Keith Lutz

If you're facing a move to North Carolina, particularly the south-central portion of the state, you may find that Charlotte has many of the attractive features you look for in a new home. Whether you are moving to be closer to family, for work or just a new start, North Carolina's largest city is also one of its most eclectic. From the primarily business district known as Uptown to the arts district around North Davidson Street, known as NoDa to locals, Charlotte has a little something for everyone.

Before moving to a new city, it is important to investigate the local economy, school districts and property values. Charlotte is home to several of the nation's largest banking centers, making it one of the United States' key financial hubs. Several Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Charlotte, including Wachovia, Goodrich and Duke Energy, among many others. With numbers like these, if you are not already moving to Charlotte for work, maybe you should. Charlotte's unemployment rate of 3.9% is below the national average of 4.6% and the average household income of nearly $55k beats the national average by over $10,000.

Of course what you are going to be primarily interested in when considering Charlotte is its real estate. The majority of the houses in Charlotte are in the price range of $100,000 to $300,000. This doesn't exactly give you a very good indication of how it stacks up to the rest of the country unless you can see the homes for yourself which is why you should take some time to visit and decide if it is what you are looking for. However you may be pleasantly surprised to find that Charlotte is one of the less expensive cities in the United States for housing. This does not, however, detract the city's appeal.

There are more than thirty neighborhoods and areas of Charlotte to choose from when deciding where you want to live. That does not include the hundreds of subdivisions, just the major areas. Myers Park is one of the most notable areas of Charlotte and is home to many of the more prominent members of society. Most average working-class homeowners-probably like yourself-will not be able to afford a home here anytime soon, but it is fun to look. You can take a walking tour of the upscale Charlotte neighborhood and see places like Duke Mansion and E.C. Marshall House, among others.

Just south of Uptown Charlotte is a charming historic neighborhood known as Dilworth. Anyone who loves history and the buildings it happened among will find Dilworth breathtaking, but don't let it's quaintness fool you. Dilworth is also home to Charlotte's largest hospital, Carolina's Medical Center, which happens to boast the area's only level one trauma center. This can be a very attractive resource to anyone with children that are constantly getting hurt. It is really a comforting thought to anyone at all, with or without accident-prone youngsters.

Charlotte is one of the most attractive and growing cities in the Southeastern United States. Because the largest demographic is made up of young professionals between the ages of 25 and 30, it is an excellent place to start if you are just out of college and beginning your life in the real world. It also has an excellent school system which makes it attractive for families with children or planning to have them. You are almost certain to find a home that suits your needs in one of the many neighborhoods of Charlotte so take a trip and check it out. You might be surprised by what this "Little Southern Town" has to offer.

Keith is a Realtor with Golden Realty in the South Charlotte area. He is a member of the National, North Carolina, and Charlotte Association of Realtors. I used to belong to the Long Island board of realtors, making happy homes for people there. Now, I have finally convinced my wife to move down to Charlotte from Long Island, NY. So if you're ready to move into a fine area or you're ready to move on out, then give me a call at 704-607-4729. I want what's best for...

...our Neighbors, our Friends, our Families!

Charlotte Real Estate gets a little Greener!

Just think, instead of going out for a picnic at lunch, if you work at the Federal Reserve Bank (of Richmond) in Charlotte at the corner of Trade and Caldwell street, you will be heading to the roof!

The $1.87 million renovation project has been in the making since mid 2006, when the Feds discovered severe deterioration in the seems of the roof.  Both traditional and envionmental roof repair were bid out.  But the higher cost was justifed because of the 6% - 8% annual energy savings and the clean water runoff that is produced.

There are 48,000 square feet of plant life and rock/soil that will cover the 72,000 sq. foot roof!  The idea is the plants will grow and re-seed, they will within two years cover the area and can absorb at least an inch of rain.  The first attempt at a green roof was attempted at Discovery Place, but the drought was not anticipated, and a drip irragation system has been installed for this attempt.  The plantings are perennials which are used to arid mountainous regions.

The picture and contents are from a recent article written in the Charlotte Business Journal by staff writer, Susan Stabley.  The words are my own. 

Keith is a Realtor with Golden Realty in the South Charlotte area. He is a member of the National, North Carolina, and Charlotte Association of Realtors. I used to belong to the Long Island board of realtors, making happy homes for people there. Now, I have finally convinced my wife to move down to Charlotte from Long Island, NY. So if you're ready to move into a fine area or you're ready to move on out, then give me a call at 704-607-4729. I want what's best for... ...our Neighbors, our Friends, our Families!

Buying real estate is a tricky business, and buying real estate in Waxhaw, NC is no exception. When you're looking to purchase a home, a storefront or an apartment complex in this quaint country community there are a few things you should know before you sign on the dotted line.

Waxhaw, located about 30 miles away from Charlotte, NC, is a living, breathing piece of history. Originally settled by the Waxhaw Indians and established by Scot-Irish and German immigrants in the 1700s, Waxhaw has grown and transformed from a small coastal community into one of the largest dining centers in the state. Visitors and residents alike will be able to enjoy its vast array of bistros, fine dining restaurants and good ol' fashioned soul food, as well as the swiftly growing industry that has taken Waxhaw from a small dot into a central tourist location in the suburbs of Charlotte.

Its location makes it a prime location for investors to purchase residential and commercial real estate, but before you sign on the dotted line you should be familiar with the guidelines for purchasing real estate. A good investment will appreciate rather than depreciate, recouping your investment and providing you with either a solid return or a residual income. In other words, when you buy real estate in Waxhaw, NC, you want to make sure you're not buying a pig in a poke!

The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of real estate you're looking for. Do you want to own a home? Establish a business? If you're looking to start a commercial endeavor, is your target market present in Waxhaw? How close to the center of the city's major industry do you think you will need to be to ensure that you are able to attract enough consumers to stay in business?

Once you know what you're looking for, you want to make sure you get a good deal on it. With commercial real estate you're going to find yourself paying commercial rates, but if you're looking for a private residence you can exploit the resources available to you. Foreclosures and pre-foreclosures offer a tremendous chance to purchase real estate in Waxhaw, NC at a competitive price. The bank and the owners are eager to get rid of the properties at a price considerably lower than it would be sold for on the open market, which means that the savvy homebuyer can get a house at a price they can easily afford-and the savvy investor can buy a house, fix it up and sell it at market value for a profit.

Finally, when looking for a great deal on real estate you should contact a realtor familiar with the area in and around Waxhaw, NC. It's a little known fact that not all real estate for sale can be found on public forums. There are a number of properties that are listed through real estate agencies that you're never going to find on the Internet or by browsing the classifieds.

A good agent will be able to help you find the commercial or residential real estate that will meet your needs, allowing you to enjoy the small town hospitality of Waxhaw, NC for years to come.

Keith is a Realtor with Golden Realty in the South Charlotte area. He is a member of the National, North Carolina, and Charlotte Association of Realtors. I used to belong to the Long Island board of realtors, making happy homes for people there. Now, I have finally convinced my wife to move down to Charlotte from Long Island, NY. So if you're ready to move into a fine area or you're ready to move on out, then give me a call at 704-607-4729. I want what's best for... ...our Neighbors, our Friends, our Families!

Charlotte Short Sales 

When you're talking to a realtor about real estate in Charlotte, NC you're probably going to hear them mention Charlotte short sales. What are these? What do they mean? Most importantly, as the buyer, how do they affect you?

A home is sold as a short sale when the seller is attempting to convince a lender to accept a discounted payoff in exchange for releasing the mortgage. This is usually done in order to prevent a home from being foreclosed upon, with the opinion that any money is better than no money. These homes can be a buyer's dream come true, since 99% of the time short sales sell for far less than their fair market value.

There are a few buyer bewares you should be aware of before you hop in line to place a bid for a Charlotte short sale, however. The first thing you need to know is that just because a seller accepts your offer, that doesn't necessarily mean that the lender will-something you may not find out about until after you've cut them a check.

A short sale will be handled by the financial institution in Charlotte that is managing the mortgage on the home, and it will only be approved if the seller has absolutely no other equity. It's important that you be aware of the fact that you will be dealing with the financial institution because there are many sellers who will take advantage of the buyer's inexperience when they're dealing with a short sale. They attempt to convince the buyer to slip them money "on the side and off the record" in order to help them secure the sale, often disguising it as a good faith deposit.

Heads up buyers! This is fraud. The seller is probably going to pocket that money to make a profit off of the sale that they have no right to. The seller doesn't make any money off of a short sale because the lender is losing money by agreeing to it .You can rest assured that the seller is not going to agree to lose money on a deal, then willingly hand over money to the person or people responsible for the loss in the first place.

Before you do anything with a short sale find a Charlotte real estate agent to help you handle the transaction. They should be familiar with the practice of short sales so that they can navigate the massive amounts of red tape that are going to be involved and ensure that you as the buyer don't end up losing money on the deal before the property is legally deeded over to you.

Don't be surprised if the lender doesn't agree to your first deposit when you're handling a short sale. Remember, they're doing their best to make a profit off of a deal for which they're already losing money-they're going to take every chance they can get to close the margin. This isn't unusual, and it shouldn't cause you any concern. Be aware that often a short sale will have to be approved by a committee rather than a single loan officer, a process which may tie up the works for several weeks but shouldn't stall them altogether. If you find you're being dragged along by a lender that cannot make a decision with regard to the sale it's time to politely withdraw your offer and move on.

Short sales can be a great way to get a good deal on Charlotte real estate, but they should be handled with care. With the proper agent guiding the way many of the inherent dangers can be eliminated, and you will find yourself well on your way to owning prime real estate in one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

I have on my website a few places to go in and around Charlotte. Well I am either going to be expanding upon them or adding to them. Keep in mind I have not tried all of these things. I will break the 100 things into bitesize chunks of 5 things, and every few days add 5 more, till the countdown gets too 100!

1.) Experience the world's most

unique outdoor recreation and

environmental learning experience

woodlands along the Catawba

River with Olympic-caliber athletes,

weekend warriors and those

looking for high adventure. http://www.usnwc.org/ This is a first in the U.S), a man-made whitewater course that is modeled after a similar course in Sydney Australia. There are more than 270 acres rafting, kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking trails. With over 7 year there has been some controversy over this, because the city and state have footed some of the bill. This first year has been a negative cash flow, but they are expected to be profitable in the future years.

2.) Experience the nation's most comprehensive collection of contemporary studio craft at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, located in Center City. 2007 exhibits include Observations: A Retrospective Exhibition of Works by Ann Wolff. http://www.themintmuseums.org/

There are actually two Museums. One is called the mma - Mint Museum of Art. The other is mmmc - Mint Museum of Craft and Design. They are two different locations in Charlotte.

Some of the highlights of these museums are there collections. The mma has since it's opening in 1936, had some "arts of ancient america ", costumes, "American Art", and "African Art". The mmca has some collections since it's inception in 1999, and has earned international recognition for the exceptional quality, range and distinction of its growing collections!

http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/

Wow, this is something I feel I need to experience, at least once in my life. I remember my dad bringing me to the Islip speedway and Riverhead speedway for the "Funny Cars" when I was a kid. I have never been a big fan of cars going around and around, but as they say "When in Rome, do as Romans do!". I think I have to at least give this sport a fair shake and try out some racing!

4.) One sport, I am trying to take up, is Golf. Just got my first set of clubs for my birthday in September.

Fore! 2008 will mark the Sixth year of the Wachovia Championship. Hosted at Charlotte's Quail Hollow Club, the tournament is recognized by the national and international golf community as one of the top events on the PGA TOUR. Don't miss a swing, April 30 - May 6.

http://www.wachoviachampionship.com/

Looking to live in Charlotte, and you love to golf. We have some of the best golf in the country! Let me show you around some public or private clubs. Want to live at Quail Hollow? You can get in this fine area of Charlotte for as low as $800,000 to all the way above 3.6 million!

5.) Experience the best of Broadway musicals with the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Stanford Broadway Lights Series.

The 2008 season includes such smash hits as Stomp, Second city, Pink Floyd Experience. www.blumenthalcenter.org

Stay tuned... in the next few days I will have 5 more things you do not want to miss in 2008, in and around Charlotte.

Keith Lutz is an experienced REALTOR® based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thinking of purchasing a home in the Charlotte, NC Real Estate market? Keith Lutz is a professional with all the answers you need!