Blog

If you haven't already been to the NC State Fair,  here is a great way to get there and help keep our air clean!    Durham Area Transit Authority will provide bus transporation to the State Fair everyday from 10am to 10 pm, except on Sunday (only until 7pm).  The cost for the ride is $2 round trip, with youth under 12 and seniors riding for free.  You can't beat that!  Click here for more information.

You will certainly reduce your stress level by riding the bus.  Plus you can use the time on the bus to plan where you are going at the fair and, more importantly, what you are going to eat (5lb Gummy Bear or the Krispy Kreme burger?)!   If you have your Blackberry or IPhone,  here is the link to the Food and Ride finder you can view on the way.  Happy travels!

Don't forget - the State Fair ends on Sunday, October 24th.  Be there or be square!

By: Courtney James

Some of you may have seen my post here in May about the reality TV show that I filmed earlier this year (http://urbandurham.wordpress.com/2010/05/). In January, I had the opportunity to film an episode of HGTV's House Hunters. It was a great experience, but at the time of my post, I was disappointed by the fact that the show had aired and HGTV had failed to give me or my clients advance notice.  Well, I now have been given that opportunity.  A client of mine who watches the show religiously informed me that the show is scheduled to re-air on October 17th at 12:00 pm.  Oh, and apparently the entire episode is available on the HGTV website: http://www.hgtv.com/video/er-doc-needs-durham-digs-video/index.html.

By:  Mary Rae Hunter

I recently read an article by Dena Kaye in the Architectural Digest.  Dena's topic was the complexity of downsizing.  (With an "8,000-plus-square-foot dream house" on her hands, Dena is probably a safe bet for being an expert on the matter!) What motivated Dena to downsize followed on a five-month trip to Europe--with but one suitcase of possessions.  This caused her and her partner to re-think their lives' priorities.  Comparing a suitcase, quick and light living in small quarters with the space and demands of a massive estate was a form of enlightenment.

Though emotionally difficult--there is an emotional attachment to the memories we have with "things"--they decided to redirect their resources "to traveling and living elsewhere."  Living in current large quarters was not so much an excess as it was an obligation, an emotional ball and chain that prevented her and her partner from realizing other dreams.  Dena personally realized how much her life needed editing, and she focussed on eliminating many of her personal possessions and moving towards inhabiting a more quaint, comfortable space.

Dean's insights and perspective came to mind when I attended a party this past Friday night.  A friend mentioned that were she to downsize, she thought a great location would be Weldon Downs.  In addition to Weldon Downs, Downtown Durham offers Minerva, Trinity Lofts, Burlington Warehouse, Parkside at Morris Ridge, and Mangum 506, to cite but a few more examples.  Many bungalows, downtown lofts, and condominiums are on the horizon for completion or are available now.

Perhaps it is this unique variety of living choices in the midst of our cultural diversity that partially explains why Durham recently was named the best place in the country to invest, and the best place in the country to retire--and might make for a perfect second or third "nest" for the likes of other Dena Kayes to consider!

by, Susan Herst

A New York Times article a few weeks ago prompted me to check out the recent S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index.  For me, and my spatially oriented mind, a picture always is worth a thousand words.  Taking a look at the below graph, obviously national home prices have declined since their peak in 2006, yet look at how rapidly they climbed from 1998 to 2006.  Are we not where we would have been had we had the same modest price increase from 1988 to 1998 instead?

So, as Karl Case points out in this New York Times article, A Dream House After All, yes, the American dream may no longer be “owning property that appreciates by 30 percent a year, making a house into a vehicle for paying bills,”  but it still can be “having a solid and fairly safe long-term investment that is coupled with the satisfaction of owning the house they live in.  That dream is still alive.”   Thanks, Karl, for the reminder.

By Jessica Sadler

Bill wrote recently about Durham's new downtown/Duke free bus: The Bull City Connector(http://www.bullcityconnector.org). The office decided to take our first collective ride this past Tuesday and enjoy a lunch out in place of our weekly meeting. Most of us had used it already on our own but it was nice to give it a ride together. Personally, I had taken the Connector from my house to Locopops (www.ilovelocopops.com) and my husband had used the service to attend an appointment at Duke. We have found it to be fast, simple, and clean.

The office all hopped on at Corcoran and Main and headed East. The bus stopped right by Golden Belt (http://www.goldenbeltarts.com/index.shtml) which should make getting to Third Friday (http://www.thirdfridaydurham.com/) even easier. We stayed on headed west and pulled the string to get off right in front of the Federal. In order to celebrate the weather we've been having we sat outside the Federal (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-federal-durham)  and enjoyed fried oyster salads, burgers, and grilled cheese.

I hope you'll give the connector a try this weekend- Durham is becoming less car dependent all the time.

Nowadays it seems that Durham is receiving positive, national, recognition on a regular basis, which is wonderful.  Here are just a few examples from the past few weeks:

CNNMoney.com just named their 25 Best Places to Retire and Durham, NC is #1 in the country!

The Wall Street Journal cited Durham, NC as the #1 best city for real estate investment in the country.

The Only Burger truck is one of the top 3 contenders for winning the Best Food Truck in America, a contest hosted by the Food Network. Winner to be announced during the Great Food Truck Race Finale on September 19th.

Through word of mouth, and because of the national recognition, more and more people are moving here not necessarily due to a job but due to a lifestyle.  In essence, they are choosing Durham and then they are finding a job here in order to make the move happen.

In the past 6 months I have had clients that have or will be moving here from San Francisco, Philadelphia, and New York City specifically to live here because of what Durham offers and not because of a job.  How wonderful is that?!  Not only will this make it an even more vibrant city but the people moving here have the same vision for Durham as all of us Durhamites.

What does this mean for you?  (1) Increase in home values throughout the years, (2) Increase in amount of money that is spent locally, (3) Increase in the allure for companies to move to the area and create more jobs.

By: Courtney James

I read a book recently by Seth Godin called Meatball Sundae.  The book is about how much marketing techniques have changed in the past few years, but that the corporations trying to use the new techniques have not changed.  The theory is that just like a meatball sundae, the two don’t seem to mix well together.  It’s astonishing how much technology, and social media specifically, have changed the way that companies can market themselves.  Quite frankly, it’s astonishing how it’s changed our daily reality in general.  Take a few minutes and check out this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

After reading Meatball Sundae, I was thrilled to realize that I am not a meatball!  Urban Durham Realty was founded on the premise that we wanted to be different from the traditional real estate companies, and I think we are. Our website is not the typical real estate website, we’re located in the middle of downtown, we don’t have headshots on our business cards, we have progressive policies regarding dual agency (we don’t practice it), we require each agent to make a charitable donation with each transaction, and heck, we even use an orange ceramic chicken to help market our listings!  I am not going to tell you that we are better than all the other guys (because there are a lot of great real estate companies in the area), but we are definitely different and I think people appreciate that.  I also think that there are other companies that share our desire to jump out of the box.  Our friends at Go Realty in Cary have certainly caught on to the idea.  At Urban Durham Realty, we’re coming to the table with a lot less baggage and a lot more flexibility, both of which allow us to better utilize many of these new marketing techniques.

So, yes, I’m glad to say that we are not a meatball.  Maybe we’re more like a “Fro Yo”, and don’t sundae toppings sound so much better on top of that?  Yummm…makes me want to head over to Local Yogurt!

By: Page Page

Before my children were ready to start kindergarten, I exhausted myself talking to anyone who would talk to me about my educational options in Durham.   Unfortunately,  much of what I heard about Durham Public schools was not very positive.  It was scary and frustrating trying to decide where to send my babies to school! In the end,  I learned that all the negative opinions were more perception than reality.  Both our children are currently attending a wonderful Durham Public School.

So, I was very excited when a friend decided to fight for our kids and our schools!  Strong Durham Schools (www.strongdurhamschools.com) was launched this year by a concerned parent, Elizabeth Tolman, to combat the undeserved negative reputation of our school system.

The mission of Strong Durham Schools is to improve the reputation of Durham Public Schools, foster school spirit and encourage parents to choose a DPS school for their children to attend. By allowing DPS parents to share true stories about their experiences,  Strong Durham Schools is helping other families decide what is best for their children.

It makes me proud to see someone stand up for Durham Public Schools!  As a parent of two children in the school system,  I want others to know how wonderful an education in Durham can be for our kids.   If you child currently attends a DPS school,  please help Strong Durham Schools with its mission.  Go out and RAVE about the successes your children have had!

By Bill Dandridge

On December 14, 2009 the City of Durham introduced the first of its fleet of 20 new hybrid diesel-electric buses on the Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) routes. These buses use 20 to 45 percent less fuel and are up to 50 percent quieter than conventional diesel buses. This is great news for the air and sound quality of Durham's environment!

It is only through a big assist from the federal government's 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that our city was able to effect this wonderful change (the Federal Transit Authority covered $8.5 million of the total $10.7 million cost). Thanks to the vision of our local and federal government, we will all be breathing easier in the Bull City.

Another beneficial step for the citizens of Durham, and for those fortunate enough to work here, is the birth of the Bull City Connector. This is a fare-free bus service that connects business travelers, downtown walkers, visitors, and students through our city. This route begins at the Medical Center of Duke's West Campus, travels through downtown along Main Street, and finds its terminus in the Golden Belt. To learn more about these particular Hybrid buses and the new service, visit the Bull City Connector's website.

By :  Mary Rae Hunter

I was out for a morning run and noticed a sofa that had been put by the curbside to be picked up - apparently no longer cherished by the owner, but ready to be taken home and refurbished as someone else's treasure.  Seeing this abandoned, but nifty piece of furniture triggered in my mind several possibilities of fabric combinations, then ideas for places that I could put this needy sofa. Perhaps I took notice of the sofa because, recently, the son of a close friend picked up two discarded chairs he came across on the road.  He refurbished them and now those chairs have become part of my friend's "retro" kitchen look.  The chairs really are not only unique, but they provide an insight into human ingenuity:  one person's junk transformed into an object of beauty.

Architectural Digest contains an article titled "A Gift for Thrift."  The article is about how interior designer, Roderick N. Shade, took to heart one of Benjamin Franklin's phrases:  "a penny saved is a penny earned." Normally, as with the abandoned couch or chairs I mentioned above, we think that we need to get rid of and replace the old with something new.  We find it difficult to keep the couch or chair, and, like the talented son of my friend, refurbish the worn out furniture into something of beauty - thereby also saving money.  Shade took Franklin's aphorism and applied it to a dilapidated Harlem apartment - a Cinderella, if you will.  Shade applied his designer magic to an otherwise humble, if not bleak and cramped space.  He turned the space into an aesthetic and captivating room.  While the New York apartment now looks regal, it cost a fortune less than a move to an upscale residence in Manhattan.

Part of what makes Durham unique is its population of creative minds.  We have around us many imaginative and resourceful people such as my friend's son, or Roderick Shade.  Do they see something that we don't?  Are they possessed of more talent than we ourselves?  Perhaps we give ourselves too little credit.  We each have our own ways of expressing creativity.  Recently, I asked several acquaintances about their favorite places to visit locally.  Here is a brief sample of the responses:

"I got an awesome mirror from Once and Again"

"I discovered a fabulous table at Classic Treasures"

"I found great yard art at Chelsea Antiques"

"I purchased an unusual rug at Fargo Hana in the discount room"

"I got lucky and picked up a rare chest at a yard sale"

All around us are numerous local second hand stores, consignment shops and antique stores offering treasures that, with some work and ingenuity, make our homes warm and our lives a touch more interesting.  All around us are numerous old homes, buildings and neighborhoods that, formerly abandoned or in deteriorated condition, have secured new life through the vision and efforts of our family, friends, and acquaintances.

Shades of magic, they are!