If you are ready to move to Durham, and need to make plans with a Durham mover, it is time to decide on the neighborhood you will call home. There are many choices in Durham, one of which is Hope Valley.

Hope Valley extends from Chapel Hill Road south between Hope Valley and Garrett roads to Swarthmore Road. It is made up of about 930 households. It was originally laid out as a country club suburb, developed around an 18-hole golf course in the 1920s. It was created by developer Mebane & Sharpe, Inc. to attract young professionals from Durham’s tobacco, textile, and health care industries.

The homes from this early period are eclectic, and consist of Tudor, English Cottage, Colonial, Norman Provincial, and even Spanish revival style homes. There are winding, narrow roads that weave through the hilly terrain of the neighborhood.

The Hope Valley Neighborhood Association serves the community, and cares for the common areas, produces a newsletter, website, and keeps up a neighborhood watch. They also keep an eye on zoning matters, and provide a voice for Hope Valley residents at an inter-neighborhood council.

One highlight of the year in Hope Valley is the annual “Night of Lights,” a luminary event which many neighbors participate in. It is a uniting symbol when all the streets are lined with luminaries, not to mention a beautiful night to take a walk or drive.

Your Durham mover will be happy to take you to Happy Valley if you decide that is the place for you.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @asurroca via the creative common license)

Maybe you are about to move to Durham this winter, and want some advice for your upcoming relocation. After your Durham movers have your belongings unpacked, get out and enjoy the town with these tips.

1. You will need a coat and gloves, but save the sub-zero parka for Colorado ski trips. The average temperature in Durham in the winter months is 40 degrees, making it chilly, but not frigid. The area gets about 4 inches of snow each winter, but it tends to melt off within days. You may want to sell your snow blower if you come from a location with heavier snows.

2. You can get out and ice skate at local skating rinks. There aren’t many outdoor opportunities, but the indoor facilities are nice. Try out Hillsbourough’s Triangle Sportsplex or the Cary Ice House. They are both open year-round and offer public skating sessions, hockey lessons, and figure skating lessons. There are competitions and leagues to participate in.

3. If you are chilled and need a warm up, there are many restaurants that offer a cozy fireplace to pull up to. The Firebirds Wood Fire Grill has an indoor stone fireplace where customers can settle in with a drink. The restaurant has a relaxed feel with exposed woods, bold colors, and stacked stone columns. Sit at the bar and enjoy a cocktail while listening to upbeat music, giving a hip atmosphere to the place.

Once you decide to make Durham home, your Durham mover will be willing and ready to get you there despite the weather!


(Photo attributed to Flickr member @thebuffafamily via the creative common license)

Christmas in Durham is a time for traditions and fun, and once your Durham movers have you settled in, you’ll be able to participate. Look into these ways to celebrate the holiday season.

1. City of Durham Holiday Fun Fest. This free event is full of holiday fun. Go sledding with provided sleds, visit the petting zoo, enjoy a mini-parade, sit on Santa’s lap, and fill up with holiday treats. The festival takes place December 3, 2011, in Durham Central Park.

2. Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters. This celebration at Historic Stagville takes you through an 18th century plantation home decorated for the holidays, and an original slave quarters from the 1850s. You’ll find vendors, artisans, decorations, crafts, games, food and music. Entrance is free but donations are accepted.

3. See The Christmas Carol at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Sat. Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. Remember the meaning of Christmas as you watch Ebenezer Scrooge deal with his ghosts and become more than just a mean old miser. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

4. Head over to Raleigh for the Winterfest Celebration and Tree Lighting on December 4. This is two months of fun starting with the Mayor’s tree lighting and a visit from Santa, performances, carolers, and carriage rides. Ice skate on a 45x90 foot outdoor ice rink constructed just for the celebration.

5. Watch The State Christmas Tree Lighting on Union Square in Raleigh. The Governor and the First Gentleman will light the tree. Watch the luminaries being lit, then musical performances on the Capitol grounds. If you go to watch it live, you will be invited into the Capitol for an open house to see the beautiful decorations.

Tell your Durham movers “Merry Christmas” as they depart, and get ready to meet new people and experience new holiday traditions in your new hometown.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @fihu via the creative common license)

Before you schedule a moving date with your Durham mover, you may want to look into the safety of your chosen neighborhood. You’ll want information about sex offenders, gun crimes, and other violent and non-violent crimes that have happened in the area in recent months. This information may lead you to choose one neighborhood over another. Try these resources for up-to-date safety information.

1. Look up crime in your new neighborhood with the Durham Police Department Crime Mapper. Create a search by typing in an address or street intersection. Choose the type of incident, or if it’s a gun related crime. This will generate a map with crime locations, and will give you data about the number of related crimes in the time frame you choose.

2. Family Watchdog is another site to check out. It gives you the addresses of registered sex offenders in a given area. Also search the National Sex Offender Public Website. This site can generate a map of sex offenders, or can give you a list with photos. Read more on both sites for tips on keeping yourself and your family safe.

3. If you still need more information about crime in your new neighborhood, try the website Spot Crime. This site will create a map with information about arrests, arsons, assaults, burglaries, robberies, shootings, thefts, and vandalism. Check into this map when comparing one neighborhood against another for the number of past crimes.

Once you feel secure about the safety of your new neighborhood, you can feel comfortable scheduling your Durham mover, and committing to a new address. Once you arrive, check in with the neighbors to see if you can join the neighborhood crime watch group. You may be able to support their efforts, making the area all the more safe for everyone.


Photo provided by Flickr user @ell-r-brown under the creative common license.

DeHavens Transfer and Storage is excited to announce that through our partnership with Triangle Futbol Club and Move for Hunger, we able to collectively donate 254 pounds of food to the Central and Eastern North Carolina Food Bank. We just wanted to thank TFC and all the families for their donations.

We are humbled to be a part of this great opportunity to serve those who can't serve themselves.

At DeHaven's Transfer & Storage, we attempt to be apart of our local community as often as possible.  We recently helped our friends at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Kits, a local company that helps bring affordable, healthy, and green diapering to families in need!  Below is a recent letter we received from them about our donation!

DeHaven's Transfer & Storage is proud to be working with non-profit Move For Hunger to participate in their first annual Triangle FC Friendlies Food Drive.  We're looking to help nearly 73,000 people living in central and eastern North Carolina to receive much needed food assistance every week.

All you need to do is bring your unopened, non perishable food items on January 29-30, 2011 to participating locations and DeHaven's Transfer and Storage will deliver your donations to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina!

Here is a flyer for the upcoming drive to share with your friends!

For more information call North Carolina's best movers, DeHaven's Transfer and Storage at 732-773-0521

Congrats to DeHaven's Transfer of Greensboro, North Carolina, who was recognized as a top Quality Provider by North American Van Lines!  Take a look!