I’m a Raleigh-based agent who’s 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!
Happy Friday! Fall’s in full swing, and so is the Triangle.
The State Fair is back this week with fried everything (yes, even pickle pizza) and the kind of small-town magic that makes you forget about your inbox for a while.
Meanwhile, one of our biggest employers, RTI International, is betting $14 million that innovation can turn things around after a tough year.
And in real estate? Homes are sitting longer statewide, but the Triangle’s still holding strong, giving buyers a little breathing room and sellers a reason to stay patient.
Let’s dive in! ⬇️
—Brette Davis
🎉 The Best Things to Do This Weekend in The Triangle!
🎡 North Carolina State Fair: The Ultimate Fall Tradition 🎡
The countdown’s on! The N.C. State Fair is back Oct. 16–26, bringing Ferris wheels, farm animals, and the wildest fair food you can imagine. Think Flaming Hot Cheetos pickle pizza, hot honey jalapeño popper donuts, and over 80 new menu items to try this year.
Located at 4285 Trinity Road in Raleigh, this 10-day celebration draws nearly a million visitors every year to honor local roots, small businesses, and the best of Carolina agriculture. Between fireworks, live music, kid-friendly rides, and handcrafted goods at the Village of Yesteryear, there’s something for everyone.
🎟️ Tickets: $10–$13 adults, $0–$7 kids (free under 5). 🚗 Pro tip: Arrive early or skip the parking hassle by hopping on Amtrak straight to Gate 1!
So grab a corndog, take a spin on the Ferris wheel, and make some memories you’ll talk about all year long.
Can a New Lab Save RTI? The Triangle Employer’s $14M Answer
📌 Driving the news: RTI International is pushing forward with a $14 million expansion in Research Triangle Park, launching a new lab for testing clean energy tech, even after slashing hundreds of jobs due to a loss in federal contracts.
📌 Details:
RTI has opened the Pilot Xcelerator, its 12th active building, focused on scaling up experimental energy tech.
The lab’s aim: turn promising prototypes, like low-carbon jet fuel or energy-efficient fertilizer, into market-ready solutions.
The facility comes as the nonprofit tries to rebound from losing key federal funding under the Trump administration.
📌 Why it matters: RTI’s pivot to private partnerships offers a potential new lifeline for one of the Triangle’s largest employers.
Despite laying off more than 400 employees in NC this year, the expansion could spur fresh hiring and keep advanced research jobs rooted locally.
📌 Between the lines: CEO Tim Gabel says this isn’t a retreat, it’s a reset. “This is not a hunker down, wait it out moment,” he told Axios.
RTI had long planned the expansion, but doubled down even as federal cuts hit hard.
📌 What’s next: The Pilot Xcelerator will vet technologies like those from Aether Fuels and Lydian Labs, with an eye toward which ideas can scale, and which can’t. Gabel notes the lab is “targeting more of the commercial market” moving forward.
📌 The bottom line: Even amid financial turbulence, RTI is planting seeds for a cleaner, more self-sustaining future, one that could help stabilize local jobs while supporting the energy tech ecosystem.
In this video, I'll tell you all of my deepest regrets moving from Minnesota to Raleigh. Would I do it again? What would I do differently? Let's check it out!
NC Homes on Pause — But the Triangle Holds Opportunity
📌 Driving the news: For-sale signs in North Carolina are sticking around longer, with Wake, Durham, and Orange counties seeing sharp increases in how long homes sit before going under contract.
📌 Details:
Wake County: Median 33 days on the market in September, a 78% increase from last year.
Durham County: 30 days, up 58%.
Orange County: 37 days, up 121%.
Across North Carolina, homes averaged 53 days in August, per Redfin.
📌 Why it matters: A longer time on the market means buyers have more room to negotiate, especially in the Triangle.
While affordability challenges persist, local growth and demand are still strong, offering more options for residents looking to stay or settle here.
📌 The big picture: The U.S. housing market is diverging:
Midwest and Northeast: Homes are moving quickly due to low supply and steady prices.
South: Inventory is higher, prices are cooling, and buyers are regaining leverage.
📌 What’s next: As economic uncertainty and high mortgage rates continue to spook both buyers and sellers, experts say this standstill may linger into winter.
📌 The bottom line: If you’re house hunting in the Triangle, there’s more time to look, and possibly more room to deal.
The Raleigh market is holding steady but staying active. Homes are selling in about 48 days with a median price of $450K, up 2.3% year over year. Most homes get two offers and sell for around 98% of the list price, showing demand is still healthy, just more balanced than before.
For Buyers: With competition cooling slightly, you’ve got more breathing room to negotiate and find the right fit. But act fast on homes priced well, they still move quickly.
For Sellers: Inventory remains tight, so well-priced, move-in-ready homes still attract solid offers. Lean on strong marketing and pricing strategy to stand out and sell with confidence.
I’m a Raleigh-based agent who’s 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!
