Mike Carpino Realtor from Lake Norman to Uptown Charlotte, NC

Growing up in upstate New York and living near 3 great pizza parlors it has been very hard trying to find someone to duplicate those outstanding pies.

For 10 LONG years now I have been searching the Charlotte/Lake Norman area hoping to discover that restaurant that can satisfy my desire for a great slice of pie.

Well, I have found it! Villa Francesca in Uptown Charlotte.

One of my colleagues informed of this place months ago, but I was sure it was just another wild goose chase. So the other night my wife and I happened to be driving around the city and stumbled upon this quaint little Italian restaurant.

Villa Francescais located at the corner of Caldwell and Seventh streets in the First Ward in the Uptown Charlotte. The restaurant, which opened in August 2008, is like an extension of the owner's, Louie and Marguerite Suppa, family home where customers are treated like guests.

This place will not disappoint!

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Mike Carpino
704 301-9264
Mike@LakeAndTown.com

Readers Question: I am relocating from Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina. However, I have heard alot about the Huntersville area, What is the attraction?

For beginners it is close to Lake Norman, one of the prettiest Lakes in North Carolina. Here are a few pictures to prove that.

Secondly, the schools in the Huntersville area are some of the best in the county. Huntersville elementary, Torrence Creek Elementary and the brand new Barnette Elementary have some of the highest scores in the county.

Lastly, the lifestyle cannot be matched in the region. There is a great balance between family and fun. Huntersville Youth Athletic Association provides children with an array of athletic activities and Birkdale Village allows Mom and Dad the escape they need.

To view homes for sale in the Huntersville, NC area click on:

Mike Carpino
Owner/Broker
704 301-9264
Mike@LakeAndTown.com

Mecklenburg County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and now Uptown Charlotte is now becoming a hot spot. My wife and I moved here 10 years ago and have seen the tremendous growth going on in Uptown Charlotte.

It truly is a great city for people who are lookiing for a variety of cultural events, great restaurants and exciting nightlife. We also have 2 pro teams the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Bobcats along with minor league hockey and baseball. (Charlotte Checkers and Charlotte Knights)

Here is proof from a recent article from the Charlotte Observer:

Despite a tough economic climate, the Charlotte region remains popular with transplants.

Newcomers propelled two local counties to rank among the nation's fastest growing in 2007. Union County ranked seventh among fast-growing counties with populations of more than 10,000. Mecklenburg, meanwhile, was 10th in sheer number of people gained in 2007. It added about 32,000 people.

Union County's residential boom has strained its water and sewer systems and left schools overcrowded. Still, it hasn't stopped the influx.

The county has grown at a faster rate each year since 2002. Its population grew to about 185,000, according to a Census estimate. That's up almost 50 percent from 2000.

Overall, the 11-county Charlotte region grew by about 79,000. Mecklenburg, with a population of 867,000, is by far the region's biggest county. It grew by 3.8 percent.

One of the city's biggest areas of growth has been uptown, a change highlighted in 2008 by the success of the ACC men's basketball tournament.

Held at Time Warner Cable Arena in the heart of uptown, more than 25,000 visitors bounced back and forth between the games and their hotels, and uptown's more than 110 restaurants and 50 nightclubs. Contrast that with 1994, when the city hosted the NCAA's Men's Final Four. City leaders scrambled then to create a temporary entertainment district they hoped would leave fans with a favorable impression of the Queen City.

At the time, uptown was one big office park, closing at the end of the work day. The center city had fewer than 15 restaurants and only one true nightclub, Mythos.

Perhaps most important has been the growth in uptown residents. Today about 11,000 people call the area home and many more are expected as new condominiums come online and more entertainment venues open. Officials predict the population could reach 25,000 by 2020.

Charlotte Center City Partners has even started pushing for a new high school downtown. Center City officials argue that uptown is centrally located between Myers Park and West Charlotte and that public transportation makes it an economical choice for a new school.

So while recent statistics show that average Charlotte-area home prices have fallen for the first time over a 12-month period since 1991, Charlotte's historically steady market, population growth and strong job outlook will help the city stay afloat in this increasingly sluggish economy.

And those are factors that will likely continue to make the region a hot relocation destination.

Mike Carpino
704 301-9264
www.lakeandtown.com

Almost everyday I drive north on Beatties Ford Rd towards Lake Norman and pass a beautiful pasture with cows grazing in the fields. There is also a quaint little country store where you can buy local produce. However, the country side is about to change dramatically!

For 3 years JDH has been waiting for this moment. Here is a recent article from a local Lake Norman paper.

The town's board of commissioners this week narrowly approved plans for a 120,000-square-foot commercial development despite citizen protests and opposition from the town staff.

The Shops at Crossroads Village, which will be built on 23 acres near N.C. 73 and Beatties Ford Road, has become a political football since JDH Capital proposed it about three years ago.

The commissioners' 3-2 vote will allow the Charlotte-based development firm to begin work at the site, but it is unclear when that work will begin.

Although several nearby residents fear the proposed shopping center will increase congestion at an already overburdened intersection, much of the two-hour debate was split over whether the board could legally deny the proposal. With its vote, a majority of the board concluded the plans didn't violate any planning or zoning ordinances.

Commissioner Charles Jeter, who cast the deciding vote, said he had to put aside common sense and voted according to the law.

"At the end of the day ... ," he said after the meeting, "I felt the testimony was compelling and that under our ordinances and state law, we didn't have a legal right to deny" the developer's plans.

Commissioner Ron Julian, the most outspoken critic of the proposal, said the town's staff and planning board declined to approve the project because it didn't meet commercial and residential development standards. That denial could give them legal recourse to deny the plan, he said.

Town planners also told the board the proposal could infringe on the N.C. 73 Thoroughfare Study being conducted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Julian said the town should wait until that study on the future roadways is completed before approving the plans.

"I was voting in the best interest for the town of Huntersville," he said after the meeting. "Not all growth is good growth."

Commissioner Sarah McCauley also voted against the proposal.

Commissioners Brian Sisson and Ken Lucas, who both voted for the proposal, said waiting on the highway study was a bad idea.

"You're talking about a project that with the best possible outcome wouldn't be completed for 25 to 30 years," Lucas said of the thoroughfare. "You would be doing a disservice to those residents in that area by telling them that the area around them would remain the same until then."

Lucas said the development could become the commercial lynchpin of the eastern part of the town, enticing businesses and jobs to the area.

The sketch plans commissioners approved included drawings for brick buildings of different heights with red and yellow awnings overhanging the doors and a 38,000-square-foot grocery store.

"This is a prime spot of real estate," Lucas said. "I think this is quality development for our town." - Lake Norman Herald Weekly

To view real estate in Lake Norman region of Charlotte click here.

My wife and I recently got a chance to view Lake Norman from a whole new perspective...at sunset.

We have been living in the Lake Norman area of Charlotte for more than 7 years and have only now seen it from this view.

Of course we have been invited numerous times to go out on the lake. However, we have been preoccupied raising our 5 yr old triplet boys.

Well, the boys are in Florida with the grandparents so it allowed us a chance to check out the Lake.

We are truly fortunate to have such a beautiful body of water to enjoy.

View all Lake Norman Waterfont Homes for sale

Mike Carpino
Owner/Broker
704 301-9264
www.LakeAndTown.com