Looking for Homes with a Basement in the Raleigh/Durham Area?

For a complete list of homes with basements in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the rest of the Triangle scroll down to the bottom of this page. If you are interested in a little information first please read on!

Why are There Not Many Homes in NC with Basements?

If you've been trying to find a house with a basement here in the Triangle, you may have discovered that there aren't that many of them. That's because the ground is heavy clay that creates a risk of water damage, and in certain areas we have boulders that can make building a basement difficult. In areas where it's colder, like the northern part of the state, you're more likely to find basements because builders have to dig the foundation below the frost line. But here in the Triangle, where it's warmer, builders aren't required to dig as deep—and so to save money they build on a slab or crawlspace instead.

Why Get a House with a Basement?

These days, basements are about a lot more than storage. A finished basement can add a lot of value to your house, even compared to bonus rooms and finished attics.

Walkout basements, which are built on sloped lots and have sliding glass doors to the outdoors, are even more valuable per square foot than regular finished basements. Thanks to the outdoor access you can use it to store bicycles, lawnmowers, and so on, or you can add bedrooms or use the space for indoor-outdoor parties. You might even turn your walkout basement into a rental for extra income. (Keep in mind that any bedrooms you add to your walkout basement are required to have their own access to the outdoors.)

Even if you're just interested in storage, it can be more economical to have an unfinished basement than to use, say, a spare bedroom or a bonus room as your storage space. Unfinished basements are not considered living space, so they don't add to the official living area of your home, and are taxed at different rates.

What If You Can't Find a House with a Basement in the Raleigh/Durham Area?

If you have your heart set on a home with a basement and can't find one (or can't afford one), there are other options that can get you the functionality you want. 

For example, say you wanted a basement for a bar, game room, separate laundry, extra bedroom, playroom, home gym, workshop, or craft room. Some of these alternatives may work just as well for you, and they're a lot easier to find in North Carolina.

• Turn a spare room into the space you want; for example, an extra bedroom could work for a craft room, home gym, or playroom.
• Finish your attic space.
• Commandeer the bonus room (or part of the bonus room) for a gym or bar.
• Close in and finish your attached garage. Many people use their garage as a gym without even closing it in.
• Renovate your detached garage.
• Have a shed custom built or use a prefabricated one. You'll find some beautiful examples online of sheds that have been turned into relaxation spaces.

With any of these alternatives that require you to move walls, close in structures, or build new structures, you'll want to check your HOA rules and zoning laws, and consult with a qualified renovation company.

If you are still set on a home with a basement see below for a complete list of current inventory.

Homes for Sale with Basements in the Triangle