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π BRIEF: Why 49% of Raleigh sellers cut their price
Published about 2 months agoΒ β’Β 6 min read
Happy Friday, Triangle!
Three festivals, three cities, one weekend. BugFest turns 30, CenterFest fills downtown Durham, and Cary's Night Market takes over Downtown Cary Park on Friday evening. If you've ever wanted to see the whole Triangle out and about at once, this is your chance.
Growing up in Minnesota, I learned that a good fall weekend is something you plan around. This one is already on my calendar.
This week's BRIEF has a market update worth reading closely, a Midtown street redesign, and a move-in-ready home in one of Wendell's best neighborhoods.
Grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let me walk you through it.
Hereβs your D&M BRIEF:
[B]est Weekend Plans: three festivals, and Cary lights up Friday night. β[R]ealty Pulse: why nearly half of Raleigh's listings have a price cut. β[I]n the News: a Midtown street redesign and good news for the neighborhood. β[E]xclusive Listing: a move-in-ready Craftsman in Wendell Falls. β[F]riday Favorites: a new all-day tapas spot on Person Street
What this means: The median list price in Raleigh is $530,000. The Market Action Index sits at 34, which still leans slightly toward sellers. Active listings have climbed to 1,193, so buyers have more to choose from than they did earlier in the year. Homes are also taking longer to sell, at a median of 63 days. β 49% of active listings have lowered their asking price at least once. That gives buyers room to negotiate, and it tells sellers that accurate pricing is essential. Altos reports that sales have outpaced new listings for several weeks. Prices have not fully settled, but they could stabilize in the weeks ahead.
Curious what this looks like for your specific neighborhood or price range? ββLet's talk real (estate)β
[I]N THE NEWS
TRANSPORTATION
Raleigh Is Turning Quail Hollow Drive Into a "Green Street"
Construction is now underway on the first phase of Raleigh's Quail Hollow Drive Green Street project, a redesign of the Midtown corridor between Hardimont Road and Millbrook Road. The city updated the project page on September 11, 2026, with Phase 1 active-mobility work scheduled for late summer 2026.
β· What is changing
Phase 1 adds painted, buffered bike lanes on the east side of Quail Hollow Drive, keeps two vehicle travel lanes, and lowers the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph. On-street parking on the east side is being removed to make room for the new lanes.
β· Why the city is doing it
The project originates in the 2020 Midtown-St. Albans Area Plan, which the City Council approved in December 2020 after a public process that included 10 meetings and roughly 600 participants. β Quail Hollow is one of four "green street" projects named in that plan. Later phases, running through 2029, add green stormwater infrastructure, street resurfacing, traffic calming, and sidewalk improvements. The stormwater work is designed to slow and filter runoff before it reaches Big Branch Creek, which flows into the currently impaired Crabtree Creek.
β· Why this matters for the Triangle
Midtown is one of Raleigh's fastest-growing districts, and walkabilitywalkability now affects what buyers are willing to pay. A calmer, better-connected Quail Hollow Drive, tied into the planned Big Branch Greenway Connector, adds everyday convenience that supports neighborhood property values. β The change is smaller in scale than a new tower or a stadium, and residents will notice it on an ordinary weekday.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
SCIENCE
UNC and Duke Will Merge Their Herbaria in Chapel Hill
UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke will combine their plant collections under the North Carolina Botanical Garden, creating the largest university herbarium in the Southeast at roughly 1.7 million specimens. Duke's collection is set to move to a Chapel Hill facility by 2027.
Raleigh Begins Enforcing Scooter and Bike Parking Zones
As of September 14, riders who end a Lime or Spin trip outside a designated corral within a mandatory parking zone can be charged for up to 15 minutes of additional ride time. The city has completed 55% of its planned parking corrals, and repeat violations carry escalating penalties.
Chapel Hill-Area Church Proposes Homes Alongside a New Building
Holy Trinity Anglican Church has proposed a new church and up to 10 homes on Old Lystra Road in southern Orange County. The plan includes affordable duplex tiny homes for people transitioning out of homelessness. The Chapel Hill Town Council has a second public hearing scheduled for September 23.
Set on a premium lot that backs to green space in an established part of Wendell Falls, this Craftsman home sits among mature landscaping and away from active construction. The main level is open and bright, with a large kitchen island, a gas fireplace framed by custom built-ins, a pocket office, and a dining room overlooking the backyard and its built-in fire pit. Upstairs, the primary suite includes two walk-in closets and an ensuite bath, while the second and third bedrooms share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom.
Recent updates include a freshly painted interior, an HVAC system serviced with a new UV light, and low-maintenance perennial gardens in the front and back yards. The detached two-car garage includes an epoxy floor and heavy-duty shelving for vehicles, tools, and equipment.
Key features:
3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,841 square feet
Listed at $365,000
Open-concept main level with a gas fireplace, custom built-ins, and a large kitchen island
Detached two-car garage with an epoxy floor and built-in shelving
Built-in backyard fire pit and low-upkeep perennial gardens
The home sits in the Wendell Falls master-planned community, which carries a homeowners association. Amenities include two swimming pools, a fitness center, a dog park, playgrounds, meeting rooms, a lakeside pavilion, and miles of trails. Treelight Square adds nearby dining and shopping, and downtown Raleigh is a 20-minute drive away.
Person Street just got a new all-day spot. Think chilaquiles and croquetas, ceviche and tostadas, plus the breakfast burritos her fans already drive across town for. There's a curated wine list, a few infused cocktails, anda plant-filled patio for coffee or a late dinner. It's warm, personal, and exactly the kind of independent opening that gives a neighborhood its character.
Flowers Cottage is officially open at Dorothea Dix Park!
Looking for somewhere to grab a drink? A historic 1910 building on the park grounds has been transformed into Cottage Coffee & Park Bar. Upstairs, youβll find a coffee shop serving local brews, matcha, and soft-serve.
Downstairs, a park bar is pouring draft beer, wine, and house-made sodas. With an expanded deck overlooking the grounds and new public restrooms on-site, it makes for an easy stop during a holiday weekend walk.
If you have a fescue lawn, the next few weeks are the window.
Mid-September through mid-October is the best time in the Triangle to aerate and overseed β the soil is still warm, the nights are cooling, and new grass has time to root before winter. Keep the seed lightly watered while it establishes, and hold off on heavy foot traffic until it fills in. Wait until November, and you've missed the season.
Client Testimonial
Brette Davis is the consummate professional. Our experience with selling our old home and buying our new home was most likely the best real estate experience weβve had. Most importantly, Brette listens and is able to really focus on the most important aspects in both the buying and selling experience. If I ever need real estate professional services again thereβs only one place to go Davis & Main.
β βMichael A.
Thanks for reading the D&M Triangle BRIEF. See you next Friday!
βBrette Davis
Want to stay in the loop between Fridays? Follow me on Instagram for real estate insights, local events, and whatβs happening around the Triangle.
Iβm a Raleigh-based agent whoβs passionate about real estate, local life, and making homeownership feel easy (and fun!). Subscribe and join 2,000+ readers who get the inside scoop every week!
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