Raleigh-Cary, NC is the fastest growing metro area in the nation!

Greater Raleigh and its suburb Cary tops the list as the #1 fastest growing metropolitan area in the country.  Surpassing the national growth average of just under 1 percent, our region grew by 4.3%  with almost 1.1 million people calling Wake, Johnston or Franklin counties home.  The Chapel Hill – Durham area did not make the top ten but its population continued to grow with a 2.5% increase from July of 2007 to July of 2008. 

 

Click here for the full story from Forbes.

 

 

Raleigh is One of the Healthiest Housing Markets

Recently reported by Builder Magazine and Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, the Greater Raleigh area is now considered the sixth healthiest housing market in the country. According to this article by Boyce Thompson, “the healthiest markets have many things in common. Most of them are great places to live, either close to the ocean, mountains, or major universities. Most of them didn’t have a huge run-up in prices during the boom and aren’t experiencing rampant deflation during the bust.” 

Click here to read the full article.

Raleigh Voted as the Best Place to Start a Small Business

We have more great news for the Greater Raleigh area!  According to a study conducted by BizJournals on the 100 top Metros, Raleigh ranked as the #1 place to start a small business.  Read the full article from BizJournals. 

 

Upbeat Forecast for Triangle’s Economy

At last week’s economic discussions hosted by the Greater Raleigh Chamber, experts shared positive attitudes about the future of our economy!  Confirming what we recently read from other media sources, the Triangle’s solid healthcare and college systems, as well as our steady population growth will all contribute towards the Triangle’s economic turnaround.  According to William K. Atkinson II, chairman of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the Triangle could lead the way out of the recession for North Carolina.    Read the full article and watch a video from WRAL.

Median Sales Prices in Wake County up 3.8%

There is good news for North Carolina in the way of population growth. Our latest accolade credits N.C. as the fourth-fastest growing state in the country by the U.S. Census Bureau. As for the Greater Raleigh area, our population growth has outpaced every other metro in North Carolina since 1990. And for those new to the area, consider yourself one of the 902,951 people who are part of the projected population increase from1995 to 2020*.  Thanks in part to our county’s steady growth, the Greater Raleigh area has managed to stay above the national real estate downturn.  Triangle MLS recently reported that the median sales price in Wake County was up 3.8 percent for the month of November. 

Volunteer this Holiday Season

The list is growing of organizations that need assistance during this Holiday and Winter season.  Here is a short list of nonprofits we recommend for individual or family service projects. It only takes a moment to bless another person in need. Consider writing a letter, donating a toy or buying a meal for those less fortunate.

Western Wake Crisis Ministry
Holiday Dinner Collection Program
Christmas Toy Program

Christmas Card to Recovering Soldiers
Send an American Soldier a Christmas card this year.
A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Toys for Tots 2008.
Donation center at Crabtree Valley Mall; 10:00am-6:00pm; (919) 787-8993

Angel Tree Toy Program
A program developed to bring Christmas gifts to children who parents are in prison.

NC Food Bank
No food donation is too small.

Cary advances to 3rd safest town

Cary was just listed as the third safest town in the nation among municipalities with populations of 100,000 to 499,999 by CQ Press, publisher of the annual “City Crime Rankings 2008-2009: Crime in Metropolitan America”.  Just last year Cary was ranked fourth in the same category.  Read the news release from the Town of Cary for more details.

Zillow reports Cary home values increase

Just a tidbit from one of most popular real estate sites on the Internet…

Supporting data from Zillow shows that Cary home values increased 0.62% in the third quarter of 2008.  Isn’t nice to have another national source confirm our good fortune in Wake County?

Raleigh honored by Bizjournals’

Raleigh is esteemed again as a city that can weather the current economic storm! Recently captured by msnbc.com is a study from Bizjournals’ that exposes which cities will endure our existing recession best.  Raleigh, which is ranked #2, is listed as one of three metros that is “entering [this] slow period with [the] most positive momentum”, writes G. Scott Thomas.  For the full story from msnbc.com click here.

Raleigh Accolades & Honors

Friends,

We recently updated our Greater Raleigh area accolades list.  Take a moment and read all of the honors Raleigh is receiving from around the nation.  Here are just a few from this summer and fall:

#1 Most Political City

#2 Best Performing City
The Milken Institute,  September 2008

 
#2 Best City to Live, Work and Play
Kiplinger’s, July 2008

 
#4 Best State for Business (North Carolina)
Forbes.com, July 2008