Mike Carpino Realtor from Lake Norman to Uptown Charlotte, NC

The Corkscrew Wine Bar located in the Birkdale Village, Huntersville, NC is a great meeting place for a casual night out.

Birkdale Villageis a 323,549 square foot lifestyle center located in Huntersville, North Carolina. The shopping center is located 15 miles north of downtown Charlotte on the Sam Furr Road exit off of I-77 and is centrally positioned in the most affluent corridor of North Charlotte in proximity to Lake Norman. In addition to retail mix, Birkdale Village also consists of 320 luxury apartments, as well as 55,000 square feet of office space.

When my wife and I, are looking for a casual night out we always turn to The Corkscrew in Birkdale Village. The atmosphere is comfortable and the wine selection is great.

We love to sit outside and people watch, but the seating area inside with leather couches is very inviting. The live band is amplified just enough to carry on conversations without yelling into someones ear.

Birkdale Village is a planned development that has mastered the right formula for a successful mix of retail and residential properties. Whenever, I want to impress my friends or family or clients looking to move to the area I make it a point to visit Birkdale Village.

To view poperties in Birkdale Village click here

Chico's Mexican Grill located in Huntersville North Carolina is a great place to take your family for authentic Mexican food.

I have to admit that I was not the biggest fan of Mexican food but my wife Suzanne and triplet boys love it. So she introduced me to this quaint restaurant off the beaten path in Huntersville NC that I have come to really like.

The atmosphere is nice with a couple of flat screen TVs just in case I need to watch the end of the football game. Service is outstanding and very accommodating, especially when I bring the boys.

If you are tired of going to Chain restaurants please do not overlook this place. You will not be disappointed!

Click here to visit their website and menu.

PS By the way kids eat free on Saturday!

Mike Carpino
Mike@LakeAndTown.com
704 301-9264

Midtown Sundries Lake Norman, NC has always been one to offer special events for the Holidays. 2009 is no different!

While there are many restaurants and bars providing service in the markets in which Midtown Sundries operate, Midtown Sundries Lake Norman is able to maintain a competitive advantage over its competition by providing a little something for everyone.

Offering food, fun and entertainment in an atmosphere conducive to having a good time. In the future, Midtown plans to continue to successfully open and operate restaurants in the region as opportunities arise.

I have been to Midtown a number of times and you will not be disappointed. Check out the Halloween bash on October 31 at 10pm.

Mike Carpino
Mike@LakeAndTown.com
704 301-9264

Gilead Ridge subdivision homes sales are a hot spot in a relatively soft market in Huntersville NC.

If you want to see what new homes are selling in this slow market, check out the Dorchester and the Summit series.

The Dorchester is a popular model in Ryan Homes' Gilead Ridge neighborhood in Huntersville. The Summit series accounts for more than a third of sales in Pulte's Sun City Carolina Lakes in Lancaster County south of Ballantyne.

They're strikingly different. The first offers lots of square footage for young families stretching tight budgets. The second appeals to active retirees drawn by the lifestyle as well as the home's layout. But they might be the most popular new-home models in the Charlotte market.

They're top models in the most active neighborhoods by the builders that ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in permits for the second quarter of this year.

That's a snapshot, of course. One measure of activity, taken at one moment in time. Construction and sales numbers rise and fall. In April-June, though, Ryan pulled 103 permits and Pulte was close behind at 93.

Overall, Mecklenburg single-family permits were down 44 percent in the second quarter, compared with a year ago, an improvement over the 62 percent drop in the first quarter.

Gilead Ridge, off Gilead Road west of Interstate 77 Exit 23, has been popular with young families since it opened, said Kathy Tucker, Ryan's general manager for Charlotte. It still is.

Prices for single-family homes start in the low $200,000s. The neighborhood offered townhomes, but that phase is sold out.

The most popular models at Gilead Ridge include the Pinecliff and the Dorchester. The Dorchester is the larger of the two. It starts at $239,990 for 2,920 square feet and, with upgrades, the average Dorchester finishes at about $299,900.

The most popular options for the four-bedroom Dorchester include a bonus room and sunroom, along with hardwood floors, large kitchen islands, upgraded cabinets and granite countertops, Tucker said.

The credit is due to expire at the end of November, although the nation's builders are pushing for an extension and the Obama administration has said it would be willing to consider that. Just this week, the National Association of Home Builders estimated that the credit has accounted for 200,000 additional home sales across the country, along with 187,000 jobs.

Today, about one-third of buyers are newcomers, and most of the rest are from nearby towns such as Huntersville, Cornelius and Mooresville.

Families choose the neighborhood for the amenities - pool, clubhouse, athletic fields - and its easy access to I-77, Birkdale Village and Northlake Mall.

And because they feel they're getting good value. "The homes finished with upgrades are averaging $80-$85 per square foot". Large homes typically sell for less per square foot than smaller homes, and the Dorchester is spacious. Lot size and other factors impact cost, and builders are offering the best deals they can manage. Huntersville real state averages over $100 per square foot.

To view all homes for sale in the Charlotte/Lake Norman area click logo below.

Mike Carpino
Mike@LakeAndTown.com
704 301-9264

Cowan's Ford Country Club located in the Lake Norman region of North Carolina offers a variety of homes for sale priced from the $300's to over 1 million.

Nestled along the shores of Lake Norman, with an ideal climate for year-round golf, Cowan's Ford Country Club offers a unique experience for the discriminating golfer. The Club has just completed a full golf course renovation in addition to building new green complexes, tee boxes, and re-contoured fairways.

Each hole in the redesign offers its own unique view and playing characteristics, designed to bring out the best in the entire golf experience and to keep our members and their guests coming back for more Homes in the neighborhood include, Lake Norman water front, golf course and water view home sites.

Cowan's Ford Country Club is located on the Western Shores of Lake Norman less than 20 miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Club, formed in 1963, boasts an 18-hole Championship Golf Course and a recently renovated Clubhouse with meeting and dining facilities.

What an amazing place to call home with low Lincoln County taxes and convenient location so close to Charlotte, Cornelius, Huntersville, and Denver.

In addition to golf the Club includes: Lake Norman Access, an Olympic size pool, 4 tennis courts and clubhouse facilities over looking Lake Norman.

Price range: $385,000 to over $1,000,000

Click here to view all homes for sale in the Cowan's Ford Neighborhood