A large crowd came together in Downtown Cary last week to hear plans about its redevelopment. The best news was that no one was there to contest the revitalization or occupy anything. People came to listen, be objective and offer feedback, which goes directly to the nature of why Cary has been such a great contributor to the makeup of the Triangle.

A number of business owners were on hand to be a part of the growth discussions and according to this article, expressed some concern about getting people to stay in Downtown once the city leaders’ vision materializes. Yes, that’s critical. And we believe it all starts with residential real estate.

Every great small town and urban, walkable community starts with its closest residents. For the storefronts to brighten and the sidewalks to bustle, a city needs people on the ground, dedicated to being full-time residents committed to long-term growth and a sense of identity. A person living in North Raleigh may stop by for lunch and a couple of gifts but their stake in the town ends when they get on I-40.

There are a number of great neighborhoods in and within walking distance of Downtown Cary and if you’ve ever had your eye on being part of this great Southern town, now’s the time. Cary has long been on the national radar as a great place to raise kids, find work and be active. Now the Triangle itself has taken notice and people are talking about lies ahead.

We can’t wait to see the outcome.

Photo from Cary Citizen.

The Principal of Garner High School, Drew Cook, is a finalist for North Carolina’s Principal of the Year Award in the north central region, as reported by The News & Observer.

Unique to Cook’s story is his long-standing relationship with Garner High School, which he attended as a student 20 years ago. He then taught there after college and moved up the ranks to assistant principal, eventually being named to his current position three years ago.

We think this demonstrates the strong connections that a school can create with its students, especially here in Wake County, which consistently graduates some of the best students in the nation. School system success is a direct reflection of a region’s economic and cultural health. And like all school systems nationwide, Wake County is not immune to political struggles. Nevertheless, the community and its leaders always come together to find a way to put the students first. There is no better testament to this fact than the perpetual presence of Raleigh, Cary and Durham on so many “Best Places” lists.

Without stable school systems with longstanding histories of success, our presence on the national radar would be significantly diminished. Great weather would only get us so far.

Congratulations to Mr. Cook and good luck when the final selection is announced this spring.

It looks like we seeing are more the same in the national real estate market. Builders have reasons to be positive yet remain skeptic about any sort of rapid recovery in the coming quarters. Still, positive is better than nothing. National consumer confidence is ticking upward as well, which is buoying builder sentiment.

According to the Associated Press’s real estate writer, Derek Fravitz, “The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rose four points to 25 in January. That’s the highest level since June 2007 … Any reading below 50 indicates negative sentiment about the housing market. The index hasn’t reached 50 since April 2006, the peak of the housing boom.”

One has to accompany any statistic derived from activity during the recent bubble with a healthy serving of salt, not just a grain, because it was such an artificial market fluctuation. It’s dangerous for us to refer to that period as a benchmark for home sales. The market was artificially stimulated and the correction for that period of growth is still under way. That is why foreclosures continue to compete with new homes and weigh down home prices in a number of U.S. markets, including the Triangle.

The Triangle remains one of the country’s best performing real estate markets but is still feeling the impact of what occurred between 2006 and 2008 as the number of foreclosures climbed a little recently, despite the strong last half of 2011.  The important thing is that sellers are becoming more realistic about values and selling price points, which will continue to help stabilize the market.

Sales statistics and national trends, although heavily publicized, should be considered only one of many reasons for you to buy or sell a home. It is an agent’s job to help you understand how a market is performing and how it impacts your decision, but don’t ever let the numbers be the only reason you make a move.

Realtor.com published an overview of seven “costly mistakes” that many homeowners make when selling their home. There is one suggestion on their list that we think could bear elaboration.

It’s not easy to treat your home like a commodity, as Realtor’s “Mistake #5″ suggest you should do to avoid getting emotionally involved with a financial decision. That’s much easier blogged about than done.

A big problem in the recent real estate bubble stemmed from far too many homeowners viewing their rapidly-increasing-in-value-home as a financial support tool. Equity lines were tapped for large purchases and upgrades and additional forms of credit were extended to people based on home equity. A house became viewed as a conduit to quick wealth. Thus, the consideration of the home as a “commodity” created a substantial problem for our country.

We try to encourage our clients and all potential clients to buy and sell when it’s right for their family. Sometimes financial issues become the impetus to sell or enable a family to move up in size or location. Let’s just make sure of that before engaging the market.

Everyone wants to make a house a home. And a home is a hard thing to let go of, so we understand a client’s frustration when a potential buyer mentions carpet color or kitchen design or bedroom decor. After all, it’s your home they’re commenting on, and it’s tough to put something you care about into an open forum like the real estate market.

By all means, if you need to sell your home, then it’s critical that you market it accordingly. Things need to be neutral and staging is important. But we understand that all these changes to something you spent years creating alongside your family can be very challenging to implement. It’s one of the most difficult aspects of having to leave a house you love. We get it. And we’ll help you through the process. What we can’t do though, is tell how you feel when it’s time to hand over the keys.

Rocky Top Hospitality has a great reputation in the Triangle for unique twists on traditional family fare. Its latest culinary conception does not appear to veer far from that recipe, either.

Rockwell’s American Grill, which opened yesterday at 1080 Darrington Drive in Cary (just off of NW Cary Parkway near James Jackson), will serve “comfort food with a twist.” With five grilled cheese options on the menu, apparently they are not kidding around. It also features steak & dumplings, short ribs, turkey pot pie and an array of unique “Rocktails,” with their own twist on a Harvey Wallbanger, Old Fashioned and Tom Collins. Many of the meals can be served family style as well, making it a great spot to try for Sunday family nights.

If you’re somewhat new to the Triangle, Rocky Top is responsible for some of the area’s most popular eateries, like Twisted Fork and Draft, which now uses the space of perhaps the company’s once most popular dining spot, Bogarts, down on Glenwood Avenue. It’s never been completely clear why they shuttered the almost-always-busy nightspot but you can’t fault the company for wanting to try something new.

Congratulations to another local company on opening what appears to be another success story for Cary. We hope to make it to a table soon. If anyone swings by Rockwell’s soon, let us know about your experience.

Still, it’s good to see the rivalry pick up a bit of steam. It hasn’t been much of one of late. Sidney Lowe managed to guide the Pack to a single win in the last ten years of the match-up and unfortunately, that proved to be a fluke. Truth is though, ACC basketball is better when all three of its founding stalwarts are on the national radar. Maybe the Pack will do enough tonight, and during the remainder of the season, to make that a reality.

As we have said a number of times here, it’s always fun to be in the heart of the country’s most respected basketball conference. While State, UNC and Duke fans may butt heads quite often, they can all agree on the fact that it’s this very triumvirate of academic prowess that has made the Triangle the best place to live in America. Especially between the months of November and March.

We hold no secrets here about our feelings for the value of a good education, which starts with good teachers. The high number of quality schools is one of the reasons our family moved to North Carolina more than 20 years ago. And it remains true today for the thousands who continue to come to the Triangle and Wake County every year.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff highlighted in this column a research study conducted by faculty members at Harvard and Columbia that shows, in financial terms, the impact a good teacher has on the future of a child. It’s an impressive figure, to be sure. The impact of a stable classroom influence goes well beyond the wallet though, branching into a child’s moral development, sense of self and leadership capabilities, among many qualities.

Take a minute to read the links posted here, and also browse the links on the side of the research study title page.

And then say “thanks” to a teacher you know.

We are proud to be offering for sale 104 Keeton Lane in Cary’s King’s Mill neighborhood, which is just off of SW Cary Parkway. This is one of Cary’s most popular areas because of its location and home quality. This is a must-see for anyone in the market for a very-well maintained three-bedroom home. 104 Keeton Lane is for sale at $195,000

Situated on a cul-de-sac, 104 Keeton Lane is an ideal family home with spacious rooms and attractive landscaping. Some of the highlights include a separate dining room with bay windows and an eat-in kitchen, also with bay windows, that includes parquet floors, a stainless steel dishwasher and built-in microwave.

Other nuances that set 104 Keeton Lane apart from other homes you may have seen while touring the market are its 9-foot smooth painted ceilings and just-installed carpet, as well hardwood floors in the foyer and half-bath. Combined with new, carefully-designed paint choices throughout, a new garage door and a new HVAC system, this home shows as close to new as possible. In short, nothing needs to be done to this house.

With chair rail and hardwood floors, the dining room is perfect for the holidays and quiet family dinners while the open living room is focused on a large gas fireplace and is further accented by gorgeous French doors which open to a summer-shaded rear deck.

The master bedroom offers an outstanding retreat because of its size, walk-in closet and impressive master spa, which has a tile floor, more than enough sink and counter space for two and a over-sized enclosed shower, separate from the tub. The second and third bedrooms can suit young children or teens or make an ideal home office or library.

The rear of the home is hardscaped with a stone pathway and small, easy-to-maintain water feature lined with mature hardwoods and shrubs. The deck is large enough to host the entire cul-de-sac.

Additionally, the home’s refrigerator, washer and dryer all convey to the its new owner, making the simplicity of a move-in to 104 Keeton Lane all but assured.

As residents of the Kildaire Farms community, of which Kings Mill is a part, you also have the opportunity to join the very fun and active Kildaire Farms Raquet and Swim Club.

If we can provide you with any more information about 104 Keeton Lane in Cary, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We think you will love what you see.

Details:

104 Keeton Lane
Cary, NC  27511

MLS # 1815686

Square feet: 1,699
Type: Two story traditional
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 full, 1 half

Price: $195,000

The renovation of Downtown Durham is one of the great growth stories in the Triangle in the last decade. This is primarily because of what was there before, best defined as “not much.”

Certainly Raleigh’s revitalization was much talked about, and deservedly so. After all, it is the capital and more densely populated. Plus, it comes first in “Raleigh-Durham.”

However, what’s gone on in Durham is not to be brushed off lightly. If it wasn’t for Red Hat’s recent signing of a sublease in Raleigh, Durham would be the Triangle’s “king of tech” companies. The American Tobacco Complex is the Triangle’s most sought after business address, without question. And now, The Bull City can add to its list of accolades the national recognition of the Durham Performing Arts Center, which sits smartly a block from the city’s urban core, attached to the back side of the Durham Bulls stadium.

Close to half a million people bought tickets to DPAC shows in 2011, earning it the #4 spot on Pollstar’s national list of entertainment venues. That is only three spots behind Radio City Music Hall and two behind Las Vegas’s Coliseum Theater at Caesars Palace. The Fox Theatre in Atlanta was ranked #3.

We’re proud to have DPAC, as well as Raleigh’s Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts, within a few minutes drive of the great town of Cary. Both venues offer world class entertainment and terrific a way to spend an evening in North Carolina.

Town leaders have been working hard to develop a plan to increase business and community spirit in and around the quiet, tree-lined streets of the town many national publications consider one of the best places to live in America.

That being said, much of Cary is known for its affordable, attractive neighborhoods, suburban parks and general convenience within the Triangle, not the appeal of its urban center.

Last year Cary smartly hired city manager Ed Gawf to create and implement plans to re-energize its urban corridor. With experience doing so in places like Boulder, CO and Palo Alto, CA, his hiring seems to clearly echo the City’s goals.

The Cary Arts Center also opened in 2011, replacing the historic Cary Elementary School. Not only was this a terrific re-use of commercial property, its presence will draw people Triangle-wide to Cary’s downtown for classes, exhibits and performances.

This year will be a big one for Cary, as more initiatives are set to be announced and put under way. Cary Citizen.com has a good rundown on a recent meeting of the Heart of Cary Association, a civic group dedicated to the growth of downtown, which should be of interest to anyone interested in the future of this great town.