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Welcome to Charlotte Communities!
We've moved most of CharlotteCommunities-our content to what is now the #1 Charlotte Relocation site,our blog at CharlotteCommunitiesonline. com.
Over 65000 unique visitors came to CharlotteCommuntiesOnline in our first year, 2008.
My name is Terry McDonald, and I've built this and a few other websites/blogs to assist you in your move to Charlotte. I came here 15 years ago with a young family and found a new home. Charlotte is a city of transplants and I think you'll find there is room for you here. Now I manage a substantial relocation team of experienced agents working with people like you, helping them get to Charlotte, North Carolina. Check the link for a quick introduction to Charlotte- and me.
Why Charlotte Communities and Not Charlotte Real Estate? Two reasons.
I have Charlotte Real Estate pretty well covered- this link is to more traditional real estate home search site. For those who like map based searches, they like Charlotte Homes For Sale, and luxury home buyers tend to prefer Charlotte Luxury Homes.
The 2nd reason is the 2nd question most people ask when considering a relocation to Charlotte, what I call theBIG Question..."Where would I (we) want to live?" and that is the purpose behind Charlotte Communites- not to answer it, we wouldn't if you asked us- couldn't by law, but there is a lot to share about the Charlotte, North Carolina.
Yes I know what kind of market real estate is in nationally- thankfully, for the most part, Charlotte has not participated. Yes, sales volume is much lower, but home prices increased in Charlotte through 2007, leading the nation, held steady the first 2 quarters of 2008, and have seen just a bit of retrenchment since the summer. I've written about it here, here and here.
Charlotte NC is one of the best places in the country to buy real estate today- IF you buy in a community that adds value, a home that will fit your needs into the future, and we buy it at a smart price.
 Where to start? The place over 9900 visitors started intpast year is my Introduction to Charlotte Video- #1 on You Tube when Charlotte NC is searched -this 4 minute fact filled video takes you from uptown to Lake Norman, and on to Lake Wylie.
Your next stop might be my About Charlotte, it's about living in Charlotte, or About Charlotte Schools pages-- here you'll find many of the posts and links to get you started on your move.
You may be interested in Fort Mill, SC, and if you are retired, you'll probably want to see the #1 selling community in Charlotte, Del Webb's Sun City Carolina Lakes a terrific place for the over 55 active adult crowd...Here are a few popular categories from my
Charlotte Communities blog you might like, to help get a feel for
Charlotte:
And then I'm posting about specific Communities in Charlotte:
Living In
Southpark- South Charlotte Homes, Communities and the Mall
Sun City Carolina Lakes (Ft Mill)- a Del Webb Community, just south of Charlotte, condos from the 180's SF, from 220's
(take a quick clik)
The Palisades, Charlotte- Resort style living- great tennis, equestrian and golf- on 1500 wooded acres, 17 miles from Uptown.-from
the 400's, 800's custom
Antiquity in Cornelius- the most exciting new Lake Norman area new home community
- great inventory deals
from the 320's
Brookhaven in Weddington- John Wieland's amenity rich new home community in close-in Union county. Prices from the 400's and then from the high 500's in the estate sections
Or if you want a Golf Community, Charlotte Golf Course homes is the post for you-
from 300K to $2M!
I would also like to introduce you to my
Charlotte
Photo Gallery's. I love to take pictures and I've
assembled 45 different galleries, and over 1500 photos last count,
of the greater Charlotte area, from Lake Norman, to Uptown, Waxhaw,
Weddington, and more. Here are a few with direct links, the link
above goes to the first page.
 
The Palisades, Ballantyne Country Club, Myers Park, SouthPark, High Gate-
There are more than 35 Charlotte galleries in total, I try and add new ones every week.
Call me direct at 704-351-1519, and I'll see you in Charlotte!
School Questions?
A School backgrounder here, About
Charlotte Schools. CMS here.
All things Cultural in
Charlotte Here.
Need Business information? Our excellent
Chamber of Commerce. Quick Charlotte
2006 Facts
TerryMcDonaldRealEstate.com LLC, in a move
towards more transparent real estate, announces they will no
longer represent buyers and sellers in the same transaction nor will
they accept buyer Agent Bonuses.
Details here.
You West Coaster's
will be glad to know our first
Trader Joe's opened in 2007in South Charlotte...
and another is schedule to open in north Charlotte in late '07 or
early '08.
At
CharlotteCommunitiesOnline.com, from Waxhaw in Union
County to Mooresville in the North, Uptown, Dilworth, Myers Park,
Lake Norman, Lake Wylie and more, we try and cover some of what's
happening in the Queen City... particularly information newcomers
are looking for, and Charlotte Real Estate info you are not likely
to find elsewhere!
2006 Charlotte Facts, America's 21st largest city
Population City: 648,139
County: 850,178
MSA: 1.6 M
100 Mile: 7.2M
Latest figures on job creation are for 2005, 13,408 New Jobs.
From the latest Census updates, Charlotte has grown by 300,000
people since 2000. Charlotte remains the 2nd largest financial center in the US with over $1.6 Trillion Dollars under management. Based on equity,
Bank of America became the largest bank in America this year,
Wachovia held on to fourth. Charlotte remains 6th in the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered here.
New construction Uptown includes 14 new high rise
condominiums, two office towers Wachovia and BOA. Two 5
start hotels (Ritz- Carlton and a W by Marriot) and two major
(200M or more) mixed use development projects.
We- the
TerryMcDonaldRealEstate.com
Team, have been building large photo galleries of the entire area
and the project is gaining momentum. You will find 8 new slide shows
in our
Community Slide Show link. Hope you like those as much as we do.
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Real Estate Market Report:
NO BUBBLE HERE!
Charlotte,
NC
Home
Prices
Up
Over
7%
First
Quarter
2007
excerpted
from
my
blog
While
most
of
the
country
worries
about
falling
prices
in
real
estate,
a
few
markets
have
been
unaffected
by
the
non
stop
Bubble
talk.
No
amount
of
doom,
gloom
or
rising
interest
rates
have
slowed
the
growth
in
Charlotte,
NC.
Good
news
travels
fast.
Barron's
noted
our
first
quarter
growth
in
Charlotte
at
just
over
7%,
third
in
the
nation.
Our
numbers
on
residential
single
families
are
even
better
with 1st
quarter
2007
sales
at
an
average
of
$226,998
vs
the
$209,987
of a
year
ago,
an
8.1%
increase.
Average
cost
per
square
foot
(sf) increased
by
the
same
8%,
and
Days
on
Market
(DOM)
rose
just
10%
to
an
average
of
93
days. We
had
"velocity"
too,
a
5.7%
increase over
the
same
quarter
in
2006.
Average
square
foot
prices
were
just
over
$110
for
the
1st
quarter
of
2007,
up
from
$102
just
a
year
ago. Charlotte
remains
a
very
healthy
real
estate
market through
the
first
quarter
of
2007
And
our
results
continued
the
positive
trend
through
out
2007.
Here
are
a
couple
later
in
the
year
links:
January
4th,
2008
Categories:
Charlotte
Real
Estate
Market
Reports,
South
Charlotte
South
Charlotte
Real
Estate
Market
Surges
beyond
City
Average
in
2007
The
data
is
in
for
2007
!
South
Charlotte
Real
Estate
was
local
winner.
In
the
area
I
call
south-
South
Charlotte,
zip
codes
28105,
28226,
28270,
28277,
there
was
an
average
appreciation
of
7.5%
based
on
the
average
SOLD
price
per
square
foot.
That
sold
average
price
per
square
foot
rose
from
$124
in
2006
to
$133
in
2007.
*
South
Charlotte,
always
a
popular
suburb
to
live
in,
remains
one
of
the
best
places
to
live
in
money-wise
too.
Click
on
Title
for
full
post
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January
2nd, 2008
Categories:
Charlotte Real Estate Market
Reports,
Invest Charlotte Real Estate,
Lower Lake Norman,
Move To Charlotte,
SW Charlotte-SC Lake Wylie,
South Charlotte,
Union County,
Upper Lake Norman,
uptown charlotte
Charlotte Area Single
family home prices rose
4.35%
for the year 2007, over
the average cost per square
foot sold prices from 2006,
almost guaranteeing a 1st
place finish among the top
20 major markets in the US,
as
measured by Case-Shiller.
Unit sales fell 11% over
the same period. These
statistics come from the
Carolina MLS, though were
not prepared by them, and
cover the local Charlotte
area counties of:
Mecklenburg, Union, Iredell,
Cabarrus, Gaston, and all of
the LakeNorman area, and
Lake Wylie area. Click
on title for full post...
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Then back in 2006, when the
national housing recession was getting started...
Our paper of record, the Charlotte Observer
decided it was time
for a full page story about 2006. Homes sales rose 13% in
2006, condo and townhouse sales rose 11% compared to a
nationwide loss of 8%! This in the 9th largest new home
market in the nation. Prices in Mecklenburg were up 5% in
Mecklenburg about 4% region-wide validating our earlier
"unofficial" numbers. And 2007 expectations remain
strong, latest reports are traffic slightly ahead of last year,
inventory on hand is steady. (BOAS, February, 2007)
More real estate info here.
ImaginOn
is a
spectacular learning playground for children, brought to you by
our national award winning Public Library... It is truly a
wonderful addition to our Charlotte community. All I can say is
WOW- If you have school age children, put this on your "Must See" list when visiting Charlotte. Convenient location, free admission plus free parking!
The
US National White Water Center
in Charlotte opened with a bang, this is the largest man made white water river in the United States, it's located 15 minutes from Uptown and opens to the public Wednesday. Think up to Class 5 rapids, with a log plume to carry you back to the top for another run. Wow! Class 5 too much to start with? There are 4 courses of varying difficulty, that's why the US Olympic Kayaking team is relocating its Headquarters to Charlotte! I'll be out taking some pictures soon, count on it!
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Why has Real estate remained so strong here? The main reason?
We are growing the old fashioned way! Our state economy is humming, with unemployment well below the national numbers. Our state just announced the state budget includes a 2 Billion dollar surplus (wow) and various tax cuts and spending increases (notably in education). We remain a low tax, business friendly state, with relatively low real estate prices, and very low insurance rates. Uptown (downtown) as its sometimes called, has at least 14 new Condo Projects including the 55 story Epicenter, The new Wachovia Tower, and two hotels. Relocations, 2/3's by choice, continue at a staggering pace, approaching 40,000 in 2005. The Charlotte Transit plan was released a few weeks ago, predicting an increase of 350,000 people to Charlotte over the next 20 years...the equivalent of a Pittsburgh or Cincinnati relocating here.
Why? What makes Charlotte consistently one of Money Magazines top places to move? (In the large city category) The reason are many, but I'll try-- We are a low tax state, we have low insurance rates (no hurricanes here!) a temperate climate, a good selection of K-12 schools and in-state colleges, what's not to like? And most neighborhoods are the kind that Mom's let their kids go out and play in... If you are thinking about starting a business here you will like our strong local economy and pro-business attitude. Find business links here. The Charlotte area offers something for everyone and almost every time of year there are wonderful places to visit, escape and recharge the batteries within a short distance.
Charlotte's Center city is growing exponentially, with more than 14 new condominium projects, led by the multi-use Epicenter at 210 Trade that simultaneously doubles the downtown retail space, adds a 55 story condominium and 10 story hotel--plus theaters, Fox Sports Bar and a bowling alley! See the new Condos here.
At any time you may clik on Lets Look at Some Homes, for an easy to use Home Search Site that will put more than 19000 homes for sale at your finger tips... by our site sponsor, Broker Terry McDonald, of TerryMcDonaldRealEstate.com team. You'll be asked to register your name and e-mail, and it only takes a minute. Though a phone number is not required it is recommended for priority service, and no one is going to bother you. You can calculate your mortgages and check schools there too! And you can return to this page by clicking the Relocation Button!
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Are you making a change this year? Job, home, new family, new city?
The Big Question for most families, "Where would be a good place in the Charlotte area for me (my family) to live?" See the Relocation page to get started answering this big question,
then maybe the Slide Show Page to
"see" the area, then you can look for homes in areas you are interested it...if you want to search the multiple listings for homes, you'll want to visit my easy to use Search site, TerryMcDonaldRealEstate.com. There you can save listings, sign up for listing alerts and even IM me. You can find links to Fun Things, Schools, Business Groups, Mother's groups and more at Great Charlotte Links.
If you move here, you will feel at home here quickly because Charlotte is a city of what I call "imports." I can call us that- I came here 13 years ago from NYC and Washington DC before that. Charlotte is a large modern city in the south, but not a Southern city. It is frequently called the capital of the New South. We are now the second largest financial center in the United States-- a far distance from the past.
2005, like every year, will be about choices, and Charlotte has them all! Lake living, country club living, family friendly communities, over 55 communities, urban living, in-town living, suburban, horse country-- you name it, Charlotte or one of its nearby neighbors has it! New Home Communities abound. Immediately available, Inventory Homes, often are the best value. Many of these are offering eye-popping $10-20000 of discounts.
THE BIG QUESTION -I can help with the big question every newcomer has: "Where do we want to live?" Or, said another way, where would a family like ours most likely be happy? No, I can't answer it for you, but I can show you some alternatives and where to look to find the answer for you and your family.
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Are you
interested in a New Home? Charlotte has a terrific new home industry, with new homes available in just about every community and every price point. Well known national builders line up side by side with Charlotte's best providing our buyers with quite a selection. New homes account for about half of the Charlotte home sales. About half of those who buy use agents. Find out why you you need a buyer agent at a new home site here. Use us or use someone else, but every buyer needs representation!
Are you buying land? I know where the land is, I know the builders reputation for quality and design, and when there are deals I can find them!!
Albemarle Belmont Charlotte Cornelius Davidson Denver Gastonia Huntersville Lake Wylie Matthews Mooresville Weddington Wesley Chapel
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I remember moving here, it was exciting, and sometimes worrying. We have four school age children so where to live was one of our biggest concerns... We've experienced both public and private schools and so can give you a solid overview of education in this area, and a way to find the specific information you may be looking for. I've been called an "education agent" because of my knowledge about our local schools and my concern for education. Your children can get an excellent education at private or public schools here! See About Our Schools for more information. Do you have a specific school question or need a home in a particular school district? No problem, Call Me at 704-847-3826.
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Real estate agency and the way people buy homes has changed. See
why we believe in transparent real estate.
Whether you are from around the Carolina's or out of state, I'd like to help take the worry out of any real estate decision you need to make this year. There are excellent choices in just about every price range. I'll help you find them plus- the right neighborhood and right lot.
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2006 Charlotte Facts, America's 21st largest city
Population City: 648,139 County 850,178 MSA 1.6 M 100 Mile 7.2M Latest figures on job creation are for 2005, 13,408 New Jobs. Charlotte remains the 2nd largest financial center in the US with over $1.6 Trillion Dollars under management. Based on equity, Bank of America became the largest bank in America this year, Wachovia held on to fourth. Charlotte remains 6th in the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered here.
Learn about New Home Buyer Representation here.
Real Estate Update: NO BUBBLE HERE! For 2006, to date, from the Charlotte Observer, average home prices gained 7.88%! Sales, both by units and dollar volume will break records again in 2006. Average Days on Market (DOM) was down in November to 78 over 86 a year ago. No bubble here!
I recently visited ImagineOn -a spectacular learning playground for children, brought to you by our national award winning Public Library...it is truly a wonderful addition to our Charlotte community. All I can say is WOW- see it here: www.imaginon.org/ If you have school age children, put this on your "Must See" list when visiting Charlotte. Convenient location, free admission plus free parking!
The National White Water Center in Charlotte opened with a bang, this is the largest man made white water river in the United States, it's located 15 minutes from Uptown and opens to the public Wednesday. Think up to Class 5 rapids, with a log plume to carry you back to the top for another run. Wow! Class 5 too much to start with? There are 4 courses of varying difficulty, that's why the US Olympic Kayaking team is relocating its Headquarters to Charlotte! I'll be out taking some pictures soon, count on it!
This is the online Relocation Guide presented by the folks at
TerryMcDonaldRealEstate.com.
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 You can find great local North Carolina real estate information on Localism.com Terry McDonald is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business. |
