• 🧠 Trivia Challenge: Spotlight Hook
• 📰 News: Cary Named No. 6 Best Real Estate Market in America
• 📰 Scrollback: Readers Say ECU Deserves a Spot on the Next College Poll
• 📰 Scrollback: Affordable Housing on Unused School Land?
• 😄 Meme of the Day – Start Your Day with a Smile
• ❤️ Some stories are worth revisiting: Thank You For Your Gift
• 📅 Events: Weekend Events Preview (Top Picks)

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Question: What is a second full moon in a month called?

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

Cary has landed in the national top 10 for real estate, ranking sixth overall in a new WalletHub study.

The analysis compared 300 cities across 17 indicators related to housing-market strength, affordability, and local economic conditions. Cary ranked seventh specifically for its real estate market and 17th for affordability and economic environment.

Other Triangle cities also scored well. Durham ranked fourth overall and first for its real estate market, while Raleigh finished 19th nationally and third among large U.S. cities.

The results highlight the continued strength of the Triangle's housing market, although affordability remains an important part of the equation for residents looking to buy.

Full Report: Best Real Estate Markets (2026)

We’re rewinding the feed to spotlight a standout moment, story, or snapshot from Cary’s past. Let’s scroll back and see…

From Cary Spotlight Issue #1030

Cary is Wolfpack country — at least according to Cary Spotlight readers. When we asked which Triangle college or university your family calls home, one answer towered over the rest.

🏆 NC State ran away with it, claiming 46.59% of the vote. Nearly half of respondents have Wolfpack ties running through their families..

Reader Poll Results: Which Triangle College or University Does Your Family Have a Connection To?

🐏 NC State — 46.59% ✅
🐏 UNC-Chapel Hill — ~22.7%
🎩 Another NC college or university — ~8.0%
🧡 No college connection, just cheering on the students — ~8.0%
🔵 Duke University — ~6.8%
✏️ Other (please specify) — ~4.5%
🚂 Wake Tech — ~3.4%

Takeaway:

NC State dominates family loyalties in Cary (according to Cary Spotlight readers), likely reflecting its proximity and long history as a hometown institution. UNC-Chapel Hill held a distant but solid second place.

What stood out most, though, was the "Other" and write-in responses: several readers flagged East Carolina University (ECU) as a family tie not represented in the original poll — enough mentions that it may be worth adding ECU as a standalone option in a future version of this poll.

What Readers Are Saying:

Several readers described families with ties to multiple schools rather than just one. One reader shared that their family's connections span UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, Duke, and USC across different generations. Another listed an even wider spread — UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, Shaw University, UNC-G, NCCU, and A&T — reflecting how many Cary families have multi-generational, multi-school Triangle roots.

Others highlighted specific write-in ties: a few readers noted family connections to Appalachian State and East Carolina University, with one Wake Tech voter simply adding, "And ECU." One reader who selected NC State added a nod to a family member's connection to Furman, while another shared pride in a family member as NC A&T's newest freshman football player.

Not everyone has a college tie to cheer for, either — one reader selected "Other" and noted simply that they have no kids, and therefore no college connections to claim.

Final Thoughts:

Whether it's Wolfpack red, Tar Heel blue, or a proud "no dog in this fight," Cary families sure know how to wear their colors — even if some of you are apparently rooting for three or four teams at once

Could vacant school land solve part of Cary's affordable housing puzzle? That question sparked real debate among Cary Spotlight readers this week, with respondents split on whether unused school property should be repurposed for housing — and for whom.

Cary readers lean supportive of using unused school property for housing — nearly 62% favored some version of "yes," whether unconditionally or specifically tied to teacher and public-employee housing.

That said, it's far from unanimous: roughly 22% wanted the land preserved for future school needs or opposed the idea outright, and another 16% are withholding judgment pending specifics. The appetite is clearly there, but so is a strong "show me the plan" contingent — a signal that any concrete proposal will need to address concerns about long-term school capacity before it wins broader buy-in.

One reader pushed back more bluntly, expressing concern about Cary's small-town character changing — a reminder that not all opposition is about the land itself, but about growth and identity more broadly.

Vacant lots, big feelings — turns out even empty land can spark a full classroom's worth of opinions in Cary.

What’s faster than word of mouth? Cary Spotlight! Keeps you updated on what is going on locally and connects businesses to our vibrant community.

Outdoor events may be changed due to weather, so click the links to see latest event information. Here are a few great ways to enjoy the weekend:

• Saturday: Beyond the Booths: 50 Years of Lazy Daze All Day
• Saturday: Chalk Walk All Day
• Saturday: Cary Farmers Market 8AM-12PM
• Saturday: Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts 9AM-5PM
• Saturday: ‘80s Party at The Cary Theater 12PM-7PM
• Saturday: Night Nation Run 5:30PM
• Saturday: NC Courage vs Boston Legacy 8PM
• Saturday: CaryLIVE! Delta Rae 7:30PM-9:30PM
• Sunday: Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts 9AM-5PM
• Sunday: ‘80s Party at The Cary Theater 1PM-5PM
• Sunday: SQUEEZE - TRIED, TESTED AND TRIXIES 6PM
• Monday: Lotus, Lily Pads, and Frogfruit! 9AM-10AM

But wait! There’s more. To save space in your inbox, we’ve moved the full list of events online — now you can plan ahead: See Full 2-Week Calendar