Raleigh Homes Realty

Residential real estate in Raleigh, N.C.

Six More Weeks of Winter? No problem.

It’s hard to believe that yesterday was Groundhog Day 2012.  Sir Walter Wally, Raleigh’s groundhog, predicted six more weeks of winter for us.  Really, Wally? Here in Raleigh in the winter of 2011-2012, I don’t think we’ve had six weeks of winter-like weather yet. Our snow total for the entire season sits at 0.0 inches, the thermometer hit 70 more than once in the last week, my heating bill actually makes me smile, and it’s starting to look like spring everywhere.  Daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom, trees are budding and flowering, the air is sweetly fragrant, some insects are back, and so are the birds.  There was even a flock of robins checking out my garden today.  On the down side, my yard is starting to look like I need to pull out the mower already.  Nah, it’d be a shame to mow down those  buttercups that are out there.

I’ll gladly take six more weeks of this kind of winter.

That’s Life in Raleigh.

We’re the American Idol Capitol

North Carolina is bursting with all kinds of talent.  You need look no further than American Idol to see just how true this is.  What singers have come out of North Carolina?  We proudly lay claim to Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, and now Scotty McCreery, America’s favorite baritone teenager.

Not only do these talented singers come from North Carolina, but we love them, too!  Each week during the 2011 American Idol season, there’s been a Scotty party in Garner for watching Idol with other Scotty fans.  Free food, craft activities, and members of Scotty’s family have all been a part of these Idol evenings.  The crowds grew each week and the parties eventually had to be moved from the Historic Garner Auditorium to the gym at Garner High, where Scotty attends high school when he’s in town, and eventually overflowing that space, too. There’s billboards and signs all over town proudly proclaiming Garner to be Scotty McCreery’s hometown.

Talent, pride, and enthusiasm combine to make a place and its people successful. Go, Scotty!

That’s Life in Raleigh.

Raleigh Loves Bicycles

The City of Raleigh has been rewarded with Bicycle Friendly Community status in recognition of Raleigh’s commitment to promoting bicycling as healthy, fun transportation and investing in infrastructure necessary to make our city more bicycle-friendly.

This outstanding recognition comes as a result of the Raleigh City Council following the recommendations of the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission last fall and approving $1.35 million in bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects.  There are 22 projects throughout the city that will be completed over the next two years.  They include miles of new sidewalks and on-the-street bicycle lane striping.

So hop on your bike and check out our friendly community!

Tornadoes in Raleigh

Saturday, April 16, 2011, is a day we won’t soon forget around here.  A violent storm system spent the week marching across the U.S., leaving death and destruction in its wake, and saving the worst of its wrath for North Carolina.  Lives were lost and homes and businesses were destroyed.

While it was a very frightening experience huddling in the closet with my family, all of us were all safe and we didn’t personally suffer property damage. However, all of our neighbors in Downtown Raleigh were not as fortunate, as Downtown suffered a lot of destruction.

When we opened our door after the storm and smelled freshly-cut wood, we knew things could not be good around us.  Everything—houses, cars, signs—was plastered with tattered bits of leaves. (The last time I remember seeing this was when Hurricane Fran roared through Raleigh in 1996.)

Bit of leaves were stuck to everything in Downtown Raleigh near where the tornado hit.
Bit of leaves were stuck to everything in Downtown Raleigh near where the tornado hit.

There were trees on top of houses, power poles laying across roads, crumbled chimneys, the tops of trees sheared off, asphalt and sidewalks raised up where trees were uprooted.  Main arteries in and out of Downtown were completely blocked by trees and downed power lines.  The damage to Shaw University’s campus in Downtown Raleigh was so extensive that the rest of the spring semester had to be cancelled.

New Bern Avenue in Downtown Raleigh after the tornado.
New Bern Avenue in Downtown Raleigh after the tornado.

The hood of this car was peeled back by the Raleigh tornado.
The hood of this car was peeled back by the Raleigh tornado.

On the ground in front of the minivan you can see where a tree had been growing.

On the ground in front of the minivan you can see where a tree had been growing.

The tree flew over the minivan and landed here in the next block. You can see the tree just to the right of the person in the photograph above.
The tree flew over the minivan and landed here in the next block. You can see the tree just to the right of the person in the photograph above.

The path of the tornado went right through Raleigh City Cemetery.

The path of the tornado went right through Raleigh City Cemetery.
Tornado damage in Raleigh City Cemetery.
Tornado damage in Raleigh City Cemetery.

After the storm ended, Downtown Raleigh residents left the safety of closets, bathtubs, and hallways and ventured outside. Neighbors were checking on neighbors and lending a hand before the rain even stopped coming down. Those who regained power quickly offered hot showers, cell phone charging, and freezer space to those who had to wait longer for power to be restored.  Community cleanup efforts have been ongoing.  Progress Energy seemed to put forth huge efforts to restore the power as quickly as possible. And the City of Raleigh has been doing a fantastic job of management in the wake of this emergency, from organizing volunteer efforts to planning for debris removal.