Every once in a while a story comes along that pulls people in for reasons bigger than the headline. That is exactly what happened when Jalen Snipes, a real estate agent with The Coley Group, stepped up to the starting line at Raleigh Fire Station One, ready to take his first steps toward a one…

Real estate agent and “lifestyle curator” Gretchen Coley on the city’s rising $6 million listings, porch culture and its coveted historic enclaves.