Last week for the web, Jasmine Gallup wrote about the Millbrook home in Raleigh that went up for sale for under $300,000 and the crowds that swarmed the property captured in a viral video from a local realtor. Our Facebook page was swarmed with commenters who, of course, had thoughts.

“This same thing happened in my Durham neighborhood near the RTP houses that sold a year ago for around 200k are now selling for 260k with streets flooded with buyers—my house 2 years ago was 204 now Open door gave me an offer at $325k,” wrote commenter Donya Smith.

“The only crazy thing about this was the line,” wrote commenter Lindsay Mullaney Wirthlin. “Almost all homes in Raleigh go like this at any price point. Just sold ours in 48 hrs for 470k.”

“GF and I saw nearly 45 houses and bid on 14,” wrote commenter Tim Kuhnel. “We actually managed to get something this weekend and the seller admitted they wanted to sell to PEOPLE and not corporations or investors. Nice to see some chivalry being alive in the housing market even if it’s pretty rare.”

“No thanks,” wrote commenter David Zacko Smith. “I’d move from the area before I overpaid for what is a ‘just OK’ house. Perhaps we need to put more pressure on the local government and on greedy developers to build more affordable housing? Literally hundreds of new homes going up around me, but 80% of them are $450,000 and up … and nothing special on tiny lots. If you want a big lot or a walkable neighborhood it’ll be $600,000+.”

Commenter Adul Siler blames Democrats:

“The prices are going up not because of a conservative Republican State. The prices are going up because the Urban areas are changing over to Democrat run areas. Democrats are moving from places like California, Seattle, NY, NJ, IL, and many other liberal cities for the cheaper costs compared to their very higher pay from those areas. They are following the tech businesses moving to the NC area. Want proof? Look up the voting records and reports.”

Commenter D Ryan Anderson blames everyone:

“The change from REP to DEM in Wake County occurred in 2004 and by 2008 the county was already heavily DEM. What we are seeing here isn’t due to an influx of democrats. That happened over a decade ago. The housing problem is multifactorial. Politics is part of it but you should realize both parties serve the interests of corporations over individuals and are more similar than they are different. Neither party will solve this for us.”

Commenter Tom Anderson has some choice words for us:

“I love how the Neolithic deadbeats of indyweek never neglect to present themselves as authorities on issues they know very little about. Not a housing crisis, there is a density crisis. There are hundreds of affordable homes in Henderson, Mebane, Dunn, Rocky Mount, Jacksonville, Fayetteville, Lumberton, Whiteville, Tarboro, Southern pines NC.

“And the list goes on … of course those towns would probably run indyweek out of town in a day.

“Indyweek just likes to never miss an opportunity to turn the screw to get their simpleton readers hating a free market.”

It’s the free market at work, folks: No houses in the Triangle, no “indyweek” anywhere else.

Support independent local journalism. Join the INDY Press Club to help us keep fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle. 

Comment on this story at backtalk@indyweek.com.