The National Association of REALTORS released market data about home sales prices in the second quarter of 2007. Our median home price is Wake County is $225,100., which is up 8.4%. Strangely enough, Durham, which is just one county line away, has a median sale price of $180,100, which is up 1.2%. It is interesting to see the difference in growth and home prices between the various counties. Wake County has over 8,000 new students in its schools this year. Durham County was in the local media predicting only 400 new students.
The point is this: Wake County is successfully meeting the demands of change as they present themselves. Durham County is not. It is pretty easy to see why, if you drive through the downtowns of Durham, compared to the downtowns of Raleigh, Cary, or Apex. I am glad that I am not a Durham taxpayer when I see the brain trust that runs Durham spending 13 million dollars on brick sidewalks and similar improvements in downtown. Oh, yeah - THAT is why nobody wants to go to downtown Durham unless they work at an attorney’s office, or have to make a court appearance!
The difference is this: Wake works. Durham does not. Now, Wake County is NOT heaven on Earth, but even people from elsewhere do not have to look long to see the differences the county line makes in schools, crime, taxes, and attitudes. Is it any wonder that I use www.ILoveCary.com and www.WeLoveRaleigh.com as domains? It is true, I LOVE Wake County - and it would be false advertising to use “www.ILoveDurham.com.”
