Real Estate News

Starting at $1.5M, ‘townhome-condos’ for sale in Raleigh’s historic Oberlin Village

A rendering of Dogwood, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh.
A rendering of Dogwood, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh. Wilson | Blount Development
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  • Wilson | Blount plans 27 townhome-style condos, pricing starts at $1.5M.
  • Project enters site-plan review with city; ground breaking targeted this fall.
  • Plan signals Triangle luxury densification trend and raises gentrification concerns.

A new upscale townhome community is coming to Raleigh’s historic Oberlin Village.

Where once stood a mix of vacant lots and older, single-family homes near Oberlin Road, Raleigh-based Wilson | Blount Development will build Oberlin Preserve, 27 “townhome-style” condos at 1341 Chester Road, ranging from 2,700 to 3,220 square feet.

A rendering of Maple, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh.
A rendering of Maple, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh. Wilson | Blount Development

In early 2025, the firm purchased four separate parcels totaling two acres near Oberlin Road for around $5 million, property records show. It’s in the Oberlin Village historic overlay district, one of the longest surviving and most intact Reconstruction-Era freedman’s colonies in Wake County and North Carolina.

The firm recently received final approvals for the first site, Dogwood, and are in the final stages of city reviews for the other two sites, the Azalea and the Maple, said Michael Blount, partner at Wilson | Blount Development.

The first homes are now selling. Prices start at around $1.5 million. They’re expected to deliver by early 2027.

From construction to landscaping, “every detail has been meticulously considered,” Blount added.

The subdivision spans across three sites with distinct architectural styles and promises a “quiet, connected, low-maintenance lifestyle.” It’s less than a mile from popular landmarks, including Hayes Barton, Five Points and the Village District.

A rendering of Azalea, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh.
A rendering of Azalea, one of three luxury condo buildings inside Oberlin Preserve in Raleigh. Wilson | Blount Development

Each three-story condo will feature private elevators, connecting the home from “the two-car garage to the rooftop patio,” the firm said. Other perks include landscaping, exterior maintenance, and private trash service.

“These homes are unlike anything else in the Triangle,” said Jason Queen of Monarch Realty Co., the project’s broker.

Raleigh’s luxury densification

Oberlin Preserve reflects a broader trend across the Triangle towards “luxury densification.” Triggered by the city’s 2021 “missing middle” housing reforms, it’s incentivized developers to build higher density in traditionally single-family neighborhoods to meet increased growth and a chronic housing shortage.

Places like Oberlin Village are increasingly seeing one-time affordable homes replaced by high-density luxury townhomes and condos that appeal to wealthier buyers. But housing advocates warn it can accelerate gentrification, strain infrastructure, and reduce housing equity — especially in rapidly growing urban areas like Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.

Other examples include Chapel Hill’s 815-unit South Creek, currently under construction, starting in the $350,000s to over $1 million; and 1,050-home Falls Village in Durham, built in 2023, starting in the low $500,000s.

This story was originally published November 5, 2025 at 7:30 AM.

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Chantal Allam
The News & Observer
Chantal Allam covers real estate for the The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She writes about commercial and residential real estate, covering everything from deals, expansions and relocations to major trends and events. She previously covered the Triangle technology sector and has been a journalist on three continents.
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