Happy Friday, Triangle!

We are deep into the dog days now. The kind of August afternoon where the air feels like a warm towel and the smart move is a porch, a glass of something cold, and zero ambition until about 7 p.m.

If you need a reason to brave the heat, the sunflowers at Dix Park are peaking right now, and they are worth the sweat.

After ten years here, I still can't get over that a field like that sits minutes from downtown. Minnesota me would not believe it.

School is returning soon, making these last few open weekends especially valuable.

Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let me walk you through it.

Here’s your D&M BRIEF:

[B]est Weekend Plans: jerk-fest flavor, a Fenton wellness festival, and a free comic show
​[R]ealty Pulse: the market's cooling — here's what that means for buyers and sellers
​[I]n the News: Fujifilm brings its $3.2 billion Holly Springs campus online
​[E]xclusive Listing: a move-in-ready Wendell Falls craftsman under $380K
​[F]riday Favorites: a Costco bakery first, plus this week's video and reel

Let's get into it!

—Brette

[B]EST WEEKEND PLANS

EVENTS

BEST THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE TRIANGLE

WELLNESS FESTIVAL Fit + Flow at Fenton 📅 Aug 8 | 8 AM–1 PM 📍 Fenton, 21 Fenton Main St., Cary (ticketed) ​MORE INFO→​

FOOD & CULTURE NC Jerk Festival 📅 Aug 8 | 3–9 PM 📍 Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St., Durham (free) ​MORE INFO→​

FAMILY & COLLECTORS Raleigh Comic Book Show 📅 Aug 9 | 10 AM–4 PM 📍 Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh/Crabtree Valley, Raleigh (free) ​MORE INFO→​

​Click here to see 80+ events for the whole month!→​

[R]EALTY PULSE

REAL ESTATE MARKET Altos' Market Action Index Here is where the Raleigh market sits this week. SEE MORE ≫

REAL ESTATE MARKET Altos' Real-Time Market Profile All key market indicators in one easy-to-read chart, with trend lines showing changes over the past three months. SEE MORE ≫

What this means: The market keeps easing. Raleigh's Market Action Index slipped from 36 to 35, inventory rose to 1,205 homes, and 47% of active listings have reduced prices. The median list price is holding at $559,900, but homes are now sitting closer to two months before they sell.

For buyers, this creates real breathing room with expanded inventory, reduced pressure, and increased seller flexibility.

For sellers, accurate pricing from day one is essential, as homes priced correctly at launch continue to move fastest.

[I]N THE NEWS

LIFE SCIENCES Fujifilm brings its $3.2 billion Holly Springs campus online READ MORE ≫

▷ Driving the news

Fujifilm Biotechnologies has brought online the first two manufacturing facilities at its Holly Springs campus, with roughly 860 employees already working on-site.

The $3.2 billion complex is one of the largest life-sciences investments the Triangle has ever seen.

▷ What is open now

The two facilities represent the first operational phase of the campus.

Construction on the rest of the complex is ongoing.

▷ What comes next

Two additional facilities are expected by 2027; together, they could double the campus's production capacity and further cement the Triangle as a national biotechnology hub.

▷ The wider signal

The momentum is not limited to Holly Springs.

Durham-based medical-technology company 410 Medical has raised $12 million to bring its LifeFlow device to market, a system built to deliver fluids rapidly to patients in hemorrhagic shock or sepsis.

▷ Why this matters for the Triangle

Each wave of high-paying biotech jobs generates housing demand in surrounding areas.

Holly Springs, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, and southwest Wake have absorbed that demand for years, and this expansion adds hundreds more households looking for homes near the campus.

For property owners along the corridor, the project could help sustain long-term demand and support property values over time.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

DEVELOPMENT Raleigh to break ground on the state's first public automated parking garage Construction has begun on the City Gateway district with a street extension and a two-level underground garage that will use robotic lifts and shuttles to park and retrieve cars. A roughly 27,000-square-foot public plaza is planned above it, with the first phase expected to open in winter 2026. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

INFRASTRUCTURE Safety improvements wrap at Forestville and Louisburg roads The City of Raleigh reported that safety upgrades at the Forestville Road and Louisburg Road area are complete. The completion notice was published July 28 as part of the city's local-news updates. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

PARKS New scooter parking expands access to Dix Park The City of Raleigh announced designated scooter parking intended to organize micromobility access to Dorothea Dix Park. The update, shared July 27, aims to keep paths and entrances clearer for everyone. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

[E]XCLUSIVE LISTING

A Wendell Falls craftsman for under $380K FOR SALE 640 Mill Station Ln, Wendell, NC 27591 | $379,900

This move-in-ready Garman Homes craftsman sits on a premium lot in Wendell Falls, one of the most sought-after communities east of Raleigh.

Inside, the open-concept layout centers on a 10-foot kitchen island, paired with custom trimwork and a neutral color palette.

A dedicated pocket office off the kitchen offers a practical workspace, while the primary suite includes dual walk-in closets and a tiled spa shower.

Key features:

• 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 1,841 square feet
• Two-car garage on a premium, green-space-backed lot
• Ten-foot island, open-concept main level, custom trimwork
• Pocket office off the kitchen
• Custom patio firepit for Carolina summer nights
• Wendell Falls resort-style amenities: saltwater pool, fitness center, coffee shop, and ten miles of nature trails
• A short walk to Publix, dining, and shopping at Treelight Square
• Highway access that keeps the Raleigh commute short

At $379,900, this is a rare move-in-ready price point inside a top-tier amenity community.

Click here to view the full details 👇🏻 See all the details ≫

[F]RIDAY FAVORITES

NEW BAKERY FIND Costco's Bakery Costco introduced its first Southern-style buttermilk biscuit, drawing interest from shoppers across the region. They're baked fresh in-house with real buttermilk, come 10 to a pack for $6.99, and land right in time for back-to-school mornings. Initial reviews describe the biscuits as buttery, fluffy, and close to homemade. In warehouses now. SEE THE RESTAURANT ≫

NEW VIDEO Cary, NC Is About To Look Completely Different WATCH IT NOW ≫

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TRENDING A 112-Year-Old Trail Station Turned Rooftop Bar in Apex: But It's Only the Beginning... TapStation is a craft brewpub housed in a restored 1914 Seaboard Air Line Railway service station in downtown Apex. Think rooftop patio, a beer tap made from a vintage Model-A axle, stunning murals by local artist Max Dowdle, and a fenced courtyard where kids can play while you sip. SEE THE POST ≫

» Quick Pro Tip

During dry August conditions, make sure to water your foundation in addition to your lawn.

Triangle red clay shrinks and pulls away from the slab in a drought, and that shifting is what cracks foundations and sticks your doors. Run a soaker hose a foot or so out from the foundation for 20–30 minutes on dry evenings to keep the soil evenly moist, not soaked.

It's a five-dollar habit that protects your biggest investment.

Brette and Emily were fantastic. We were living in another state and they made our transition to the new house in North Carolina wonderful. They were on top of any issues that occurred. If you are looking for a Great Realtor company please go with Davis & Main. I promise you that you will not regret it.

—Annie W.

Thanks for reading the D&M Triangle BRIEF. See you next Friday! —Brette Davis

Want to stay in the loop between Fridays? Follow me on Instagram for real estate insights, local events, and what’s happening around the Triangle.