Homes for sale in Charlotte NC

Being around different people every week I get asked all the time where I am from. I guess it’s my New York accent that’s the give away but when I ask in return where they are from rarely do they say North Carolina. But here we are. All living in the Charlotte NC area. So why is it you come to Charlotte as a tourist and end up becoming a permanent resident? The captivating attractions are definitely one reason, which you can read about in my previous blog “Charlotte NC – a place you have to see to experience,” but the homes for sale in Charlotte, NC are also something you can’t pass up.

For instance, the location of some of the homes for sale in Charlotte NC is breath taking. There’s beautiful mansion size homes near the Quail Hollow Country Club, a popular golf course that has played host to many of the top golfers in the country. One that comes to mind is a five bedroom, nine bathroom and an eight car garage. The brick veneer estate sits on over 2.5 acres with a waterfront view of the lake. And if it’s the water you love, then the in-ground pool in the back is the icing on the cake.

Another gorgeous home for sale in Charlotte NC is located just minutes from the Time Warner Cable Arena. For those unfamiliar, the arena, which is home to basketball and hockey games, as well as concerts, is located in the heart of the city. The great part about this home, however, is the four acres it sits on makes you feel like you’re in your own sanctuary, which is ironically the name of the subdivision. This particular home for sale in Charlotte NC has three levels with an elevator to get you from floor to floor. The home features several wings, with its own gym, wine cellar and basement. A home like this, with a location to die for, cannot be found just anywhere.

The Charlotte NC area is obviously a great place to visit with unique attractions such as the Discovery Place, The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, the U.S. National White Water Center, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Although, you’ll most likely become a permanent tourist, just like us fellow non-natives of Charlotte NC, and with homes for sale like the ones previously mentioned how could you not. In Charlotte NC you get the best of both worlds, the attractions of a beautiful city and the chose of so many beautiful homes for sale. 

For a better look at some of the other homes for sale in Charlotte, NC check out our video “Charlotte NC homes for sale." 

For more information visit:http: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

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About Ann Stiles

Ann Stiles is a real estate broker for Wilkinson and Associates. She began by selling homes in New York and has over 29 years of experience in real estate. After relocating with her family to North Carolina in 2008 she continued her passion for real estate. She currently resides in the Trump National Golf Club Community in Mooresville, NC with her husband and five children. 

Location, location, location!

The pricing of homes, of course, changes depending on what state, and even what city you may live in. But how drastic is the difference? In a recent article, Today show’s real estate expert Barbara Corcoran dug a little deeper to see what types of homes you can get for $100,000 or less. In the five homes she chose the number of bedrooms ranged from two to four, with one even having three bathrooms. Some had a lot of rooms, but not a lot of room in them, while others were more spacious. An interesting perspective into what you “get what you pay for.”

The cheapest one Corcoran found was located in Dayton, Ohio. While the population is nothing compared to a New York City, with only 141, 527 people living there, it still offers quite the deal. At $64,900, the three bedrooms and one bath home is a cozy fit for any small family.

Not too far away in Chattanooga, Tennessee a homebuyer can get a two bedroom and one bathroom home for $87,500. Built in the 1930s, the beautiful architecture inside makes it a one of a kind home, with arching entryways and unique structure. From the south to the north, Corcoran chose her next in the state known for overly priced apartments.

Contrary to past beliefs, there are actually homes in New York that are reassembly priced and pretty spacious. For instance, a traditional colonial home that Corcoran found is priced at $89,000, with four bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. Located in the small town of Irondequoit, NY, the family-friendly home sits on a quiet street, with a huge yard. This is also a great choice if you like the water and are not a big fan of the city. The small town is surrounded by a lake, a river, and a bay. If water does not interest your lifestyle than maybe Nebraska will.

For a greater price and less rooms, a homebuyer can purchase a two bedroom and two bathroom home in Omaha, Nebraska for $93,500. Location and convenience is two great factors for this townhome. Located across from a park and pool, there’s plenty of recreational activities for adults and children alike. The convenience part is also entailed in the up-keeping of the home. For just $84 in monthly association fee, a homeowner is provided with lawn care, snow removal, exterior painting, concrete repairs, water use and trash pickup. These may seem like menial tasks, but in reality saves a homeowner time and headaches.

Finally, the last and most expensive of the five chosen by Corcoran is located in Phoenix Arizona. The three bedrooms and three bathrooms home is worth every much of $100,000. The beautiful staircase, fancy columns, tall ceilings and spacious master rooms makes the home appear well more than the listed price. Who knew $100,000 could get you such a variety in homes choices. 

About Ann Stiles

Ann Stiles is a real estate broker for Wilkinson and Associates. She began by selling homes in New York and has over 29 years of experience in real estate. After relocating with her family to North Carolina in 2008 she continued her passion for real estate. She currently resides in the Trump National Golf Club Community in Mooresville, NC with her husband and five children. 

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

Become a fan: http://www.facebook.com/AnnStilesRealEstate


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Who’s buying in Mooresville?

On realtor.org, Gary Thomas posted quite the blog for thought. In the article “What Do Today’s Home Buyers Look Like?” he relayed some interesting statistics regarding today’s homebuyers, which was presented at the recent National Association of Realtors Conference. Some that stuck out to me personally was that fact that home buyers are now older than past years, have higher incomes, and are more likely to be married. This made me curious, if these are the overall statistics, where do the home buyers in Mooresville, more particularly the neighborhood I live in, stand in this equation.

With a simple zip code search on Market Insider I searched the area I live and found that the stats are not too far off. According to Thomas’ article, the median age of home buyers rose from 39 to 43. Not drastic, yet, but could definitely be an issue in the future. Another interesting statistic was concerning the number of married couples buying homes, which rose 6 percent, while purchases by singles and unmarried couples were slightly down.

In the particular zip code I live in the median age was 39, showing that the Mooresville area hasn’t increased or decreased from the nationwide statistics from last year. The percentage of married couples buying homes was at 55 percent. In addition, the market share for first-time home buyers fell to 37 percent in the past year, which is down from a record high of 50 percent in 2010.

Between homebuyers being older and more married couples buying homes this highlights something very important – a joint income is now needed to buy the dream home. Thomas believes the older buyers and lack of single home buyers is in relation to the difficulty of qualifying for a loan. “This is due to an overly restrictive mortgage credit environment,” said Thomas, “in spite of plenty of affordable housing.” Between the difficulties of getting a loan and the difficulty of finding a high paying job, or job in general, leaves younger people at an overall disadvantage.

As for the average income in Mooresville, the city was also average range. As stated previously, home buyers now make a higher income. According to the Market Insider, people in the particular Mooresville zip code I searched have a household income of $75-100K. This is out of roughly 2,600 households. In a close second were people with a household income with $50-$75.

Therefore, just because statistics may be increasing nationwide, doesn’t necessarily mean that the area you live in, or the area you hope to move to, is experiencing a drastic change. Do a little research in your area, and see where your city stands.

About Ann Stiles

Ann Stiles is a real estate broker for Wilkinson and Associates. She began by selling homes in New York and has over 29 years of experience in real estate. After relocating with her family to North Carolina in 2008 she continued her passion for real estate. She currently resides in the Trump National Golf Club Community in Mooresville, NC with her husband and five children. 

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

Become a fan: http://www.facebook.com/AnnStilesRealEstate

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Narrowing the Home Search to Fit Your Lifestyle

As I was browsing the internet for the latest Real Estate news I came across an interesting article that made me curious - what do you look for when buying a home? Spacious rooms? Two stories versus one? A garage large enough to fill with your ample amount of Christmas decorations? A recent study shows that qualities homebuyers use to find important when looking for home are now obsolete. Gone are the days when homebuyers wanted X number of rooms. Now are the days where homebuyers want to know what shops and stores are nearby. If the neighborhood is child and pet friendly, and what the median home price is in the neighborhood.

According to Heithaus, a real estate professional “Many industry studies show that home buyers start their search on the internet before they contact a real estate professional.” Because of these more detailed interests, sites are upgrading their home searches to include a “lifestyle search.” Now included are fun and entertainment, shops and stores, family and child friendly, highly rated schools, pet friendly, median home price, rural, urban and downtown, and public transportation. Consumers browsing online can now search first by the neighborhood and community features then by the available real time local listings.

KW Research added to this research by stating that one of the top things buyers are looking for is an affordable price, meaning price sometimes outranks location.

While it’s been four years since my family and I moved into our home I can definitely relate to what now interest homebuyers. With five kids I wanted to know that there were places my kids could entertain themselves at, such as a nearby park or playground. High-ranked schools, as well as the convenience of shopping centers were also another plus when we were deciding on where to live.

I like this idea of adding more “lifestyle searches” on Real Estate sites for homebuyers that are trying to narrow down their searches. The more detailed search will help not only the homebuyer but the Real Estate agent/broker, as well. Homebuyers will be able to gain a clearer sense of the top priorities they would like to see in a home and their agent/broker will be able to help them target their search.

So whether you are looking for a house that’s near a grocery store or one that has a community pool, the convenience of a “lifestyle search” is now available to make your home search quicker, successful and more enjoyable.

About Ann Stiles:

Ann Stiles is a real estate broker for Wilkinson and Associates. She began by selling homes in New York and has over 29 years of experience in real estate. After relocating with her family to North Carolina in 2008 she continued her passion for real estate. She currently resides in the Trump National Golf Club Community in Mooresville, NC with her husband and five children.

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

Become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnnStilesRealEstate

Follow @AnnStiles

Attractions and Recreations near the Point

        When searching for a new home we all have in our mind certain attractions, or restaurants, or stores that we hope are near our future place. These were definitely some of the things on my mind as I selected my now home of four years in Mooresville, NC. I may be bias but the convenience and also privacy of The Point deserves to be highlighted. With over 700 residents calling The Point home, we can’t all be wrong!

In a new series of blogs I will describe some of the community information that just isn’t given by a simple house search on a real estate site. The first choice of topic is attractions and recreations. The topic is rather broad but pinpoints some great areas such as movie theaters, health clubs, and golf courses where you and your family can enjoy a little bit of everything of what the neighborhood has to offer.

Movie Theaters are first on the list of great attractions in the area, in fact, there are two at your convenience. The Rave Media and Grand Theatre makes for a perfect outing on a Friday night or Saturday evening with the family. If it’s an actual performing arts theater you are looking for then you are in luck. The Lake Norman Dance Gallery and the Academy of Dance Arts is a great place from everyone as young as toddlers to adults, whether you want to learn how to do gymnastics, dance, or tumble.

Maybe dancing isn’t your thing but you love to be fit an active. There are numerous gyms around the area such as Z Max Fitness, Jet Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and Acro Fitness. There’s also a FitWize 4 Kids and a Body Mind and Spirit Day Spa, providing a fitness attraction for everyone in the family. Some other great sporty attractions is the Lake Norman Soccer Club, while the club is pretty elite if you’re an avid soccer player this is definitely a team worth joining. And we can’t mention sporty attraction without mentioning golf. The Mallard Head Country Club and Point Lake Golf Club are just two of the courses located in Mooresville. The Point golf course is one of my favorites as the 18 holes are played along and even over the beautiful scenery of Lake Norman.

Speaking of Lake Norman, which is of course one of the top attractions of living at The Point, finding a place to rent or store your boat is also key. Luckily for the lake lovers, there are several Marina’s located throughout including Stutts Marina, Inland Sea Marina, and All Seasons Marina

While there are other attractions and recreations around The Point area, these are just a few that come to mind as some great family fun!

About Ann Stiles:

Ann Stiles is a real estate broker for Wilkinson and Associates. She began by selling homes in New York and has over 29 years of experience in real estate. After relocating with her family to North Carolina in 2008 she continued her passion for real estate. She currently resides in the Trump National Golf Club Community in Mooresville, NC with her husband and five children.

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

Become of fan at: http://www.facebook.com/AnnStilesRealEstate

Follow @AnnStiles

Charlotte – A Place You Have to See to Experience

When trying to describe to my clients why Charlotte, North Carolina is such a great place to live I was beginning to sound like a broken record. I would explain all the wonderful things that there is to do around the city. All the shopping centers. All the dining options. All the family-oriented activities. But saying it and showing it is two different things. With limited time between convincing a buyer that Charlotte is wonderful and the buyer making a decision I needed an alternative that I would let me show them exactly what I had been preaching.

While browsing through YouTube I came across this video posted by Amazing Video Tours. The video gives you just a glimpse at the numerous activities that there are to do throughout Charlotte, beginning with the always expanding Uptown, also known as downtown Charlotte.

One of the newest editions to the area is the epicenter, which has everything from nightclubs, bars, to family restaurants. Everything in walking distance. Just across the street is the Time Warner Cable Arena where you can catch the local basketball games, hockey games, and concerts. If football is more your forte, then you’re in luck, the Panthers football stadium is located just a couple blocks away. For the NASCAR fans, historic memorabilia can be seen year-round at the newly built NASCAR Hall Fame, located just blocks from the Epicenter and the Time Warner Cable Arena. The actual race track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, is located roughly 20 minutes from center Charlotte. 

There’s also plenty of fun activities to do for the kids, such as the Discovery Place. Here they can have fun exploring and learning all at the same time. With new exhibits appearing in the Discovery Place all the time, it’s something you can visit more than once.

Shopping, of course, is another fun family activity and there are plenty of options located in and around Charlotte. Concord Mills is one of the most frequently visited shopping centers for tourist and residents, with over 200 stores and 24 restaurants the nearly 1.4 million square foot mall has a something for everyone.

If you’re more of an outdoorsy family then The White Water Center is worth visiting. The center is great for a fun family outing with the chance to white water raft, rock climb or to participate in team building activities.

And we can’t forget about the beautiful scenery such as Lake Norman when talking about the Charlotte area. As the largest manmade body of fresh water located in North Carolina, Lake Norman is great for a day of boating, tubing, fishing, and just plain family fun!

If you’re looking for house in an area with an endless amount of activities then Charlotte is for you. Between sporting event locations, activities for children and plenty of shopping centers at your convenience, Charlotte has a little taste of something for everyone. Take a look for yourself!

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

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Great Place to Live - Mooresville, NC (The Point)

        Whether you live in North Carolina or are hoping to move there one of the great cities to be in is Mooresville. My team and I recently put together a Tour of Mooresville showcasing some of the exquisite homes located in the gorgeous city. The video highlights one area in particular that we fell in love with four years ago when we moved here. The Point Lake and Gold Club, located on the shores of Lake Norman, has a little bit of everything you could imagine. Members get to experience a beautiful view of the lake, golf course, dining options, and plenty of family activities. The exclusive club has something for every one of all ages. Even better, The Point is close to the necessities and conveniences of a major metropolitan area, located just north of Charlotte and minutes from I-77.

One of our favorite things about living at The Point is the numerous convenient locations in the neighborhood. There’s The Tavern-on-the-Square where we enjoy casual meals with the family, but is also perfect for larger gatherings and functions. Then there’s The Meeting House, which can be rented out for special events, whether it is business or pleasure.

But you can’t have a country club atmosphere without a golf course. The 18-hole lakeside golf course is a popular destination among the members in the neighborhood, as it should be. You can golf, enjoy the beautiful view of the lake and walk home after a hopefully successful day on the greens. And if it wasn’t successful you can just walk back the next day and try it again.

While the golf course is beautiful scenery in itself, it is just one of the many offered throughout the club. The Village Green, with its rose garden and croquet lawn, is a perfect setting for wedding ceremonies, picnics and just playing fetch with your dogs. At The Point, family-oriented activities and services are a central part of our community. Overall, the neighborhood offers a variety of settings for both everyday dining and family gatherings.

For parents I know this is key - a central focus of The Point community is family-oriented activities. A full-time Activities Director plans and supervises year-round children’s activities, including movie festivals in the Village Theater, a Kids’ Club and more. In addition to the year-round activities is the colorful Kids’ Corner, where children ages three through six can play while their parents work out or play tennis. Older kids can entertain themselves at the Teen Center, which offers air hockey, arcade games and a fun place to hang out with friends.

The Tour of Mooresville video shows just some of the luxurious homes spread throughout the exclusive, yet inviting, neighborhood. More than 500 families have already made The Point their home.

Homes are located either along the 18 miles of shoreline or nestled along the fairways of the golf course. According to www.pointonnorman.com more than two-thirds of the holes of the Greg Norman designed course plays along or over the lake. Even if you don’t like golf, I think that fact alone is pretty spectacular.

Current residents describe living at The Point as being on a permanent vacation. And how could you not feel that way when you look out your window to see the beautiful lake? For us the view becomes a constant reminder of how blessed we are. Take a look for yourself! You’ll fall in love with the Nantucket styled homes.

For more information visit: http://astiles.wilkinsonandassociates.com/

Become a fan at: http://www.facebook.com/AnnStilesRealEstate

Follow @AnnStiles