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Greetings,
My wife and I are planning a move from Jacksonville, FL to Cary, and we have been looking at homes in Highland Oaks subdivision. We have a 6yo girl and 1yo boy, and our primary concern is finding a good home in a good neighborhood where we can stay for 18 years and raise our kids.
Can you tell us your honest opinion of Highland Oaks as a subdivision for a family with kids. I'm not looking for sugar-coating, I'd like to know what problems there are??
I know of no negatives about the neighborhood. There are powerlines on one side, and several homes that back to High House Rd, but I don't think you have to worry excessively about high crime, gang infestation, etc.
My honest opinion is you can be in a custom built neighborhood for the same price range instead of a track builder. Not sure if this neighborhood has a pool, but if it doesn't it would be another negative for me.
I personally think you can do better for the price. Yes, you are getting a decent size home and the location is good but there are neighborhoods that are nicer looking, have a better layout and have more to offer in amenities. The pool area is very basic. There are power lines. Some homes back High House Rd. while others back closely to Weatherstone. It is also right behind the shopping plaza.
On this one, it's a matter of personal preference.
For that price range I would rather live in Weatherstone or Wellsley. They have more of a neighborhood feel to me. And they houses look more custom than Highland Oaks which is a Pulte neighborhood. How much square footage are you looking for?
I personally think you can do better for the price. Yes, you are getting a decent size home and the location is good but there are neighborhoods that are nicer looking, have a better layout and have more to offer in amenities. The pool area is very basic. There are power lines. Some homes back High House Rd. while others back closely to Weatherstone. It is also right behind the shopping plaza.
On this one, it's a matter of personal preference.
agreed, + planes and trains. there are sum pluses to the neighborhood, but they get wiped out by all the negatives.
Highland Oaks is pretty competitive in $$/SF. Most tract builds are competitive. If one needs 4000SF of space, Highland Oaks has the most affordable offerings.
If one wants custom quality, an older smaller home in Weatherstone or Preston Forest may be a good fit.
Coles Creek Sales: Subject Area Improved Sales - 0359695
Fairly affordable Square Footage, too. With the same powerlines as Weatherstone and Highland Oaks and no pool.
agreed, + planes and trains. there are sum pluses to the neighborhood, but they get wiped out by all the negatives.
Highland Oaks is not in a plane or train path! I live nearby....it is a very nice neigborhood. I've been into a couple of the homes and they're beautiful. My only complaint is lack of established trees but that will come in time. It is in an excellent location with great schools.
We lived in Highland Oaks for 2 years. I've heard on this forum over and over how spending over (fill in the blank) on a Pulte home is crazy. Sure, Weatherstone is nice, but for the same amount of money you're getting a lot less square footage in an older home that may need to be updated. We were shopping for a home for around $500k 3.5 years ago and we got almost 4,000 square feet on a wooded lot. Our house had wood floors throughout the lower level, a huge kitchen, a downstairs guest suite, 4 bedrooms upstairs with private baths and a huge bonus room. We also had hardiplank and a pretty stone front. You're not going to get anything close to that size from a custom builder in that type of location on that type of lot. So, if you like that location, it's a great option. Also, I'll point out that even in this economy at this price point (which is tough in Cary) resales are holding their own in Highland Oaks.
There is a pool--it's a nice zero entry pool which is great for little ones. No swim team which can be a positive or a negative. I never heard planes in my house. I noticed them occassionally when we were outside (which was a lot), but never enough to stop a conversation (like when I took my kids to the park in Highcroft) and we may have heard the train whistle off in the distance a few times a day but I heard that growing up in a very upscale town in CT so I'm used to it.
ETA: Just noticed the new listing (a foreclosure). Don't know if that's in your price range, but that's a lot of house for the money. Not sure about the details of buying a foreclosure or if you're looking for a 5,000 sq. ft. + house (that's a lot of house to heat/cool and clean!).
Last edited by sls76; 12-21-2009 at 05:01 AM..
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