I'm planning a move to the area as soon as I can get my house sold and pretty much know the area I want to live in for my work commute and dog situation. Check into dog limits if you are considering living within/close to city limits. There are several different pockets that have acreage and no dog limits, and there are road expansion plans that your realtor should know about too.
I went to college in the triangle and am looking forward to getting back to the area and all the shows on the east coast! Four hours to Potomac, two hours to Piedmont, five to Coastal and six to Atlanta!
Awesome area! Tons of wonderful parks to hike with dogs...generally a VERY dog friendly place. Great restaurants, lots of affordable housing with property if you live a few minutes from the actual city.
