 million and with both Wake County and the city of Raleigh each paying half.  However, because of the purchase, Wake and Raleigh may be eligible for a grant for approximately $1.5 million from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund.  Wake County says it has already filed an application to try and receive the funds.

Mar. 16, 2007 - Del Webb in Cary NC- March Homesite Release

Mar. 4, 2007 - Raleigh NC Real Estate >>What You Get For Your $$$ in Raleigh

What do you get in Raleigh for $1,000,000?  One new million dollar home gives you 3-4 bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 4000 finished square feet, Dining room, Family room, Office/Study, Kitchen, Breakfast room, Hearth Room, a 3 car garage and a .25 Acre lot if it's inside the beltline or very close to it. 

What do you get for $4,000,000?  How about 6 Bedrooms, 6 Full Bathrooms, 1 Half Bath, 10000 finished square feet above grade, Living room, Dining room, Family room, Office/Study, Kitchen, Breakfast room, Bonus room, Theatre, Exercise room, Billard room, Nanny Suite, 2 wet bars, elevator and situated on a 1.32 acre lot in the heart of the Inner Beltline.

What do you get for $32,000,000?  How about a 20,000 square feet main home and a 3,500 square foot 3 bedroom guest home.  The main home has a 40-foot-high-ceilings, 10 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, 5 half baths, a 1930s style movie theater, built-in cigar humidor on a 14 acre tract.  In addition there are approximately 57 more acres that have been divided into 27 smaller lots for high end home development - should the buyer wish. This Raleigh home is owned by Peter Loftin, founder of the former BTI telecommunications company, who purchased the Florida home of Gianni Versace called Casa Casuarina and now spends most of his time there.

If you find such homes to be of interest let me know.  However, to view the second and third homes, verified ability to purchase is required.  Obviously, it would be my pleasure to show them to you. 

Mar. 4, 2007 - Northeast Portion of I-540 Opens

 The long awaited north Raleigh segment of I-540 from Triangle Town Boulevard to the U.S. 64/264 Bypass in Knightdale opened at 11 A.M. yesterday.  This segment will make travel a lot easier and faster for many people.  It will make traveling from Rocky Mount, Wilson and even Goldsboro much faster to RDU airport and to all areas of north Raleigh.  Of course it will help shorten the daily communtes of people living in Clayton, Knightdale, Garner and other communities east of Raleigh into and through the Raleigh area as well.

The rest of the new I-540 section -- from N.C. Highway 54 to N.C. Highway 55 in Research Triangle Park a 5 mile stretch into the Park opened July 17, 2007.

Mar. 4, 2007 - Raleigh NC Real Estate >>Raleigh Ranked #1 in Job Growth by Forbes Magazine

Data Points:

Rank Last Year: 7

Median Household Income Rank: 30
Unemployment Rank: 13
Income Growth Rank: 12
Cost Of Living Rank: 45
Job Growth Rank: 10

Raleigh has a lot to offer, mainly the fact that it has nothing bad to offer. Unlike Florida, North Carolina's housing market has been relatively stable, so Raleigh probably doesn't have a downturn to look forward to. The three universities in the area--Duke, the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University--help attract highly educated workers and technology firms. We receive comments all the time that the Triangle has a lot of the amenities of Florida, except not the hurricanes. 

Mar. 4, 2007 - Raleigh NC Relocation >>Where is everyone coming from in the Triangle?

- 12 Shopping Centers in the Triangle Purchased by an Ohio REIT

Dec. 31, 2006 - FirstNight Raleigh 2007

For those of you that like to paint the town on New Years Eve, look no further than First Night Raleigh.  This is Raleigh's version of the New Year countdown.  Festivities begin at 3pm and last through Midnight.  I've always enjoyed the New Year's Eve celebration becasue of the featured performances in venues throughout downtown Raleigh. The performances include the Children's Celebration, early & late countdowns, the People's Procession, music, dance, theatre, comedy, the giant Acorn Drop, and fireworks.

Street Closures: 
The People’s Procession Parade will utilize the following streets from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm on Sunday, December 31:
The participants will assemble on the Capitol grounds beginning at 5:30. At 6:00 pm they will enter onto the 00 block of Edenton St. They will proceed west on Edenton St. to Salisbury St., proceed south on Salisbury St. to Morgan St., proceed east on Morgan St. to Fayetteville St., south on Fayetteville St. to Davie St. where the group will disassemble.

In order to accommodate the assembly of participants, the 00 block of Edenton St. be closed from 5:30 pm on Sunday, December 31 until the conclusion of the parade.

The following designated parking spaces are reserved from 3:00 am on Sunday, December 31 until 5:00 am on Monday, January 1:
         • All parking spaces on the 00 blocks of Davie St., Martin St., Hargett St., and Morgan St.
         • The designated parking spaces on the north side of the 00 block of Edenton St. between Wilmington St.   and Salisbury St.
         • The designated parking spaces on the south side of the 00 block of Jones St. between Wilmington St. and Salisbury St.
         • The designated parking spaces on the 100, 200, 300, and 400 block of Fayetteville St.

The following streets and travel lanes will be closed from from 6:00 am on Sunday, December 31 until 5:00 am on Monday, January 1:

        • All travel lanes on the 00 blocks of Davie St., Martin St., and Hargett St.
        • The north side travel lane of the 00 block of Edenton St. between Wilmington St. and Salisbury St.
        • The north side travel lane of the 00 block of Morgan St. between Wilmington St. and Salisbury St. 
        • The south side travel lane of the 00 block of Jones St.
        • The 00 block of Lenoir St.

Have Fun and Be Safe!!  Happy New Year!!

Dec. 30, 2006 - Dorothea Dix Updates

Nov. 22, 2006 - Raleigh NC Real Estate >>Downtown Residential Developments

As I mentioned in a previous blog downtown Raleigh is finally awakening from its slumber.  Now that the renovation of Fayettville Street is complete and the new Convention Center is under construction young singles and professionals are starting to flock to the downtown area.  A lot of residents are transplants from big cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York.  They want a big city feel atmosphere and the downtown area is well on its way to becoming a top urban location. 

The map below depicts current and planned developments in the downtown area.  If you would like additional information

on any of the properties listed below please send me an email at Tracy@TracySantrock.com

Nov. 7, 2006 - Raleigh NC Real Estate >>Does Raleigh REALLY have a downtown area? What's new?

Oct. 21, 2006 - Raleigh NC Real Estate >>Parade of Homes Winners Announced

Oct. 21, 2006 - Cary NC Real Estate >> Renaissance at Regency

Oct. 18, 2006 - Apex NC Real Estate >>YMCA Breaks Ground In Apex

For those of you who love working out in Cary at the YMCA and have been waiting for years for the new YMCA your day is almost here.  The YMCA of the Triangle enters an exciting new eara with the groundbreaking of the Southwest Wake YMCA.  Volunteers and community leaders gathered at the property at 8951 Holly Springs Road in Apex on Tuesday. 

The main building will be nearly 45,000 square feet and will include an indoor track,gymnasium, wellness center and nursery.  Other amenities include steam and sauna rooms for men and women.  The new YMCA will have a variety of popular programs similar to the other YMCAs in the area like after school, track-out programs and summer day camps. 

In addition to the new amenities, the YMCA will have a big impact on the local economy.  The YMCA will employ over 800 people and operate with a $7.5 Milion dollar annual budget. 

Oct. 17, 2006 - Wake County School Bond-The importance to our community

As you have seen from several of my previous posts the Triangle area is growing in leaps and bounds.  As a part of the growth our schools are seeing a large influx of students as well. 

In order to support this growth we will need new schools.  There is currently a proposed bond amendment for $980 million that will need to be passed in order for our school system to support the projected growth over the next five years.  There has been a lot of information passing back and forth.  Here are the main reasons you should support the bond vote in November.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY?
A strong and well-recognized public school system plays an integral role in recruiting the best and brightest minds to our companies. Take a look at these accolades--important validation as individuals and families consider Wake County:
 August 2006 - #3 Top Metro Overall
-- Expansion Management 
June 2006 - #2 Highest Graduation Rate in the Country (82.2%)
 -- Education Week 
May 2006 - #2 Best Place for Business
-- Forbes 
January 2006 - #3 Most Educated City
 -- US Census Bureau 
December 2005 - #1 Best Public Education System in the Country
 -- Expansion Mgmt, "2006 Education Quotient" 
Nov. 2005 - Top 20 Best Places to Live, Work & Play 
-- Homebuilder.com
May 2005 - #2 Best Places for Business & Careers
-- Forbes
April 2005 - #2 Best Public Education System in the Country
-- Expansion Management

 * To stay competitive over the long haul, our businesses will be highly dependent upon the next generation of knowledge workers-innovative thought leaders in math, science and technology. Other countries, such as India and China, are moving ahead of us in this realm, and we must not allow a lack of funding to prevent us from taking responsible measures to prepare our children for the future. Before we can focus on technology advancement, we have to have the bricks, mortar and seats in place.

 WHY DO WE NEED MORE SCHOOLS?
 * The Wake County School System is growing faster than any other system in the state, with 5,099 additional students in 2004, 6,436 added in 2005, and 7,566 added in 2006. This year Durham County added only 262 students, Orange County added 301 students and Johnston added 1,568.
 * Using our forecasting software, the school board is predicting Wake County will add an additional 8,348 students next year, 9,231 in 2008 and 10,227 in 2009, so the growth will continue for many years to come.
* It is Wake County's legal obligation to provide adequate learning accommodations for every student. With crowded classrooms and more than 1,000 mobile units already in place, we have no choice but to add more new schools. This is why Wake County Commissioners put the bond issue on the Nov. 7 ballot.

 WHAT WILL WE GET IN THE $970 MILLION BOND PLAN?
 * 17 new schools
 * 13 comprehensive renovation projects
* Repairs and maintenance projects at nearly 100 other schools
* Funding for land and startup design of 13 future schools (7 elementary, 4 middle, 2 high)
* 5-year technology replacement and upgrade program
 
WHAT WILL IT MEAN TO VOTE "YES"/"NO" TO THE BONDS?
I believe this is possibly one of the most misunderstood aspects of the bond proposal issue. The bonds are about financing, pure and simple. Bonds are the only way we will cover the cost of growth, and a "no" vote does not mean there will be no bonds. It simply changes the type of bonds Wake County is able to secure, and most likely the amount of the bonds.
* A "yes" vote on Nov. 7 will allow Wake County to secure funds through the issuance of general obligation bonds. These bonds carry the lowest interest rates for local governments, especially when sought by a county like Wake with its AAA bond rating. (Wake County is one of only 22 counties in the country to hold this rating). $970 million will be available for the projects listed above.
* A "no" vote sends the School Board and Wake County Commissioners back to the drawing board. It will cost valuable planning and construction time (it takes an average of 34 months to build an elementary school from site acquisition to completion, and 50 months for a high school). Commissioners are likely to focus first on new construction and can borrow about $625 million without increasing taxes. That means they will likely delay projects such as renovations, repairs, maintenance and technology upgrades. Bonds issued by the County Commissioners are called certificates of participation, and they will carry a higher interest rate (about 0.2% higher) than general obligation bonds.

WILL THE BOND RAISE PROPERTY TAXES?
Yes. You will pay 4.7 cents more for each $100 of your home's assessed value. For example, if your home is assessed at $200,000, you would pay $94 more in property tax per year. It's important to point out, however, that Wake County property tax rates are currently below the state average of .6520 and significantly lower than those of neighboring and comparable counties. Consider the 2006-07 rates for each of these counties: 
* Orange: $0.9030
* Mecklenburg: 0.8189
* Durham 0.8090
* Johnston: 0.7800
* Wake: 0.6340
Adding the proposed 4.7 cents still keeps Wake County well below our neighbors at $0.6810.

You can learn more at www.WakeBonds2006.com or www.wcpss.net/bond/. If you are interested in viewing my slides from Wednesday's press conference , those are also available.  I encourage you to learn all you can about the 2006 Wake County School Bond Referendum, share what you learn with your families and neighbors, and vote on Nov. 7.

Oct. 17, 2006 - Monet Exhibit Comes To Raleigh-10/15/2006-1/14/2007

A couple of years ago my husband and I spent a couple of weeks in Europe.  One of my fondest memories included a visit to Claude Monet's home in Giverny, France.  I actually got to see the actual Lily Pond that inspired the Monet paintings. 

I'm so excited that they have taken Claude Monet's paintings on the road.  Over 50 paintings by this beloved impressionist are here in Raleigh.  This exhibit is a must see!!  His paintings include that  of Normandy's fields and coast, the garden and water lily pond at Giverny, and Rouen's cathedral.   For more details Visit the Monet in Normandy Web site!

Oct. 10, 2006 - New Details Surrounding Hidden Lake In North Raleigh

I attended a luncheon at Hidden Lake North of Raleigh a week ago.  The agents onsite had a lot of information about what a wonderful, gated community it will be. It's just a 20-minute drive northeast of cosmopolitan Raleigh, near the quaint town of Wake Forest. This planned community of only 124 homes will feature heavily wooded, rolling topography with generous homesites ranging from 1 to 6 acres, dubbed "Private Preserves" due to their size. When the nearly 600-acre community opens, the first phase will offer more than 40 homesites bordering a 75-acre private lake. In addition to the lake, Hidden Lake residents will enjoy an array of amenities ideal for those who love the outdoors. Audubon International recently approved the site plan for Hidden Lake, which is the first step in achieving Audubon’s Three Diamond designation. Audubon International’s Three Diamond designation is its highest level of certification within its Gold Signature Program and indicates a superlative project based on protection of wildlife, water quality, and native flora and fauna, as well as green-building practices and site design.
	Acreage: 600 acres (240 hectares)
	Recreation: 227 acres of open space, including a 100-acre park and an outdoor pavilion for community and family events
	Biking Trails: Seven miles of bike paths
	Walking Trails: More than six miles of paved and soft-surface trails
	The Lake House: Will serve as the community amenities center. With a large gathering room with two fireplaces and a spacious lakeside veranda, The Lake House is ideal for both small and large parties.
	The Boat House: Includes canoes, kayaks and paddle boat launches. A few electric boats will be available for communal use. The Boat House also features a fishing pier, allowing residents to cast their lines in the clear, spring-fed lake with large fish.
	Lots: Homesites range between one and six acres and are expected to start in the $200,000's
	Homes: Homes are expected to start in the $900,000's