Triangle Area Real Estate News & Information

It's every parents favorite time of year, you know what it is, it's the first day of school. I can't wait until Monday when I will get up early and run into my kids rooms and start screaming, “First Day of School Baby!” This has been a tradition in our house since kindergarten. My kids of course will hate it as usual, but their mother and I will be doing the happy dance all day long.

This time of year does remind me of one of the most often asked questions I get as a Realtor in Durham, “What about the schools?” Or that strange look I often get when I tell people proudly that my kids go to public school in Durham. Durham? Really? Yes, Durham! It is no secret that the public school system in North Carolina is struggling lately, budgets are down, teacher pay has fallen off a cliff and our test scores are less than desired. Unfortunately this is happening across the country and I have no desire to get into a political debate about who's fault it is, frankly there is enough blame to go around for everyone. However, the important points I always make to my buyers when I get the questions are these.

First of all, Durham is a city and like all cities it has its struggles but don't believe everything you hear. Durham, like most cities, does have a population of under privileged families as well as a population of families where English is not their first language. Do we think this may impact test scores a bit? Of course it does. Is it possible that it may be good for children to grow up in a diverse culture where they are exposed to all aspects of life? I think so, and if you are going to live in a city, albeit a small one like Durham, this is what one should expect and embrace. If you are an involved parent and keep track of what your kids are up to, take time out of your schedule to get involved at school then your kids will do just fine in Durham, no matter what the average test scores may suggest. The people that I have run into in our years in the Durham School system have all been top notch, hard working, dedicated folks that have taught my children well.

The other great thing about Durham is if for whatever reason the public school system is not working out the best for your child you have a multitude of other options. There are Charter Schools, Montessori Schools, Magnet Schools, and Private Schools all within the city limits. In fact the educational opportunities in Durham are quite extensive and I would suggest that this along with influx of the “creative class”, the arts scene Durham's reputation as one of the most “Caring” cities in the country and the value it offers in relation to much the surrounding area of the Triangle is just another one of the many reasons you should consider Durham if you're looking for a great place to buy a home.

So before you rule out Durham based on what you may have heard about the school system I would encourage you to do a little more research, talk to some parents that are raising their kids in Durham and see what you find out. If you are not careful you may find yourself living in Durham and on an early morning in late August you'll be running around the house screaming “First Day of School Baby!”