Frequently Asked
Questions we answer every week.
A plain-language guide to buying, selling, and relocating in Raleigh. If your question is not here, ask us directly.
Raleigh lingo, decoded
- What is "the Triangle"?
- Short for the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, anchored by Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill — the three points of the triangle, with Research Triangle Park at its center. When locals say "the Triangle," they usually mean all of Wake, Durham, and Orange County's metros plus surrounding towns like Cary, Apex, and Morrisville.
- What does ITB mean?
- "Inside the Beltline." It refers to the neighborhoods inside Raleigh's I-440 loop — close-in, established areas like Five Points, Hayes Barton, Country Club Hills, and Budleigh, known for mature trees, walkable village centers, and some of the city's most sought-after (and priciest) real estate.
- And OTB?
- "Outside the Beltline" — everything beyond the I-440 loop. It covers a huge range: Midtown and North Raleigh closer in, and fast-growing suburbs like Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest further out. OTB generally buys more house and newer construction for the money.
- What is RTP?
- Research Triangle Park, the 7,000-acre research campus between Raleigh and Durham and one of the largest in the world. It is the region's biggest employment anchor, and proximity to RTP is a major driver of demand in Cary, Morrisville, and West Raleigh.
- What is "the Beltline"?
- The I-440 expressway that rings central Raleigh. Locals use it as a geographic shorthand — homes are described as inside, on, or outside the Beltline — and traffic on it is a genuine commute consideration.
- What does "540" refer to?
- Highway NC-540, the outer loop around Raleigh. The southern stretch (the Triangle Expressway) is a toll road, and its continued extension toward Holly Springs and Garner has opened up big swaths of southern Wake County to new development.
- What is Midtown?
- The rebranded corridor just north of downtown around North Hills — shopping, dining, and offices in a walkable district. Listings in Midtown often straddle the line between ITB character and newer construction.
- Why does everyone say "Wake County"?
- Because school assignment and property taxes run at the county level. Wake County includes Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and more, and its base school assignment is often the first thing relocating families filter by.
Buying in Raleigh
- How much do I need for a down payment in the Triangle?
- It depends on the loan. Conventional financing commonly starts near 5% down, FHA at 3.5%, and VA at zero for eligible buyers. In competitive Raleigh price bands, a larger down payment and a strong lender letter often matter more to sellers than the headline offer price.
- How competitive is the Raleigh market right now?
- Competition is neighborhood-specific rather than city-wide. Well-priced homes inside the Beltline and in established Wake County school zones still move quickly, while newer inventory further out allows more negotiation. We review live comparables with you before every offer.
- How long does it take to close on a home here?
- Thirty to forty-five days is typical for a financed purchase, and two to three weeks for cash. Due diligence in North Carolina runs on a negotiated period with a due diligence fee, so we plan inspections and the appraisal order in the first week.
- Does Zillow show every home for sale?
- No. Zillow and other portals only display what is fed to them from the public MLS, and even then the data can lag by hours or days. Homes marketed as Compass Private Exclusives or Coming Soon, off-market sales, and many for-sale-by-owner transactions never appear there at all. Working with an advisor means you see the full picture — including homes you would never find on a portal.
- Do you work with first-time buyers?
- Yes, and often. We start with a consultation, a lender introduction, and our First-Time Buyer Checklist so you understand costs and timing before touring anything.
Selling your home
- What does a typical seller timeline look like?
- Plan on two to four weeks of pre-market preparation, including repairs, staging, and photography, then an active launch window. Most of our listings go under contract inside the first two to three weeks when priced to current data.
- How is my home priced?
- Through recent comparable sales, current competing inventory, and the absorption rate for your specific neighborhood and price band, not a broad city average or an automated online estimate.
- Should I make improvements before listing?
- Usually a targeted set: paint, lighting, landscaping, and anything a buyer's inspector will flag. We walk the home room by room and recommend only the work that returns more than it costs.
Compass Concierge
- What is Compass Concierge?
- It is a Compass program that fronts the cost of preparing your home for market, including staging, cosmetic renovation, painting, and more, with no upfront cost and no interest. The amount is repaid at closing.
- Who qualifies, and what is covered?
- Eligibility is determined when we sign the listing agreement and set the budget together. Covered work typically includes staging, paint, flooring, landscaping, deep cleaning, and cosmetic repairs. We will tell you plainly if the spend will not pay for itself.
Off-market transactions
- What is an off-market or private exclusive listing?
- A home marketed privately within the Compass agent network rather than on the public MLS. Sellers use it for privacy, to test pricing, or to avoid accumulating days on market; buyers use it to see inventory before it goes public.
- How do buyers get access?
- Through your advisor. Once we know your criteria, we circulate them inside the Compass network and with local brokerages, which is how a number of our clients find homes that never publicly list.
Working with an advisor team
- Who will I actually work with, Claire or Julia?
- Both. One of them leads your relationship while the other backs it up, so you always have an advisor available for a showing, an offer deadline, or a question on a weekend.
- What does it cost to work with you as a buyer?
- Compensation is agreed in writing before we tour homes. We walk through the buyer agency agreement, what is negotiable with the seller, and what you would owe in each scenario, so there are no surprises at closing.
Relocation
- I'm moving from out of state. Where do we start?
- With a video consultation about work location, commute tolerance, schools, and lifestyle. We follow with a shortlist of neighborhoods, a digital tour day, and an in-person visit built around the areas that survive that filter.
- Can you help me buy before I visit Raleigh?
- Yes. We run live video tours, share unedited walkthrough footage, and include due diligence protections so you keep an exit if the home does not match in person.
- How do Wake County schools work?
- Wake County assigns schools by base attendance area with magnet and application options, and boundaries can change. We confirm current assignment for any specific address before you write an offer.