New construction map updated - again

New home construction sites in
South Charlotte/Waxhaw/Weddington

New construction in our area is HOT! We've recently updated our new construction map - again - to reflect even  more new construction in the South Charlotte / Waxhaw / Weddington areas. Here are the latest additions to our map:

Weddington, NC

Rose Hill by John Wieland Homes
Waybridge by John Wieland Homes

Waxhaw, NC

New John Wieland community at Providence Downs on New Town Road.

South Charlotte / Ballantyne

Riviera by Shea Homes
Sonoma by Shea Homes

If you have any questions about these neighborhoods, local schools, taxes, the new construction process, or if you need representation to protect your interests and get the very best deal on a new home, please contact Gina Lorenzo at 704.575.7605 or Gina@YourPropertyPeople.com.

Remember: the builder has an agent to represent its interests, and new home buyers should have an experienced agent to represent their interests, too! Don't let the builder have the advantage when you purchase a new home!

Charlotte area makes national and state "best of" lists

Charlotte, NC
Photo by Julie Legge

We've noticed that the Charlotte area is being ranked nationally by some big names - and against some big city competition. Here's a run-down of some of these lists:

* Charlotte: #8 for America's Fastest Growing Cities by Forbes (2/14/14).

The magazine "assessed the estimated rates of population growth for 2013 and 2014, year-over-year job growth for 2013, and the rate of gross metro product growth—a.k.a. the economic growth rate–for 2013. We also considered federal unemployment data and median salaries for local college-educated workers, courtesy of Payscale.com. The result is a list of the 20 fastest growing metro areas in America in terms of population and economy."

* Charlotte: #10 for Happiest Cities to Work In The U.S. by CareerBliss.com (2/11/14).

The job-hunting web site considered "opportunity for growth, relationship with boss and colleagues and working environment in at least 100 reviews by employees."

* Charlotte: #3 Best Buy Cities: Where to Invest in America by Forbes (12/26/14)

To come up with their list, Forbes and Local Market Monitor ranked cities with a population over 575,000 on population growth, relatively low home prices, and growth of the local jobs economy.

* Ballantyne: #5 Most Popular Neighborhoods of 2013 by Realtor.com (12/16/13).

The web site search engine, operated by the National Association of Realtors ranked Ballantyne as the #5 most searched zip code in America for 2013.

* Marvin, NC: #1 Best Place to Live in North Carolina by a Yahoo! News Writer (1/6/11)

This is one of our favorite articles because Marvin truly is a great place to live! The Yahoo! news group looked at three main factors when choosing their list: "(1) median household income (adjusted for cost of living); (2) educational attainment (% of residents 25 years and over who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher); and (3) property crime rates per 1,000 residents (burglary and automobile thefts)."

Publix to open in Ballantyne February 26

Publix is opening its Ballantyne store on February 26. According to the Charlotte Observer, the south Charlotte store is the first Publix store in North Carolina, although "retailer plans to open a slew of additional stores across the state in the coming years."

Publix will compete with Kroger, the new owner of Harris Teeter, and other local grocers including Food Lion,Walmart, Whole Foods, EarthFare, Aldi and Bi-Lo.

Read more here: http://obswhatsinstore.blogspot.com/2014/02/publix-opening-first-charlotte-store.html#storylink=cpy

Blakeney Racquet and Swim Club

Here is our newest banner at the Blakeney Racquet and Swim Club. Located at 10607 Rea Road just south of the Blakeney shopping area and just north of Marvin, the club is yet another great amenity in the Ballantyne-Blakeney-Marvin area of Charlotte, NC.

According to the Blakeney Racquet Club's web site, the club is home to over 45 tennis league teams, including several city leagues and state level championship tournaments. The club includes 10 lit tennis courts, two racquetball courts, a pool, health and fitness center, a kid's program and facilities for private events. Contact the Blakeney Racquet and Swim Club for membership information at 704-841-7529.

Ballantyne rezoning applications submitted

Today's Charlotte Observer highlights two local proposed developments that may undergo rezoning from residential to office or retail uses.

Applications have been submitted to rezone 13 acres at North Community House Road and I-485 by Toringdon Future Development LLC and Trinity Capital Advisors and "Merrifield Patrick Vermillion, wants 4.65 acres at Ardrey Kell and Marvin roads rezoned from residential to medical and professional office."

Both applications have been submitted to match current market conditions, which may be "better served" by rezoning to commercial projects.

According to the article, public rezoning hearings regarding each application are scheduled for March 17.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/23/4635001/experts-see-trend-in-zoning-changes.html#.Uuen5RAo7IU#storylink=cpy"

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/23/4635001/experts-see-trend-in-zoning-changes.html#.Uuen5RAo7IU#storylink=cpy

Local Multi-Family Announcements

The Enclave at Bailes Ridge
in Indian Land, SC

More new apartment complexes are planned for the South Charlotte and surrounding regions.

* As reported by the Charlotte Business Journal, "Trotter Builders is planning a 200-unit apartment complex on 10.3 acres near Toringdon in south Charlotte." The high-end apartment complex will be located at the corner of Endhaven Lane and North Community House Road, which will be extended over I-485. See also the related article in the Charlotte Observer.

* Construction has begun on TheEnclave at Bailes Ridge, a 246-unit apartment complex on S.C. Highway 160 in Indian Land, SC in Northern Lancaster County (Charlotte Business Journal).

* As part of a larger planned multi-use project, Terwilliger Pappas Multifamily Partners will develop 375 upscale apartments at Waverly, located at the corner of Ardrey Kell Road and Providence Road. The project at Waverly "will be called Solis Waverly and will offer on, two and three-bedroom floorplans, including many with optional direct access garages."

* A 70-unit subsidized apartment housing has been proposed on a 7.23-acre tract on Weddington Road near Portstewart Lane. The Charlotte City Council recently voted in favor of the rezoning that will allow the development of the complex by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership.

Update from Ballantyne Breakfast Club: New developments in Ballantyne and South Charlotte

Three representatives from Your Property People attended Saturday's Ballantyne Breakfast Club at the Ballantyne Resort.

Topics addressed and announcements included:

* An update from The Bissell Companies on a proposed office building in the Ballantyne Office Park and improvements to Community House Road.

* Vision Ventures, the new owner of Ballantyne Village, addressed improvements coming to this shopping center on behalf of consumers and tenants. This center was bank owned prior to the acquisition.

* Chuck Roskovich from Publix shared the grocery chain's excitement about the Charlotte market, and its plans for opening its Ballantyne store in February 2014.

* Crosland Southeast and Childress Klein, joint developers for the new Waverly community at the corner of Ardrey Kelly and Providence Roads, shared plans for the new neighborhood, which will include upscale multi-use commercial and residential properties. On the residential front, David Weekly Homes will be the builder for 100 single family detatched homes and townhomes, and there will be approximately 375 multifamily apartments built on the site. Ardrey Kell will likely be extended to Tilly Mill to accommodate for through traffic.

* Sharon Campbell, the General Manager for the upcoming Charlotte Premium Outlets, spoke about progress made to the new development at I-485, Steel Creek Road and Dixie Mill Road (Exit 4). This is a 82-acre joint venture between Simon Property Group and Tanger Outlets, with Phase I including 90 stores. According to Ms. Campbell, the shopping center is expected to generate $140 million in annual sales and $10 million in sales tax for the region.

* Other updates included an address by the new District 7 City Council Representative Ed Driggs and State House Rep. Bill Brawley, who updated the overflow audience on local traffic funding.

The question and answer session at the end of the event focused on local citizens' continued traffic concerns, as much of this new development will likely bring increased traffic to the area.

One thing is certain: Ballantyne and South Charlotte continues to be a hot destination for retailers, corporations looking for office space, and homeowners. These free monthly Ballantyne Breakfast Club meetings provides for a great opportunity to learn about new developments, traffic issues and improvements, governmental actions, schools, and other area interests.

Rental Available in Reavencrest (Ballantyne in Charlotte, NC)

Our firm has a new rental available in the Ballantyne area. The home, located in the Reavencrest neighborhood, is competitively priced and includes three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a two-car garage. Great school districts! Contact Sheila Chillcott at 704.641.5525 for more information!

Ballantyne ranked nationally in zip code searches by Realtor.com

Source:  BallantyneVillage.com

A bit of Ballantyne news to share this morning.

Realtor.com, an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors, recently announced their top five zip code searches nationwide for 2013. Taking the #5 spot is our very own 28277.

Top schools, the number of local businesses and shopping centers, and office buildings all make Ballantyne is a desirable place to live, according to a Charlotte Business Journal article.

And a bit of shopping and dining news, also from the Charlotte Business Journal: the Encore! restaurant closed last weekend in the Blakeney Shopping Center. Bravo! Cucina Italiana announced that it will be taking its 6,300 square foot space and will open this spring. According to the group that leases the property, the shopping center is 99% leased. Those of us who live near the busy shopping center know the available space was likely very attractive to expanding restaurant chains!

What is Variable Commission?

The end of the calendar year is a great time to focus on marketing efforts, as many buyers and sellers will be soon making decisions about their homes and about hiring real estate brokers.

The theme of our latest advertising campaign is variable commission. We don't have a set fee for our earned listings. We believe that all homes are unique and real estate marketing plans should be unique, too! "We call it SMART marketing and what this means for you is reduced days on the market and more money in your pocket."

Here is a sample advertisement that we will run in a community newsletter in the Thornhill neighborhood of Ballantyne (South Charlotte, NC).  We've had tremendous success selling properties in this neighborhood and would love to let local residents know that we can successfully serve them with our experience and our SMART marketing plans!

Publix Plans in Charlotte

Map from Charlotte.Publix.com

I know a lot of people love the Publix grocery store chain. A new web site allows customers in the Charlotte area to track the store's growth in Charlotte. Soon there will be 13 stores in the Charlotte area - including Ballantyne!

For more news on real estate and growth in Charlotte and surrounding areas, you can see the new "news" page on my web site.