Durham

When buyers want a city with personality, Durham is one of the first places I suggest they explore. It has a creative, independent spirit that shows up in its restaurants, music and arts venues, and restored historic buildings, many of which date to the city's tobacco era. If I were walking a client through Durham, I'd point out how varied it is: lively downtown blocks, established in-town neighborhoods with older homes, and more suburban areas to the south near RTP and Southpoint. From my perspective as a broker, Durham tends to appeal to buyers who want urban energy and local character while staying close to Duke University, RTP, and Chapel Hill.

Durham's character comes from how well it has reused its past. Former tobacco warehouses and factories now hold offices, apartments, and restaurants at places like the American Tobacco Campus and Brightleaf Square, and downtown is home to the Durham Performing Arts Center and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Around the core, neighborhoods such as Trinity Park, Old West Durham, and Forest Hills feature older homes, sidewalks, and mature trees, while south Durham offers newer subdivisions, townhomes, and shopping around The Streets at Southpoint. Duke University and Sarah P. Duke Gardens, along with a growing network of trails and greenways, add to the mix. Housing ranges from historic bungalows and mill-era homes to modern townhomes and newer single-family construction.

Durham is one of the best-connected places in the region for buyers who work in Research Triangle Park, which sits along its southeastern edge. NC 147, the Durham Freeway, runs from downtown toward RTP, while I-85, I-40, and US 15-501 link Durham to Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and points north. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a straightforward drive from much of the city, and GoDurham and GoTriangle provide local and regional bus service. Commutes differ by neighborhood: north Durham tends to lean on I-85, while south Durham often has quicker access to I-40 and RTP.