Sandy Aichner ~ Broker REALTOR® www.SandyIsYourAgent.com

Top 10 Things to Consider When Buying Lake Norman Waterfront Homes

1. Does it have a dock? Some shoreline areas of Lake Norman are environmentally protected or do not have enough shoreline footage, and therefore cannot ever have a dock built. This is good to know when buying property, as the value of the home or lot is sometimes higher if you can have your own dock.
2. Is it on a well and septic tank or City water/sewer? If you find a home on a septic system with it's own well or community well, then the lot size is usually larger to accomodate the system, lines, and repair areas (usually over .5 acres). Often times, homes that are on city utilities don't have as much land, but not always.
3. Is the lot big enough to have a pool or detached garage if it is on a septic system? Buyers often ask me this question when looking at property with land and the answer is: as long as there is an area that is not above the septic tank, lines, too close to well, or in the "repair area" designated by the Health Department, AND as long as you can get an improvement permit from the county. We can usually obtain a copy (drawing) of the improvement permit where the septic system, lines, and repair area are located. Also to note: in most subdivisions, you need prior approval from the architectural review committee.
4. Is it located in a cove or on main channel? Look the address up on Google Maps if you are unsure. Some buyers see "deals" on the internet and don't realize they are located in shallow coves or across from busy, noisy marinas.
5. How deep is the water at the dock (if it has one)? Lake levels vary during the year and are sometimes lower during the winter. Some docks are in shallow water. Will your dock need a lift?
6. Does it have a big water view or small water view? Some buyers are concerned with the view and less with the house features. What's important to you? To be brutally honest, it always seems like you get one or the other, but not both; unless you're over 1 million price range. But let me cover myself here, that's not always the case!
7. Is the home located on Lake Norman, Lake Cornelius, or Lake Davidson? The Carolina MLS covers all these areas and sometimes the property is located in Davidson or Cornelius and listed as "waterfront" but you need to check the address on Google Maps because it's not guaranteed to be on Lake Norman. This is important to know because the lakes are not accessible to each other by boat.
8. Is it located within city limits or in county and fire tax bracket only? Buyers from other parts of the country ask me about taxes. Some homes are taxed by city and county and include city water and sewer, and others are only taxed by county and fire. Also note, the tax values are very different here than other areas and are not directly related to market value and/or sales price. Ask me about it.
9. Is it located in a subdivision? If so, what amenities are available? Dry boat storage, day docks, or pump out facilities? Are there HOA fees? What about Boat Slip fees or Lease boat slip fees?
10. How big is your boat? Some community "slips" are only 10 feet wide at the beam. If your boat is bigger than that, then it's important to measure the slip width. Also, there are some coves located on Lake Norman that have low bridges, so if your boat has a good height or double-decker, you may want to consider location of home so that you can access most main channel areas of the lake.

SPOT the World's only Satellite Messenger.

Sends messages to your contacts or emergency services with the push of a button.

We have quite a few areas in Lake Norman and in the foothills of North Carolina where cell service is spotty or non-existent. What do you do? Get one of these!!

WHO NEEDS IT

-Real Estate Agents, Drivers, Boaters, Fishermen, Hunters, Hikers, Campers, Travelers, Kayakers, White Water Rafters, Snow Skiers, Rock Climbers, Mountain Bikers, and more...

-Businesses want employees to be in contact and have access to emergency services even when cell service is not available. Services on call.

-Anyone who drives in areas without cell phone service.

FEATURES

-Send a text or email to your family and friends to let them know you are OK. They can see your exact location via Google Maps.

-Send a Help message to your friends and family in case you need help but it is not an emergency.

-Most importantly send a 911 message to local authorities in case of emergency, which gives them your GPS location and keeps sending until it is turned off.

-Use it on the Road like On-Star to call emergency services where you have no cell signal.

-Add Tracking for $49.99 a year and your contacts can see your location in real time on Google Maps, or Track yourself to see your trip route after you get home.

Why you need it even if you carry a cell phone.

-It works wherever you have a clear view of the sky so you are virtually never out of service.

- Its Waterproof

-It Floats

-Uses AA Batteries, so it easy to carry spares.

With the SPOT Satellite Messenger, you and your loved ones have peace of mind knowing help is always within reach. SPOT is the only device of its kind, using the GPS satellite network to acquire its coordinates, and then sending its location with a link to Google Maps™ and a pre-programmed message via a commercial satellite network. And unlike Personal Locator Beacons, SPOT does more than just call for help. Tracking your progress, checking in with loved ones, and non-emergency assistance are also available, all at the push of a button. And because it uses 100% satellite technology, SPOT works where cell phones won’t.

More info at www.findmespot.com

HOW MUCH?

Regularly $149.99, but your local West Marine has it for $79.99 + you get a $30 West Marine Gift Card. So you are getting it for $49.99, 100 bucks OFF! Basic Service is only $99.99 a YEAR less than 10 bucks a month. Great Christmas gift!

LAKE NORMAN'S West Marine is at 20420 W Catawba Ave in Cornelius, off I-77 exit 28 behind Wendy's and next to Peak Fitness

Lake Norman Compass Draw Overview

Introduction
The Lake Norman Tennis Association (LNTA) is sponsoring Lake Norman Compass Draw Tournament. It is a men's and women's singles tournament that features a compass draw format to seed players, followed by a traditional, double-elimination draw. It is designed to give players competitive singles matches while maintaining the flexibility to work within everyone's schedule. There are three men's divisions based on USTA ratings: 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0. There are also four women's divisions: 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0. No USTA rating is necessary...you can self rate...but no sandbaggers!

Overview
The compass draw portion of the tournament consists of 4 rounds. Players contact each other and complete their match within a two-week period for each round. At the end of 4 rounds, seeds are determined based on overall match performance. This seeding information is then used to seed a traditional draw where the highest seeded player matches up against the lowest seeded player. Losers in the first round of the elimination portion of the tournament will go into a consolation round. Prizes are awarded to the winners and runners-up of the main elimination draw and the consolation draw.

What exactly is a "compass draw"?
A compass draw is a draw format that allows all players to play 4 rounds. It is called a compass draw because it resembles the 8 points of a compass (North, South, North-East, etc.). All players start in the middle. Winners of the first round move East, losers West. Losers in the East in round 2 move North. Losers in the West in round 2 move South. The effects of this type of draw is that players of similar skill levels tend to gravitate to the same portions of the compass. This helps to keep matches competitive.

What is the play format?
Each player brings a NEW can of tennis balls (no junky K-Mart specials, please!). One can is opened and used during the match. Players play a traditional best of 3 set match - no championship tiebreaker instead of a third set! The winning player gets to keep the new, unopened can of balls. Think of it as a mini-trophy for winning the match.

How do I find out who I play?
There will be a link to the website draw on the Lake Norman Tennis Association website ( http://www.lakenormantennis.org) once we get things up and running. You find out who you are supposed to play and then contact your opponent. The website contains a link to the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of all players. Opponents are responsible for setting up and playing their match within a two-week period. BOTH PLAYERS are responsible for contacting his or her opponent. Matches not played on time will result is a double-forefeit in the first 4 rounds and a forfeit of the higher-seeded player in the final rounds. Exceptions are only made when the coordinator (Tom Polk) is informed before the deadline.

Where do we play our matches?
The "home" player is the one who determines where the match will be played.

How do you determine who the "home" player is?
The home player is always listed in bold on the website. During the seeding portion of the tournament (i.e., the first four rounds), The home player is determined automatically based on the randomly assigned ID of each player. However, during the elimination rounds (i.e., round 5 and beyond), the LOWER SEEDED player is the home player (i.e., the one with a lower seed number). This should make the seeding portion of the tournament a little more important.

How are scores reported?
Either player can enter the scores on the website using an easy score entry form. When you are viewing your draw, you will see a button labelled "Enter Scores" in the upper right of the page. Just click the button and follow the easy instructions. When you have entered the scores, you will see the results updated right away on the website.

How much does this cost and what are the prizes?
The cost is $20 per person.

Here are the prizes for a 16 player division:

Main Draw:
1st Place - $50 Gift Certificate
2nd Place - $30 Gift Certificate

Consolation Draw:
1st Place - $20 Gift Certificate
2nd Place - $10Gift Certificate

Here are the prizes for a 32 player division:

Main Draw:
1st Place - $100 Gift Certificate
2nd Place - $60 Gift Certificate

Consolation Draw:
1st Place - $40 Gift Certificate
2nd Place - $20 Gift Certificate

When do we start?
The tournament will typically start when all slots in all divisions are filled. However, there may be times when some divisions start before others. Once this happens, I will e-mail players with further instructions.

Anything else I should know?
Yes. For this type of tournament to run smoothly, everyone must be conscientious about scheduling their matches and MUST be comfortable using e-mail and the internet. In many ways, this is largely a self-run tournament. If you don't respond promptly to e-mails or you don't know how to use the internet, or your schedule is too busy to complete matches within the two-week timeframe, please don't sign up!

How can I get more information?
E-mail or call the coordinator (Tom Polk): compassdraw@earthlink.net (704) 293-9049.

Sea-Rey experimental planes land on Lake Norman too. Several amphibious planes land on Lake Norman, including Tony's plane, Red Bull Plane, and others. Albatross is the type of plane that Red Bull uses. Anyhow, there are several air landing strips located on Lake Norman and even some communities with hangers and landing strips that you can live in! Call Sandy today if you are interested in these types of properties and enjoy the video!

Sandy Aichner

Video Response from Tony on the Plane on Lake Norman

It's so important to have other interests besides real estate. I don't think I could keep up my stamina with my work load and be excited about working every day if I didn't have other hobbies and interests.

It's also important to stay in shape so you can have a full, long work day. Not only do you have to eat in your car half the time, (bad food), but when you are showing properties and homes, you need to have the physical fitness to show 10 homes in high heels and slacks. It gets tougher when you have to go home after a full day and work on feedback and listing paperwork throughout most of your evenings. But hey, I signed up for this!

I show Lake Norman area properties so I think it's important to be active on the lake so I can talk to my clients about my experiences, Lake rules,knowledge, etc.

Eating healthy is really important too but, unless you can keep a cooler in your car, it's almost impossible not to grab something at least once a week in a drive-thru. I also love to drink wine, (at over 200 calories a glass), So staying active with hobbies like running, tennis, and lake activties are really important to me to stay trim from all those extra calories.

You can also meet new people while doing these activities, thereby increasing your network! The only thing you have to remember is to keep some "waterproof business cards" handy and always introducing yourself as a local real estate agent. :-)

If you don't know what you can do for a physical hobbie and you don't want to go to the gym or hang out at the coffee shop like every one else, then try searching www.meetup.com for something that you might be interested in. I started my Wine meetup (Lake Norman Wine Enthusiasts) in September of 2007 for fun, and I now have over 700 members! I host 3-5 events a month a local wine bars and it doesn't cost me anything to do the tasting since I set them up. It's totally fun and a great way to network.

My friend Lonnie just joined a hiking group (meetup group) and is now hiking almost every weekend within a couple hours of the Lake Norman area with a whole new group of people. And he gets in shape while hanging out and networking!

I also try to play tennis with lake norman tennis organization ($15) called "Compass Draw" at least a couple times a month. I bought a used racket a couple years ago and just signed up and have played ever since. I joined Galloway Training in Charlotte and I run a long run at 7:30am every Saturday morning with at least 20 people in my 11 min pace group. Who needs the gym when you can mingle with people and exercise at the same time??

HERE'S A MOTTO: "WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!"