Posts Tagged ‘Charlotte’

Charlotte Mortgage Rates See Little Fluctuation

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

According to the Charlotte Business Journal, mortgage rates in Charlotte are holding steady. Published by Freddie Mac, a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.01 percent as February arrived, up from 4.98 percent during the last week of January. Both rates are down from an average of 5.25 percent from the same time last year.

Although Charlotte has seen its “third consecutive quarterly increase in single-family home closings,” cited the Charlotte Business Journal, and despite the talk around leveling and even upturning housing markets across the country, the mortgage rate remains relatively the same.

Metrostudy, a generator and provider of real estate statistics for much of North Carolina and some of South Carolina, shows that Charlotte home closings increased by more than 100 units between the third and fourth quarter. Bill Miley, Charlotte’s manager at Metrostudy, underpins progress by stating that new-home markets are still in the shadows of fear surrounding foreclosures, poor job sectors and the credit squeeze; however, several reports show that the housing market is climbing from the wreckage of a poor economy nonetheless. Steady mortgage rates reinforce this positive upturn.

This continues to be your best time to relocate to Charlotte or invest in property throughout any number of its blossoming districts. Until April, homebuyers can still take advantage of buyer assistance credits and programs, home prices are steady and mortgage rates are holding at all time lows. With increased sales and a continually improving lending / borrowing atmosphere, mortgage rates will likely see a rise in the future. But for now, it continues to be one of the most affordable times during recent history to purchase a home in the Charlotte area.

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Uptown Residents are Getting New Neighbors

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Living in Uptown Charlotte offers residents the best of both worlds – the urban convenience of dining, shopping and working within walking distance combined with diverse real estate options fit for the historic home hunter, high-rise dweller and everyone in between. There is new development – Crosland Greens – slated to start settling in next to Uptown Charlotte later this year.

Located 3 miles from Uptown Charlotte, this concentrated urban community will be centered around the Scaleybark transit, is planned to sit on 36 acres of property and will be home to an array of places to work, live, shop, eat and play.

Replacing the existing Scaleybark Branch public library with a 16,500 square foot, remodeled establishment is first on the long list of building projects. Other plans include a 60,000 square foot office building, three stories high, and about 700 apartments, condos, townhouses and single-family dwellings. The tenants in approximately 50 duplexes, built in the 1950s, and 50 additional apartments, will be forced to relocate during later phases of development.

One of the main goals of Crosland Greens is the promotion of sustainability and community. The 36 acres will be closely knit with signage, streets and sidewalks to encourage walking and bike riding as opposed to driving. It will be centered around the transit because the developers and investors are striving to create a clean, cohesive look within the entire Scaleybark Transit District. Grocery stores, restaurants and other retail venues will be geared toward neighborhood growth as opposed to solely profit.

Additionally, Urban Charlotte residents will have easy access to the mixed-use development, which will encourage the merging of business, housing and entertainment markets. Since the approval of the zoning application last June, the plans for Crosland Greens have been under way. It should begin bringing growth and an eco-friendly conscience, among other things, to the Uptown Charlotte and Scaleybark Transit districts later this year.

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History vs. Housing Expansion – City Planning Gets Involved

Monday, February 8th, 2010

We are all familiar with the “McMansion Theory.” New, multi-thousand square foot homes built on lots the same size as the 1,000 square foot, 1950s bungalow next door. As you drive past them, it appears one is towering over the other, and essentially, this is the case.

In long-standing Charlotte neighborhoods such as Dilworth, Wesley Heights, Belmont and Wilmore, this fight between preserving homes’ history and charm and allowing for housing expansion and development is becoming more prevalent.

Members of the communities being affected by this imbalance are making their voices heard to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department. As a result, officials are beginning to explore policies that would work toward historic preservation, zoning, new construction guidelines and other design regulations.

Included in their discussions are the reviews of standing zoning ordinances that would allow for updating the design standards for single-family, residential properties. This could affect home expansion in front and side yards, as well, meaning that homes could not sit too close to existing homes or the street.

Is government involvement in residential development a positive thing? Of course, some people are opposed and others supportive. In 2004, similar concerns about quality of life and zoning were brought to city planning departments. By tightening up design regulations, the intent is to preserve neighborhood character and the life of residents’ property. Yet, a smaller home sitting in between two larger homes may give the owner the option to sell for a much higher price. It is definitely a multi-faceted, multi-sided argument as to whether or not government regulation is appropriate in the neighborhood development sector.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department has a foreseeable, endless debate on their hands. The ultimate goal is to ensure that Charlotte’s historic communities do not decline in value, while at the same time, guaranteeing residents an equal quality of life.

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Dilworth; Notorious Streetcar Suburb Presents History on Call

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

The Dilworth neighborhood is one area in North Carolina that has an extensive historic background of streetcar transportation with pleasant stories to tell. It is an extremely popular place to buy a unique Charlotte home and make residence because of its history, among many other things. Beautiful tree lined streets, charming bungalows and paved sidewalks make this neighborhood highly sought after because of the family friendly atmosphere.

Dilworth is notorious for being Charlotte’s first streetcar suburb that was established around the 1890’s by a man named Edward Dilworth Latta. The neighborhood is one of Charlotte’s earliest suburbs that utilized the streetcar system for transporting their residents. One company is now helping to communicate stories of the Dilworth history; Charlotte Trolley, Inc. has launched an informative program called ‘History on Call’.

This new effort is a cell phone tour that costs nothing to hear stories of the important people and places that make up Charlotte’s history. The audio dramas are accessible through the internet or by telephone and consist of six topics in the series. Each one tells a specific tale of moments in history that showcase the historic events of Dilworth. It begins with the introduction of the suburb with the electric trolley and tells of the struggles that were endured during the time of the company strikes up until the marvelous homes that were built by an architect named Charles Christian Hook. Many of the stately and historic homes that were created by Hook are still standing and are listed as landmarks.

Dilworth has homes for sale that have been built when the neighborhood first was created. Your new Charlotte home could be located inside one of the most famous neighborhoods in North Carolina. Call Katie Gray at 704-560-9699 or email katie@katiegrayhomes.com to find out more about the historical events and homes of Dilworth, the first streetcar suburb of Charlotte.

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Choosing Education Programs and Schools in Charlotte

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Living in a Charlotte home with children will require that you place your child into an education program or a public school system. Alternately, you could home school them, if that is your choice. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District will assign your child to a school depending upon where they live. Alternate choices are available for parents when deciding their child’s education path, like a magnet school that has a specialized curriculum.

According to the federal law known as ‘No Child Left Behind’, children have the liberty to attend another school within their district if it is higher in performance than the school they are attending. Sometimes when your workplace is in an area that is closer to another school district, it is necessary to transfer your child into a different district. There will be an application process to complete for the transfer and each individual school district will have their own set of regulations. If the transfer request is denied however, you can appeal the decision. Most often, the denial will come because of space limitations.

Charter school enrollment, on the other hand, is not necessarily governed by boundaries of location. You can place your child into a charter school without state regulations, if there is adequate space available. Magnet schools will sometimes have an enrollment process that is quite competitive and will require the child to pass an entrance exam. Other magnet schools may allow enrollment by using a lottery system or a combination of the lottery and an exam.

In the school district of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, there are six separate geographic learning communities with a seventh area that is called an achievement zone. The CMS district strives for excellence in education and performance, which is the purpose of reshaping the communities. There are many choices for your child’s education when moving to a new town. Real estate experts like Katie Gray can help you find your new Charlotte home in an area with the best elementary and high school according to your preferences.

Call Katie today at 704-560-9699 or email katie@katiegrayhomes.com and she will help you find your new home within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg district.

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Downpayment Assistance Program for Charlotte Homebuyers

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

If you think you can’t afford one of the luxurious Charlotte homes because of your income level, you may want to reconsider your options. The City of Charlotte has designed an assistance program for homebuyers in their Neighborhood & Business Services division called “HouseCharlotte”. The program provides financial assistance that can be used for a down payment, paying down points, closing costs and to even pay off up to $3000 in medical collections that you may have acquired.

You could qualify for up to $10,000, depending upon the neighborhood for which you are applying. The eligible homes are located in areas that are predetermined by the HouseCharlotte website and it is called a Neighborhood Statistical Area (NSA). Some of the areas include Villa Heights, Wilmore, Belmont, Wesley Heights and North Charlotte, along with many other neighborhoods.

An excellent example of a qualifying 3 bedroom home in Villa Heights with 2 full baths is located on Parkwood Avenue. It is a newer home with an open floor plan with wall-to-wall carpet, central air conditioning, insulated windows and it includes all appliances. There is also an option on this beautiful home for a full home warranty. The list price for this ranch style home is a mere $124,999. This could be a perfect first time home that would qualify for the Downpayment Assistance Program.

Applying for the assistance is fairly easy; simply find your desired home and make sure that it qualifies for the assistance program, first of all. Once you have determined that it does qualify, you will need to fill out an application form. Most of the real estate agents have access to these papers, but if you would like to print them at home, it is also available on the HouseCharlotte website. Talk to Katie Gray about the possibilities of obtaining the down payment assistance to purchase your new Charlotte home.

For more information on the homes listed above, contact Katie at 704-560-9699 or email katie@katiegrayhomes.com.

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Keeping Charlotte Beautiful and Prosperous

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Buying a home in Charlotte is advantageous for many reasons; one of them is because of the continual efforts to keep the city beautiful and prosperous. The area is economically flourishing and has a tremendous growth rate that has continued for many years. Keeping the city at its finest is top priority with a long standing committee for keeping Charlotte beautiful. Founded in 1974 as one of the very first affiliates of the Keep America Beautiful program, Charlotte leads the way in the objective.

Keep Charlotte Beautiful or KCB, as it is sometimes called, is a committee that works to improve the beauty and cleanliness of the city. Teaming with area schools, businesses and local government authorities, as well as homeowners groups and neighborhood organizations, the committee plans and implements various programs like the Neighborhood Recognition Program, Earth Day, Mow Across America, Litter Sting and an adopt a street program.

When you move in and get settled into your new Charlotte home, you can get involved in any of the beautification programs that will enhance your own neighborhood. A fun program is the Litter Sting where you can actually ride along in the vehicles with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg law enforcement officers to find people in the neighborhood that are littering. You can spot and stop the litter bugs by giving them a ticket to appear in court. This will conquer two tasks; it will encourage cleanliness in your own neighborhood and will also allow you to contribute your civic responsibility to the area.

The elite region of neighborhoods and towns in North Carolina are not only beautiful, but offer a wide variety of structural design. New construction and existing homes that consist of cozy bungalows, ranch houses, contemporary condos and mansions that are custom built are available for immediate purchase.

Call Katie Gray today at 704-560-9699 or email katie@katiegrayhomes.com and she will help you find your new home with the unique personality, just as your own.

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Myers Park Country Club; Just One Magnificent Feature of Charlotte

Friday, November 20th, 2009

The golf course of Myers Park Country Club is just one of the many luxurious complexes that Charlotte has to offer guests and residents alike. The beautiful and modern design of the golf course was renovated last year, in 2008, by the world renowned golf course architect named Kris Spence. Since Charlotte had to replace the sewer main line that runs through the Myers Park course, it was a perfect time to renovate and add an extensive irrigation lake that has not only contributed to the sharp appearance, but has also inspired an additional amount of strategy to the golf course.

Sometimes called the finest planned suburb, Myers Park has more to offer than just the country club. It is one of the most exclusive and premier neighborhoods around the Charlotte area, actually, it has been dubbed a national historic district in the heart of North Carolina. A few of the neighborhood favorites are the Laurel Market, Manor Theater and Freedom Park. There are many specialty shops and upscale restaurants within the Villa, like the famed Quaker State & Lube, which was the venue of the 2006 movie: “Talladega Nights”. For these attractions and more, buying one of the Charlotte homes in Myers Park will afford a variety of options in entertainment and appeal.

Also, the campus of Queens University is located in the center of Myers Park. The university offers undergraduate studies, continuing education classes and several different graduate degrees in liberal arts. Even though it was originally founded around 1857, it has been situated in Myers Park since 1914 and continues to draw students from around the United States because of the integrity of the college.

If you are one of the many individuals that are finding themselves in a position to relocate to Charlotte, Myers Park offers luxurious townhomes, condominiums, plentiful shopping and an excellent golf course all within miles of the Uptown area.

Contact Katie Gray today by phone or email to find out more about the classic Charlotte homes that are available in the Myers Park neighborhood. Katie’s phone number is 704-560-9699 and her email is katie@katiegrayhomes.com. Call today and move in before the holidays!

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