As one of the older states to have been established, North Carolina has a very rich, historical culture. Bordering South Carolina and Georgia to the South, Tennessee to the West, and Virginia to the North; the state is right in the heart of the east coast. The state offers a unique geography with flat coastal plains along the coast and most of the state and mountains in the west reaching 6,751 feet. The mountains are one of the few places in the area where skiing and other winter sports are available. Other attractions in the state include beaches, museums, and many major universities like, University of North Carolina, Duke University, and North Carolina State.

The state’s population has been increasing at a very rapid rate. As of 2008, it is the fourth-fastest growing state. The largest city in the state is Charlotte. Most of the population increases, however, have been in the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas; also known as the Research Triangle. This area is the largest research and science center in the country with over 170 companies and three of the major universities in country (UNC, Duke, NC State). The Research Triangle has been responsible for creating numerous jobs to the area. 65,000 jobs have been created in the area since 2005. Read more »

North Carolina, rich in U.S. history and home to numerous universities, offers a very traditional and scholarly look to homes across the state. Many of the houses you will see have the colonial look just like when the state was first established in 1789. Today, as the state grows at a rapid pace, builders are looking for new and exciting ways to revamp traditional looking homes. A lot of success in the building market has come from builders blending traditional styles that are the norm with new and unique designs to attract home buyers that are looking for something different. The target market has shifted more to successful, younger buyers as areas like the Research Triangle become more populated.

Sales Trends
With a large increase in jobs, the Raleigh housing market has been doing very well. Hanley Wood’s Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009 article rates the Raleigh market as the sixth healthiest for 2009. With a total of 11,386 home sales for 2008, the state has been very busy building and selling new and exciting homes. The increase in demand for exciting and different homes has helped the sale of new homes over existing ones dramatically. Buyers are more willing to purchase a new home at lower than the national average than an existing home that may not be much cheaper. On a percentage basis, Raleigh actually added more new houses than any other top 20 city in the country last year.

Other Key Trends
The presence of numerous universities has also helped to increase housing sales in North Carolina throughout the state. Universities bring thousands of people to the state, create numerous jobs for both teachers and staff, and increase awareness to the area. The reputation of some of the larger North Carolina Universities attracts students from all over the east coast. Students from out-of-state often find the area exciting and stay long after graduation. Graduates may not have money for new homes right out of school, but as they become more established they will (maybe with a job at one of the many research facilities). Many of the first time home buyers for the North Carolina market were once the same students that attended the major universities today.  « Close »