Five Fun (& Cheap) Things to do in Raleigh NC!

Five Fun (& Cheap) Things to do in Raleigh NC!

things to do in raleigh nc, things to do in cary ncIf you live in Raleigh or Cary NC, there is always something to do! Here is a list of five free or cheap things to do this summer!

1. Midtown Beach Music Series: The Beach Music Series at North Hills in Raleigh NC has become a favorite Thursday night activity for people from around the state! Every Thursday night of the summer, North Hills has a concert by different beach bands from 6-9pm. The event is free to attend.

2. Movies by Moonlight: For just $3 (kids under 12 are free), you can bring a blanket or chair as the spacious lawn at Booth Amphitheatre is transformed in to an outdoor movie theatre. A portion of the Movies By Moonlight proceeds will benefit the WakeMed Children’s Hospital. Movie starts at dusk and the gates open at 7pm. You can also bring a picnic into the theatre! Movies are shown many Friday and Saturday nights during the summer.

3. Wind Down Wednesdays: Waverly Place in Cary NC hosts a beach music festival every Wednesday night from 6-9pm. This event is free to attend. They also have many food and beverage stations available at the event! Coolers are not allowed, though. Bring your family (including the dogs!) to enjoy this mid-week festival.

4. Summer Movies at NC Museum of Art: The North Carolina Museum of Art plays movies outside during many weekends of the summer! Admission is free with Museum membership, and parking is free for everyone! Many people take picnics and enjoy dinner before the show. The gates open 90 minutes before the screenings, and concessions (including beer and wine) are frequently sold during the shows.

5. First Friday Gallery Walk: First Friday is a self-guided tour of downtown Raleigh’s hotspots. Art galleries, art studios, and museums stay open late to participate every first Friday in the month. Many bars and restaurants downtown often have food and drink specials for the night as well. The event runs from 6-9pm.

 

If you have any questions about things to do in Raleigh or Cary NC, please contact us!

Fourth Of July Activities in Raleigh NC Area

Fourth Of July Activities in Raleigh NC Area

July 4th Raleigh NCThere are so many things going on in the Raleigh/Cary area on July 4th! How do you know where to go! This is a list of some of the activities going on!

APEX – Olde Fashioned Fourth of July in Downtown Apex 7:00am – 2:00pm – Downtown streets are closed.  Thursday July 4. Games, inflatables, bicycle parade (no fireworks).

CARY – Koka Booth Ampitheatre – 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm on July 4  – music and fireworks.  Koka Kids Club fun: Scavenger Hunt, Happy Dan the Magic Man, Face Painters and more from 3 to 7 PM.  The Ferris Wheel overlooking Symphony Lake.

GARNER – July 3 (not July 4). Lake Benson Park – NC Symphony will perform. Gates open at 5pm with children’s inflatables from 5 to 8 PM.  Fireworks show following the North Carolina Symphony performance.

RALEIGH – The “Works!: July 4th, 2013 from Noon to 11 PM on Fayetteville Street and the Red Hat Ampitheatre in Downtown Raleigh, NC.  – Events all day long and 2 Fireworks Shows in the Evening!

Independence Day Celebration during the day with live music, Beer/Wine tent, kids rides and games, Circus Maximus, street performers, eating contests, food and art vendors, Picnic on Fayetteville Street and much more! Fireworks will light up the sky over The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts starting at around 9:15pm.

  • Fireworks at 9:15 pm:  The earlier Fayetteville Street show will be for everyone’s enjoyment.. The Fayetteville Street fireworks will be launched from the surface parking lot bounded by South, Wilmington, Lenoir and Salisbury streets directly across from the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts
  • Fireworks at 10:15 pm:  The 10:15 p.m. fireworks will be best viewed west of Fayetteville Street, in the Red Hat Amphitheater vicinity. Music begins at 6 PM.

If you are looking for somewhere to enjoy the fireworks in Downtown Raleigh, Boylan Street Pub is great location (if you get there early). It is a smaller place, and it fills up quickly!

 

We hope everyone has a great holiday and stays safe!

How To Scout A Neighborhood Like A Pro

How To Scout A Neighborhood Like A Pro

Raleigh NC neighborhoodsThere’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 Cary NC. 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, you shouldn’t be sold on it just yet.

Why? Because while most homebuyers don’t realize it, 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 out again. Maybe even once more. You’re looking to see any potential things within a five mile radius that are not noticeable when standing in street view. Think factories, sewage treatment plants, any large construction projects, etc. Anything that might affect the smell, noise, air quality, appearance, or traffic conditions of your neighborhood in Raleigh NC now or in the future.

2. Chat up the neighbors. Suck up your courage and knock on doors. With your friendliest smile, say that you’re thinking of moving into the area and ask them how they’ve enjoyed living there. You’re not only looking to hear what they think, you are looking to see how they react to you in general. You don’t want to inherit any simmering feuds or bad feelings along with a property. And don’t just go next door – go across the street and to the neighbor directly behind the property, too.

3. Come back at night. What might seem peaceful during the day can turn into a party spot at night, especially if there are nearby colleges or universities. So visit the neighborhood at various times of day – but especially in the evenings, when loud music or big crowds can really change your perspective.

4. Call the Raleigh city hall. Ask whether there’s any planned construction within the next few years – like a new school, shopping center, or even a new highway. Some things could increase property value, while other things might diminish it. Plus you’ll want to know whether to expect to live in or near a significant construction area for a length of time.

5. Search the neighborhood for crime stats. It’s an unfortunate but necessary reality. You might be surprised to learn that almost every neighborhood has known sex offenders living nearby, and this shouldn’t necessarily prevent you from buying. Sex offenses vary widely in nature, and it doesn’t make every offender dangerous. But it makes sense to get an understanding of who might be living near you or your family, if only to help educate your children if you have them and take reasonable precautions yourself. Same is true for any type of crime – if there are a lot of car break-ins in the area, for instance, you’ll want to take steps keep your own property as safe as possible.

6. Check the Wake County school district. Even if you don’t have school age children yourself, future buyers might. It always pays off to live in a great school district, and invariably makes selling a home easier in the future. Be sure to check greatschool.org ratings for the elementary, middle, and high school respectively that is designated to your property. But don’t just trust the score, either – be sure to read the parent reviews, as well. Sometimes schools that underperform on tests are otherwise well regarded in the community, or are in the process of finding their feet again after a staff shakeup.

7. Check the walk score. We live in a car culture, but it can be wonderful to have places worth walking to – like nearby stores, parks, or train stations. Plug in your address to walkscore.com to see how easy it would be to live there without a car – whether that means easy access to public transport or just a simple way to buy milk in a pinch. Unless you are actively craving somewhere remote, in general, the higher the walk score, the better.

If you have any questions or want to know more about neighborhoods in Raleigh or neighborhoods in Cary, please contact Raleigh Cary Realty.