Pros and Cons of Living in Wake Forest - Ultimate Guide 2024

Pros and Cons of Living in Wake Forest - Ultimate Guide 2024

 Are you considering relocating to the Raleigh area and heard about Wake Forest? And you're wondering if it's a great place for you and your family to live? Wake Forest is a great town that offers a combination of small town charm, proximity to urban amenities, great quality of life with plenty of green space, a strong sense of community that makes it a desirable place to live.

Today? I'll be sharing some of the many reasons why people are drawn to this town and love living here, Along with a few drawbacks you may want to be aware of before deciding if it's the right town For the lifestyle that you want to live if you want to know more of that information Stay tuned because we're at it now Hi

y'all, it's Brandy Nemergut, local REALTOR, and your connection to all things real estate and all things Raleigh. Please make sure to like and subscribe to learn more about Raleigh and the surrounding areas each week. Okay, let's just jump right on in and get started. When my family and I first relocated here six years ago from California.

We heard so many people talking about Wake Forest and what a great place it was to live. It's been an up and coming suburb of Raleigh. That has and is continuing to explode in growth and popularity over the last decade or so and offer some of the best neighborhoods in the greater raleigh area and if you're in the market for a new construction home or Just newer neighborhoods or masterplan communities in general, Wake Forest has some great options.

Now when it comes to location, Wake Forest is primarily in Wake County with a portion being in Franklin County and is located approximately 30 minutes north of downtown Raleigh. The main roadways used for traveling are US1 running south into Raleigh, Highway 98 running west towards Durham and I 540 to connect you to other suburbs in the area.

When it comes to traffic, it can be a bit of a challenge on some of the highways, especially during rush hour traffic, especially us one where Capitol Boulevard is. That road is definitely not for the faint of heart. Now it's a main vein road that gets you in and out of Raleigh and Wake Forest. This is one of the biggest complaints I hear from locals that have to commute into Raleigh for work.

But if you look at the overall development and growth of the Triangle area as a whole, as we continue to grow and move, more people come. The roads will just continue to get more congested, like many other places. And yes, especially during a rush hour. However, I will say it still pales in comparison to the traffic in places like Los Angeles, New York, or even Miami.

And I'll take our traffic any day of the week. Now one thing I will say that's nice about living in Wake Forest when it comes to the roads, is that there are multiple back roads that can be utilized to cut down on your commute. So if you learn those roads right quick as they say in the south, it'll help you avoid some of that congestion.

Now a fun fact, Wake Forest is actually the third largest suburb of Raleigh with approximately 55, 000 residents who call Wake Forest home as of early 2024 with an average annual household income of approximately 121, 480. And a poverty rate of 3. 28%. One of the things I love about Wake Forest is the fact it has a beautiful, historic downtown area with a historic district of homes nearby.

And there are so many beautiful, mature trees in the town. Sometimes it makes me wonder if that's how it got its name. Now, another fun fact, Wake Forest is hometown of baseball player Josh Hamilton. And one of the downsides to living in Wake Forest is the fact it doesn't really have any major businesses within town limits.

As a result, most people who live here have to commute into Raleigh or Durham, where the Research Triangle Park Hub is located. When it comes to shopping, there really aren't a ton of shopping options here. However, it does have some great commercial spaces. that have just about everything you need within minutes and it's continually expanding.

And as I mentioned earlier, it's only about 30 minutes to downtown Raleigh and you can even be in other parts of Raleigh and shops in around 15 minutes or so. If you love the outdoors, you'll enjoy the beautiful parks here in Wake Forest. Joyner Park is a local favorite here. It's 117 acres of open space with beautiful oak trees and miles of paved trails and a really cool playground for the kids as well as a recreation center.

Then there's Forest Ridge Park, which is 587 acres adjacent to Falls Lake, where you can enjoy mountain biking. There's multiple use trails, fishing, a wildlife garden, playground. And they even have nature programs. You'll also be close to enjoy a local favorite greenway, Neuse River Trail, which I believe has about 30 miles of paved greenway to enjoy walking, running, biking, which is absolutely one of our family favorites, especially in the spring and fall months when the weather is absolutely amazing here.

And as I mentioned earlier, Falls Lake, which is one of the largest lakes in the area, is also the perfect place to go for a ride in your boat. Or, if you love kayaking, there's the Wake Forest Reservoir. Wake Forest also offers a thriving cultural scene with events like the Wake Forest Renaissance Fair and a variety of local art galleries and theaters.

Wake Forest has a huge sense of community and comes together for annual family-friendly events like the 4th of July Fireworks and the Christmas Parade. A local favorite spot to go with the kids is The Factory. It's a multi-use sports and entertainment complex, perfect for family fun with ice rinks and more here.

You can eat, shop, and play when it comes to housing. This suburban town has some of the best selections of neighborhoods in the Raleigh area, especially if you're considering luxury options, larger lot sizes and want a master plan community type lifestyle. And if you want a new construction home with around half of an acre to a full acre of property or more, Wake Forest has plenty of neighborhoods that may be the perfect place for you to call home.

These homes range in price point from around 720 000 all the way up to around 3 million, while square footage ranges anywhere from 2 800 to 6 500 square feet. In early 2024, the median price point for a single-family home in Wake Forest is approximately 590,000. And for a townhome, you're looking right around 375, 000.

Two popular planned communities here in Wake Forest are Holden Village and Heritage. They both offer some great amenities and have a 15 acre lake to kayak. Holden Village offers everything from apartments to new build townhomes and single family homes. So if you're not ready to buy yet and want to see what living in Wake Forest is like, you could always start at the apartments here.

Price point is approximately 400, 000 to 800, 000 with square footage ranging from about 1, 800 to 3, 600 square feet. Heritage at Wake Forest. This is one of Wake Forest's most popular neighborhoods. It's a beautiful 2, 000 acre community with an award winning golf course. Now Heritage is located on the southeast corner of Wake Forest and parts of the community are also in Roseville.

This community has access to the Greenway Trails, Playgrounds, Town Soccer Park, Swimming Pool, Tennis and is also close to Shopping and Dining. Price point and heritage ranges from the low 400, 000 all the way up to 1. 2 million. One of my favorite communities is located on the west side of Wake Forest called Hasen Tree.

This community offers luxurious resort style living and has a Tom Fazio design golf course featuring a par 71 layout. This community comes with amazing amenities, including clubhouse, bar and grill, six lighted tennis courts, top of the line fitness center with training and classes. Restaurants, there's even wine tasting on window stays and more.

Now, these homes offer larger lot sizes, averaging from half an acre to a full acre. Prices here are going to range from about 700 000 all the way up to 3 million. Square footage ranges from around 2,000 square feet up to 6,500 square feet, and you can find up to seven-bedroom homes here. When it comes to cost of living, the cost of living in Wake Forest can be higher than some of the other surrounding suburbs, but it's still typically less expensive than suburbs like Cary, Apex, and Holly Springs.

And when it comes to public transportation, like most of the suburbs around the Raleigh area, public transportation is limited. So having a car is basically a necessity here. When it comes to schools, Wake Forest is part of the Wake County public school system and has some great public schools in the area.

Just be sure to do your own research on the schools. No matter where you're considering to move. One site that I like to utilize for school ratings and additional information is carolinaschoolhub. com. And if you need further school help, just reach out to me and I can connect you with a consultant who specializes in schools and helps you navigate the school system and options that best fit what you and your family are looking for.

Not only are there public schools, but you will also find many other options from charter schools and private schools. And for all you sports lovers, the town relies on Wake Forest High School Sports for local entertainment, as the football team regularly competes for state championships. Wake Forest is approximately 35 to 40 minutes to see the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey, 30 minutes to see the Mudcats baseball game, and around 40 minutes to watch the Durham Bulls baseball team.

Now, if y'all have been watching my videos long enough, You know, my hubby and I are big foodies when it comes to food Wake Forest has some great options and popular restaurants that people from all over the triangle come to eat and enjoy One of my favorites and first restaurant we ever ate at here is over the falls They have an extensive menu and you can get anything from sandwiches to burgers salads And they even have pizza.

They also have an extensive selection of beers and some refreshing beverages. With a twist. And if you love Puerto Rican and Cuban food as much as we do, you definitely want to try out Casa Cubana. They have delicious empanadas, ropa viejo, these potato balls that are stuffed with meat, plantains. There's even certain nights that they have live music and people are even known to dance.

And then there's bodegas, tapas, and wine. I love trying all their bite-sized delights. They are so flavorful, but I will tell you, we have to order quite a bit when my hubby and I go there because the portions are pretty tiny. But I guess that's why it's called tapas, right? Because that is Spanish for small dishes.

Then there's Shucker's Oyster Bar and Grill. They have some amazingly fresh seafood, and my hubby loves not only their oysters, but their scallops. Okay, enough about food. You know I can go on and on. Now Wake Forest doesn't really have a lively nightlife. However, I don't think that any Raleigh suburb here does.

But they do have some great breweries. There's White Street Brewing, Lone Rider, and Noose Brewing. Some places have live music on certain nights, especially in the summer months. And families come out and just chill with a beer and enjoy the music. When it comes to weather, One of the things that attracts so many people from across the country and even the world is our weather.

Wake Forest enjoys four seasons. The spring and fall weather is so wonderful and reminds me of California weather. While the winters are mild with a slight chance of snow and temps can range anywhere from the 50s to 60s and they can get as low as the 30s. While summers are hot and humid with temperatures ranging from 80s to 90s.

I am definitely thankful for air conditioning, but again, it only lasts for a few months. We also do get a lot of rain on average, about 47 inches. Now coming from Southern California, we averaged about 11 to 12 inches annually, but the sun comes up and as quick as day. The rain comes, it's gone. Now there's actually a running joke out here that you can experience all four seasons in the same week or even the same day.

With the combination of Wake Forest's small town charm, proximity to urban amenities, great outdoor space, and a strong sense of community, it's no wonder so many people love calling Wake Forest home. If you found this information helpful, please click the like button so others like you can find this information as well.

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My number is right here on the screen. Whether you want to give me a call, shoot me a text, or send me an email, we would love to chat. Till next time, we'll see y'all later.