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My husband and I are considering a move to the Raleigh area. We currently live in Lititz, PA just outside of Lancaster. Lititz is an amazing small town....we live in a house built in 1928 in a great walking neighborhood. We are able to walk to our great little downtown for some lunch, a cup of coffee or just to window shop- it is one of our favorite things to do. Our neighbors are friendly and people sit on their porches and say hi as you go by. Lititz is not out in the middle of nowhere, we are 15 mins from Lancaster which is a bigger city with lots to do and are an hour outside of Philadelphia. Is there any place like this around Raleigh? Older neighborhoods within walking distance of any kind of downtown? with friendly neighbors? We really don't want to be in a new home in a bland development without sidewalks...where people just drive into their big garages and never come out. I have liked what I have seen about Apex, but it's all new homes, isn't it?
My husband and I are considering a move to the Raleigh area. We currently live in Lititz, PA just outside of Lancaster. Lititz is an amazing small town....we live in a house built in 1928 in a great walking neighborhood. We are able to walk to our great little downtown for some lunch, a cup of coffee or just to window shop- it is one of our favorite things to do. Our neighbors are friendly and people sit on their porches and say hi as you go by. Lititz is not out in the middle of nowhere, we are 15 mins from Lancaster which is a bigger city with lots to do and are an hour outside of Philadelphia. Is there any place like this around Raleigh? Older neighborhoods within walking distance of any kind of downtown? with friendly neighbors? We really don't want to be in a new home in a bland development without sidewalks...where people just drive into their big garages and never come out. I have liked what I have seen about Apex, but it's all new homes, isn't it?
Any ideas? Your help is vey much appreciated...
You won't find much like Lititz here.
I used to enjoy eating at the General Sutter Inn.
The growth in the area over the last 20-30 years dictates that most newer homes are in suburban-style subdivisions.
You might like downtown Apex. It is small, though, i.e., limited older home stock.
You also might consider Cameron Village area of Raleigh.
There is significant gentrification and revitalization in the heart of Cary, with walkability increasing.
You might like Fuquay Varina or Wake Forest, too.
Bearing in mind that rampant growth has changed these small towns.
Have you considered Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough?
Thank you both so much, it's nice to know people who have been to Lititz and know what I am talking about and what I will miss
I have looked into Chapel Hill...but from my reading on here, people have said the downtown is not that nice? and chapel hill is really expensive especially the older homes?
Hillsborough sounded nice.... it is far from everything?
I just really want to be in a place where I can walk... see little shops....neighbors. I looked at homes online in Fuquay Varina, they all seem new and out in the middle of nowhere, am I wrong?
Since you both have been to Lititz can you tell me how Hillsborugh, Fuquary Varina and Wake Forest compare to it?
I am probably just kidding myself that I will find anything like I have now.
A little further down the road from Hillsborough is Mebane with a really cute walkable downtown and some nice older homes. Prices are better out that way. The downtown of Mebane just lit the Christmas tree, and had a little holiday fair. One of my client's moved to Mebane and is opening a Espresso shop downtown. Also you may want to check out Cameron Village area like Mike said, and I also love the five Points area of Raleigh. A bit more expensive than Mebane though ;-) Are you planning a visit anytime soon. You really need to come see in person. PA is not all that far.
I grew up in Chapel Hill and it is a college town, bottom line. It is a wonderful place, beautiful homes, and they tend to be more expensive simply because there are not "new homes" in chapel hill close to the university, there is no room for growth in that part of chapel hill. Meadowmont is a neighborhood close to downtown chapel hill (and the university) that has some great homes, plus has the walkability you may like...to restaurants, grocery store, fitness center, etc. It is not inexpensive to buy a home there though!
I also love parts of wake forest, the historic area has some wonderful homes, many people walking around, and the ability to go to the very small downtown area. Again, like chapel hill (although chapel hill has a larger downtown area) the downtown area seems to be a constant flux. Some times are better than others, for sure.
It seems most of the "small towns" in our area have their own little downtown area.........durham, chapel hill, raleigh (cameron village is one of the many nice areas), apex, holly springs, wake forest, etc.
It is hard to get the vibe from the internet. I have had clients who know for sure they wanted to live in cary, then when they came to visit they fell in love with holly springs.........it is hard to tell, but as much research as you can do the better.
Location: Apex, North Carolina [Shepherds Vineyard Subdivision]
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Good information! Always best to check it out in person!
The two realtors had very good points that you should always check it out in person. We once thought we found that perfect place which was Boulder, Colorado. Big open space, cool town, bicycle paths everywhere, cool outdoor shopping block, reasonable home values, close to the rockies, ect. Once we got their it just wasn't for us, didn't realize just how "high desert feel" it was, plus the town was dirty due to all the rentals in the area for the students. That put us back for awhile, then we started over and thought the suburbs of Cincinnati on the Kentucky side were for us, and again after visiting the area in person twice, were dissapointed that the suburbs had no real towns, more like strip malls, with beautiful styled home areas around them, but again just wasn't for us.
Recently after a lot more research and trips, we had decided that the East side of Louisville, Kentucky was for us, even though the small and very nice rural neighborhoods of Oldham County with fabulous schools heavily attracted us, though they still had a lack of any real local small towns that I was looking for, plus lacked a lot of natural attractions that we sought and like in Co. The economy their like a lot of areas recently took a really big hit and wiped out most of my original business opportunities, so that made that decision easy. Waagh.
Now we think we have found the perfect place in your Triangle area. With all of your lakes, trees, parks, and reasonable distance to Ocean and Mountains, along with a strong economy, affordable living, nice small towns, and great schools, sounds like everything we could want. Almost combining some of the great attributes of Colorado, Kentucky, and here in California that we liked! But of course I will be coming over soon to verify if fantasy meets reality! I'm confident it will.
I have looked into Chapel Hill...but from my reading on here, people have said the downtown is not that nice?
Not sure why anyone would say that--downtown Chapel Hill is quaint and wonderful! But, to reiterate, it's "college town" quaint. If you don't like students overtaking your downtown 8 months of the year, maybe it's not for you.
Quote:
and chapel hill is really expensive especially the older homes?
Yes. It's precisely the "feel" of Chapel Hill that causes so many to want to live there. The older homes near the university are stately and wonderful, but I can't imagine what the price tage would be on them. As far as "regular" older homes, probably not so many, as rampant growth in this area has bulldozed more than a few older houses to make room for bigger and better".
We have four National Register Districts, three residential, and our downtown. Our downtown renovations and rehab have won main street awards, and two of our residential districts are within walking distance.
Sanford is uniquely located almost centered in the state, nearly equidistant from Raleigh/Durham, Greensboro, and Fayetteville... and just a hop, skip, and jump from Southern Pines/Pinehurst.
We are mid-sized city with all the normal big-box stores, shopping, food, etc... but also a small town environment where your City Councilman drops by your house to say hi, and the mayor waves to you at lunch and knows your name.
We moved to Sanford from San Jose, CA, by way of a 1yr rental in Cary, and have been very happy.
Sanford has seen a lot of investment over the last few years, and it shows, although we also have a long way to go in some areas. But the difference is that there is a strong desire and motivation in the city and community to continue growing and improving.
Unfortunately you have missed our free downtown Thursday concerts in Depot Park during the Summer, but we just had our Christmas Parade this last Sunday, totally with that small town feel. But come down, check out the downtown antique shops, historic neighborhoods, etc.
Being relatively small, you would have a wide choice of old historic homes, gated golf communities, or rural farmland, all within a few minutes of each other and downtown.
And specifically, here is a link to information on Sanford's historic districts:
Historic Preservation, Planning & Development (http://www.sanfordnc.net/Planning/historic_preservation.htm - broken link)
Come check Sanford out. It may not be exactly the same as your old hometown, but I think it may have a lot to offer in many respects.
We've made more friends and been able to effect more change in the two years we've lived here than in the 10 years I lived in the SF Bay Area, and the neighbors wave from their front porches here too!
Cheers,
Al
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thank you
Good information! Always best to check it out in person!
But of course I will be coming over soon to verify if fantasy meets reality!
I'm confident it will. 
