CenterFest takes over downtown Durham this weekend, kicked off Friday by Third Friday’s art walk before the festival fills the streets Saturday and Sunday. Layer in a luminary program at Bennett Place, a new sculpture garden debuting in Pittsboro, a dragon boat festival in Cary, and a night with John Waters closing things out, and there’s a lot to choose from between Friday, September 18 and Sunday, September 20.
Is Durham’s housing market actually cooling off, or does it just feel that way after a few unusually hot years? A look back at twenty-two years of MLS data across six Triangle counties shows today’s slower pace and softer prices sit far closer to a healthy, sustainable market than to anything resembling 2008. The full county-by-county picture, with Durham front and center, is in the latest RealGuide.
Chatham County’s median sales price dipped 1.5% year over year in August, but price per square foot tells a very different story, up 6.3% over the same period. New listings surged nearly 40% year over year and closed sales rose over 20%, signaling a market with real momentum on both sides. Lisa Ellis explains why the headline price number is the least reliable read in this month’s report.
Hopscotch takes over downtown Raleigh for its 16th year this Friday and Saturday, while Durham stacks its own weekend with a Ruby Bridges literary celebration, a 60th anniversary for the Eno River Association, and Oktoberfest at Motorco. Add a new outdoor concert series at Hub RTP and a plant-based festival at Durham Central Park, and there’s something for just about everyone from Friday, September 11 through Sunday, September 13.
Buyers and sellers often see the exact same house very differently, and that gap shapes everything from first impressions to how showing feedback should actually be read. This week’s RealGuide looks at what buyer psychology really tells us about pricing, presentation, and preparation, and where it’s more useful to lean on market evidence than on any single reaction.
Durham County’s median sales price jumped 4% in August, but price per square foot didn’t move at all, a sign the increase reflects which homes sold rather than real appreciation. Closed sales fell more than 21% from July as days on market continued to climb, pointing toward a market shifting gradually toward buyers. Lisa Ellis breaks down what the numbers actually mean for anyone weighing a move this fall.
Falls Lake becomes the place to be this Labor Day weekend, with four different ways to get on the water between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Add in a decade of Beats n Bars, a barn dance out in Saxapahaw, and Melissa Etheridge live at the Carolina Theatre, and there’s a lot packed into just three days. Here’s my full guide for Friday, September 4 through Sunday, September 6.
Retirement planning conversations usually center on savings and investment accounts, but for many homeowners, the house itself carries just as much weight in the plan. This week’s RealGuide looks at how selling, staying put, or timing a move around retirement actually connects to your bigger financial picture, and why it’s worth having the real estate conversation earlier than you might think.
Alamance County’s July data points to a market cooling on more than one front. Homes took a week longer to sell than a year ago and closed sales fell over 15% year over year, both clear signals of slower demand. Price softened as well, though price per square foot shows the decline is milder than the median figure alone suggests.
This weekend: dinosaurs take over the Museum of Life and Science, a powerful new photography exhibition opens in Chapel Hill, WAR brings 50 years of funk to Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Ira Glass tells stories at DPAC, Young Bull celebrates a decade of Sopadelic at Motorco, and Pittsboro throws a party for the pawpaw.
