The Hedingham Neighborhood: People Live Here

When you're shopping for a home, it's only natural to wonder about the people who already live in the neighborhood you're considering. So, what kind of people live in Hedingham?

All kinds. I know, that's a terrible response. But, it's true. Think about it. Given the variety of house prices and types in this East Raleigh community, it should come as no surprise that a variety of personalities inhabit these homes. I'll refer you to the City-Data.com detailed neighborhood profile for Hedingham Village again. There are plenty of two-year old statistics on there for you to read. Just keep in mind that the profile only pertains to one part of Hedingham.

Another aspect of Hedingham's social structure relates to the neighborhood layout. In my humble opinion, you have to consider the lot size, and how close together the houses are to each other, when you're thinking about your neighbors. As you drive around the neighborhood, you'll see that many of the homes are fairly close together. This is nothing unique. Plenty of similar Raleigh neighborhoods (none as nicely located as Hedingham, though) have houses this close to each other.

Moreover, many of the lots in Hedingham are on the small side, as in less than 0.2 acre. Historically, the standard lot size in most neighborhoods on the East coast has been around 0.25 acre or more. It wasn't until the later part of the 20th century that subdivisions like Hedingham began popping up with homes so close together. In the northern cities, it is not at all uncommon to live in a house that's less than a couple of yards away from your neighbor's house. But, that's because space is at a premium there. Down in the south, there's so much undeveloped land, it is a little more startling to see homes in such close proximity to each other. So, if you need a spacious yard, you'll need to be patient if you're shopping for a home in Hedingham. And, with the relative lack of distance between neighbors in Hedingham, residents must learn to be very tolerant of the people living around them. It's a good lesson to learn, in my opinion.

The overall affordability and convenient location make Hedingham a great place for first-time home buyers to get their start. That being the case, Hedingham has a large proportion of transient residents. Those first-time buyers stay here for a few years and move on to a something bigger, something further away from town, something with a bigger yard, etc. In contrast, the retirees and more established families help solidify the community here. They care about the appearance of their yards and the rules established by the HOA. These two groups, the, the semi-transient residents and the established ones, achieve a rather nice balance in Hedingham's social composition.

So, as you're driving these streets, shopping for your potential home, ask yourself whether the neighbors are the kinds you can tolerate. Observe whether you'll be moving onto a street where you'll be able to maintain your home and yard at the same pace as the people already living there. And, if nothing else, ask yourself whether the yard is big enough for your needs.

The Hedingham Neighborhood: Things to Do When You Live There

In my previous Hedingham post I mentioned that the neighborhood is a large, established North East Raleigh subdivision with a home type for almost any average home buyer. But, that's not all you want to know, is it? Anyone shopping for a home in a given neighborhood wants to know what it's like to live in that neighborhood.

Well, in short, living in Hedingham is nice. It's a family-friendly place. With two playgrounds and two swimming pools, plus wide streets and sidewalks for walking or riding bikes, there are things for families to do here outside the house. Two ponds (a pond and a lake, depending on with whom you're talking) and quiet streams meandering through the neighborhood add a pleasant natural quality to the landscaped golf course and common green spaces. Residents may even fish in the larger pond (lake, whatever) if they are so inclined.

The first phase of the neighborhood, the part with the older houses nearest to New Hope Rd. and New Bern Ave., includes many of the trees that were there before the neighborhood was built. As any home owner knows, wooded lots like these add a nice sense of privacy and coverage from those hot Summer afternoons.

Hedingham's newer phase, referred to as Hedingham Village I believe, doesn't have as many trees in the yards. And, the houses are of a more uniform design. The Southeastern point of this section provides access to trails that parallel the Neuse River and onward to the Neuse River Park, which is nice if you like hiking, rivers, or whatever.

The path circulating through the golf course is neat, especially if you're a golfer. If you're not a golfer, and you want to use the Hedingham path for walking, running, or riding bikes; I'm going to let you in on something: Between 7AM and 7PM each day, the golf path is off limits to anyone who isn't golfing. I think these hours are shortened in the winter months, because there are fewer golfers. Now, this rule may change in the future. But, right now, it's written in the Hedingham covenants. And, as my own wife has been told, people using the paths for anything but golfing is "a real inconvenience to the golfers". If you're a golfer, I suppose this rule would make you pretty happy.

Despite the golf path restrictions, Hedingham's opportunities for walking, running, bike riding, and other outdoor activities are still plentiful. I devise perfectly suitable and varied running routes here all the time. Some of them don't even involve the golf path. There is a gym for residents to use daily. The playground equipment is clean and well-maintained. And, of course, there's always golf.

So, there's a summary of the visual composition and outdoor activities available to Hedingham residents. That's all you need to know about Hedingham, right? You're ready to pick out a house, aren't you? Yeah, I didn't think so. Let's talk about social aspects of living in Hedingham next.

The Hedingham Neighborhood: A Resident's Perspective

So, you're planning to buy a home in Raleigh, and you keep seeing Hedingham houses show up in your search results. I know this, because, unless you've specifically excluded the 27604 zip code from your search, or if you're searching for something extraordinary (i.e. a large lot, a half-million-dollar-plus house, or something brand new); Hedingham probably has something for most every home buyer in Raleigh.

I make this statement as a matter of fact. I'm not saying that every home buyer will want to buy a house in Hedingham. I'm just making it clear that Hedingham's houses will fit the gamut of average home search criteria. Yes, from one-bedroom townhouses to four-bedroom detached homes; from just below $100,000 to nearly $400,000; from early-nineteen-nineties to the mid-two-thousands era construction; from cookie-cutter to charming; Hedingham houses are varied. And, there are a lot of them. So, it is not surprising that Hedingham historically ranks as one of the top selling subdivisions in Raleigh, with more homes being bought and sold in a given month than the majority of other Raleigh neighborhoods.

So, that's why you see at least a handful of houses from Hedingham show up in your real estate searches. But, you're really wondering what the neighborhood is like, right?

Perhaps you've conducted a couple of Google searches for "Hedingham Raleigh" and found a link to the official Hedingham HOA website or this unofficial Hedingham community site, which is owned by a resident real estate agent. You may have even seen discussions about the neighborhood in City-Data.com forums, wherein people who know someone who lives in Hedingham say it's alright, or it's old, or it's not that great, or it's ridden with gangs, etc. - mostly ill informed statements typical of general forums.

Those are all fine resources. But, for someone considering the purchase of a Hedingham home, they're not quite first-hand enough. Am I right?

So, allow me, a Hedingham resident, to describe the neighborhood for you from my perspective. I'll make every effort to be objective and honest so as not to mislead you in any way. And, I'll say, of course, that no online description can beat a personal tour of the neighborhood. If you're curious about what Hedingham is like, you need to visit the area once or twice to really get a sense of the community.

Continued...

Master of the House

As we toured the house at 1509 Long Cove Ct. for the first time, I was immediately struck by the spaciousness of the master bedroom. Naturally, this impression was largely due to the vaulted ceiling and somewhat unique ledge built into the supporting wall.

At the same time, though, the master bedroom felt enormously cozy and serene; not at all overbearing in its size. The natural light filtering through the trees outside complements the cool paint color as it streams through the room's large window. And, the archway leading to the master bath adds a softer sensibility to the room's design.

This master bedroom is everything a room of its kind should be: A relaxing place to retreat from the day. But, it wasn't always this way.

It may surprise you to learn, that I really didn't like the master bedroom for the first nine months that we lived in the house. However, my displeasure with the room had nothing to do with its floor plan or ceiling height. No, it was my fault. See, it's very easy to mess up the feel of a room simply by cramming too much into it.

When we moved into the home, we put several books, the computer, the desk, a chair we never used, and more than enough lamps in the master bedroom. We weren't used to having so much space in a single room. So, we didn't quite know how to handle it.

And, with so much stuff in the room that's supposed to serve as a sort of sanctuary, it was uncomfortable to meander through the room as we began and ended our days there. Moreover, it was a little hard for me to sleep with the computer lights constantly shining.

It took a simple article from HGTV.com to point out the obvious to me: Keep your bedroom design and decor simple.

Once we'd relocated all the crap that was bothering us for so long, the bedroom felt completely different! It was astounding how much more comfortable the room became. And, once we put the new carpet in, the whole room just came together.

So, my advice to you, when you buy this house; and the movers are carrying your stuff into the bedroom; be very selective about what you actually keep in there. The room is truly relaxing. And, it's a shame to waste that quality.

A Whole Floor of a Difference

When we moved into the house at 1509 Long Cove Ct., we knew right away that the existing carpet would have to go. It was the typical slightly gray, slightly white, slightly beige color popular with home builders. And, the wear and tear of previous owners over the years really showed.

We lived with this carpet for nearly two years. There was no rush to replace it right away. And, we wanted to be sure that, when we finally did replace it, the new floor would be worth the time and effort. As we debated over what sort of material would be best suited for the home, we also determined how each room's replacement floor would be handled. Should we put the same floor throughout the house, or make the living room different from the bedrooms?

Ultimately, we decided that the living room was our most lived-in room in the house. And, therefore, it needed a more robust and durable floor than the bedrooms. Lowes was having a very nice sale on laminate flooring that week. And, it so happened that it was very nice laminate flooring. So, we took advantage of this opportunity to start our floor-replacement project.

With the help and tools of family members in the construction business, we tore out the living room carpet, cleaned the floor boards, cut the laminates, and laid down the new floor in less than two days. It was a chore. But, it was worth it! The difference in the room's feel, appeal, and charm is so dramatic relative to the carpet we'd inherited! And, we didn't miss that carpet for a second.

After seeing how nice the living room looked with new laminates, we were ready to take on the bedrooms. Again, the difference in feel was surprising. The color we chose for the new carpet worked so much better with the wall colors, making the rooms cozier and more interesting. It was like a new house! It didn't hurt, too, that the new carpet was, well, new.

A Kitchen For Living

If the living room is the most lived-in room at 1509 Long Cove Ct, then the kitchen is the most used and, possibly, loved.

We do so much in this fantastic kitchen. Thanks to it's spacious layout and plentiful counter space, we can cook a meal while talking to the kids and surfing the Internet. The built-in desk is especially convenient, allowing the kitchen to double as a home office without closing one of us off in a room away from the rest of the family.

Before we decided to sell this house, we kept a small easel beside the kitchen island. It's the kind of child's easel that doubles as a chalkboard and painting or drawing surface. Our eldest son (the youngest wasn't quite old enough to handle crayons and chalk yet) loved drawing rockets and dinosaurs with us as we prepared lunch. Between the easel and linoleum floor, which is ideally suited to racing Matchbox cars, the kitchen is as much a place to work as it is to play!

Apart from the usable floor plan, the storage capacity is something to be envied. The cabinets lining the walls and the kitchen island provide plenty of space to store the usual kitchen supplies and more. The pantry has ample shelf space for whatever we need to put there. And, the drawers under the built-in desk make for an ideal spot to hide away all those home-office supplies.

And, of course, the fact that we can eat in the same place the meal is cooked adds a wonderful benefit to family meals. The cook doesn't have to stay in the kitchen while everyone else waits by the dining table in another room. Whether its just you and a loved one, you and the family, or you and a whole bunch of friends; conversation and time together here are easy. It's no wonder why the kitchen is so frequently called the heart of a home.

Late-Night Painting

The night before we officially moved into our new home at 1509 Long Cove Ct, we had already decided that our one-year old son's room would need to be painted. The previous owners had the room painted a muted, banana-like yellow. While we certainly agree that yellow is a neutral color as far as children's rooms go; we really didn't like the color for our own boy. So, we found a nice, cheery green color at the nearby Home Depot (just five minutes down the road from our new house). So, I drove over to our home while the rooms were empty and quiet, in order to paint our son's room before the movers took all our worldly possessions to the house the following day.

It was well past eight-o-clock when I arrived at the house to paint. And, being that it was January, it was very dark outside. One of the neighbors walking along the street greeted me and welcomed me to the neighborhood. This made me realize that I'd never been welcomed to a neighborhood before. Sure, that's probably insignificant to some people. But, it felt pretty good as I prepared to move into our first home.

I carried all of my painting supplies into the house, turned on the lights, and laid down the plastic covering to protect the carpet from my inevitable drips. Somehow, I had the foresight to bring along a radio. So, I managed to tune into a classic station in order to motivate my painting. If you've ever painted any part of a house before, you've probably done so with music playing. If not, you probably didn't enjoy the task all that much.

With my paint brush and paint rollers ready, I propped open the new a-frame ladder I'd purchased from Walmart, which is barely three minutes away. Painting the walls was so easy and relaxing. After feeling so tense over buying the house for so many weeks, it was nice to do some manual labor by myself for a little while.

By the time I finished painting our little boy's room it was nearly Midnight. (What? It'd been a while since I painted a room. I was out of practice!) The color looked so much better than the yellow, scuffed-up walls that were there when I walked in the door. Our son's room was the first update we'd made to the house. And, with that action, I finally felt like a homeowner.

First Impressions

When we were in your shoes a few years ago, shopping for a home (our first), we were a little frustrated. None of the houses we'd seen felt quite right. We were on a pretty strict budget. And, it seemed that everything we needed in a home cost tens-of-thousands more than we could afford. Then our agent took us to a charming, cottage-style ranch at 1509 Long Cove Ct. Our infatuation with this home was instant.

The arched doorways and vaulted ceilings were probably the first of the house's features that charmed us, creating a sense of spaciousness that we'd not yet seen in a home this size. The kitchen, with its numerous cabinets, island, and built-in desk was also a testament to the home's desirability.

As we walked through the home, we easily pictured our lives taking shape there, our son playing in the living room with his toys strewn across the floor, walking through the family-friendly neighborhood on warm summer evenings. Yes, 1509 Long Cove Ct. was the one. We were home.

Negotiating the offer was quick and painless. As we proceeded through the month of waiting before closing - the inspection, the financing offers - we became more and more excited. We had to keep ourselves from driving by the house at random just to see it again. If we could have closed on it in a week, we would have.

On a chilly January morning, we looked at the house with our Realtor one more time before driving to the office for the closing. At the office, the lawyer passed a lot of papers our way. We signed them. Our one-year old son squirmed and tried to put everything in his mouth. The sellers were friendly and content. Then we received the keys. And, just like that, we were home owners for the very first time.