Who doesn't love a good list? Here's a link to Liveability.com's 2014 Best Places to Live and my home city Durham NC ranks #4 and ten minutes away where my real estate office is located; Chapel Hill NC ranked #71. It's nice to live, work and play in such a highly desirable location and easy to understand why.

Here's just some of the things I love about the area:

UNC and Duke University:

You can't beat having two world class Universities within 15 minutes of one another that attract some of the smartest minds both teaching and students to the area is a huge plus. It creates a highly educated, well traveled, open minded environment at large and offers so many opportunities to meet, interact and learn from an amazing group of people. UNC and Duke…

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Triangle Restaurant Week 2014It’s that time of year once again; starting tomorrow 1/20/2014 it’s the annual Triangle Restaurant Week 2014, time to check out the many great restaurants that have bought Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and the Triangle national (and well deserved) recognition for our food scene. I love this year’s motto, “Keep Calm and Dine On”

Unless you either don’t eat or don’t like food, this coming week is your week. You’ve got the opportunity to try 3 course dinners for $30 at some of the top restaurants throughout the Triangle.

Special kudos for Durham’s own Guglehupf Bakery/Cafe which just a few days ago was awarded the Good Food Award in San Francisco (this is the Foodie equivalent of an Oscar) for their Smoked Hogs Head Cheese (trust me it tastes much…

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Downtown Durham is constantly upgrading it's offering. This month the newest investment from the City of Durham, and local Entrepreneur's bring upgrades to the Award Winning DPAC facility and Downtown Durham's American Tobacco District.

DPAC announced plans to expand the President's Circle Lounge in partnership with Capitol Broadcasting Co. The expansion will more than triple the amount of space for the top supporters of DPAC and will expand other facilities as well.

In addition to the announced upgrades for the President's Lounge, work is almost finished for the four new restaurants in the space directly next to DPAC. For the last year, construction of Diamond View III (which is located just outside the left outfield wall of the Durham Bulls…

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Hillandale, Durham NCLots of people are in love with the area near the NC School of Math and Science. The Watts Hospital / Hillandale neighborhood in Durham is a community of homes built from the early 1900's to the 1980's.

The homes are an interesting mix of traditional Cape Cods, Bungalow, and you will also find contemporary and colonial styles that have been nurtured into the wooded area that is Duke Forest. Home prices can range from under $200,000 to $600,000 some of the homes have been completely renovated with the latest energy efficient building codes, appliances and structural needs while others are sold as they were built.

The Watts Hospital / Hillandale neighborhood homes sit on lots that vary from .14 to over .50 acres. For the most part, they are heavily…

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About Highcroft Village Homes In Cary, NC

Highcroft Village in Cary, North Carolina 27519 is a wonderful community perfectly located at the intersection of NC Highway 55 and Green Hope School Road. The home prices in Highcroft Village range from the low $400’s up to the low $700’s. There are about three home sales a month and the average price per square foot for homes sold in 2015 (11/19/15) was $150.There are five and four bedroom homes available, both new construction and resales. The average lot size is about .15 acre. Highcroft Village is a highly sought after neighborhood with homes selling quickly, the average days on market is only 50 days with some homes selling in as little as 3 days. Currently the main builders in Highcroft are national…

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The Preston Real Estate Market, Cary NC

The Preston Community in Cary, NC is a wonderful mix of neighborhoods built around the prestigious Prestonwood Country Club. There are many different home styles and prices range from $230,000 up to $2,900,000. Most of the homes were built between the mid eighties and late nineties. There are beautiful tree lined streets connecting the different neighborhoods and bike lanes are on most main streets. The more expensive homes are often found in small private cul-de sacs with golf course views. The community is a walking delight with wide sidewalks and miles of different options.

The average price per square foot for homes sold in the third quarter of 2015 (11/19/15) was $165 and the average size of the homes was…

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About Renaissance At Regency In Cary, NC

ForeverHome, a local Triangle area builder, is building magnificent luxury cottage homes in the beautiful community of Renaissance At Regency in Cary, NC. These luxurious homes start in the low $400’s and there are a number of floor plans ranging in size from 2300 square feet up to 7000 square feet. YTD 2015 (11/18/15) shows the average homes sold in the low $600's. The homes feature meticulously landscaped yards that are maintenance free, stone and brick exteriors with long lasting fiber cement . The interiors of the homes are splendidly equipped with the finest of appliances and fixtures. In the kitchen, stainless steel appliances match with custom cabinets, exquisite lighting fixtures and granite countertops.…

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About Copperleaf Homes In Cary, NC

Copperleaf, Cary NCThe neighborhood of Copperleaf is a wonderful community of luxury custom built homes ranging in price from the high $700’s to the low $1,000,000's. Copperleaf is located near the intersection of Morrisville Parkway and White Oak Church Rd. The homes feature a mix of the top of the line in luxury finishes and features. Beautiful stone exteriors, stately home styles, circular driveways and extensive landscaping all combine to provide a magnificent community atmosphere. The Copperleaf walking trails connect you to the American Tobacco Trail system which provide miles of walking, running and bike riding opportunities. The Thomas Brooks Park home to the USA Baseball National Training Complex is a short drive away.

The…

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Durham NeighborhoodsHow to Find The Perfect Neighborhood

You're out looking to buy a home in an area you're not truly familiar with. How can you know whether it's a good match for what you are ideally looking for? There’s an art to knowing if a neighborhood is a great one, and it goes far beyond tree-lined streets or summer block parties.

Let’s assume you stumble upon what appears to be your ideal neighborhood in. It’s close to the things that matter to you and it’s filled with the things you love. Fantastic. But even if it seems to tick all your boxes, there are 7 important things you really need to do before allowing yourself to fall head over heels with any particular location:

1. Get A Bird's Eye View

Type the address in Google Maps. Then zoom out. And zoom…

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HOA PlaygroundsSome homes in Durham and Chapel Hill are in Communities that have Home Owner Associations, and those dues could be charged on a monthly, annual or quarterly basis – depending on the Association and the Amenities that Community has.

Makes sense – especially if you are moving to an area that has a playground, a large entryway or Swimming Pool. Townhouse Communities and Condos generally have Association costs that cover part or all of the exterior maintenance of your home or landscaping around your property. But, there’s more to Home Owner’s Associations than just paying dues for maintenance.

Dues generally pay for the association insurance policies, landscaping services by a professional landscaper, management of the association by a professional…

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