Charlotte Homes for Sale
Nina Hollander
(704)779-0813

Although new tax breaks and great housing prices in Charlotte, Waxhaw and Fort Mill make buying a home easier and more cost-effective than ever before, it can still be a daunting task to undertake the path to home ownership. In addition to the stress of moving, you’re probably worrying about things like loan processing fees, down payments, mortgage options, and closing costs. Even with a financial advisor and a realtor at your side, these can add up to quite a bit of hard work!

However, almost every homeowner will tell you that these costs are definitely worth buying a NC house. Not only are you purchasing a place to call home, but you’re making a financial investment with potentially huge returns. That’s why you should always consider a home inspection before signing on that dotted line, even if the added expense isn’t one you’re looking forward to.

What is a Home Inspection?

Many people equate a home inspection with a home appraisal, and with good reason. At their core, the two processes are very similar: in both, a trained professional goes through the home and inspects it with the intent of informing all parties involved on making the smartest buying and selling decisions.

However, the similarities stop there. Home appraisals are done to give buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and financers a better idea of what the home is worth (based on “surface” things like square footage, number of rooms, and amenities like a fireplace or granite countertops). A home inspection, on the other hand, is all about informing buyers about the potential problems that lie underneath the surface.

For example, a home inspector will be able to answer the following questions:

• What is the condition of the plumbing and/or electrical system, and how easy is it to access in the event of a problem?

• What will be the realistic costs and challenges of heating or cooling the house?

• What is the state of the foundation, the roof, and other structural components?

• How many years of use will you be able to get out of the electrical/plumbing/heating systems?

• What are the potential safety hazards of the house (lead paint, radon, termites, asbestos, mold, etc.)?

What a Home Inspection Does for You

Although most home inspections cost the potential homebuyer hundreds of dollars up front, they typically end up saving homebuyers thousands of dollars in the end. When you get a home inspection, you can not only step away from a purchase that might not be right for you, but you can also require sellers to either “fix” the problems before you buy the home, or adjust the price in order to allow you to make the repairs.

Of course, there’s also the benefit of knowing that the home for sale in Charlotte that you purchased is safe and comfortable. It can be difficult to know just what a house has in store for you until you’ve lived in it for a few months. A home inspection is the best way to take the house for a “test drive” before you make the investment. And with so many choices currently on the North Carolina real estate market, you’re in a perfect position to make a smart, financially-sound choice for your entire family.

For many people living in or moving to NC, the best real estate purchase is one that combines the comfort of home with a piece of history. Buying a historic home in Charlotte, Waxhaw or Fort Mill is fairly common in today’s market, thanks to an incredible real estate climate and one of the most dynamic historic districts in the state.

However, if you’re simply looking at the intricate architecture and are thinking how great it would be to own a piece of the city’s history, you might want to take a step back and consider all the work involved in becoming a historic home owner.

Home Quality

The most important consideration for purchasing a historic home in Charlotte is the quality of the house. Whether you’re looking at a bungalow or a mansion, you have to remember that time is rarely kind to real estate.

In addition to outdated materials (like plaster instead of drywall or lead pipes) and difficult-to-work-with architectural styles, you have to consider the costs of restoring the house with authenticity in mind. Many materials are no longer available or can be costly if you want to maintain the historic integrity of your home. The same is true of the availability and cost of craftsman qualified to work with your particular home.

North Carolina Housing Regulations

Many historic homes are overseen by governing bodies that regulate what you can and can’t do to your own home. If you’re in the market to purchase a historic home, make sure you know who you will have to go through to get the right permits for renovation, or if you’ll need to register and pay a fee to get your home listed as an authentic historic site. You might also want to note what kind of tourist interest you will get from having a historically-listed site.

Financial Investments

Fortunately, not everything about owning a Charlotte historic home is hard work! Historic homes, when restored with authenticity, safety, and modern comfort in mind, are an incredible financial investment. Many people are willing to pay top dollar for homes that are in perfect shape or that have a keen attention to detail.

Many local governments also offer tax credits and tax freezes for those who maintain a certain level of quality in their registered historic homes. This means that a historic home can be a great investment, as well as a beautiful piece of architecture.

Finding and Buying Your Historic Home

When refurbished to contain all the modern amenities today’s families need and enjoy, a historic home can become a showpiece – both for your own visitors as well as those interested in the history of Charlotte, Fort Mill and Waxhaw. As with all real estate purchases, however, this one should be made after much consideration and under the guidance of your trusted agent.

Location:   Waxhaw, North Carolina

Type:   Single Family Home

Bedrooms:   4

Bathrooms:   3 full, 1 half

Heated Living Area:  3501 Square Feet

Price: $410,000

Carolinas Realty Partners are pleased to present 2501 Winding Oaks Trail in the beautiful and exclusive Brantley Oaks community, located close to Matthews, Weddington, Waxhaw, and Ballantyne. Brantley Oaks features estate-sized, wooded lots and luxurious, custom homes in a park-like setting.

Situated on a beautifully landscaped, wooded, and private .94 acre lot, this custom-built, brick home with a 3-car, side-load garage features classic Southern architecture with a rocking chair front porch. The home has been impeccably maintained and features neutral, tasteful decor and highest quality finishes throughout. Truly luxury living at its best!

You’ll enjoy an easy lifestyle in this beautiful, move-in ready 4 bedroom/3.5 bath home with formal dining room; formal living room with glass French doors; dramatic 2-story foyer; gleaming hardwood and custom tile floors throughout the home as well as generous millwork. The open, flowing floor plan is perfect for casual living, as well as more formal entertaining.

The home’s gourmet kitchen with granite counters, tile backsplash, center island, custom cabinets, and stainless steel appliances will please any chef.

The spacious great room is open to the kitchen and breakfast area and features a gas-log fireplace, French-style windows, gorgeous hardwood floors.

The home’s second floor features a spacious and serene master suite with trey ceiling and luxurious master bathroom with deep garden tub, oversized shower, his & her vanities and large, walk-in closet. In addition, there are three, good-sized bedrooms and two full bathrooms.  An over-sized bonus room, which can be used as a recreation/media room, teen retreat, playroom, is the “perfect flex space.”

The large screened porch and open deck are a natural extension of the home’s living and entertaining areas.

All Charlotte metropolitan areas, great shopping, casual and fine dining, golf, business centers, primary local roads, and Charlotte’s airport are within easy reach.

Low Union County taxes and low community association fees are an added plus.

For a virtual tour of this home or a detailed on-line brochure for this beautiful home. Or contact Carolinas Realty Partners for more information or a private showing.

If your NC home is for sale – whether in Charlotte, Waxhaw , Fort Mill or surrounding areas – there’s a good chance your real estate agent will discuss the benefits of an open house with you. Open houses have long been a part of the home sale experience, since it allows prospective buyers to take a “low-key” approach while they browse the merchandise. It also gives your real estate agent the chance to network with a large number of potential buyers all at one time. In some cases, it also means you’ll finally sell that home!

However, an open house can be an unnerving event; after all, you’re opening your home up to complete strangers, and in most cases, you won’t be there to witness the event. By knowing what to expect, you have a better chance of selling your NC home – all while keeping a handle on your peace of mind.

• Remember that an open house is just one part of a larger marketing process. No one wants to sell your home more than your Charlotte real estate agent, and the best approach in any sales climate is to reach as many potential homebuyers as possible. That means diversifying the way you market to include those who prefer the low-key atmosphere of an open house.

• Don’t expect immediate results. Few people enter an open house and make a purchase right then and there. The real outcome is most likely going to be a few appointments for a private viewing or future appointment.

• Remove your valuables, money, keys, pets, medications, and any paperwork that has personal information on it (such as bills). Although a good real estate agent will keep an eye on your property to avoid damages, anything that is of value (for either monetary or personal reasons) should be safely tucked away. This can actually help sell the house in the long run, since personal effects tend to turn buyers off.

• Do a walk-through with your real estate agent immediately before and after the open house. This will allow you both to determine damages or thefts with an objective eye.

• Remember that an open house can tell you a lot about your property. Your real estate agent will be able to draw conclusions based on the turnout and the overheard comments. If few people show up, it could indicate that your asking price is too high, or that your curb appeal simply isn’t up to snuff. A large turnout with few leads could mean that the problem lies with the layout or “dressing” of your home.

Selling a home in NC can be difficult in today’s market – but it isn’t impossible. By approaching your marketing strategies with an open mind – and an open house – you can get your home effectively promoted throughout the Charlotte, Waxhaw and Fort Mill housing market with better results than ever before.

Most prospective homebuyers in the Charlotte, Waxhaw, Fort Mill North Carolina areas already know that when it comes to purchasing real estate, location is key. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to make a profit on your new home or if you simply want a place that will help you raise your family – the neighborhood you choose to call your own is just as important as those details of square footage, number of bathrooms, and central air.

Choosing a home in NC based on the quality of the neighborhood is especially important. There are so many diverse and incredible places to live here that you can change your lifestyle simply by moving closer to that hip, urban center or further out, where suburban sprawl or a few acres of your own are calling.

Most people already look at neighborhoods and communities in Charlotte when considering a home purchase. In fact, some of the more common considerations include:

• School districts
• Type of neighborhood (gated, urban, suburban, etc.)
• Public transportation options
• Access to commuting routes
• Proximity to shopping
• Proximity to facilities like police, fire, or medical care
• Tax rates
• Crime rates

However, although these are all very important parts of choosing a neighborhood in the Charlotte, Waxhaw, Fort Mill North Carolina areas, finding the facts might not be as easy as you hope. For example, things like tax rates can be researched, but you’ll also need to look at the future of development in the area. If there’s a big plan for condos to go up in your family neighborhood, you might find that the area is gearing for development. This might mean higher tax rates as the community draws in a higher-income crowd. (It might also mean a change in the neighborhood dynamic).

It’s also important to consider the different times of day and the year in which you visit your prospective home.

• How crowded are the streets during rush hour? On the weekends?
• How safe do you feel walking around during the day? What about at night?
• How maintained are the parks and streets in the winter? In the summer?
• How is the noise level at night or in the morning? Does this change on the weekends?

In order to make the most well-informed decision possible on your new home in Charlotte, it’s best to ask a trusted real estate professional like Nina Hollander or to talk with current (and past) residents. Not only will you get an insider’s view on what the NC community looks like after hours and in real life, but you might also learn that the people who will become your new neighbors are an enticing draw all on their own.

Stunning, richly-appointed, move-in ready 4 bedroom/3 bath Charleston-style home with double verandas/porches built in 2006, situated in the heart of Ardrey, a unique neighborhood in the prestigious Ballantyne area of south Charlotte, featuring  historically authentic architecture and unequalled attention to detail and aesthetics.

The home’s open, flowing floor plan with 3,600+ square feet of heated living area is perfect for both casual family living and more formal entertaining. Special features of the home include: a first floor master suite with spa-like master bathroom; gourmet kitchen with large center island, stainless steel appliances, and granite; large formal dining room; great room with fireplace flanked by custom cabinetry; oversized recreation room; “master-sized” bedroom suite on second floor; heated and cooled sunroom; workshop; backload garage. Current homeowners have invested some $60,000 in additional upgrades to this wonderful home.

Ardrey was built as a “tree save” neighborhood with 53 acres of common space, which includes 12 named parks, clubhouse, pool, fitness center, bocce court, dog park, children’s playground, and a 34 acre nature preserve.

For more information and a virtual tour on this home: www.17205HedgerowPark.com. Or, contact Carolinas Realty Partners and we’ll be delighted to show you the home!

If you’re getting ready to sell your Charlotte, Waxhaw or Fort Mill home, you know that one of the most important things you can do to increase your sale price is to spend some time staging. After all, the better your home looks, the better the chances are that someone else will love it enough to buy it, too. However, many of the homes for sale in the North Carolina area are smaller in size than what’s currently hot on the market. While this doesn’t mean you can’t sell your home, it does mean that it might take a little extra work before you get that figure you’re aiming for.

The truth is, there’s no reason why your Charlotte home has to be the size of a small country in order to appeal to homebuyers. Small spaces, while more of a challenge to decorate and stage, have quite a bit of potential for appealing to those looking for charm, coziness, and class. If you’re doing the staging for your home yourself, here are few important tips in making your small home look like it’s worth every penny.

1. Get rid of the stuff. In any home staging effort, you want to get rid of personalized items and all the miscellaneous knickknacks that find their way into your home – including paintings and even overly unique drapes. This is never more important than when you’re trying to make a small house look bigger in NC.

2. Go for neutral colors. Dark colors make rooms look smaller in size. By using light, airy colors, you’ll give the appearance of more light – and therefore, more space.

3. Offer storage options. Most people need to really “see” themselves in a Charlotte home before they buy it. If you find creative ways to set up storage (such as in hidden cupboards, in strategic locations behind the couch, or even in a great set of shelves), you’ll give the impression that the house is not only beautiful, but livable.

4. Go for high-end details. Many of today’s homebuyers are willing to overlook a smaller space as long as it still retains a high value. Things like crown molding, built-ins, great appliances, and hardwood floors can go a long way in adding to the charm factor.

5. Use bright, strategic lighting. As with choosing lighter colors for wall paint, the idea of using light to give the impression of space is a good one. This is especially true if you can use track or recessed lighting to streamline the space even more.

Remember, there is no such thing as a typical homebuyer. By neutralizing your space and offering the little luxuries that allow people to envision themselves in your home, you’re allowing them to look beyond square footage to see how your Charlotte house for sale will help them create a lifetime of memories.

These days, most of the listed homes for sale in Charlotte, Waxhaw, or Fort Mill are all about building a family future. Savvy buyers know that the market is theirs, and they can bargain for things like better school districts, home improvements, and other amenities that make owning real estate in North Carolina great. However, when the Charlotte real estate market boasts more homes than there are buyers, there’s another advantage: homes for investment opportunities are cheaper and have greater potential than ever before.

First-Time Homebuyers in Charlotte, Waxhaw, Fort Mill: If you’re in the market for the first time, buying a home as an investment is a wonderful opportunity. Not only are there federal funding options available for first-time buyers, but the low average cost of homes right now means that you can get more North Carolina home for your dollar. This is especially true if you’re looking for a home to live in for a few years. By buying a house now, you can have a place to call home and the potential to sell it for profit five, ten, or even twenty years from now.

Charlotte Home Flipping: “Flipping” a home, or buying a house and fixing it up to increase the resale value, has been made popular by television shows and success stories that boast of tens of thousands of dollars virtually overnight. However, the process of fixing up a house is a much larger task than it at first appears. If you plan to flip a house as a way to earn a living, make sure you know exactly what the construction projects will entail and how you will finance your way through the process for the entire time it might take to resell your investment home.

When Buying NC Real Estate, Timing is Everything: As a financial decision, buying real estate is often best taken advantage of as a long-term investment. After all, it can be difficult even for professionals to predict the Charlotte real estate market. That’s why one of the best ways to turn a profit on a North Carolina home is to plan on living in the home or renting it out for upwards of 10 years at a time. It’s one of the best ways to guarantee an increase in your investment, and to enjoy yourself – and your family – while doing it.

The most important thing to remember before delving into NC real estate as a way to make money is that there is no quick and easy road to riches. The recent housing bubble burst is perfect evidence of this, and many people learned the hard way that buying a home as an investment, like any financial decision, takes time, planning, and a little homework.

Just reduced $17,500 and a great buy for a five bedroom home with almost 2900 square feet located in one of Charlotte’s top school districts! This home is move-in ready, offering fresh paint throughout, new carpet throughout, new appliances, and much more!  The open, flowing floor plan with a master suite on the main floor, formal rooms, and great room allow for casual family living and entertaining. Situated on a quiet double cul-de-sac street, the home also offers in-ground irrigation and is minutes from Ballantyne Corporate Park, Ballantyne shopping, golf. It also provides an easy commute to South Park, Matthews, Pineville, Fort Mill, and Charlotte’s Douglas Airport. For more information or to set up a viewing appointment, contact Carolinas Realty Partners. Or, if you’d like to search all 20,000+ home listings in the Charlotte/Fort Mill metro areas: www.homeinfocharlotte.com.

8930 Bryson Bend Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina Price: $257,500.00 Beds: 5.00 Baths: 2 Sq Ft: 2860 Description: This preferred location in south Charlotte, is not only situated in the heart of prestigious Ballantyne, but also features fantastic school assignments! Tucked away in Ellington Park—a small, f …. View this property >>

This Month in Real Estate reveals the states with the highest foreclosure rates and offers top tips on buying a foreclosure in your area. (You can also click on the picture above to take you to the video.)

High levels of foreclosures provide opportunities to purchase homes at large discounts as never before.  A few quick tips on buying a foreclosure home:

• Once you’ve made an offer, it may take some days to get a response from the seller. And don’t plan on getting any response during weekends.
• Foreclosure homes are typically sold “as is.” You may or may not have time to do inspections. Typically, you won’t get more than 10 calendar days. If possible, you want to have an inspection.
• Have a strong mortgage pre-approval letter from your lender to submit with your offer. Otherwise your offer may not be seriously considered.
• Be prepared to close within 30 days of contract acceptance (another good reason to have all your financing “ducks lined up” in advance.
• To ensure that you are indeed getting a “good deal” work with a Realtor who has experience with representing foreclosure home buyers. An experienced Realtor will help you identify appropriate properties, provide market value analyses, and help you navigate the contract/closing process with the seller’s representative.

Sound decisions when buying a foreclosure home can only be made with accurate and reliable information. Carolinas Realty Partners, specializing in Charlotte metro area foreclosure sales, will be happy to be your trusted resource. We can help in Charlotte, Fort Mill, Matthews, Weddington, Waxhaw, Indian Land, Indian Trail and throughout Mecklenburg, Union, York, Lancaster Counties in North and South Carolina.