Andrew HillDASH Carolina 984 · 464 · 7329

Raleigh, NC · Wake County

Inside the Beltline Homes and Neighborhood Guide

Inside the Beltline is Raleigh’s historic core, the neighborhoods inside the I-440 loop. I help buyers and sellers here as a broker with DASH Carolina, and I track county land values on these streets.

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Downtown Raleigh skyline at sunset

Overview

What you are buying inside the Beltline

Inside the Beltline, often shortened to ITB, covers the Raleigh neighborhoods inside the I-440 Beltline. It includes Five Points, Hayes Barton, Drewry Hills, the Village District, Glenwood, and downtown with its historic districts. Raleigh has about 506,300 residents (U.S. Census Bureau estimate, July 2025).

On many streets here, the county appraises the lot for more than the house standing on it. That means the lot itself drives the price: the street, the setbacks, the mature trees, and the walk to downtown or Five Points. Teardowns and custom builds are replacing older houses one lot at a time.

Most houses here were built between the 1920s and the 1960s. Some have been carefully kept and updated, and some are likely to be torn down by the next owner. Knowing which kind of house you are looking at changes what the right offer is, and I can pull the county land value for any address before you decide.

Neighborhoods

Where to look inside the Beltline

Five Points

Named for the five-way intersection of Glenwood Avenue, Fairview Road, and Whitaker Mill Road. The area takes in Hayes Barton, Bloomsbury, Georgetown, Roanoke Park, and Vanguard Park, platted in the 1910s and 1920s. Bungalows and foursquares are the most common houses, and the small commercial node has coffee shops, restaurants, and the Rialto theater.

Hayes Barton

Built out in the 1920s and named for Sir Walter Raleigh’s birthplace in England. Brick and slate houses sit on curving streets under a mature tree canopy. Lots are wide, and land prices are among the highest in the city.

Drewry Hills

Mid-century homes on some of the largest wooded lots inside the Beltline, sloping toward Crabtree Creek. The greenway is close by and North Hills is about five minutes away. Custom builders are active here because of the lot sizes.

The Village District

Built around the shopping center long known as Cameron Village, which opened in 1949 and was renamed the Village District in 2021. Groceries, shops, and restaurants are walkable. Housing ranges from apartments and condos to cottages and historic houses in Cameron Park, next to NC State.

Glenwood South

The restaurant and bar district along Glenwood Avenue, with condos and townhomes above and around it. The Smoky Hollow development on Peace Street added a downtown Publix.

Downtown Historic Districts

Historic Oakwood has Victorian houses and a candlelight home tour each December. Boylan Heights has bungalows facing the skyline. Mordecai surrounds one of Raleigh’s oldest homes, with the Person Street shops nearby.

If you are deciding between these neighborhoods, call or text me and I will send recent sales and county land values for the streets you are considering.

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Get the current Inside the Beltline market report

Prices here change month to month, so I send current numbers on request instead of posting figures that go out of date. The report includes:

  • Recent sales in the neighborhood you choose
  • Homes for sale now and how long they are taking to sell
  • County appraised land values for the streets you are considering
  • My notes on which streets are selling fastest

This goes straight to me. I send the report myself, usually the same day.

History

How these neighborhoods were built

Most of the neighborhoods inside the Beltline were platted in the 1910s and 1920s as Raleigh grew outward from downtown. Five Points and Hayes Barton date from that period, and many of their original houses are still standing.

Cameron Village opened in 1949 as one of the early planned shopping centers in the Southeast, and the neighborhoods around it filled in after World War II. Drewry Hills and the streets toward North Hills were built out in the mid-century years that followed.

The I-440 Beltline was later built around this older part of the city, which is where the name comes from. Because the area is fully built, new homes here almost always replace existing ones.

Living Here

Restaurants, schools, and things to know

Eat and drink

  • The Mecca — diner on Martin Street, open since 1930
  • 42nd Street Oyster Bar — Glenwood South seafood landmark
  • Clyde Cooper’s BBQ — Eastern North Carolina barbecue downtown
  • Players Retreat — longtime bar and grill on Oberlin Road
  • Poole’s Diner — downtown restaurant from chef Ashley Christensen
  • Bida Manda — Laotian restaurant downtown
  • Lilly’s Pizza — pizza in Five Points
  • Piccola Italia — family-run Italian in the Village District

Schools

  • Broughton High — the high school on St. Mary’s Street, opened in 1929
  • Downtown magnet school options are available through WCPSS. Wake County Public School System assignments change as new schools open. Verify the assignment for any address with WCPSS before you make an offer. Ratings are published on NC School Report Cards.

Worth knowing

  • Village District shops and groceries within walking distance for many homes
  • Raleigh greenway access near Fallon Park and Fred Fletcher Park
  • Five Points’ commercial node for coffee, dinner, and the Rialto
  • Glenwood South for restaurants and nightlife

For Owners

What is your Inside the Beltline home worth?

Online estimates do not account for lot width, county land value, teardown potential, or the specific street. I will prepare a price range from recent comparable sales and send it to you. There is no obligation to list.

  • Comparable sales near your address
  • A suggested price range and the reasoning behind it
  • Which updates would raise your sale price and which would not

I prepare these myself from local sales data. Your information is not shared or sold.

Questions

Common questions about buying in Inside the Beltline

What do homes cost inside the Beltline right now?

Prices change month to month, so I send current numbers on request instead of posting figures that go out of date. Request the market report and I will send recent sales, homes for sale, and days on market for the area you are considering.

Is the land worth more than the house?

On many streets inside the Beltline, the county appraises the land for more than the house. I can pull the appraised land value for any address and show how it compares with the rest of the street before you make an offer.

Which high school serves Inside the Beltline?

Broughton High serves much of the area, and some addresses are assigned elsewhere or have magnet options. WCPSS assignments change, so verify the assignment for any specific address with WCPSS before making an offer.

Should I buy a house to renovate or to tear down?

It depends on the lot, the zoning, and what the neighboring houses sell for. On streets where land values are high, a dated house in good repair can be a better buy than a renovated one. I bring in builders and the right professionals before you commit to either plan.

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