Raleigh, North Carolina Ranks #1... Again!

Raleigh, North Carolina was named the #1 Fastest-Growing Metro Area in the country and the #1 City Where Americans are Relocating. Despite the economic downturn, the Raleigh area grew by more than 4%. Raleigh was also named the #1 Best Places for Business and Careers according to Forbes magazine.

The Raleigh area has consistently been in the top rankings for over a decade. In 2008, we were also named as #1 Best Place to Live in the US by MSNBC and the #2 Best City to Live, Work & Play by Kiplinger.

Attaining these top accolades has attracted a lot of people to our area from all over the country. As a local Realtor in the area, I have had people tell me that they decided to move here because of the Forbes or MSNBC articles. After reading these articles and doing their research, they found that the area’s cost of living is low in comparison to their hometown and they started packing their bags! I have even had people move to our area without jobs! They knew that our Research Triangle Park is known as the Silicon Valley of the East and they felt that they would be able to get a job in their industry.

Another great selling point for the Raleigh area is its close proximity to 3 major universities: Duke University, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State. We also have a low tax base and a great quality of life. People are so friendly here that you can’t drive through a neighborhood without people waving to you!

Our area never saw a run up in housing prices and therefore we never experienced the balloon market and the bust like other places. Don’t get me wrong; our market has been affected because of other markets, but we have not seen price drops anywhere close to what others have experienced. The Wall Street Journal reported that over a year’s period of time in 2008 that our pricing was down only 2.5%. Additionally, the foreclosure rates are very low at 4.5% and is considered a niche segment of the market in this area.

With these great selling points, it isn’t hard to see why Raleigh continually receives accolades and attention from buyers all over the country! A low cost of living, ample jobs, amazing educational opportunities, and an affordable housing market makes Raleigh’s appeal hard to beat!