Barbara Green

Cary Park, a beautiful neighborhood west of Raleigh in Cary is holding a 5k Run/Walk & Kids 1 Mile Fun Run on Saturday, April 11^th, 2009 at the Cary Park Town Center. It is located at 1150 Green Level to Durham Road, Cary. All proceeds will benefit Interact and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

The Cary Park 5k is a USAT&F sanctioned event run on a certified course. The race will attract families out for just fun and also more competitive runners. The 5k race is the first race beginning at 9:00 and the 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 10:00. There will be donated items by the sponsors and an inflatable skeeball to available that day. Don't miss Harry the Dragon, the Harris Teeter dragon mascot. Entry fees are $25.00 for the 5K race and $15.00 for the 1-Mile fun run.

While running through Cary Park, you will see some of the most desirable Cary Real Estate. Homes range in size and value, from spacious family homes to custom luxury homes overlooking Cary Park's 28 acre lake. There are also a variety of town homes and condominium homes for those looking for a lower maintenance lifestyle. Cary Park and surrounding neighborhoods benefit from the area's top ranked Wake County Schools. The day should be packed with fun for everyone. Learn more about the 5k Run/Walk and the nonprofit organizations it will support. We hope to see all of you in the neighborhood!

Cary NC and the city of Raleigh is the fastest growing metropolitan area in America according to national statistics released this week. Population increased 1.1 million for the combined areas, an increase of 4.3% for the timeframe between July 2007 and July 2008 as reported by the National Census Bureau.

Cary attracts residents for many reasons. The region offers a warm beautiful climate, top educational opportunities from pre-school through graduate level schools and diverse economic opportunities. Cary is a well planned, highly sought after community that is affordable. I hear from many of my clients how pleasantly surprised they are with how much home they can get for their money. Western Wake County, and the Cary Park area offer some of the newest, most elegant and diverse styles of homes in the area. There are many of family friendly neighborhoods located among some of the best public schools. These areas offer easy proximity to several world class universities. Half of all residents have children under the age of 18 living with them demonstrating how family friendly the area is. Cary is also located near Research Triangle Park (RTP) where 170 research and development companies and more than 50,000 people operate. UNC and Duke University and their leading edge health care systems are also within minutes.

Cary is now home to several welcoming Active Adult Communities and is one of the top areas of the country to retire. The area is within a few hours from both the mountains and some of the best vacation beaches of the southeast!

Having lived in many parts of the U.S. you can tell I am excited to have found and settled in Cary. Let me help you discover this beautiful place and achieve the best life you can for you and your family!

photo: East West Partners

The Luxury home market in Western Wake County is defined by homes greater than $500,000. This segment experienced double digit growth during the years 2003- 2007. The segment was fueled by the affluent incoming population to Wake County from the northeast and the west coast, an expanding job market in the Triangle and remarkable Wake County Schools. 2008 resulted in a dramatic change in this market, with increase inventory (up 9% in Q4 '08 over Q4'07) and price drop sellers up to 71% of sold homes. Interesting however, agents that have priced homes correctly have actually seen success in the market. Of the 732 Triangle homes analyzed, 68% had a sale price equal to the list price, or no price reduction while listed. They averaged 64 days on market, and final sale price was within 5% of the asking or list price. Homes priced in the $500,000 - $700,000 range continue to see the most buyers.

Q4 Market Statistics: Luxury Homes, Cary, Apex Morrisville

Wake County has seen consistent appreciation for the last 9 out of 10 years. Only in the last year did we see a slight drop, less than 1.5%. In a time when many homeowners have been on an equity roller coaster, residents of Wake County have seen stable, consistent growth. Naturally some neighborhoods and new developments have seen variations in these numbers as the above chart is an average for the whole county.

Source: TARR Report

Sales of existing homes increased in December, closing a challenging year for the real estate industry on positive note. The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes rose 6.5%, an unexpected increase from previously forecasted numbers. Many buyers saw a unique opportunity in both discounted home prices as well as very favorable interest rates. It has been previously reported that new home starts are at an all time low. This is actually great news for current home owners considering selling especially in Cary NC where new neighborhoods have been abundant over the last 5 years. New construction presents difficult completion to resale sellers both in terms of price and condition. With fewer homes on the market sellers should see an active spring selling season!