Possible Move to Durham
 

Hello all! Husband and I may be moving this summer, and Durham (Duke) is one of our options. Can you direct me to some good sites to visit for research? And what is your honest opinion of living there? Obviously, we're used to a lower cost of living in TX, so that will be a big deciding factor. We have two dogs, and would really like a house, but I think it might be too expensive. What are the neighborhoods like? Is Chapel Hill too far away to live in? Also, what's the "culture" like, in terms of restaurants, theatre, etc.?

Any advice/information is very welcome! Thank you in advance!

Durham isn't a bad place to live, and there is a lot of "culture" to be found, given that Duke and UNC are so close, and Raleigh isn't far away either (although too far to commute imho).

Chapel Hill is not too far away - it's very close actually (esp. to Duke), and it's prettier than Durham, but it's more expensive for housing.

Is your husband a grad student or young prof? If I were you, I'd rent first to get a feel of the neighborhoods that are close to campus, before committing to buying. Durham is a multicultural city and there are a variety of living options both high end and low end, but there are some sketchy areas like anywhere else.

Wow, I see you have a lot of "options" for where you might be moving.

Ime, Durham is a nicer than New Haven. It's definitely warmer. ;)

I live in Durham, but grew up in Chapel Hill, so ask away.

You can find a house in about most price ranges. Of course, the more you can afford, the better house you get. There are some areas you wouldn't want to live in, but no Realtor would take you there anyway. Good suggestion at rent first then buy. Lots of apartments in the area.

And I grew up in Durham and loved it. Moving back isn't an option for me, but my daughter likes the idea of going to Duke. I've found that it has more character than it did when I was growing up, and the contrast between the university/non-university community offers a lot of diversity.

Most real estate agent websites offer limited area information. I recommend you perform a Google search for keyword search terms like "Durham NC area information". Chamber of commerce websites do a pretty good job providing area information as well as the visitor bureau sites. Just remember all of these local websites will "paint a pretty picture" of their areas.