Raleigh, NC - Under $150k in decent neighborhood?

[Ricky]

I might be moving to the Raleigh, NC area and am wondering if there are any decent neighborhoods where I could buy for under $150k. Condo or house doesn't matter. It will be a first time home purchase and I plan on living there for a good while. ~10 years.

I've perused on Zillow and found that it's indeed possible to get a decent house under $150k, but whether or not they're in good neighborhoods I don't know.

Just thought I'd ask here and see if anyone has any experience or thoughts.

Requirements are pretty simple: 2 bed, 1 or 2 bath. I'd even be willing to do 1/1 if the price was right. But most of the country I've found still doesn't believe in cheap small housing, so you're better off going for a 2 bedroom minimum.

[purplepants]

You absolutely can, depending on where you want to live. 

If you want to be able to bike to downtown, you'd probably have to buy in an up-and-coming neighborhood (meaning kind of sketchy now, but will likely be gentrified in another 10 years).  Outside of downtown Raleigh, bike commuting is less feasible, but by no means impossible.

If you want to post links to some of the houses you saw, I can tell you what the neighborhood is like there.

[Ricky]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/701-N-King-Charles-Rd-Raleigh-NC-27610/6379259_zpid/
(Little on the pricey side for the size, but seems to be a good location?)
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2509-Baney-Ct-Raleigh-NC-27610/6395805_zpid/
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1604-Netherfield-Ln-Raleigh-NC-27610/6495862_zpid/
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/810-Green-Ridge-Dr-Raleigh-NC-27609/6448363_zpid/
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4744-Walden-Pond-Dr-Raleigh-NC-27604/6443449_zpid/
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1900-Trailwood-Heights-Ln-UNIT-304-Raleigh-NC-27603/50119043_zpid/

I don't really care about living in or near downtown, though it would be a plus. When I say $150k I guess I mean fairly move in ready.

[purplepants]

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/701-N-King-Charles-Rd-Raleigh-NC-27610/6379259_zpid/
(Little on the pricey side for the size, but seems to be a good location?)

This is really close to downtown, but the neighborhood isn't the safest.  I actually have a good friend who lives right around the corner.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2509-Baney-Ct-Raleigh-NC-27610/6395805_zpid/

This is one of the few areas of Raleigh I haven't explored much, so I can't say for sure.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1604-Netherfield-Ln-Raleigh-NC-27610/6495862_zpid/

Nice, quiet, well-tended neighborhood - not far from a really nice greenway that I spend a lot of time on during the warmer months.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/810-Green-Ridge-Dr-Raleigh-NC-27609/6448363_zpid/

This is a nice, kind of yuppie area.  Good access to parks, libraries, etc... as well as Starbucks, Whole Foods, etc...

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4744-Walden-Pond-Dr-Raleigh-NC-27604/6443449_zpid/

Decent neighborhood, traffic can be a bitch though since it's right between two major roads.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1900-Trailwood-Heights-Ln-UNIT-304-Raleigh-NC-27603/50119043_zpid/

I think this is a pretty decent neighborhood as well.
[/quote]

So yeah, as long as you don't want to be able to bike to downtown, you should be able to find something to suit you in your price range.  Lots of perfectly safe neighborhoods in that list - the only one I would really stay away from is that first one. 

[trobertson79]

I lived on Huntleigh Dr in a loft appartment overlooking a lake that I bought for $40K.  They aren't going for much more nowadays.  The neighboorhood around that road is a great middle class area with affordable houses.  I own two 2BR 2BA condos on Park Glen Dr that I bought for 40K, but it's a bit more slummy.  In general North East Raleigh just above the beltline near the Hwy 1/401 split is a great place for affordable housing that is close to things (with hwy 1 right there you can be in downtown, wade ave, or north raleigh in minutes).