Help! Cary house or Holly Springs? (Durham, Garner: cul-de-sac, sales, HOA) - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - North Carolina (NC) -The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum

TXsurburbanmom · 05-22-2010, 12:49 PM

It's down to 2 houses. Cary house $20k more but bigger AND Dillard Rd schools (plus I hate the yard -husband doesn't). Holly Springs house not as nice but feels warmer and Holly Springs Elementary-amazing yard but near baseball field and not sure how annoying that will be. We're a "little" concerned about the Dillard Rd schools. Any help? We have to decide this weekend as our house closes 6/7!

TXsurburbanmom · 05-22-2010, 05:52 PM

hey. where are all my friendly helpers? I've got to pick by morning. I'm not trying to insult any schools but I did read here about violence at Dillard Dr schools so... I need to make the right choice for my boys.

lamishra · 05-22-2010, 06:45 PM

How close is the baseball field? Our pool in Cary is right next to one and it is BUSY during baseball season and parking/traffic is crazy during the games. We have issues with people speeding, parking all over the place and we've had a few run ins with some unruly parents.

I personally would not want to live that close to one, but I don't know how the ones in Holly Springs are. I don't know about Dillard schools. I have heard from other parents that Dillard Elementary is just fine and they are happy with it. I've heard not so good things about the middle school.
Can't help you with the yard issue. Sometimes when it gets down to the wire like this, you just have to go with your gut.
Good luck!

MAtoNC! · 05-22-2010, 07:30 PM

I live in Cary. But I don't care for the Crossroads area. In this case I would go with the Holly Springs house. Is it near Womble Park? I have a friend that lives near there and it hasn't been a problem for her.

Mikeheel · 05-22-2010, 08:11 PM

Depends. Where is the rest of your life centered? If in RTP, I'd definitely go Cary. Also, resale in Holly Springs pretty well stinks right now. Cary isn't all roses, but homes hold their value better (of course, that also could mean you'd be getting a better deal on the home in Holly Springs right now).

Anyway, I work in Durham. One of our guys lives in Holly Springs, and there is no way I'd handle that commute.

So, for me, I'd pick (and did pick) Cary. Paid a little more but am a lot happier. But if I worked elsewhere, I could be content in Holly Springs.

All people here can do is give you their biases. My advice is figure out where you spend your time, and then buy the home that best fits your life, regardless of whether it's Cary, Holly Springs, or Outer Mongolia.

Good luck,
Mike

lovebrentwood · 05-22-2010, 08:15 PM

My bias would be: Cary. You'll never regret buying a bigger, nicer home that is more convenient to everything. You can warm it up by redecorating.

Mike gave good advice -- live closer to where you'll be spending most of your life (job, shopping, entertainment, social activities).

*Sixy* · 05-22-2010, 08:38 PM

My friend lives in a neighborhood that backs up to Womble park baseball fields. She has no homes behind her which is great and she does not get any traffic issues because she is off the main rd to the park.

She has a prime location for attending all the festivals and all her kids sporting events as almost all rec sports take place at Womble.

If you have children, I would JUMP at the chance to back up to the baseball fields. My kids would live on those fields if they could. We do okay with them playing in our cul-de-sac but they are getting older and would love more space.

Good luck with your choice!

TXsurburbanmom · 05-22-2010, 10:43 PM

My husband is in Garner so Cary is about 20 minutes and Holly Springs about 30. Compared to previous commutes across San Antonio either is great.

It's Jones Park behind the Holly Springs house and have parkland behind the house as a buffer but I understand the for about 3 months it's pretty noisy during the games. I don't think there would be traffic but it is on a main road for the neighborhood. The neighborhood is Windward Point.

So far on the Cary house we've not seen anyone outside other than pulling into the drive so I'm not sure how friendly the neighborhood is although we saw people at the park. It's very close to Kids Together Park--a plus. It's a major major steal but I really really hate the yard--weird shape and trees would have to be cut along with a fence built on the side yard and I'm not sure on the HOA or Cary rules on that. The subdivision is Wellington.

North_Raleigh_Guy · 05-22-2010, 11:05 PM

The fact that you have mentioned twice that you "hate the yard" of the Cary House would cause me pause.

MAtoNC! · 05-23-2010, 06:50 AM

I looked at a house in Wellington. I liked the neighborhood. It had lots of trees and a community pool. There are a lot of kids there. There were yard sales when we went and lots of people out and about. I have a friend with kids that lives there also. But to be honest it was the school assignments that kept me away. And it was not as close to RTP as we wanted. We ended up buying a house near the Cary YMCA.

As a general statement on Cary vs Holly Springs I would pick Cary because it's not as far out. But that doesn't mean that every single square mile of Cary would work for me. There are some neighborhoods in Cary I would not live in. You really have to look at that -- not just town vs. town. Cary is closer to RTP, has more shopping etc. I think the resale is better also. I realize some people prefer Holly Springs because it's not as developed as Cary. I like things close by though.

In this case if these two houses were my only choices I would pick Holly Springs. Are you sure these two houses are the only choices? I know you have a closing coming up. I went through that before and bought a house I regretted. I wish I had rented and waited for the "right" place. Sometimes the timing doesn't work out and the right house is not on the market when you get an offer for the house you are selling.