by Brian Pate, Pate Realty Group, October 12, 2026

In short: work has officially begun on a $46.2 million project to replace the at-grade CSX rail crossing on Rogers Road with a new bridge, part of a larger effort that includes wider sidewalks and better pedestrian access. Utility work started in September 2026, bidding is underway this month, and main construction is expected to begin January 2027. This project is also the first built phase of a much larger story, a future high-speed rail line connecting Wake Forest to downtown Raleigh and Richmond, backed by a $1.1 billion federal grant.

If you’ve driven Rogers Road recently and noticed nighttime lane closures, this is why. According to Discover Wake Forest, NCDOT is moving ahead on a grade separation project, officially P-5707, that replaces the current at-grade rail crossing with a bridge over the CSX tracks between Forestville Road and South Main Street.

What’s Actually Happening on Rogers Road

The $46.2 million project will build a new bridge over the rail line, eliminating the at-grade crossing entirely. Alongside the bridge itself, the project adds 5.5-foot sidewalks with 4-foot buffers on both sides of the road, a real improvement for anyone walking or biking that corridor, not just drivers.

The corridor isn’t a quiet side street. It serves Summit Fire & Security, the Wireless Research Center, Thales Academy, medical offices, and several schools, so the upgrade touches a meaningful amount of daily traffic, not just the immediate neighborhood.

The Timeline

• September 2026: utility work began, including natural gas line installation.
• October 2026: the project goes out to bid.
• January 2027: main construction is expected to start.
• Completion date: not yet set. NCDOT hasn’t committed to a finish date, citing weather unpredictability, which is normal for a project of this size.

In the near term, expect nighttime lane closures on Rogers Road between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Once main construction begins, NCDOT plans to build a temporary adjacent road to keep local traffic moving rather than routing everyone through a full detour. Motorists should still plan for extra travel time through the corridor.

This Is Only Phase One, the S-Line Connection

Here’s the part worth paying attention to beyond the construction schedule. The Rogers Road project is the first phase of the S-Line, a future high-speed passenger rail corridor that will eventually connect Wake Forest to downtown Raleigh, Richmond, and points beyond. The corridor is backed by a $1.1 billion U.S. Department of Transportation grant, a serious, already-funded federal commitment, not a proposal still looking for money.

For a town the size of Wake Forest, a direct rail connection to downtown Raleigh and up into Virginia is a long-term infrastructure story worth watching closely, not just a local road project.

Also Coming: The Capital Boulevard Expressway

Rogers Road isn’t the only major NCDOT project in motion nearby. The Capital Boulevard Expressway project (U-5307) will convert that corridor into a six-lane, limited-access, toll-free expressway with service roads. It’s fully funded and multi-phase, with Phases A and B starting construction in 2031 and Phases C and D in 2033. It’s a longer runway than Rogers Road, but it’s another confirmed, funded piece of the same broader regional investment in how people move around this part of Wake County.

What This Means If You Live or Buy Near the Corridor

• Short term: expect construction activity and nighttime lane closures starting now, continuing well into 2027 and likely beyond, given no completion date has been set.
• Medium term: a safer, less congested Rogers Road with real sidewalk infrastructure once the bridge is complete, a meaningful quality-of-life upgrade for a corridor that already serves schools and medical offices.
• Long term: proximity to a future high-speed rail connection to Raleigh and Richmond is the kind of infrastructure commitment that tends to matter to buyers and investors well before the trains actually run. Funded transit projects like this are worth knowing about now, not after they’re finished.

The Bottom Line

The Rogers Road grade separation project is a real, funded, already-underway piece of infrastructure, not a proposal. It solves an immediate safety and traffic problem on a busy corridor, and it’s also the first visible piece of a much larger, federally funded rail investment in this part of the Triangle. Worth watching, whether you’re dealing with the construction detours now or thinking about what this corridor looks like in five years.

Expert Guidance with Pate Realty Group

If you’re curious how projects like this affect property values or timing in a specific Wake Forest neighborhood, contact us today at paterealty.com. We track local infrastructure and development as closely as we track the comps.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Rogers Road rail crossing project be finished?

NCDOT has not set a completion date. Utility work began in September 2026, the project is out to bid in October 2026, and main construction is expected to start in January 2027.

Will Rogers Road be closed during construction?

Current work involves nighttime lane closures between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Once main construction begins, NCDOT plans to build a temporary adjacent road to keep local traffic moving rather than requiring a full detour.

What is the S-Line, and how does it connect to this project?

The S-Line is a planned high-speed passenger rail corridor connecting Wake Forest to downtown Raleigh, Richmond, and beyond, backed by a $1.1 billion federal grant. The Rogers Road grade separation is the first built phase of that larger project.

by Brian Pate, Pate Realty Group, October 8, 2026

In short: the 30-year fixed rate sits at 7.57% right now, and we have genuinely never had a sustained stretch above 7.50% at any point in this entire rate cycle. According to a HousingWire analysis of the three realistic paths from here, 7%, 8%, or 9%, the most likely outcome is actually the lowest of the three, not the highest. The 9% scenario almost everyone worries about would require a real shock, not just more of the same.

Every buyer we talk to right now asks some version of the same question: do I lock in now, or does it get worse before it gets better? It’s a fair question. Rates have climbed since mid-July, and purchase applications are down 14% year-over-year as buyers pull back. Here’s the actual range of what happens next, based on the data, not the anxiety.

Where Rates Actually Stand Right Now

The 30-year fixed sits at 7.57%. That matters less as a single number and more for what it represents: according to HousingWire, we have not had a long sustained period above 7.50% at any point in roughly the last three years and nine months. Whatever happens from here, this is new territory for this entire rate cycle, not a return to a familiar range.

The Three Scenarios on the Table

• 7% rates, the most likely path: this outcome depends mainly on two things easing, the Iran conflict and the broader trade tensions. Recent Fed commentary has leaned more dovish, which is part of why this has become the more probable scenario rather than the less probable one.
• 8% rates, possible but increasingly unlikely: this would require a materially stronger economy than the one actually showing up in the data, specifically a 10-year Treasury yield near 5.40% alongside wider mortgage spreads, strong economic data, and a Fed that stays hawkish. The weak September jobs report cuts directly against this scenario, not toward it.
• 9% rates, unlikely without a real shock: this would need sustained strong growth, a resilient labor market, and continued Fed hawkishness, essentially the opposite of current conditions. As HousingWire frames it, current mortgage spreads would need to roughly double from where they sit today for rates to already be at 9%. That’s a big gap to close.

Why Rates Feel Worse Than They “Should”

Part of what’s keeping rates elevated isn’t the Fed directly, it’s the mortgage spread, the gap between the 10-year Treasury yield and the actual mortgage rate offered. That spread currently sits around 2.04%, well above the historically normal range of 1.60% to 1.80%. If spreads simply reverted to a normal historical range, mortgage rates would already be noticeably lower, even without a single Fed rate cut. That’s a real, separate lever from the headlines about Fed policy, and it’s one reason rates can ease even if the Fed itself doesn’t move much.

What This Means If You’re Buying or Selling

• If you’re buying: the most likely path from here is rates easing toward 7%, not spiking toward 9%. That doesn’t mean rush into a bad decision, but it’s worth knowing the fear driving a lot of buyer hesitation right now isn’t well supported by the actual data.
• If you’re selling: demand has measurably softened above 7.5%, and inventory is finally growing after being tight for years. That’s part of the same story we’ve been tracking locally, buyers have more real choices than they did a year ago, which puts more weight on price and presentation.
• Don’t wait for a number that may not come: rates returning to 5% isn’t one of the three scenarios on the table at all right now. Planning around that outcome specifically isn’t supported by where the data actually points.

The Bottom Line

Rates sitting at 7.57% in genuinely uncharted territory for this cycle is unsettling, but the realistic range of outcomes from here skews toward improvement, not disaster. 7% is the most likely scenario. 8% is possible but needs conditions that aren’t currently showing up. 9% would require a real shock well beyond what’s happening now. The mortgage spread sitting above its historical norm is also a real, separate reason to expect some relief even without major Fed action.

Expert Guidance with Pate Realty Group

Whether you’re trying to time a purchase, price a listing, or just understand what a rate move actually does to your numbers, contact us today at paterealty.com. We’ll walk through exactly what today’s rate environment means for your specific situation, not just the headline number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are mortgage rates going to 9%?

It’s unlikely without a significant economic shock. Reaching 9% would require sustained strong growth, a resilient labor market, and continued Fed hawkishness, conditions that aren’t currently showing up in the data. The more likely path from current levels is toward 7%, not 9%.

Why are mortgage rates so much higher than the 10-year Treasury yield would suggest?

Mortgage spreads, the gap between the 10-year Treasury yield and actual mortgage rates, are currently elevated at around 2.04%, compared to a historical norm of 1.60% to 1.80%. That gap alone is adding real cost on top of what the bond market would otherwise suggest.

Has the housing market seen rates this high before?

Not for a sustained stretch in this current rate cycle. According to HousingWire, there has not been a long period with rates above 7.50% at any point in roughly the past three years and nine months, which is part of why current buyer and seller behavior feels unfamiliar.

By Brian Pate, September 22, 2026

In short: three bedrooms, two full baths, one story, built in 2020 and lived in by a single owner ever since. A great room that opens straight to a real covered patio, a fully fenced yard with a view that runs long instead of stopping at a fence, and a location in southern Franklin County with genuinely good, walkable-adjacent food in three directions.

There is a moment in almost every showing where a buyer stops talking and just looks. At 120 Level Drive it happens about fifteen seconds after you walk through the front door, when the foyer gives way and the ceiling lifts and you are standing in a great room that runs a full thirteen by twenty five feet with nothing between you and the back yard but glass.

That is the whole pitch, really. But let me give you the rest of it anyway.

What You Get

Three bedrooms, two full baths, one story, built in 2020 and lived in by a single owner ever since. No stairs anywhere. No awkward bonus room over the garage that nobody uses. The floor plan does exactly what a ranch is supposed to do, which is put everything on one plane and stay out of your way.

The kitchen anchors the open end of the house. Granite counters, white cabinetry crowned to the ceiling, a full stainless appliance package, and a peninsula with seating for three so whoever is cooking is still part of whatever is happening in the next room. Behind it there is a walk-in pantry that measures roughly nine by four, which is to say a real room with shelves on two walls, not a closet with a light bulb in it.

The owner’s suite sits at the back of the house, away from the street and separated from the other two bedrooms by the hall bath and the closets. It is about fourteen by fifteen, so a king bed and two nightstands fit without anybody turning sideways to get past the dresser. The bath has an oversized walk-in shower with a glass surround, a seated vanity counter, a private water closet, and a window, which is a detail people underestimate until they have lived without one.

There is a dedicated laundry room instead of a hallway closet. The garage is a genuine two car at roughly 357 square feet, wider than a lot of what got built around it, with pull down attic access overhead.

And then there is the back yard.

The Patio Is the Thing

A twelve by fourteen covered patio runs across the back of the house. Roofed. Not a slab with a promise attached to it, an actual covered outdoor room. That means the grill still works during a July afternoon thunderstorm, and it means morning coffee outside is still pleasant in the second week of August, which in central North Carolina is a meaningful distinction.

The yard is fully fenced in wood privacy fence, level, with real usable lawn. Past the fence line there is open grass and a tree line, so the view from the patio runs west and long instead of stopping at somebody’s kitchen window twenty feet away.

Roof, HVAC, water heater, appliances. All of it dates to the 2020 build. You are buying a six year old house, which is a different financial proposition than buying a twenty five year old one, and a different timeline proposition than waiting eleven months on a build.

Where You Actually Are

Youngsville sits in southern Franklin County, right on the US 1 corridor, which is the practical reason people end up here. You get Franklin County tax rates and Wake County access in the same commute. The Research Triangle, north Raleigh, and downtown Wake Forest are all a reasonable drive.

But nobody buys a house for the commute. They buy it for the Tuesday nights. So here is what dinner looks like.

Youngsville

Downtown Youngsville is small and getting more interesting. Charron’s Deli & Cafe on East Main runs a New York style deli with Boar’s Head meats and house-made soups, which is exactly the kind of lunch counter a small town should have. A few doors down, Scoops on Main does ice cream in an alarming number of flavors alongside burgers and hot dogs, and it is the sort of place that becomes a summer habit fast.

Burnt Barrel on West Main is wine and craft beer with rotating food trucks, trivia nights and live music, which is functionally the town’s living room on a weekend. Packhouse Coffee Company on NW Railroad Street is a drive-thru stand pouring locally roasted beans, useful on the mornings you did not plan ahead.

Out on the US 1 corridor, Warehouse BBQ handles smoked meats and the classic sides, and Fiesta Mexicana does fajitas, mariscos and house margaritas.

Franklinton

Ten minutes north, Franklinton’s Main Street has quietly become worth the drive. Atlantic Prime Coastal Kitchen runs a scratch seafood kitchen with crab cakes and lobster rolls. Franko’s Italian Steakhouse does prime steaks and a bone-in veal chop that regulars order without looking at the menu. Toro’s Tacos y Tequila covers birria and street tacos with a deep tequila and mezcal list.

Owl’s Roost Brewery pours house-brewed beer alongside wood-fired pizza. The Jamaican Patty Shack turns out jerk chicken and hand-made patties in portions that are frankly unreasonable in the best way. Curtsy’s Cafe & Burger Bar does all-day breakfast and handcrafted burgers. And Sugar Grinders Creamery & Bakery handles the part of the evening after dinner.

Six or seven genuinely good independent restaurants inside a few hundred feet of each other is not something most towns this size can claim.

Wake Forest

Twenty minutes south, downtown Wake Forest is the anchor for a bigger night out. Bodega Tapas, Wine & Rum on South White Street does globally inspired small plates with a serious wine and rum program. The Burger Shop in the Wilkinson Building grinds its own burgers and cuts its own fries. George’s Pizzeria covers New York style pizza and the full Italian roster.

Shorty’s Famous Hotdogs has been on White Street since 1916, which is its own argument. White Street Brewing Company runs its Main Street series alongside rotating seasonal taps, and Norse Brewing Company a block over on Brooks Street built a Viking themed taproom with Nordic and Southern food, which sounds like a bit until you eat there.

For coffee, Wake Forest Coffee Company operates out of a 1919 building on White Street, and Black & White Coffee Roasters on Brooks Street roasts its own and has the awards to show for it.

Outside the downtown core there is Farm Table and Gatehouse Tavern at Gateway Commons, Amalia’s Authentic Italian in a renovated historic home on South Main, and Backfins Crabhouse doing Maryland style steamed crabs on Stadium Drive.

The Short Version

One level. One owner. Six years old. A covered patio and a fenced yard with a view that does not end at a fence. Franklin County taxes, Triangle access, and enough good food within twenty minutes that you will not run out of Friday night ideas.

Come see it. These do not sit long.

Interested in 120 Level Drive?

Or thinking about what your own home would bring in this market? Reach out to Pate Realty Group. We will give you a straight answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 120 Level Drive a one-story home?

Yes. The entire home is on one level, three bedrooms and two full baths, with no stairs anywhere in the floor plan.

How old is the home at 120 Level Drive?

Built in 2020 and owned by a single owner since. The roof, HVAC, water heater, and appliances all date to the original build.

What towns are closest to 120 Level Drive?

Downtown Youngsville is minutes away, Franklinton is about a ten-minute drive north, and downtown Wake Forest is about twenty minutes south. The Research Triangle and north Raleigh are both a reasonable commute.

By Brian Pate, September 21, 2026

In short: a $600,000 new construction home financed at 4.99% carries the exact same $2,895.54 monthly payment as a $471,618 resale home financed at 7.25%. Same payment, both 30-year fixed, both 10% down. The resale buyer puts $12,838 less down. But over the life of the loan, that buyer pays $115,544.66 more in interest, for a home worth $128,382 less.

Most buyers shop by price. Ask someone what they can afford, and they’ll usually name a purchase price, not a rate. But price is only half the equation, and lately it’s the smaller half. We ran the numbers on two very different homes to show what we mean.

The Two Scenarios

Scenario one: a $600,000 new construction home, financed with a builder-incentive rate of 4.99%. Scenario two: a resale home financed at today’s more typical rate of 7.25%. We didn’t pick the resale price at random. We solved for the exact price where the monthly payment matches the new construction scenario, dollar for dollar.

That price turned out to be $471,618.

New Construction vs. Resale, Side by Side

	New Construction	Resale
Purchase Price	$600,000	$471,618
Down Payment (10%)	$60,000	$47,162
Loan Amount	$540,000	$424,456
Interest Rate	4.99%	7.25%
Term	30-yr fixed	30-yr fixed
Monthly P&I	$2,895.54	$2,895.54
Total Interest Paid (30 yrs)	$502,393.47	$617,938.13

Both buyers write the same check every month for 30 years. That’s where the similarity ends.

What the Rate Actually Buys, or Costs

• The resale buyer saves on the down payment: $12,838 less needed at closing, since the loan amount is smaller.
• But the resale buyer pays far more in interest: $115,544.66 more over the life of the loan, despite borrowing $115,544 less principal. The higher rate more than erases the smaller loan balance.
• And the resale buyer ends up in a smaller, less valuable home: $128,382 less home for the identical monthly commitment.

The mechanism is simple, even if it doesn’t feel that way at the closing table. Interest is calculated on the outstanding balance every single month. A higher rate means a bigger share of every payment goes to interest instead of principal, especially in the early years. Stretch that gap across 360 payments, and it compounds into six figures.

Why This Matters Right Now

Builders are currently the ones most willing to buy down a rate to move inventory, which is exactly how a new construction home can carry a rate more than two points below a typical resale loan. That gap won’t necessarily last, and it doesn’t apply to every builder or every incentive, but where it exists, it changes the math on what “affordable” actually means.

If you’re only comparing purchase prices, a $471,618 resale and a $600,000 new construction home don’t look like the same conversation. If you’re comparing what actually leaves your bank account every month, and over 30 years, they’re identical on the front end and $115,000 apart on the back end.

What This Means for Buyers

• Ask about the payment, not just the price. Before ruling a home in or out, get an actual rate quote for it. A higher-priced home with a bought-down rate can cost less monthly than a cheaper home at market rate.
• Ask builders directly what rate they’re offering. Rate buydowns are typically tied to using the builder’s preferred lender, and they change often. Get the current number before comparing anything.
• Run the total-interest number, not just the payment. Two loans with the same payment can differ by six figures in total interest. If you plan to stay long-term, that number deserves as much attention as the payment does.

The Bottom Line

Price tells you what a home costs to buy. Rate tells you what it costs to own. A $600,000 new construction home at 4.99% and a $471,618 resale home at 7.25% cost buyers the exact same amount every month, but the new construction buyer ends up with more house and less interest paid over time. That’s not an argument for new construction over resale in every case. It’s an argument for running the actual numbers before deciding either way.

Expert Guidance with Pate Realty Group

Every rate and price combination runs differently. If you want your own numbers run the way we ran these, contact us today at paterealty.com. We’ll walk through what a specific home, at a specific rate, actually costs you every month and over the life of the loan, not just on the sign in the yard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would a new construction home have a lower interest rate than a resale home?

Builders often buy down a buyer’s rate as an incentive to sell inventory, sometimes covering the cost themselves or through a preferred lender relationship. Resale sellers typically don’t have that same lever, so resale buyers usually finance at the market rate available to them.

Is a lower rate always better than a lower price?

Not always, it depends on your goals, how long you plan to stay, and your own finances. But comparing homes by price alone, without checking the actual monthly payment and total interest, can lead to ruling out homes that are actually more affordable than they look.

How much difference does 2 percentage points in rate actually make?

On the loans in this comparison, roughly 2.26 percentage points of difference (4.99% vs. 7.25%) meant the resale loan cost $115,544.66 more in interest over 30 years, despite a smaller loan balance. Small rate differences compound significantly over a 30-year term.

By Brian Pate, September 18, 2026

In short: national home prices rose 1.3% year-over-year through August 2026, a soft but positive number. Locally, they didn’t follow along: Raleigh is down 1.7%, Wake Forest is down 1.2%, and Durham is down 3.4% over the same period. Nationally, 54 of the largest 300 markets, 18%, are seeing year-over-year price declines right now. The Triangle looks like it’s sitting inside that group, not outside it, and the reason comes down to inventory, not sentiment.

If you’ve seen a headline this month about home prices rising again, and it didn’t match what you’re seeing on your own street, you’re not imagining things. Both are true at once. The national number and the Raleigh-Durham number are answering different questions.

Based on ResiClub’s analysis of the Zillow Home Value Index, nationally aggregated U.S. home prices are up 1.3% year-over-year between August 2025 and August 2026. That’s a soft number, but it’s better than where things stood a year ago, when the national year-over-year shift rate was -0.01%, essentially flat. Here in the Triangle, the direction has gone the other way.

What the National Numbers Actually Say

ResiClub tracks how many of the nation’s 300 largest housing markets post a falling year-over-year reading each August. The pattern over the last decade tells its own story about how tight or loose the housing market has been:

12-Month Window	Markets Falling YoY	Share of 300
Aug 2017 – Aug 2018	6	2%
Aug 2018 – Aug 2019	12	4%
Aug 2019 – Aug 2020	2	<1%
Aug 2020 – Aug 2021	0	0%
Aug 2021 – Aug 2022	2	<1%
Aug 2022 – Aug 2023	78	26%
Aug 2023 – Aug 2024	39	13%
Aug 2024 – Aug 2025	109	36%
Aug 2025 – Aug 2026	54	18%

During the pandemic run-up, almost no market fell year-over-year. As inventory rebuilt through 2024 and into the first half of 2025, the count of declining markets spiked to a peak of 109, more than a third of the country. Over the past 12 months, that count has come down to 54. ResiClub called this drop back in fall 2025 before it happened: it’s still a soft, nationally aggregated market, but the sharpest burst of softening has let up.

The open question ResiClub flags heading forward is whether another burst of softening is coming, now that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has jumped back over 7.00%.

Why the Triangle Doesn’t Match the National Headline

ResiClub’s explanation for the gap between markets is inventory, measured against pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Regions where active inventory is still well below 2019, pockets of the Northeast and Midwest, are still seeing prices climb a little year-over-year. Regions where inventory has climbed back above 2019 levels, parts of Texas, Florida, and Colorado, are seeing corrections, pullbacks, or flat pricing.

Current Zillow Home Value Index figures put the Triangle closer to the second group than the first:

Market	Avg. Home Value	Year-Over-Year
National (aggregated)	—	+1.3%
Raleigh, NC	$428,671	-1.7%
Wake Forest, NC	$513,720	-1.2%
Durham, NC	$389,634	-3.4%

Every one of these Triangle markets is negative year-over-year while the national aggregate is positive. That’s not a coincidence, and it lines up with what we’re already seeing in the MLS: as of the last full Triangle-wide pull, there were 12,433 active listings across the 16-county core market, and resale homes alone had a median of 53 days on market, nearly three times the blended 17-day headline number that includes new construction.

To be direct about what we don’t know yet: we haven’t pulled the exact comparison of current Triangle inventory against 2019 levels the way ResiClub does nationally, so we can’t say with certainty that’s the specific mechanism here. What we can say is the current numbers, real inventory, real days on market, real year-over-year declines in three of our core markets, are consistent with the same story ResiClub is telling about the rest of the country’s softer pockets.

What This Means for Buyers and Sellers

• If you’re selling: don’t price off a national headline that says prices are rising. Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Durham are down year-over-year right now. Price against your most recent local comps, not last year’s number and not the national average.
• If you’re buying: you have more real leverage than the national story suggests. This isn’t the tight, still-climbing market some parts of the country are in. With 12,433 active listings and resale homes taking a median 53 days to sell, there’s room to negotiate.
• Watch mortgage rates either way: the 30-year fixed rate is back over 7.00%, and that’s the variable ResiClub flags as the thing that could tip the national market into another round of softening. If that happens, it would likely show up here first, not last.

The Bottom Line

The national housing market and the Triangle housing market are answering two different questions right now. Nationally, prices are up a soft 1.3% year-over-year, and the number of markets in decline has come down from last year’s peak. Locally, Raleigh, Durham, and Wake Forest are all still negative. Neither number is wrong. They’re just measuring different places, and if you’re buying or selling here, the local number is the one that actually applies to you.

Expert Guidance with Pate Realty Group

If you’re trying to figure out what any of this means for your specific street, not just the metro average, contact us today at paterealty.com. We pull Triangle MLS data every week and can tell you exactly where your neighborhood sits against both the local and national picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are home prices falling in Raleigh, NC right now?

Yes. The average Raleigh home value is down 1.7% year-over-year as of August 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index, even as the national aggregate rose 1.3% over the same period.

How does the Triangle compare to the national housing market?

The Triangle is currently softer than the national aggregate. Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Durham are all down year-over-year, while the nationally aggregated figure is up a modest 1.3%. Nationally, 18% of the largest 300 markets are seeing similar year-over-year declines right now.

Should I lower my asking price if I’m selling in Wake Forest or Durham?

Base your price on recent local comps, not on national headlines about rising prices. With both markets down year-over-year and real inventory on the ground, a price anchored to last year’s numbers or a neighbor’s 2021-2022 sale is likely to sit.

Single-Story Living on 1.15 Acres

By Brian Pate, September 17, 2026

In short: 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths, all on the main level, plus a huge second-floor bonus room. 3,140 square feet on 1.15 acres in the Stoneridge subdivision. 3-car garage, whole-house Generac generator, no city taxes. Listed at $625,000. Open house Saturday, September 19th, 12:00 to 2:00 PM.

There’s a particular kind of buyer who wants room to breathe without giving up single-story living, and 35 River Rock Way was built for exactly that. Every bedroom is on the main floor. The garage holds three cars. The lot is over an acre. And when the power goes out, a whole-house generator means this home barely notices.

Here’s the full walk-through.

Single-Story Living, Room by Room

The entire main level runs 2,576.84 square feet, and every bedroom in the house is on it. Nobody in this home climbs stairs to sleep.

• Owner’s suite, 13.4 x 17.7: flanked by two walk-in closets (4.7 x 8 each) with the bath positioned between them. Inside, a tray ceiling, a garden tub, a walk-in shower, separate raised vanities, and a private water closet.
• Bedroom two, 11 x 12.8: with its own closet.
• Bedroom three, 11 x 11: with its own closet.
• Bedroom four, 11 x 12.2: with its own closet. This bedroom has an ensuite bath with a full-size walk-in shower and its own private entrance to the covered back patio, ideal for guests who want a little separation from the rest of the house.
• Family room, 20.2 x 23: the largest living space in the house.
• Dining room, 12.7 x 13.4, and living room, 13.4 x 12.8: both open to the family room, with a gas log fireplace anchoring the flow between them, good for hosting.
• Kitchen, 12 x 12 with a pantry: recently updated with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a 5-burner gas stove, and extra counter space at the bar top for a buffet line or gathering spot. The Samsung Bespoke refrigerator conveys with the home.
• Breakfast nook, 9.3 x 9.2, foyer, 6.3 x 7.3, and utility room, 8.5 x 6.9: round out the main level, along with a storage closet and linen closet.

New LVP flooring was added throughout the main living areas in 2025.

The Upstairs Bonus Room

The entire second floor is one room: a 25.3 x 27.2 recreation room, 562.7 square feet on its own. Storage areas sit at both ends of the room for easy access. It’s built for flexibility, whatever the next owner needs it to be. A pool table, a home theater, a sports room, a home office, or a conference table for anyone who works from home.

Outdoor Space Built for North Carolina Living

• Covered back patio, 25 x 15: with an epoxy floor.
• Open patio, 25 x 14: shaded by a SunSetter retractable awning, with a concrete sidewalk connecting it to the driveway.
• Fenced backyard: gated on both sides, including a double gate wide enough for a riding lawnmower.
• Exterior uplighting: along the front and side of the house, running dusk until dawn, with motion lights covering the back yard.
• 3-car garage, 24 x 34.4: plus a detached storage building in the backyard for anything that doesn’t fit.
• Whole-house Generac 10KW natural gas generator: always on standby, serviced twice a year. Dual HVAC systems are on the same twice-annual service schedule.
• Lot: 1.15 acres, level and partially cleared, on a corner cul-de-sac lot with hardwood trees and native plants.

Stoneridge and Downtown Franklinton

35 River Rock Way sits in Stoneridge, a Franklin County community with a pool and cabana less than a quarter mile from the front door. HOA dues run $398.50 semi-annually and include access to the clubhouse and pool.

Because the home sits in Franklin County outside city limits, there’s no city tax bill on top of county property tax.

Downtown Franklinton is a 10-minute drive for Franko’s for Italian and steaks, Curtsey’s Café and Burger Bar, Owl’s Roost Pizza and Brewery, and Toros Tacos and Tequila, plus a handful of local shops. Joyner Park in Wake Forest and Falls Lake are both under 20 minutes away. For a night out, the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center, the Durham Performing Arts Center, and Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh are all about 45 minutes out.

School assignment: Long Mill Elementary, Franklinton Middle School, and Franklinton High School.

The Numbers

• Price: $625,000 ($3,282 estimated monthly payment)
• Beds / Baths: 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths
• Living area: 3,140 square feet
• Lot size: 1.15 acres
• Year built: 2013, built by Adams Homes
• Style / Construction: Ranch/Traditional/Transitional, brick
• Garage: 3-car attached
• HOA: $398.50 semi-annually, clubhouse and pool
• Utilities: septic system, cable and electric connected, central heat and air with a heat pump
• MLS#: 10192745, Doorify MLS of North Carolina

Open House and How to See It

Open house is Saturday, September 19th, from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Can’t make it then? Reach out any time to schedule a private showing.

Expert Guidance with Pate Realty Group

If 35 River Rock Way looks like the fit you’ve been searching for, or you want a second set of eyes on how it compares to other Stoneridge and Franklinton options, contact us today at paterealty.com. We’ll walk through the home, the numbers, and what it takes to make a competitive offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is 35 River Rock Way located?

It’s in the Stoneridge subdivision in Franklinton, NC 27525, Franklin County, about 10 minutes from downtown Franklinton and roughly 45 minutes from Raleigh and Durham.

Does this home have an HOA?

Yes. HOA dues are $398.50 semi-annually and include access to the neighborhood clubhouse and pool.

What schools serve this home?

Long Mill Elementary, Franklinton Middle School, and Franklinton High School.

Are all the bedrooms on one level?

Yes. All 4 bedrooms are on the main floor. The entire second floor is a single 562.7-square-foot bonus/recreation room.

By Brian Pate, September 3, 2026

Starting November 2, 2026, a new appraisal reporting format becomes mandatory for new conventional loans submitted to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This structural shift does not lower market values or alter how appraisers determine a property’s worth. Comparable sales, location, and market trends remain the primary drivers of final home valuations.

What Is Changing In Property Appraisals

The updated format requires appraisers to document property details with far greater granularity and transparency. Standardized reporting with now explicitly capture:

• System components: roof age, HVAC condition, and other major mechanical systems
• Interior Upgrades: Kitchen renovations, bathroom updates, custom cabinetry, and built-in features.
• Capital Improvements: Finished basements, structural additions, and major property overhauls.
• Material Quality: Premium finishes, high-end materials, and overall craftsmanship.

Brian Pate’s Opinion

If you ask Brian, he will tell you this is being done to eventually feed data about most homes in the United States to artificial intelligence. That AI, will eventually do appraisals autonomously and in far less time that it is currently taking.

Unfortunately, my making appraisers do the research, and some companies hiring “data collectors,” the very people doing the work will eventually be replaced.

Fannie and Freddie have been under pressure for years to streamline the process and this is one way they are doing so.

Action Plan For Homeowners

Marketing strategy must shift away from general buzzwords like “completely remodeled” toward precise, verifiable descriptions. Agents must document what was done, when it was completed, and provide supporting records prior to listing so appraisers have full context to justify property value.

To set an appointment with Brian to learn more, click here.