Don't you hate it when you hear old curmudgeons complaining about "Kids these days". They go on and on how as children they were so wonderful, hard working, polite, etc.  "Kids nowadays can never measure up." Of course, just as with all news, the only young people we hear about on the news are the ones that commit crimes or get in trouble. Well, here's a story of an exemplary young woman who is just one of many "good kids" in Apex who is giving up her time to raise money for the local Red Cross. As I wrote last week in my blog about her Red Cross fundraiser, Christine Schulze is a student at Apex High School who is on a mission to raise the most money for the local Red Cross and be named "Queen of Hearts".   This past Saturday, with the help of Deena Boos, a local Stampin Up demonstrato... 02/08/2010

   The Villages of Apex is now open with beautiful new model homes available for immediate move-in.  The Villages of Apex is located off Hunter Street one block from historic downtown Apex and expands all the way to HWY 64.When complete, this wonderful community will have a total of 1,300 condos, townhouses, apartments and single family homes. Thales Academy is a private elementary school located at one end of The Villages of Apex.  It's open now and has plans to expand to grade 12 in the near future.  Other plans include a 13-acre park, 35 miles of walkways, 220,000 square feet of retail shops and 80,000 square feet of office space.    The neighborhood pool is projected to open this summer. Models are Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday ...weather permitting       or                      ... 02/05/2010

Taking a walk in my neighborhood in Apex, North Carolina, the other day (when it finally got warm) I passed the "horse farm" down the road.  Surprise! There were now 2 "donkeys' in there with the horses.  What is the difference between a donkey, a mule, and an jackass anyway? I guess people never act like donkeys!  They can be stubborn as a mule, or acting like an a****, but is there any analogy to a donkey? Just to keep this blog family friendly, I'm going to refer to these 2 cuties as donkeys. The mother donkey was very friendly, but as all mothers in the animal kingdom, very protective of  her baby.  She let us pet her baby only after she had checked us out first.   02/03/2010

3620 Sawyers Mill Drive has been reduced to $234,900! This foreclosure for sale in apex five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and huge island kitchen. The cabinets are in great shape. The home appears to have decent bones, but without a doubt needs a cosmetic makeover. To see this home and other Apex Foreclosures and Homes for sale visit ChangingStreets.com. Never sign in to search for homes, set up your favorite searches and get notified when new homes hit the market. Follow our twitter feed for great deals.     02/01/2010

It was so quiet out, barely even the sound of snow crunching under my feet,  when I went out this morning to take pictures of the snow. It's a fairly rare occurrence here in Apex North Carolina to have measurable snow. We didn't have any snow last year.  To all you people up North and in Colorado (Mary!),  you can laugh at us because this few inches of snow grinds the area to a hault. BUT, school has already been cancelled for tomorrow and businesses are closed.  Yep, we just wait until it melts and hibernate.  Ahh, sleeping in late, reading a good book, and drinking hot cocoa, at least for one Monday. 01/31/2010

Raleigh, Cary and Apex, North Carolina Brace for Big Winter Storm! Yes folks, it's true. We really do get some occasional snow here in the Raleigh/ Cary/ Apex area. In fact, in an average year we get about 7" of the white stuff. However, for the past few years, we've had no snow accumulation at all. Sure we had a dusting here and there, enough to close our award winning schools or cause delayed openings, but certainly not enough to go sledding or even make a snowman! But tonight, beginning around midnight, and lasting all day Saturday, the Raleigh/ Cary/ Apex area is scheduled to be blasted with a real live winter snow storm! Predictions have us getting anywhere from 5"-10" of snow! The grocery store parking lots were packed; the home improvement stores were buzzing with folks buying up... 01/29/2010

With all that is going on in the world, from the earthquake in Haiti to events here at home, we all know what a great organization the Red Cross is and how they help people in need. And of course we all want to help some way. Here in Apex, NC we have a lot of very creative and generous people who have thought of a fun way to get people together and work for a worthy cause. One of them is my good friend and former client,Deena Boos, who not only is  a wonderful Stampin Up demonstrator, but she is a compassionate person who is willing to use her talents to help others.  While working at the Blue Tiger Gift Shop in Apex, North Carolina recently, she had a young lady, Christine Schulze from Apex High School,  stop in. Christine is working on raising money for the Red Cross. Deena generously... 01/29/2010

Apex, North Carolina has as it's motto 'The Peak of Good Living", and for good reason. Although the town, like most of the country, has been hit by the economic downturn, we haven't been hit with the high number of foreclosures that are affecting other areas. Prosepctive home owners, bargain hunters and investors can still find a good deal though. Currently in Apex there are 9 homes listed as "foreclosures" or in the foreclosure process,ranging in price from $180,000 to $674,900. For Instance: this lovely home in a neighborhood close to good schools is priced to sell at $180,000. With 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 2 car garage, it sits on a cul de sac for privacy.       Want a home that feels like it's out in the country but only minutes to shopping and work? This 2200 sf home on over an... 01/27/2010

Crowder Park was filled with people enjoying the first sunny day in a week yesterday,  as were the ducks. Because of all the recent rain, the pond was muddy, causing the reflections and the ripples to give a impressionistic, look, almost as those Monet could have painted it. 01/24/2010

Crockett's Ridge in Apex, North Carolina is a newer subdivision in a convenient rural location. View current Active Home Listings in Crockett's Ridge and Crockett's Ridge Village. Commuting to Raleigh, or Cary is done with ease. Built by KHovnanian Homes, Crockett's Ridge features great square footage for the price to folks who need affordable space. With a new phase, new homes are available. Homes range between 1800 and 3800 square feet and sell in a range from $200,000 to approximately $300,000. Click for "No-Hassle Search" results for available Crockett's Ridge homes. 3 to 5 bedrooms and 2.5 to 3.5 baths are common. Garages are a standard amenity, so a 2500 SF 4/2.5/2 is the typical home. Nine foot ceilings, 42" cabinets, and wood floors are also common. Natural gas is the heating f... 01/19/2010

  Why Move to Apex, North Carolina? The Real Question is....  Why Wouldn't You?     With so much to do, so many great family friendly events, great schools, shopping and lots of parks, Apex, North Carolina is one terrific town to call home!Located just minutes from downtown Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park, Apex, has been named one of.... America's Best Places to Live in the USA!     The population of Apex has grown over 60% since the year 2000. Yet, despite its growth to 33,000 residents, Apex has continued to maintain its small town feel and charm. Salem Street, Apex's "main street" is home to art galleries, antique shops, great restaurants and the newly renovated Halle Cultural Arts Center which now includes a small theater for intimate live performances.   Affectionately know... 01/19/2010

Sunday in Apex, North Carolina Playing with my new camera that I bought yesterday, and trying out the things I'm learning in my photography class, I was hoping for a nice day to take some nature pictures. Alas, it rained on & off all day, but at least it's warm.  And after the storm, there's the silence. We often have rainbows, although not today. We were treated instead to the beauty of this unusual yellow sky.     01/17/2010

Dogwood Ridge is a mature neighborhood in the center of Apex, NC. View current Triangle MLS Active Listings in Dogwood Ridge. Access to the neighborhood is from Olive Chapel Road or through Pearson Farms, Cameron Park, or Amherst. Access and egress to and from the neighborhood are very convenient. See my slideshow of Dogwood Ridge on Flickr. Raleigh and North Carolina State University are an easy 20 to 25 minute commute. Cary is an easy 10 minute drive. Regional employment center, the Research Triangle Park, "RTP," is about 25 minutes. All commutes can lengthen during drive-time traffic. Dogwood Ridge was developed in the mid-1990's into the early 2000's. A variety of home choices comprises Dogwood Ridge, with townhomes, starter homes and move-up homes represented. Townhomes are in the... 01/15/2010

Beckett Crossing is a pleasant and mature neighborhood in Apex, NC, off Olive Chapel Road. View current Active Home Listings in Beckett Crossing. View Larger Map Access to Beckett Crossing is directly from Olive Chapel Road or from Beaver Creek Shopping Center through Carriage Downs on Red Barn Way. Raleigh or NC State University are a 30 minute commute. The Research Triangle Park, "RTP," is about a 25 minute drive. Heavy drive-time traffic can affect either commute. The neighborhood was developed in the mid 1990's by Comstock Homes of NC. 136 pleasant transitional homes comprise Beckett Crossing, with home sizes ranging from 2000 to 4100 square feet. Typical amenities include two story family rooms, 3 to 5 bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 baths, separate formal areas, plentiful windows to light t... 01/15/2010

It's time again for my monthly/ quarterly/ once in a while look at all the homes currently for sale in Apex and the surrounding area If one of your New Years goals was to find a new home, the town of Apex and the Triangle area of North Carolina has plenty of homes in every price range and size to choose from.  With the low priced home currently at $139,900, there are 34 homes priced between 100,000 to $200,000.       The median price for a home in Apex is $265,000.    Currently there are 119  homes for sale in the range of $200,000- $300,000,  including this beautiful home on Holly Brook Drive.      If you're looking for a larger home, there are 58 homes priced between $300,000 to $400,000.Many of these beautiful homes are in the popular Scots Mill neighborhood.       Here in the Cary /... 01/11/2010

This year the Kraft Family YMCA in the Apex/ Holly Springs area of North Carolina held what is hoped to be an annual New Year's Day "Resolution Run".    Just as the wonderful staff at the YMCA had arranged last year, members had a month to sign up and get in condition to either run or walk on the indoor track on New Year's Day.  Eight times around the track is a mile, and 26.2 times is equal to a 5k.  They goal was to finish in less than 45 minutes.  So on a cold grey January 1, 2010, runner's assembled inside, were given their cool new t-shirts, a number pinned to them, and at 9:45am off they went.        This year there were quite a few "walkers" and older people out there starting the new year right! Of course there were several great runners who "won", but everyone who participated ... 01/06/2010

Happy New Years to All No snow here in the Apex area tonight,  and we don't have a ball dropping down from Times Square, but we each celebrate in our own way.     Our Life is what we make it. Believe that the Next Year will be the best year ever! 12/31/2009

With all the new commerce going on in historic Downtown Apex lately, it seems like people from all over have heard that Apex is the place to be. I spent some time "downtown" last week and stopped into the newest store- Tobacco Road Outdoors.  Tobacco Road Outdoors  is owned and managed by Larry & Brad Hipps, a father- son duo who recently moved to Apex from the mountain area of North Carolina, near Asheville. Both are avid outdoor enthusiasts as is evident by the knowledge they have about their products. The store is located right at the foot of the intersection of Center St and Salem St.  where the heart of the city begins in the newly refurbished Tobacco & Mule Exchange building.     Entering from the back parking lot, even the back entrance to this new Shopping & Business center is i... 12/23/2009

I was driving into the town of Apex last Saturday and noticed all the communities with beautiful holiday decorations on their entrance ways.  In the 8 years that the small community of Crooked Brook has been built, we homeowners have never decorated the entrance way, even though all of our homes are adorned with lights and wreaths. Being in an unusually good Holiday mood, I decided to take it upon myself to bring Crooked Brook into the holiday spirit. Having access to the new craft store AC Moore in Apex now, I stopped in and bought some inexpensive plain wreaths. By adding a large red bow and some small brightly colored ornaments, I had 2 wreaths in under an hour. I emailed some of the Homeowner's Association Board members when it was done to let them know how they magically appeared o... 12/10/2009

onSalem Street Every year, in the first week of December, the town of Apex, NC welcomes in the holiday season with its annual Christmas on Salem Street festivities. Salem Street will be closed to traffic and the twinkling lights and garlands will guide the way to the Historic Depot, where folks from all over will celebrate the lighting of the Apex Christmas Tree. Carriage and sleigh rides will provide the only transportation on Salem Street on this special evening. On Saturday morning, beginning at 7AM, the annual family Pancake and Sausage Breakfast will take place at the Salem Street Fire Station. Following breakfast, Santa will be on hand for photographs! All day Saturday, children can compete for amazing prizes as they enjoy Scrooge’s Scavenger Hunt. Saturday, at 5PM, as the carole... 12/03/2009