Loving a home and feeling ready to buy it aren’t always the same feeling, and that gap can catch a buyer off guard right when it matters most. This week’s Advice by Design looks at where hesitation actually tends to come from, the property, the price, past experience, or simply the weight of a big decision, and how to tell which kind is worth listening to.
Orange County posted its strongest August on record for home values in 2026, with median sales price and price per square foot both hitting all-time August highs. Closed sales kept slipping for a fifth straight year, though, a split this month’s update breaks down neighborhood by neighborhood.
This Labor Day weekend, Falls Lake opens up for paddling in four different ways, Durham Central Park hosts a free West African-inspired concert, and Beats n Bars marks ten years with a two-day takeover of The Fruit and The Durham Hotel. Add a real barn dance in Saxapahaw, a free outdoor screening of Zootopia 2, and Melissa Etheridge’s RISE tour at the Carolina Theatre, and there’s plenty to fill Friday through Sunday across Durham and the Triangle.
Buying a home and saving for retirement can start to feel like competing goals, especially once a lender names a number you technically qualify for. This week’s Advice by Design looks at how buyers can think through affordability, down payments, and post-closing cash without losing sight of a retirement plan already in motion, and why the biggest approved payment is not always the smartest one to take.
Johnston County’s inventory held just below June’s peak in July, 1,408 homes, while months of supply stayed at 4.1, among the highest levels this market has seen since 2022. Prices eased modestly and closed sales dipped slightly, but the number of homes going under contract actually grew. Here’s what July’s numbers say about where Johnston’s market stands heading into the second half of summer.
This weekend, the Museum of Life and Science hosts Dino Academy, the Seymour Center opens a new photography exhibition on Chapel Hill’s civil rights history, and Koka Booth Amphitheatre welcomes WAR with The Family Stone and The Ohio Players. Add Ira Glass at DPAC, Young Bull’s anniversary show at Motorco, and Pawpaw Palooza in Pittsboro, and there’s a wide range of things to do across Durham and the Triangle this weekend.
A renovated home can be one of the easiest properties to fall for, and one of the easiest to overpay for if the finishes are doing most of the talking. This week’s Advice by Design looks at how to separate genuine value from surface-level appeal, from permits and prior listing history to comparable sales and the difference between paying for improvements and paying for finishes.
Durham County’s inventory held right at its all-time high in July, just three homes shy of June’s record, but nearly every demand metric pulled back this month: sales fell 24%, prices dropped nearly 5%, and homes took four days longer to sell. Here’s what July’s slowdown means for buyers and sellers heading into fall.
This weekend, Mettlesome Theatre opens its 10th Anniversary Weekend, downtown Durham fills up for Third Friday Art Walk, and Cary hosts the 50th annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival. Add Bright Leaf Harvest Day at Duke Homestead, Nitro Circus at the ballpark, and The Mountain Goats at DPAC, and there’s a wide-ranging slate across Durham and the Triangle this weekend.
Purchase price, down payment, and mortgage rate get most of a buyer’s attention, but homeowners insurance is part of the real cost of owning a specific home, and it can vary more than buyers expect between two similarly priced properties. This week’s Advice by Design looks at where those differences come from and when to bring insurance into a home search.
