Relocation Information

When moving to a new area, there are many questions you may have.  Here are some top questions about the Raleigh area.

Can you tell me about the schools?  It seems there are so many options.

In the Triangle area, we have traditional calendar schools (operate from late August to early June), Year Round schools (operate on a track system where the children go to school for 9 weeks and then are off for 3 weeks), Charter Schools (Enrollment is based on a lottery.  Each school has a specialty and runs almost like a private school), and Magnet Schools (Also enrollment lottery and each school has its own specialty such as creative arts, language, math, etc.).  There is a lot of choice when it comes to schools here.  Each address is assigned to base school that is either a traditional or year round option.  Then you also have the option to apply to a charter or magnet school.  For the best answer to your questions, visit Wake County Schools, Durham County Schools, Johnston County Schools, Orange County Schools, Chatham County Schools, or Chapel Hill / Carborro Schools.  Many schools hosts tours at a certain point during the year and you can also call the school to see if you can meet with the principal.  Check out my Schools and Communities Guide for more info as well.

What is the weather like throughout the year?

The Triangle area has great weather throughout the year.  It is relatively warm for most of the year.  We have cold days during the winter, but our weather typically stays on the warmer side.  Heavy winter coats are usually not a necessity.

Do you have professional sports teams?

Raleigh is home to the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) Hockey team as well as North Carolina F.C. Soccer Team.  Durham has the Durham Bulls and Zebulon has the Carolina Mudcats, which are both Minor League Baseball teams.  If you are looking for professional football, you can take a trip to Charlotte to see the Carolina Panthers play.

What are popular activities for kids?

The area is extremely family friendly.  Some of the most popular places to visit include Marbles Children’s Museum, the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the Museum of Life and Science, Morehead Planetarium, and Kidzu Children’s Museum.  There are also many parks, festivals, and so much more to see and do.

Where are there good restaurants?

Raleigh has become a place where great chefs build restaurants.  There are great restaurants in the downtown areas, but there are also great restaurants in shopping centers along the way.  Some of the areas most talked about restaurants include the Angus Barn, Bida Manda, Brewery Bhavana, Poole’s Diner, Jolie, High Horse, Royale, Barcelona, Crawford & Son, Vin Rouge, Lantern, Cowfish, Sassool, Neomonde, and many others.

Where should we go shopping?

The Triangle area has a variety of different shopping centers and malls.  Some offer more boutique shopping while others offer big box stores.  Area malls include Crabtree Valley Mall, Southpoint Mall, Triangle Town Center and Cary Town Center. Shopping areas include North Hills, Cameron Village, Beaver Creek, Brier Creek, Crossroads, Park West Village, Parkside Town Commons, and the downtown areas in each city.

What grocery stores do you have?

Somehow the Triangle has more grocery store chains than any other part of the country!  We have Wegmans, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Publix, Food Lion, Fresh Market, Whole Foods, Trader Joes,  Sprouts, Aldi and Lidl.  Did you know the Raleigh area has one of the highest numbers of grocery store chains in the country?  If you are looking for Kosher Foods locally, your best options are Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Food Lion on Falls of Neuse & Strickland only, and Publix.

What hospitals are in the area?

The Triangle is home to Wake Med, Duke, and UNC Medical Centers. In Raleigh, Wake Med on New Bern Road is the trauma center and also has the children’s emergency room. Wake Med also has satellite emergency rooms throughout the area and another full hospital in Cary. UNC Rex and Duke Raleigh are also located in Raleigh.  Durham has Duke and Durham Regional and Chapel Hill has UNC Hospital. Both Duke and UNC also have children’s ER’s.

What are property taxes like?

Property taxes are much lower in the Triangle area than many other parts of the country where people are moving from.  Overall the tax is about 1% of your home’s value.  If your home is worth $300k, taxes will be around $3k.  Property tax values are reassessed every 4 years.