I used to be active on the garden web carolina gardening forums. I don't see the same format here on houzz, but remember many people asking for information on communities in the Carolinas when they were about to move. If I have asked in the wrong place, please help me learn how to navigate this huge website! Thanks.

Hi

Welcome to Raleigh!

This forum will seem a bit confusing in the beginning.. You will soon get used to it..

I do remember others asking for similar info but was more pertinent to a good house location for gardening.. Hopefully someone will chime in with more.

You can also try the City data forums.. They have a lot of discussions on several topics.. including Relocation to the triangle's different cities..

Welcome to Raleigh! I think you will be able to find what you are looking for in any of the many neighborhoods. You should pay attention to the roads you will be driving on the most (work? school?) because in some areas the main roads become gridlocked pretty much every day. There are plenty of smaller older homes for rent or sale on the outskirts of the city so you don't necessarily need to commute a long distance if you don't want to. That being said, some of the small towns that ring the city are wonderful places to live. Outside of work locations, the shopping is pretty much the same everywhere so people on the south side don't have to go to the north side to shop and vice versa. I live on the south side and rarely go anywhere besides my area and downtown.

We had good luck with Garner, it seems the houses are smaller but the yards are larger.