Some of you nknow from recent posts that we are looking toward retiring in the Durham/Chapel Hill area -- maybe as soon as this coming Spring/Summer. We are working with a realtor from Durham and spend Fri-Sun after Thanksgiving down there checking out neighborhoods and how far our $ will go. What's got my attention most right now are two general possibilities: a renovated Old Durham bungalow or other interesting OLD house in Durham, or something interesting (maybe even new construction) in the Chapel Hill-Carboro area. Would you mind contacting me via email so I can pump you with questions as we continue this? I really like our realtor down there, but until we know exactly what we're going to get from selling our place here in MD, I don't want to send her off on too many "chases". You can email me at [email protected] Thanks!!!

I'll send you an email, but in general your housing dollar goes farther in Durham than in Chapel Hill. Carrboro is the most expensive of the bunch.

However since CH and Carrboro are smaller than Durham, it's easier to feel part of the community.

Uhoh_busted, I will e-mail you later this week, but also think of North Raleigh.... many beautiful areas to live in around the Triangle! My brother has lived in Carrboro for many years, wouldn't live anywhere else!

Thanks for your responses so far! It's nice to know you've got sources everywhere because of Fodors!

I will email later from home. I agree about getting more for the money in Durham. That is why I am in Durham instead of Chapel Hill.

I sent you an email to be sure that Chapel Hill is represented! Hope you got it.

The question is, get more *what* for the money in Durham? If you are just worried about square footage in the house and maybe the land, that's true. But there are some definite trade-offs. You do have to know which neighborhoods to look at in Durham -- certainly north and west are better than south and east, for the most part, although they certainly seem to be developing in the area around Southpoint. And indeed, there are areas of Raleigh you might want to consider.

Let us know where you end up.