Are you thinking of putting your home on the market and you’re worried because the base school for your address has an enrollment cap?

It is true that a desirable school district is usually high on the priority list of what home buyers are looking for.  And because of the tremendous population growth we’ve experienced in Wake County, there are 20 Wake County schools with enrollment caps for the 2014-2015 school year.  (A school with an enrollment cap has reached its maximum capacity and new students are assigned to an “overflow school” and provided transportation.)

School districts can be a very important factor  in calculating your home’s value and resale potential.  If your home is located in a sought-after school’s attendance area, this increases your home’s market value.  Yes, even with an enrollment cap on the local school.  Why is this still true? Because not all buyers have children or children of the age that would attend the school, or maybe their children attend a private school, or charter schools or magnet schools are what interest them.  And an enrollment cap is a temporary, stop-gap solution to allow the school system to catch up with our area’s growth.  But while we know that it is temporary, there is not really a  way to predict the length of time an enrollment cap will be in place at any particular school. Fortunately, our schools regularly win national awards and there are fabulous choices all over the county.

So don’t let an enrollment cap on your base school stop you from putting your home on the market if you’re ready to move.  The old adage of “location, location, location” still rings true and being located in a popular area with a good local school adds value to your home, even with the temporary cap.

A downside to living in one of the fastest-growing areas of the country can be the ability of the infrastructure to keep up with the growth rate. Where does this really come into play for home buyers?  Schools!  Because of the tremendous population growth we’ve experienced in Wake County, there are 20 Wake County schools with enrollment caps for the 2014-2015 school year.  A school with an enrollment cap has reached its maximum capacity and new students are assigned to an “overflow school” and provided transportation.

School districts can be a very important factor when buying a new home. Families are searching for just the right house in a particular school attendance zone, so a school with capped enrollment can be a deal-breaker.  Your Realtor should always be aware of this vital piece of information on any property for sale in Wake County.  Fortunately, our schools regularly win national awards and there are fabulous choices all over the county. If your first choice school has an enrollment cap and your children are already school-age, then the best thing to do may be to look at other homes and other schools.  Helping to find the best home for you and your family is my specialty!

Wake County Public School System has made it easy to check for enrollment caps and attendance zones for any address in Wake County.  Don’t be caught by surprise on the first day of school!

This is the perfect time of year for enjoying outdoor living spaces and front porches can be just the spot for  socializing with friends and neighbors or just relaxing quietly and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.

What can you do to make your front porch extra-inviting this year?

Arrange a mixture of seating choices, including colorful pillows, on your porch along with a table to set things on so that you and your guests have a place to set down your cold beverage, book, or cell phone. Live plants are also a nice touch and so many varieties can live happily and carefree on a porch almost year-round here in  N.C. An old-fashioned porch swing is always a fabulous, fun touch.

Dining tables, colorful rugs, and even curtains are popular additions to porches that can expand their use and turn a porch into another room of your house, one that is heated and cooled naturally.