Thousands of homes in Cary NC neighborhoods, built from the mid-1980's through the mid-1990's were plumbed with polybutylene water supply lines.

Polybutylene water line systems have a history of higher than expected failure, to the point that the manufacturers settled a class-action law suit with an agreement.
That said, I don't consider Polybutylene Pipe  to be a deal-breaker if found in an otherwise desirable home.  Location, Lot, and Layout are still most important.  And, if the system is working without issues known to the homeowner, the existence of Polybutylene piping in a Cary NC home is not even a material fact that is required to be disclosed to a potential buyer.  A buyer may be able to negotiate for credit for replumbing, or an agreeable price that considers the cost of replumbing.  Again, thought, the existence of polybutylene piping is not a violation of any building code, and is not a material defect.
 

As a real estate agent working for buyer clients, I tell them that, to the best of my ability, they will not write an offer on a home from the 1980's or 1990's until we determine whether it was plumbed with polybutylene water lines.
I try to help them avoid paying a home inspector a few hundred dollars to tell them that they have PB pipe, particularly if they consider it a deal breaker.
A photo of PEX water lines (the white pipes) connecting a replacement water heater to an existing polybutylene piping system:

Identifying Polybutylene water supply piping can be accomplished in a few different ways. 

Often it can be seen coming through a wall at the water heater.  Sometimes it is exposed at laundry room connections, or under sinks or vanities.

My preferred method is to look in a crawl space or basement to see what water line material was used.

For further information on polybutylene piping uses and issues, here is a great article by Kenny Hart, former plumber, real estate agent, and home inspector.

And some poppies along I-40 near Lake Wheeler Road, on the south side of Raleigh:

We had a great spring azalea season:

Someone will get a true bargain here!  The price is lower and the location is great. 

My friend at SunTrust Banks says it qualifies for no down payment mortgage funding.

Mark wanted to fix up a neglected home.  I think he did a real nice job on this project  705 N Estes Drive in Chapel Hill has been updated with granite, extensive bamboo floors, a new tub and tile in the Master Bath, and a host of other touches to bring it alive.

See the slideshow on Flickr.  Over 100 photos!

See the Interior Real Estate Show.

See the Exterior Real Estate Show.

He added the new roof, new flooring throughout, granite in the kitchen, all new paint, and just lavished personal attention throughout the project.  Mark took it seriously and was “hands-on,”  working at the job every day.  He personally laid the rustic stone walkway.

The results?  2640 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, $385,000 in one of  the prettiest mature neighborhoods in Chapel Hill, NC.

View Larger Map

Call or email me for your tour.

MLS #984276

Mike Jaquish, Realtor

919-880-2769 

Keller Williams Realty Cary, NC

With over 3,000 photos posted, and over 8,000 views of photos, I have to say I really have enjoyed my first year using Flickr. I have the Flickr Pro account, that offers me unlimited monthly photo posting for only $24.95/year. A bargain, I think.

Flickr has served me many ways:

I can take photos of neighborhoods and send them to folks who make inquiries.

A lady called me from out of town and asked me to check on real estate she owned, without ever having seen it. 60+ photos later, she had seen it, and felt a lot better.

Flickr lets me post photos, and easily link to them in emails and blog posts.

When I do a Cary, NC, neighborhood profile blog, I can link to the Flickr photo slideshow for that blog, and visitors can see all the photos I have taken in the area. I can do the same thing for listings, offering photo sets for the home, far above the limits of the MLS and Realtor.com.

The features on Flickr are simple to use, fairly intuitive, and responsive. I have uploaded as many as 115 photos in one batch. It takes a few minutes, but sure beats anything else I have tried.

That wariness is warranted.  Agents are taught to “capture” visitors; that it is good business to “capture” them to be able to stalk them for business.

Just the term “capture” seems to indicate an adversarial stance from the beginning.  It seems to promote that increasing wariness of consumers.  “Capture” seems symptomatic of treating the visitor like a commodity, rather than a valued and trusted client.

So, I don’t do it.  You can visit, search, save, and email listings as long as you like.  No P.O.W. camp here.

Similarly, I don’t use toll-free 800 numbers for call-ins for listings.  Agents are encouraged to do that because Caller ID block doesn’t work on 800 numbers.  So the Listing Agent can “capture” your phone number whether you agree or not.  Ouch!

If you want details regarding neighborhoods or a listing, read my blog, or please call or email me.  The information is free, and freely given.  Would I like to be your agent, or sell the listing?  Sure.  But not under duress, or snatching your number through a subterfuge of toll-free convenience.

I think that is Cary, NC Real Estate done right.  At least, it is how I would like to be treated.

A combination of factors creates a wonderful environment.

Cary, NC, is located in the center of the Triangle region, between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill and just minutes from the Research Triangle Park.

This location allows for easy access to all the amenities of the area, which would include entertainment districts, employment centers, sports venues, medical care, parks and other outdoor recreation, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), and great shopping complexes.

And Cary is an easy 2.5 hour drive to great North Carolina beaches.  A similar drive takes you to the mountains of North Carolina.

Town of Cary government is very proactive in creating a safe community, and the Town routinely ranks as one of the safest towns under 200,000 population in the United States.

Growth has been rampant, and well-managed.  In 1970 Cary’s population was under 4,000.  Today it is over 110,000 and growing.  Growth has been very suburban in style, with subdivisions organized in a cul-de-sac layout which leads to quiet streets with low traffic.  Growth has allowed Town government to maintain a superb credit rating for bonds, and low property taxes.

I have lived in Cary since 1997, and enjoy it tremendously.

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