All Forum Posts by: Dave Olverson

I don't have any direct experience, but a major topic of discussion here is lack of hotel and Airbnb inventory in Durham. The Unscripted hotel just opened and there are more on the way, but the discussion around it generally agrees that even that won't be enough. 

You are right about the mid-week bookings. Durham has not yet tipped on the national vacation radar (though with the PR coverage in Vogue and other mags, I think that is coming). But it is becoming a bigger and bigger destination for work travel. The amount of med tech in the area is booming and only increasing over time (other industries as well)

Again, no first hand experience, but I think Durham is in desperate need of more Airbnb listings and the timing would be right to get some credibility on the platform before things take off even more.

Thanks @Greg Fitch! Yeah, I have gone through a bunch of channels trying to find one. Thanks for the rec.

@Nick Graham

@Nick Graham - that would be great, thanks!

Hi! Has anyone out there worked with a good brick mason in the Triangle area? I am having trouble tracking one down. I just need the joints in my chimney repaired. Thanks so much!

Tags: Durham, Raleigh, Triangle

This is really interesting. Thanks for posting!

Who knows how it will shake out in practice, but in theory, this sounds as though it will be helpful all around. Fewer families being evicted. Fewer eviction headaches and costs for landlords. And long term, maybe it puts a dent in homelessness and helps Durham as a whole!

There are probably people that have more experience than I do, but my number 1 concern is getting quality tenants - even if that means leaving a place vacant for an extra month or two. I would ask for more security at the very least.

That said - the good news is that with the tech industry growing in Durham (just today, software/manufacturing company Prescient announced it is moving from Denver to Durham) and the city getting younger all the time, I think the rental market is primed to get a whole lot better in the coming years. Of course, just looking at the construction around town, there is going to be a whole lot more inventory as well. But not everyone will want to live in a "luxury apartment building" - I think there are good days ahead for you!

Also @Derek Robinson - if you ever want to talk about the different neighborhoods of Durham and how they are changing and morphing, I am always excited to chat about it. I've done a bunch of research on Durham, own one triplex here so far, and I'd love to swap ideas about DURM!

Hi @Derek Robinson - that is definitely not my area of expertise, but as a consumer of airbnb type properties in the Durham area, I think the market is under-served. Durham is also a fantastic, growing market across the board. In terms of hotels, "The Durham" is pretty recent, JB Duke on Duke's campus is new and there is an Unscripted hotel opening next month. I know there are more hotels in the works.

All this to say that the hotels seem to think that demand for short term stays are up, but the supply of the airbnb-style options as opposed to hotel rooms is lagging. Again, I am certainly no expert in this area, but my gut says this could be a great opportunity over the next few years as Durham grows.

Hi Aaron,

@Timothy McKinney is great to work with and does a ton in the Durham area. Best of luck!

Nice to meet you, Aaron. @Eric Weireter is awesome to work with, if he has the bandwidth (I'll let him chime in). I am in a similar spot to you. I just moved down to the Durham area and am renting, looking to buy (hopefully house hacking, but there are a limited amount of MFH's in town and it seems as though the ones that do exist, people hold on tightly to.

Personally, I am looking in the albright/cleveland-holloway/east durham areas (and some others that are close to downtown). Do you know the parts of Durham that you are looking at?

Hi Elizabeth - if he has the bandwidth, @Eric Weireter might be able to help.