Charlotte is a Perfect Four (seasons)!

April 28th, 2010 categories: Charlotte Living

Actually I think we all feel Charlotte is perfect especially at this time of year. As the summer turns to fall and our minds turn from warm days and gorgeous beach sunsets to crisp fall football weekends and mountain foliage. I know sounds like some sappy commercial but it’s true Charlotte is so close to the mountains and the beach that you will once again fall in love with the change of seasons!

Blake says it best….

“Whether it is the beach or the mountains you like, Charlotte is surely close to both.  I love my city life, but it is nice to be able to go away for a short weekend to a beautiful beach or a nice mountain inn.  I love both of the beaches I have visited……Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina is laid back the quaint town within walking distance.  While Charleston, South Carolina on the other hand has such great history to learn about in the downtown area and then there are so many beautiful beaches to choose from close by.  We love the Wild Dunes resort. And remember with temperate weather the beaches are really a year round attraction for Charlotteans!

If you are up for more of a getaway into the mountains, I must recommend the Grove Park Inn.  It has a amazing golf course and spa with wonderful accommodations and great restaurants to choose from, you don’t even need to leave the resort if you don’t want to. Asheville, is right there known for its funky art and eclectic restaurants.  And don’t miss the Biltmore Christmas a must do!  There is something for everyone in Asheville and best of all you could do it in a day trip if you wanted to from Charlotte. Inn, this is about 15 minutes from the Grove Park and full of great history and tours to choose from.  They also have wonderful gardens, a winery, horse back riding tours, even some off-roading in SUVs if that is your pleasure.  There is something for everyone in Asheville and best of all you could do it in a day trip if you wanted to from Charlotte.”

Thank you Blake. I think you summed up very well why so many people find Charlotte to be the perfect place to build a career, raise a family or just enjoy the four seasons!

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 2 Comments »

Sharpen Your Number 2 Pencil: Charlotte NC is the Place to Buy a Home

January 30th, 2010 categories: Buying your Home, Real Estate News

It’s official things are picking up in Charlotte, NC. It could be the best time in years to buy a home in Charlotte! Rhonda and I wrote three home purchase contracts just last week and as Rhonda said “I think people are just tired of waiting, home prices are fair and interest rates are low – there is a lot of pent up demand.”

Charlotte Ranks Second (No.2) Among Best Places to Buy Now

Forbes magazine recently named Charlotte one of the best places to buy a home, second only to Boston, Massachusetts. To determine which cities had the best buys, Forbes computed the premium and identified locales where economists predict home prices will go up the most over the next five years.

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Florida can’t relocate!

April 23rd, 2009 categories: Charlotte Living, Market Trends

We certainly don’t want to minimize or make light of the catastrophic hurricanes the past few weeks (see Red Cross link below) – but we also know that life will go on and that one of our most precious possessions is not a possession at all it’s our sense of humor.

So hopefully this will give you a chuckle and if you are so inclined here is a link to the Red Cross who among others is doing some amazing work putting lives back together in the Caribbean, along the Gulf Coast and in Florida.

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Huntersville homes in NC-past, present,and future

November 20th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living

Are you looking for a surrounding Charlotte area town that mixes the past, present, and future into a world-class town?

Huntersville, North Carolina is your answer and affordable Huntersville homes.

Huntersville is a town ten miles north of Charlotte with a population of approximately 40,000 people.

Huntersville offers a broad range of housing needs including waterfront condominiums, town homes, and single-family homes. The average housing price in Huntersville during the month of September 2008 was $206,131.80. The average housing price during the month of October 2008 was $285,795.60. Thus, housing prices seem to be faring a little better in Huntersville as compared to the national trend.
THE PAST

Huntersville is the home of Torrance Store, the oldest store in North Carolina. Torrance Store dates back to the 1700s. Huntersville is also the home to seventeen additional historic sites that are within a five mile drive of Beatties Ford Road. You and your children can spend your days exploring this plethora of North Carolina history.
THE PRESENT

Huntersville has world-class retail shopping. Birkdale Village which is on Sam Furr Road includes national retailers like Williams Sonoma, Gap and Ann Taylor Loft.
Lake Norman, a manmade lake with 520 miles of shoreline, has been instrumental in shaping Huntersville’s present. The influx of residents who own and/or rent waterfront vacation properties has brought prosperity and commerce to the Huntersville area.

Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics provides a fun place for families. It includes full aquatic and fitness facilities. The facility hosts regional, national and world-class swim and dive competitions.

There is presently so much to see and do in Huntersville now but what lies ahead?

THE FUTURE

Huntersville has a bright future.
Discovery Place Kids will open in Huntersville in 2009. This regional children’s museum will offer children ages one to seven with the opportunity to learn and play at the same time. Huntersville families who had previously ventured into downtown Charlotte for the children’s museum experience will now be able to enjoy that experience in their hometown.
Huntersville will also experience an influx of retirees. Money Magazine ranks Huntersville as one of the top 20 places in North Carolina to retire.
Would you like to find the past, present, and your future in Huntersville? Does Huntersville sound like your ‘kind of town to live in your perfect Huntersville home?” Seek and ye shall find in Huntersville!

Authored by Donna Johnston | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

101 Things To Do in Charlotte North Carolina #101~99

June 28th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living

Buying a home in Charlotte North Carolina is only the beginning! Whether you live in Charlotte or are dreaming about relocating here we think you’ll find the Charlotte Mecklenburg area has some pretty amazing things to do and some hidden gems! Rather than list all 101 Charlotte attractions we’ll give you three at a time (hint: you can find the complete list right now here courtesy of the North Carolina Tourist Guide).

We know lists can get a little boring so let’s make it fun — we’ll share our thoughts good & bad (in pink) and if you’ll let us know what you think if you go please leave a comment right here on our blog (its easy simply click on Comments above under the title)…so let’s get started…

101. Lake Wylie – recreation is an integral part of the Lake Wylie lifestyle. With 325 miles of shoreline, the lake is ideal for boating, fishing, water skiing and sailing. The mild climate, yet wonderfully distinct, seasonal changes not only enhance the area’s beauty, but also afford year-round enjoyment of golf, tennis and bicycling. Rhonda: I lived on Lake Wylie for several years, beautiful (not so secret anymore) alternative to the BIGGIE Lake Norman. Lake Wylie has some fantastic new home developments but retains it’s charm with events like the annual 4th of July fireworks — you’ve never seen fireworks until you see them from a boat in the middle of the lake!

100. NC Transportation Museum – Explore exhibits of antique locomotives, rail cars, automobiles and more. Take a train ride around the N.C. Transportation Museum’s historic 57-acre site, enjoy our many family-friendly special events, and learn about how transportation progress helped build North Carolina. That’s a new one for us tell us what you find!

99. Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium – The natural wonders of North America and North Carolina coupled with the rich history of our region are all reflected in The Schiele’s exceptional exhibitions and diverse programming. Whether you’re indoors or out, with the kids or your colleagues, by bringing you a lot closer to nature, The Schiele will bring you a little closer to yourself. That’s a new one for us tell us what you find!

Whether your looking to buy your first home in Charlotte or you’re a native we hope you enjoy Talk!Charlotte our elective mix of information & fun about the best place to live, Charlotte North Carolina! We love hearing from you so please, please if you have question about Charlotte Real Estate or about our blog, leave a comment or drop us a note anytime, we’ll listen @ Donna, Rhonda, Jackie, Blake or Betsy! Enjoy! ps. We didn’t know were computer geeks either!

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: Your Comments Please »