Date Archives: November 2020

Our real estate agents know that when you pick a home, you're not just thinking about a house or even about the neighborhood: You also want to join a thriving, lively community. When you're looking at Raleigh homes for sale, you need to know there are plenty of exciting amenities!

As you explore the Triangle, you'll see that not only does it have world-class attractions for you to enjoy, but many of them are free. Whether you decide to settle in Raleigh, fall in love with Durham homes for sale, or choose any other great Triangle community, you'll never be far from a fun and free day out.

There are so many things to do around the Triangle that one blog post couldn't do justice to all of them. But here are a few popular ideas to whet your appetite as you consider whether the Triangle is right for you:

1. Raleigh Artspace – 201 East Davie Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
   Raleigh Artspace is a unique studio space where members of the public can connect with artists and see the creative process up close. Professional artists are always at work in this place, offering some of the area's most innovative exhibitions as well as art education programs. The facility is also used as a venue for weddings and business meetings. Special Creativity Workshops are even available for groups.
2. North Carolina State Capital – 1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
   The North Carolina State Capital is an iconic sight that would fit in right at home with any of the most awe-inspiring architectural marvels in Washington, DC. Completed in 1840 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark, it was the first site of the state governor's office, cabinet offices, legislative chambers, official library, and a variety of other important facilities. It is now open for tours Monday through Saturday.
3. Durham Farmers' Market – 501 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701
   Durham Farmers' Market opens for its main season every Saturday from 8 a.m. sharp to 12 noon. Orders of fresh produce, meats, honey, and other farm goods can be made in advance for curbside pickup. Found right in the heart of downtown Durham, the market welcomes about 65 vendors every weekend. It's been a beloved part of the downtown area since 1999 and sponsors several community food programs.
4. North Carolina Botanical Garden – 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
   Only just a short way from Chapel Hill homes for sale, you'll find the North Carolina Botanical Garden. A conservation garden featuring more than 1,100 cultivated acres, it enables you to witness and experience the immense biodiversity of North Carolina all in one place. Many rare and endangered plant species have been protected from extinction here. You can join a full guided tour or explore on your own.
5. Hemlock Bluff Nature Preserve – 316 North Academy Street, Cary, NC 27513
   Hemlock Bluff Nature Preserve is a picturesque oasis just a short drive from Cary homes for sale. With the eponymous preserve and the Children's Nature Trail open for visits, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Three miles of nature trails are yours to discover, with plenty of scenic vistas and countless opportunities to watch birds and wildlife. The Preserve's Eastern Hemlock trees are unique in the region.

All these amazing places are free throughout the year, and this is only the beginning. To learn about the Triangle or get started, contact us today.

We may be heading into the winter real estate market, but there are plenty of houses to see and tour. In fact, our Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston real estate agents have planned numerous open houses over the next two days.

From Guilford County in the West to Wayne County in the East, our team has listed the homes today's buyers seek. You'll see new construction homes, ITB properties, downtown condos, front-porch bungalows, Craftsman-style designs, luxury townhomes, and so much more.

At HPW, we are committed to maintaining reliable service to our clients, while doing our part to limit the spread of the COVID-19. In order to protect both our clients and agents, we are asking everyone to please take precautionary measures when visiting our open houses. And if attending an open house still isn't in the cards for you then have no fear, we have numerous virtual tours of these amazing homes and more.

Featured Open Houses

106 Royal Club Drive, Cary, NC 27513

$528,000

Sq Ft: 2,578 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 21 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.

208 Cotten Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560

$595,000

Sq Ft: 3,335 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 21 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 22 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

3724 Farmstone Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603

$359,900

Sq Ft: 2,169 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 21 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 22 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

4116 Green Chase Way, Cary, NC 27539

$935,000

Sq Ft: 4,292 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 5 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 21 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and

Sunday, November 22 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

101 Sheffield Circle, Chapel Hill, NC 27517

$1,099,900

Sq Ft: 3,626 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Sunday, November 22 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

1491 Fireside Lane, Creedmoor, NC 27522

$335,000

Sq Ft: 3,053 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full)

Open House: Sunday, November 22 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

204 Shillings Chase Drive, Cary, NC 27518

$512,000

Sq Ft: 3,388 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 3 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Sunday, November 22 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The holiday season has arrived, and with it has come a wonderful excuse to order up pies from your favorite bakery. If you're searching for the best pies in North Carolina, our real estate agents encourage you to check out these bakeries in the Triangle.

1. Slice Pie Company – 17 E. Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27601
   Family-owned, Slice Pie Company is the home of the State Fair Blue Ribbon Pie. Each pie is made from scratch and made with love from recipes handed down from generation to generation. Ten different pies are made to order, allowing you to bring a double chocolate chess pie to your office holiday party or double up with a sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving Day celebration. Although you can purchase pies directly from their shop, you can also find Slice Pie Company pies around Raleigh at places like The Butcher's Market and Sir Walter Coffee.
   
   
2. Bittersweet – 16 E. Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27601
   When you move into one of the newly constructed Raleigh homes for sale, you'll be happy to learn that Bittersweet is the city's earliest opening bar and latest open coffee shop. Whether you're in the mood for coffee or cocktails, Bittersweet is the perfect place to grab a slice of their Derby Pie. This chocolate-bourbon pecan pie is drizzled with salted caramel sauce, handmade in-house with the finest ingredients. 
   
   
3. Mad Hatter's Café & Bakeshop – 1802 West Main St., Durham, NC 27705
   You'd be mad not to visit Mad Hatter's Café & Bakeshop for a slice of pie after moving into one of our Durham homes for sale. Their made to order pies with hand-rolled flaky crusts include apple, pumpkin, pecan, cherry, blueberry, key lime, and French silk. Make sure you order some of their locally roasted Counter Culture coffee to-go as well!
   
   
4. Weaver Street Market – 716 Market St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516
   With multiple locations throughout the Triangle, you'll love shopping Weaver Street Market for your weekly groceries. Their bakery is stocked with a rotating selection of handmade pies, each baked with local, high-quality ingredients. Depending on the season, you'll see their shelves stacked with classics like cherry pie and blueberry pie or holiday pies such as plum pie and sweet potato pie. With local produce, meats, and dairy products, you can plan a whole holiday dinner with North Carolina ingredients when shopping at Weaver Street Market.
   
   
5. Once in a Blue Moon Bakery & Café – 115-G W. Chatham St., Cary, NC 27511
   Over the last twenty years, Once in a Blue Moon Bakery & Café has whipped up stunning desserts that taste as good as they look. A favorite local bakery for wedding cakes, lunch favorites, and everything in between. With 22 delicious pies, it can be difficult to choose. We recommend the Vegan Pumpkin Pie, the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, or the Wild Blueberry Pie with Lattice Crust. Of course, you're free to try a different one each time you're in town browsing Cary homes for sale.

Are you looking for a new home for the holidays? We can help! Contact us today to schedule tours of our Triangle homes for sale.

It's time to make your weekend to-do list! You may want to start gathering items for your Thanksgiving feast, scoping out Black Friday deals and then head out on a hunt for your next home!

Our HPW agents will be hosting open houses all across the Triangle on Saturday and Sunday and with the way the real estate market has been over the past few months (HOT!) you won't want to miss some of these amazing properties. From executive homes to starter homes to townhomes, there is bound to be one that catches your eye.

At HPW, we are committed to maintaining reliable service to our clients, while doing our part to limit the spread of the COVID-19. In order to protect both our clients and agents, we are asking everyone to please take precautionary measures when visiting our open houses. And if attending an open house still isn't in the cards for you then have no fear, we have numerous virtual tours of these amazing homes and more.

Featured Open Houses

178 Colvard Park Drive, Durham, NC 27713

$875,000

Sq Ft: 3,806 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full) 2 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

4202 Virginia Colony Drive, Wake Forest, NC 27587

$215,000

Sq Ft: 1,572 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

1010 Beringer Place, Apex, NC 27502

$335,000

Sq Ft: 1,727 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

114 Lochinvar Court, Cary, NC 27511

$1,900,000

Sq Ft: 5,430 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 4 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

6504 Ravensby Court, Raleigh, NC 27615

$700,000

Sq Ft: 3,000 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and

Sunday, November 15 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

92 Bella Casa Way, Clayton, NC 27527

$694,900

Sq Ft: 4,218 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 4 (full) 2 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

7713 Dover Hills Drive, Wake Forest, NC 27587

$725,000

Sq Ft: 3,435 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 4 (full)

Open House: Saturday, November 14 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 15 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Living in Raleigh means that there will always be new experiences to explore waiting close to your front door, in a city that is constantly growing. This year has seen quite a few exciting new businesses open in the city, offering food and fun for family members of all ages. There are new restaurants with healthy, locally sourced ingredients, a new coffee shop bringing flavors from around the world to Raleigh, and new studios where you can learn to create your own art. Our real estate agents have the exciting details on 5 of the great new businesses to open in Raleigh this year.

1. Origin Hotel Raleigh – 603 W Morgan St., Raleigh, NC 27603

   Whether you're in town to shop for Raleigh homes for sale or already a resident of the city, you're sure to find something to love on the menu when you visit the new restaurant at Origin Hotel Raleigh. The menu offers a diverse selection of plant-based meals with fresh ingredients sourced from local farms and protein-based meals with sustainably sourced meat. Origin Hotel Raleigh is open every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with brunch on weekends.

2. Iris Coffee Lab & Cafe – 725 Tucker St., Raleigh, NC 27603

   For delicious coffee and so much more, be sure to check out the new experience at Iris Coffee Lab & Cafe. This is so much more than your average coffee shop, with a selection of expertly brewed coffee, espresso, and cold brew that you can enjoy with your breakfast or lunch. And it's not just about the coffee! This shop also stocks a lovely selection of teas, which have been aged to perfection and are ready for you to enjoy hot or cold.

3. Wine & Design – 510 W Martin St., Raleigh, NC 27601

   Looking for a fun, fresh way to relax and unwind with your favorite people? An art class at Wine & Design is just the thing! You can book a private party, where you'll enjoy a two-hour class directed by a local artist and create a unique piece of art to bring home. Wine & Design also has regularly scheduled classes, open to anyone, so you don't have to plan a party to enjoy some painting. There are even classes for painting with your pet and online classes that allow you to create art in your own home.

4. Bean Sprouts – 201 E Hargett St., Raleigh, NC 27601

   When you're in the mood for a fun family outing and a healthy meal, you'll love visiting the award-winning Bean Sprouts restaurant. This unique, kid-focused dining spot is located in the Marbles Kids Museum, so it's the perfect place to enjoy a break during your visit. Kids love all of the unique flavors on the menu, and parents are sure to love that everything is made with fresh, healthy, organic ingredients.

5. Sugar & Spice Kitchen – 227 Fayetteville St., Raleigh, NC 27601

   In the mood to indulge your sweet tooth? Sugar & Spice Kitchen is a new dessert destination that fuses the flavors of India and North Carolina to create a menu of sweet treats that you won't find anywhere else. This family-run bakery offers a delectable collection of handmade pies, jams, and cakes, all created with love in Raleigh.

Ready to find your next home in a city that is always evolving to provide new experiences for your family to enjoy? Our team is here to help. Contact us to buy and sell homes throughout the Raleigh, NC area.

Are you team "Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving" or team "No Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving"? If you're on team "Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving" you can start pulling out the lights and the tree stand, blast some Christmas music then go house hunting for the home with the perfect place to display your Christmas Tree. If you're on team "No decorations" you can start planning your Thanksgiving feast, buy some new sweatpants for the big day then go searching for the perfect house where you can host Thanksgiving dinners for years to come.

With houses, townhomes, and condos in all shapes and sizes in highly demanded locations and neighborhoods, our agents' open houses are worth a visit!

At HPW, we are committed to maintaining reliable service to our clients, while doing our part to limit the spread of the COVID-19. In order to protect both our clients and agents, we are asking everyone to please take precautionary measures when visiting our open houses. And if attending an open house still isn't in the cards for you then have no fear, we have numerous virtual tours of these amazing homes and more.

Featured Open Houses

11312 Hickory Grove Church Road, Raleigh, NC 27613

$899,900

Sq Ft: 5,248 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 4 (full)

Open House: Saturday, November 7 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

4105 Green Chase Way, Cary, NC 27539

$800,000

Sq Ft: 3,600 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 4 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Saturday, November 7 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 8 from 7:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m.

2620 Cherry Circle, Raleigh, NC 27603

$228,000

Sq Ft: 1,056 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 1 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Open House: Saturday, November 7 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 8 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.

209 Chieftain Drive, Holly Springs, NC 27540

$393,000

Sq Ft: 3,000 | Beds: 4 | Baths: 3 (full)

Open House: Saturday, November 7 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. and

Sunday, November 8 from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.

8300 Covington Hill Way, Apex, NC 27539

$699,000

Sq Ft: 2,250 | Beds: 5 | Baths: 4 (full) 3 (1/2)

Open House: Sunday, November 8 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

85 Cole Creek Way, Franklinton, NC 27525

$339,900

Sq Ft: 2,250 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 (full) 1 (1/2)

Open House: Sunday, November 8 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

214 W Barbee Chapel Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517

$795,000

Sq Ft: 3,903 | Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 (full) 2 (1/2)

Open House: Sunday, November 8 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

When you're selling your home, you want it to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible. Even though 67 percent of households have pets, our real estate agents know that properties that appear to be pet-free show better than those with a lot of pet supplies scattered and pets running around. Here are some things pet owners need to do before a showing to ensure their pets and home are prepared.

1. Talk to Your Pet's Vet
   Selling a home isn't just stressful for human family members; it can stress your furry and feathered family members as well. Talk to your pet's vet to determine how you can best minimize your pet's stress while your home is for sale. Your pet may have to spend more time than they're used to away from their home in your car or a crate. Some pets may benefit from temporarily taking anti-anxiety medication. If your pet is prone to UTIs, disrupting their bathroom habits may trigger a flareup. Your vet might recommend preventive measures to keep your pet healthy during this stressful time. 

2. Devise a Plan for Relocating Your Pet During Showings
   When it's time for a showing or open house, you need to remove your pet and any evidence of your pet. This includes items like litter boxes, pet beds, toys, and feeding and watering bowls. Help the process go as smoothly as possible by devising a plan to deal with impromptu home showings. You might have one family member responsible for gathering pet equipment while another family member rounds up your pets and puts them in crates or on leashes. Don't forget to sweep up litter or spilled kibble before you leave!

3. Borrow an Impartial Friend's Nose
   Before you add your home to the list of Raleigh homes for sale, you want to ensure that it smells fresh and clean. If your home has a bad odor, this can cause homebuyers to form unfavorable opinions about your property. Since you've lived in your home for so long, you're likely immune to many of its odors. Have an impartial friend stop by and let you know if they can smell any evidence of your pet. Even if you've promptly cleaned up Fido's accidents, old urine stains and odors might still linger. These tough odors might require professional cleaning or even require you to completely replace the soiled materials. 

4. Give Your Yard a Once Over
   Don't forget to inspect your home's outside areas. Prospective buyers will want to explore your yard; you don't want them stepping in a hole or a pile of dog scat. Make sure to fill in any holes and scoop any pet waste. Just like the inside of your home, your home's exterior should look as if it belongs to a pet-free family. Check your home's exterior for any damage that your pet may have caused. Look for holes in your fence and claw marks on outside furnishings and wood trim. Repair any damage and replace any items that can't be salvaged. Even if the buyer doesn't spot the damage before making an offer, your home inspector is likely to detect the issues during the home inspection.

Have additional questions about preparing your home to sell? Contact us today for assistance!