Happy Friday, Triangle!

This is a massive holiday weekend. Fourth of July weekend, and this year it's carrying extra weight: Saturday marks America's 250th birthday, and the Triangle is going all out.

Fireworks in nearly every town. A downtown parade. The Capitol throwing a party. You won't have to go far to find a show.

The first major summer heat is rolling in with it, making shade and cold drinks essential.

Behind the celebrations, a major update dropped that could reshape the entire region. Research Triangle Park just changed its rules for the first time in 60 years.

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

Here’s your D&M BRIEF:

[B]est Weekend Plans: Where to catch fireworks across the Triangle
​[R]ealty Pulse: A quick answer to "How's the market?"
​[I]n the News: RTP just unlocked its 7,000 acres
​[E]xclusive Listing: The median Raleigh home is $585K. This one's $189,900
​[F]riday Favorites: A beloved Durham pop-up finally has a home

Scroll down and enjoy!

—Brette

[B]EST WEEKEND PLANS

EVENTS

BEST THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE TRIANGLE

FIREWORKS Raleigh's Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration 📅 July 4 | Gates 6 PM, Fireworks 9:30 PM 📍 Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh ​MORE INFO→​

BASEBALL Durham Bulls July 4th Weekend Fireworks 📅 July 3–5 | Post-game fireworks all three nights 📍 Durham Bulls Athletic Park ​MORE INFO→​

CONCERT Cary's Independence Day Celebration (feat. the NC Symphony) 📅 July 4 | 3:30 PM, Fireworks ~9:25 PM 📍 Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary ​MORE INFO→​

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

[R]EALTY PULSE

REAL ESTATE MARKET Altos' Market Action Index An at-a-glance answer to “How’s the market?” 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 it means: The Market Action Index measures how fast the market is moving by tracking sales against active listings. It is currently sitting at 36, down slightly from 37 last month. The market is cooling slowly, but sellers still hold a slight edge.

Inventory has climbed to 1,141 homes, which gives buyers more options and less pressure to rush into a decision. With 44% of listings showing price cuts, sellers are clearly adjusting to the current market.

The median list price is holding around $585,000, so this isn't a falling market. Accurate initial pricing is the best way for sellers to get noticed right away. Buyers finally have some real leverage to work with.

[I]N THE NEWS

DEVELOPMENT RTP Just Rewrote the Rules on Its 7,000 Acres READ MORE ≫

▷ Driving the news

Research Triangle Park just gave final approval to its "RTP 3.0" land rules — and for the first time in the park's 60-year history, landowners can build housing, retail, and mixed-use space, not just office buildings.

That's a foundational shift for the region's biggest economic engine.

▷ What actually changes

For decades, the formula here was simple: a corporate building, surrounded by a sea of parking, tucked behind a wall of trees.

The new framework changes that model completely.

Owners can now build far more densely — apartments, shops, restaurants, amenities — and the park plans to concentrate this new activity along the upcoming transit corridors near N.C. 54.

It's the same walkable, mixed-use idea RTP has been testing at its HUB RTP development, now opened up across all 7,000 acres.

▷ Why now

Park leadership anticipated these shifting real estate demands.

The old office-park model worked beautifully for 50 years, but by the 2020s, companies and workers were chasing the more urban, walkable districts popping up around the country.

So they studied the best of them — Kendall Square in Cambridge, Eli Lilly's Indianapolis headquarters, Westbrook Place in Vancouver — and built a framework to let RTP grow into that kind of place over time.

The goal is to make the park a destination where people want to live and hang out, not just commute to for work.

▷ What's next

Expect the visible construction to take some time to start. Landowners are still working through what the new rules let them do.

Over the next decade, this could open the door to major projects and entirely new pockets of activity across the park.

RTI International has already said it's studying the future of its Cornwallis Road campus. IBM is consolidating employees and rethinking its massive footprint.

This flexibility serves a couple of different purposes — it gives the park options if a big employer leaves (Lenovo has reportedly eyed a move downtown) or if a long-promised one never fully arrives (Apple pushed back its RTP plans again last year).

▷ Why this matters for the Triangle

For 60 years, RTP has been the quiet engine humming under the entire region — nearly 400 companies, from giants like IBM, Lenovo, and Biogen down to hundreds of startups.

So when the rules that shape it change this dramatically, it touches all of us — jobs, housing, traffic, and how the whole Triangle grows from here.

It represents one of the most significant planning shifts the park has seen in decades.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

CELEBRATION Raleigh marks America's 250th with parade, festival, and cookout July 4–6 A First in Freedom parade, NC Freedom Fest at the Capitol, and Sunday's America's Cookout round out the weekend. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

DOWNTOWN Raleigh weighs selling a downtown parking deck An offer for the Wilmington Street deck, part of the free two-hour program, heads to City Council in early July. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

HEALTHCARE Duke Health's planned Garner campus moves toward emergency services Duke's southern Wake County outpatient campus is advancing, with emergency care and roughly 600 jobs expected. CLICK TO READ IT ≫

[E]XCLUSIVE LISTING

The median Raleigh home is $585K. This one's $189,900. FOR SALE 1228 S State St APT C, Raleigh

With the median list price in Raleigh sitting around $585,000 right now, a move-in-ready home under $190K is rarely available at this price point.

This property is a rare find for the price.

The home requires very little of the new owner.

Inside, everything is already done. LVP flooring throughout, fresh paint, and an upgraded kitchen with white shaker cabinets, stainless appliances, and a tile backsplash. The bathroom is fully tiled, with a sleek vanity and a semi-frameless shower. Step out back to your own private porch — your slice of outdoor space, none of the upkeep.

That is the main highlight of the property.

The HOA handles the lawn, the roof, and the exterior, giving you your weekends back. There's a brand-new roof and a 2021 tankless water heater already in place, so major near-term capital concerns are already addressed.

Key features:

• 2 beds, 1 bath, 734 sq ft
• Fully updated and move-in ready
• LVP flooring throughout + fresh paint
• Updated kitchen and fully tiled bath
• Ceiling fans in every bedroom
• 2021 tankless water heater + brand-new roof
• Private back porch
• HOA covers lawn, roof, and exterior
• 5 minutes to downtown Raleigh and the future Downtown South district
• 9 minutes to Walnut Creek Music Venue

It is a low-maintenance home just five minutes from upcoming developments, offered at a fraction of the city's median price.

Properties at this price point tend to sell quickly.

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

[F]RIDAY FAVORITES

NEW OPENING Lutra Cafe & Bakery One of Durham's most beloved pop-ups finally has a permanent home. Lutra Cafe & Bakery — known for its sweet and savory buns — just opened at the American Tobacco Campus, serving breakfast and lunch daily. Chef-owner Chris McLaurin cooked for two James Beard winners: Johnny Monis in D.C. and Ashley Christensen in Raleigh. Opened last Friday, June 26 MORE DETAILS ≫

NEW VIDEO Raleigh's Skyline is about to Change FOREVER WATCH IT NOW ≫

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TRENDING Celebrating 150 Years: The Next Chapter of Holly Springs Is Already Being Built If you haven't been paying attention to this town, now is the time. Founded in 1876, Holly Springs has grown from a quiet crossroads into one of Wake County's most sought-after communities. SEE THE POST ≫

» Quick Pro Tip

If you're heading to the Dix Park fireworks Saturday, plan your parking before you leave the house.

There's no public parking on-site this year. Park in a downtown deck for the $10 flat event rate and hop the free Park & Ride shuttle from Moore Square (shuttles start at 5:30 PM).

And with the first real heat of summer arriving right on cue, pack more water than you think you'll need and stake out a shady spot early. You will be glad you prepared early once the evening events start.

Brette Davis is amazing. She is thorough, communicates consistently, and truly cares about doing what is best for her clients. I have also referred my pro-athlete clients to her; she truly looks out for their best interests. Whether you are buying or selling, Brette Davis should be your realtor of choice in Raleigh, NC.

—Suzy P.

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.