Diane McDermott, Real Estate Broker, Charlotte NC, South Charlotte Specialist

There's still no resolution on the proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant for "The Woods" community in Weddington. Located just southeast of Charlotte in popular Union County, neighboring residents have been vocal in their opposition to the wastewater plan for the proposed upscale community of homes in The Woods.

At issue is community access to sewer services. Since Union County sewer services are not available, the developer of The Woods (IB Development) has requested county approval for a community wastewater treatment facility located within the neighborhood itself.

Weddington residents have voiced their concerns, just some of which include the potential impact on neighboring properties/neighborhoods, health, and whether it would set a precedent for future developments.

The Woods of Weddington has a page dedicated to information about the proposed plant including technical and proposed ownership/maintenance of the plant. The Friends of Weddingtonhas a blog set up where they've posted concerns and articles relating to the ongoing debate.

Regardless of the outcome it certainly is an interesting local issue. If you're interested in attending the Weddington Town Council meeting on this proposal, the next scheduled meeting will be held at Weddington High School on August 18, 2008 at 7pm.

UPDATE, 8/19/08: Still no decision, meeting will be continued August 21, 2008, 6pm at Weddington High School

FINAL UPDATE, September 2008: Weddington Town Council unanimously denied the conditional use permit for the proposed wastewater treatment plant.

Copyright©2008 by Diane McDermott, All Rights Reserved, "Proposed Community Wastewater Treatment Plant Debate Continues in Weddington"

*It should be noted that this post is not intended as endorsement of either side of this issue, it is simply intended to highlight a very current and ongoing local development issue.

For pet owners relocating across town or from across the country, finding a vet in the new area is most definitely a priority and consideration.

I've recently found The Visiting Vet, and have been absolutely thrilled with both Dr. Martineau and the service she provides.

We have cats, and they don't really enjoy being packed into a carrier, driven in the car and then taken to the vet's office. They cry and shake, are overwhelmed with the foreign sights, sounds and other animals, coming home thoroughly exhausted.

I'd heard of the mobile vet services before but we never used any of them until recently. I am definitely ecstatic that we found Dr. Martineau. She's very gentle with our animals and seems to genuinely care about them. We've called her on a couple of occasions with concerns and she was readily available and willing to listen and answer our questions.

In the past we've encountered vet offices that seemed highly focused on adding additional services or products (one even offered a "tlc" package for an additional charge of course!) but I've never felt that way with Dr. Martineau. She truly seems focused on providing the appropriate care for our pets. As most pet owners know, they're not just animals, they're members of the family and Dr. Martineau really seems to understand that.

Most recently we had Dr. Martineau back for rabies shots. The cats got to stay at home, it was over in just a few minutes and they actually seemed much more relaxed than when we've previously had to take them for their shots. She even remembered to bring antibiotics for one of them, although they turned out to not be necessary. I was impressed that she remembered.

So, if you're new to the Charlotte area or if you're looking for a reliable vet service for your four legged family members, the Visiting Vet is another (in my opinion, awesome) option.

Since real estate is local it's helpful to compare activity on a localized basis. When considering buying or selling a home, it doesn't matter what an area across town is doing as far as sales activity. The relevant sales are in the same neighborhood.

Madison Park is a neighborhood of single family homes located between South Blvd and Park Rd, convenient to Uptown Charlotte, the new Light rail line and just minutes from South Park. Homes were built in the 1950's and 1960's.

View Larger Map

Madison Park Activity Report 5.12.08

There is a wide variety of price points within Madison Park. Homes below the $200,000 threshold may need cosmetic work or updating and are sometimes located on busier streets, but the neighborhood offers options for buyers in multiple price ranges. The most active price points for listings under contract are under $300,00.
The current days on market averages are in a pretty close range for all current listings, ranging from just under to slightly more than 2 months.

For the month of April 2008, the closed listing data for Madison Park is below:

Comparing this year's activity to the same timeframe in 2007:

The biggest difference showed up in March of 2008, with a drop of 7 closed listings compared to March 2007, however each of the other months have been above or just below last year's activity pace. Average days on market have increased slightly, inching up toward the two month mark. Average sold prices have increased by 9.8% and the listings that sell are still bringing prices very close to list price at 97%.

Price, condition, features and updates continue to be key in appealing to the buyers who are still proving that Madison Park is a popular South Charlotte neighborhood.




*Statistics based on data from Carolina Multiple Listing Service Inc as of 5.12.08. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Since real estate is local it's helpful to compare activity on a localized basis. When considering buying or selling a home, it doesn't matter what an area across town is doing as far as sales activity. The relevant sales are in the same neighborhood.

Olde Providence is located in the heart of South Charlotte, features mature trees, sidewalks, winding streets and single family homes. Styles include ranch, split level, and two story homes built in the 1960's and 1970's.

Market Activity Report-Olde Providence 5.8.08

The most active price range in Olde Providence is currently under $300,000 as the majority of currently active and pending listings fall below that price. The closed sales for April 2008 show that the sold listings brought an average 97% of list price and averaged less than 2 months on the market before going under contract.

Compared to 2007's activity, Olde Providence has seen only one fewer closed listing and as the chart illustrates, monthly activity varies which is why I believe it's necessary to take a wider view than a single month.

One note on the 2008 year to date average days on market: one of the closed listings this year had 241 days on market which is exceptionally above the other closed sales. The inclusion of that sale does alter the neighborhood average upward, since without that sale the year to date average is 47 days on market. However, even the average of 71 is lower than the county average which is over 80 days.

The above reports are activity reports, they are not a market analysis. A market analysis involves comparing a specific property to the detailed closed sale information and is a much more in depth process than an activity report.

*The above statistics are based on data from Carolina Multiple Listing Service Inc. as of 5.8.08. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Charlotte area drivers familiar with the southern leg of I-485 may be interested to know there's a website
called 485 Sucks.

Apparently, a local resident who's frustrated with the congestion and consistent backups on 485 has created a public forum for others to voice their opinions about the state of that road. I know that section of 485 well and have been caught in traffic there too many times to count. It's a busy road even during the daytime but during morning and evening rush it's a great way to practice patience!!!

The southern leg of I-485 is currently 2 lanes in each direction and although the road is consistently jammed with cars during peak commuting times (even without an accident or bad weather) widening the road isn't planned until possibly sometime next decade due to funding issues. Winding from I-77 out toward Union County, the southern stretch of 485 runs past Ballantyne Corporate Park so commuters from Uptown and the I-77 corridor as well as Ballantyne feed onto the road at peak hours.

The 485 Sucks website refers to drivers who frequent that road as "485'ers" and allows anonymous comments from the public.

If you're familiar with the southern leg of 485 you may find the site interesting. It looks as though it's still a work in progress but it's the first forum I've seen that is a central and organized place for the public to speak out.

There have been meetings with NC DOT open to the public(there was one recently at the Ballantyne Breakfast Club) but meetings are a single event whereas this website is available 24/7.