Charlotte NC- Life and Real Estate in the Queen City

Charlotte NC|Buying a New Home? Buy Inventory at a Discount! By Terry McDonald Purchasing a new home is challenging and these 10 rules will help you buy a new home wisely in any market, but they are doubly important when buying a new home in 2008. I am a former New Home sales rep, former builder and veteran real estate broker… I know these guys and how they work, plus I’ve helped dozens of new home purchasers buy their new home here in Charlotte… 1. The #1 Rule of real estate, Location Location Location? Trite but true… but guess what? The #1 Rule for ... Read Full Story

Charlotte Real Estate Market Report-Residential Single Family Homes January ‘08 Homes Prices, based on the Sold Average Cost Per Square Foot remained at $109/ sf, identical to the record setting January ‘07 prices, keeping todays home prices 8.18% above January, ‘06 11.3% above January, ‘05. Even as Charlotte weathers the dramatic slowdown in home sales, with 27% fewer single family homes sold, valuations remain rock solid. The three month trend line, a more accurate reflection because of the larger number of sales, is virtually identical to the January numbers. For the 3 months ending 1/31/08, the average sold cost per/sf was $109.92, versus $109.73 ... Read Full Story

Charlotte Homes for Sale for Under $250,000 What is affordable? Why homes under $250K. Our median home sale in Charlotte is $237K.  As of today there are more than 5000 homes for sale in the 9 county area covered by our MLS for less than $250,000.  This many affordable homes for sale in one price range is a great selection, and makes it a strong buyers market.  More selection, creates better choices for you. Using my search site, or anyone's, you should be able to line these homes up, from similar areas, side by side and determine fairly quickly which will fit your needs ... Read Full Story

As Charlotte leads the nation in home price appreciation, our local paper attacks. Reading Wednesday’s front page Charlotte Observer headline, I couldn’t help but think how wrong they got it. “Slump Catches Up to Charlotte” blares the headline, with a picture of the area counties and number like -20% -24%, or -41% Sounds horrible, doesn’t it? You need to read the smaller print to realize they are measuring the decline in new home building permits. Not home prices, the barometer of a market’s health. Unfortunately, every essential element of this front page, above the fold Observer article either missed the point or was at ... Read Full Story

  Charlotte Business Says No To a Recession By all accounts -except for a few Washington bureaucrats, our country is in a recession. Started by the crash in housing that began late in 2005, then the financial markets that began in late 2006, but really tanked in 2007, our country is an economic downturn, most experts are calling a recession. Recently, top bank economist went on the record saying they don’t see an end until the national housing market “bottoms out” most likely late in 2008 or sometime in 2009. The Charlotte Chamber announced yesterday that first quarter job creation, was identical to first ... Read Full Story