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Spotlight: Marvin Chase

Now pre-selling, Marvin Chase is the newest neighborhood in the heart of Marvin. There will be 17 custom built homes here by Century Communities. Located only minutes from I-485, Marvin Chase is just a quick drive from Ballantyne, Blakeney, and the Shoppes at Rae. Just head south down Johnston Road (Highway 52) and turn left on Marvin road, Marvin Chase is on the right.

Century Communities has three floorplans to choose from that can be customized to meet your family’s needs. Below is a quick summary of each:

  • Hawthorne – This plan includes a huge owner’s suite with retreat. Dual vanities and walk-in closets are standard. There is an open kitchen with an oversized island, granite counters, in-wall oven, and stainless steel appliances. A large covered patio lets you enjoy outdoor space.
  • Providence – This plan features an open floor plan with gourmet kitchen. 42” maple cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, walk-in pantry are standard. There is a guest suite downstairs with full bathroom. Additional flex space could be an office or formal living room. The large owner’s suite has dual vanities, separate tub and shower. There are two additional bedrooms, a loft, and optional game room upstairs.
  • Bridgeport – This plan includes a huge owner’s suite with luxurious bath with dual vanities and large walk-in closet. The kitchen has a large center island with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, custom cabinetry, in-wall oven and more. There is also a large private covered patio for indoor/outdoor living.

Marvin Chase feeds to top rated schools, Elon Park Elementary, Community House Middle, and Ardrey Kell High School. There are also many private, preschool, daycare, and mother’s day out programs nearby. Please verify school assignments as they are subject to change.

Homes in Marvin Chase range between $467,990 and $527,990 and could go higher depending on upgrades. They have between 4 and 6 bedrooms, and 3 to 5 bathrooms. You can choose between a 2 or 3 car garage and square footage ranges between 2,983 and over 4,000 square feet.

Don’t miss an opportunity to get in on this new community! Give us a call at (704) 525-4045. We would love to help you through the process of customizing your new home. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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Waxhaw’s MillBridge Has It All

There’s a gem of a neighborhood growing in Waxhaw right now. MillBridge is a master planned community with many sections appealing to a wide variety of buyers. The covered bridge draws you into a neighborhood that feels more like a small town. There is a lifestyle here, a slower pace to life so you can enjoy time with your family, friends, and your neighbors.

MillBridge is located in picturesque Waxhaw, NC and is zoned for award winning Union County schools. There are plenty of places to shop, dine, exercise, and have both outdoor and indoor entertainment nearby. Just 10 miles separate you from Ballantyne. MillBridge is located just off Kensington Drive (Jim Wilson Road) near the intersection with Waxhaw/Marvin Road right near the South Carolina border. It is also just a short drive away from Highway 16/Providence Road.

As is the trend with master planned communities, there are numerous amenities in MillBridge. Features include a 9,000 square foot community house, fitness classes, a Junior Olympic lap pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, parks, and community events throughout the year. There is a lazy river and waterslide, 60 acres of community parks, trails and greenways. Additionally, you’ll find a movie theater room, fitness facility, and cafe. Plenty of other features are available to explore as you move through the neighborhood. A full-time activities director can help you to find what might work for you, or can help create more value by adding activities that can further enhance your experience.

MillBridge currently has six phases with five builders spanning 900 acres. The sixth phase may have an existing or new builder as the last phase in the community. Master planner Landeavor, LLC has been creating communities like MillBridge since 2007, and they have been working to make them perfect.

Lennar has homes starting in the high $200’s in the range of 2,019-2,895 square feet. Bonterra Builders, Pulte Homes, and M/I Homes all have homes starting in the mid $300’s and ranging from 2,025 to 4,448+ square feet. DR Horton is responsible for one of the phases coming in November 2017. Each has plenty of floorplans and options to choose from to make MillBridge the perfect place for you and your family.

Once you cross the bridge, you’ll never want to leave. When you get to that point, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. We would love to help you join this great community. You can also find current listings on our website here.

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Elegant New Construction in Songwood Estates

If you think there are no new construction neighborhoods in SouthPark, thankfully you’re wrong. You won’t find the large master-planned communities here. The new construction neighborhoods are small, exclusive, luxurious, and custom built. Songwood Estates is a perfect example of one of these neighborhoods.

Located at the corner of Sharon View Road and Rock Creek Drive, Songwood Estates is just 3 miles from SouthPark Mall. A 20 minute drive will get you into Uptown Charlotte for a commute, basketball game, or a night on the town. Charlotte Douglas International Airport will take about 30 minutes by car.

Builder James Custom Homes has 14 home sites in Songwood Estates. There are quick move-in homes available, as well as 8 home plans to choose from to build a custom home on one of the remaining sites. They have fully decorated model homes located at the corner of Sharon View and Flintwood Lane where you can tour and get an idea for how you want to design a home of your own.

The homes that are available for quick move-in in Songwood Estates start in the $800’s and head up over $1 million. They range in size from 3,550 to 4,286 square feet and have 4 or 5 bedrooms and 4 to 5 ½ baths. 10 foot ceilings, hardwood flooring, media rooms, studies, owner’s suites, and more are to be expected in each home.

These homes are masterfully appointed, with trey and coffered ceilings and heavy mouldings and built-ins throughout. All have open gourmet kitchens with large islands. Each bedroom has direct access to a full bathroom, and the bathrooms are perfect.

Students in Songwood Estates are currently zoned for top rated Sharon Elementary School, Carmel Middle School, and Myers Park High School. Please confirm school assignments as they are subject to change. There are also many private, preschool, and daycare options close by.

If you are interested in owning one of these amazing homes in Songwood Estates, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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July Market Statistics

The housing market in the Charlotte continues to be strong this summer. All indicators are that sales are strong, they are up 3.1% year over year which is a rise of 127 sales. However, total inventory is still down year over year down to a 2.6 month supply of homes.

The monthly report from the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association also shows that sales slowed between June and July. Sales are down 473 homes from one month to the next. This appears to follow a yearly trend. In 2016 there was a dip in sales of 785 homes between June and July.

The 2.6 months of inventory are down 25.7% from June of 2016 when there was a 3.5 month supply of homes. There were only 10,174 homes on the market at the time of the report as compared to 12,685 in July of 2016.

There are a few factors that are keeping a shortage of homes on the market. Sellers are not listing homes the same way. There is a trend of homeowners staying in homes longer, not trading up from a starter home, or just buying their forever home from the beginning. With a lack of supply in the market, it is hard for sellers to sell until they have secured their next home. This leads to a catch-22 where sellers won’t sell because they have nothing to buy.

Builders are not able to make up the gap fast enough to add supply to the market to keep up with buyer demand. There has been a labor shortage for builders so they are relying on a smaller pool of talent and that inevitably slows down building.

New listings are up 5.9% from 5,123 to 5,427. Pending sales are also on the rise from 4,068 to 4,724 representing a rise of 16.1% year over year. This is a strong sign that the market is going to continue on the current trajectory.

If you are interested in a home in the Charlotte area, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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Tiny Home Community Coming to Charlotte

Tiny Homes have been all the rage for a while across the country. There are entire HGTV shows dedicated to them. They can be mobile on trailers, or permanent on a foundation. These tiny homes can be in a back-yard as an office, home gym, or mother-in-law suite. They are incredibly versatile and inexpensive to make and maintain.

Kitchen and Living room in Keyo Park West

There are endless variety of designs for tiny homes. Modern architecture is very common, with some even being built out of old shipping containers. Homes built in back-yards tend to mirror the main house. Many are made out of recycled materials or completely built by the owners.

Tiny homes have loads of great features packed inside and seem more like boats or recreational vehicles than a traditional home. Clever panels conceal storage, steps are condensed to look like ladders, rooms multi-task to make the most out of each space.

Keyo Park West is a new tiny home community coming to the Charlotte area by developer Kelvin Young. Young was appalled at the lack of affordable housing in Charlotte and wanted to be part of the solution. His plan calls for 56 tiny homes starting at $89,995. This price includes the lot and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom 493 square foot home.

Bedroom in Keyo Park West

Homes in Keyo Park West will all have top of the line appliances, modern light switches, and Italian bathroom tiles. The feel they are going for is luxury boutique hotel.

The homes will be customized to meet the needs of each buyer. The developer is committed to building 2 homes for homeless families for every 25 homes sold. This follows a trend that is seen in Austin, TX where there is an entire community of tiny homes to house the chronic homeless population.

These homes are located in North West Charlotte near Freedom Drive and I-485. They are right across the way from Paw Creek Elementary School. This makes for an easy Uptown commute.

If you are interested in a tiny home in this community, or would like us to help you find a home with a tiny house in the backyard, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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Charlotte Neighborhoods Reshaped by Teardowns

As demand for homes close to Uptown Charlotte grows, teardowns appear to be inevitable. People have changed what they want out of a home, so original structures don’t meet the needs anymore. Many homes can be added on to get the space and functionality that is desirable now. But, many homes are too small, outdated, expensive, or out of style to easily modify. When this happens, buyers buy the house for the value of the land, then start over with a new construction design.

Many of the older neighborhoods in Charlotte have historical guidelines that prohibit tearing down structures. Those that don’t have such restrictions have seen a rise in teardowns and there is no apparent end in sight as demand seems to be growing. There have been teardowns in parts of Dilworth, Sedgefield and Montford for years, but now we are seeing a rash of them in Wilmore and Villa Heights as well as many areas that are further out from Uptown.

Many people love a new home built in a traditional close-in neighborhood. It allows for a shorter commute, close proximity to nightlife, restaurants, and in some cases walkable neighborhoods. Homes tend to take up much more of the land than the original structures. They can also be much taller than the original. These homes tend to have modern features that are extremely desirable right now. Many contain offices for working from home, high speed internet connections and wifi. They also tend to have open concept living spaces in the main living areas. Bedrooms tend to be large and may contain spa like bathrooms.

If you are interested in a new construction home in an existing neighborhood, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. We can also help you look for a property if you would like to build up a new construction home in place of an existing structure. You can view current listings on our website here.

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Get in on City Park Townhomes

Townhomes have long been a stepping stone towards buying a bigger home, or a wonderful place to downsize, but they are really for everybody. Ryan Homes is a new project called City Park that we’re really excited about. It has a perfect location and great amenities, all starting from the upper $230’s.

City Park is situated right off Billy Graham Parkway, 5 miles from Uptown and 3 miles from SouthEnd. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is just down Billy Graham Parkway so City Park is really convenient for business travelers and vacationers. SouthPark Mall is a quick drive away for luxurious shopping and dining.

Walkability score is high in City Park. New retail, office, and hotel space are all within walking distance. Renaissance Park is also just a quick walk away. The park is loaded with trails, tennis, beach volleyball, golf, mountain bike riding, and more inside it’s 145 acres. There are also many planned future retail projects that will only make City Park more desirable. A few minutes away is the farmer’s market, perfect for a lazy weekend stroll.

Ryan Homes is the builder for the project. They are offering 2 or 3 story townhomes with 1 or 2 car garages. Plans have 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms and up to 2,332 square feet of living space. There are four basic plans, the Mendelsshon two or three story and the Schubert two or three story.

Plenty of luxury features are included in the townhomes, and there are upgrade packages so you can customize your home. Upgraded features include granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood foyers and more. Options abound as you can choose a large coat closet or optional extra half-bath, large islands in the kitchen or second floor laundry. There are hundreds of ways to make the space your own.

If you are interested in owning a home in City Park, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. Remember, it costs you nothing to bring a Realtor with you when you purchase new construction. The builder pays the Realtor fees, but having a guide through all of the customization and decision making can be invaluable. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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Explore Berewick

If you are feeling the price squeeze looking at homes in South Charlotte, why not take a closer look at Berewick? This fast growing community in Steele Creek is building homes at a furious pace to keep up with demand. There are plenty of different options, from Townhomes to single-family homes with reasonable price points. This master planned community has something for everyone, all within 1,050 acres just 12 miles from Uptown Charlotte.

Berewick first broke ground back in 1999 and the first residents moved in more than ten years ago. They are on track to sell their 2,000th home later this summer, and are on track to eventually (most likely in 2018) have 3,000 homes, townhomes, and apartments. There is a 55 and older part of the project under contract right now, and a hotel to open next summer.

Pappas Properties is the master planner for the community. Their previous projects include Phillips Place, Metropolitan, Charlotte Cotton Mills, Birkdale, and Birkdale Village. With those projects behind them, they are bringing great knowledge and experience to make Berewick into a masterpiece.

Retail and commercial projects are following to support all of the people living in the community. Many restaurants are coming to the area as well as an already open 53,000 square foot Harris Teeter. The location is fantastic, with easy access to I-485, and convenient access to Tanger Outlets.

Homes in Berewick average a sales price of $284,860 with a high sale price in the last year of $393,996. Townhomes can be had for between $210,000 and $240,000. There are five national builders to choose from if you are looking to build a new construction home. DR Horton, Eastwood Homes, Lennar Homes, Mattamy Homes, and Ryan Homes provide many different floor plans to help you customize your dream home.

There is a planned Town Center with amenities and shops for residents to enjoy. An on-site community activities director provides events for neighbors throughout the year. Amenities also include the Manor House, swimming pools, walking trails, green space, volleyball courts and fitness center. The future Berewick District Park will also serve to provide residents with additional green space. Public access to Lake Wylie is only 10 minutes away if you are keen on a day on the water.

Children in Berewick currently attend Berewick Elementary School, Kennedy Middle School, and Olympic High School. There are also many private, preschool, and daycare options nearby. Please verify school assignments as they are subject to change.

If you are interested in a home in Berewick, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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Spotlight: Stratford Hall

Union county is home to some great homes and the ones in Stratford Hall are a wonderful example. The gated neighborhood has just a few homes so it is secluded and private with a great small community. Zoned for Weddington schools, Stratford Hall has a prestigious location with amazing homes.

Stratford Hall is located just off Weddington-Matthews Road near the intersection of Tilley Morris Road. From the gates, a trip to Uptown Charlotte will take around 40 minutes via quick access to I-485. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is about 35 minutes away. There are shopping options within a 5 minute drive in Ballantyne. This gives you all the convenience you would need while helping you get away from it all.

Gourmet Kitchen in Stratford Hall

The small size means that there are few amenities that are shared by the whole neighborhood. There is a pond with walking trails and a shared pasture that is conservation land so will not be developed further. Many homes have their own oasis in the large yards. There are plenty of outdoor living spaces including outdoor kitchens, pools, fireplaces, lounge areas and more.

The large lots are also home to stately homes with winding driveways, three or more car garages some split and most side-load.

Homes are unique here as they were all custom built. There is a range in style from Old World, Transitional, French Provincial, Traditional, Mediterranean, Tudor, Craftsman, and Nantucket. Most homes have brick or stone exteriors with custom details like hand crafted custom front doors and designer lighting.

A luxury bathroom in Stratford Hall

Mature landscaping is common as most of the neighborhood was built around 2005-2007. There is one new construction home right now with even more luxury features developed or come into fashion in the last ten years.

Homes in Stratford Hall range in size from 3,600 – over 9,000 square feet. Homes generally range in price from the $500’s to $1.5 million. Luxury features abound and include gourmet kitchens, spa-like bathrooms, custom cabinetry, owner’s suites, custom millwork and more.

If you would like to own a home in Stratford Hall, give us a call at (704) 525-4045 and we can help get you into the home of your dreams. You can also view current listings on our website here.

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More 55 and over Active Communities Coming to Charlotte

Trends show that people want to downsize after their children leave the nest. Builders have noticed this trend and they are responding in a big way. There are at least 6 communities specifically catering to active adults over age 55. Trilogy Lake Norman, Cypress, Tree Tops, Aldersgate, Cresswind Charlotte and Carolina Orchard have been built over the last few years. There are many other projects in the works as demand is soaring.

Most of the communities have found features specifically geared toward a soon to be aging population. These features include single-story homes, low to no maintenance exteriors taken care of by an HOA, and start prices around $200,000.

The thing that sets these communities apart are the amenities. They usually have large recreation centers with gyms, yoga rooms, spin classes, heated salt-water pools and more. Many of them have cooking classes, poker clubs, book clubs, boating clubs, and dinner outing clubs. There are even some communities that cater to the travel minded, organizing group trips to destinations all over the world.

The active adults that want to live in these places are still very much a part of the wider community. Many of them move to be closer to family, but to still be independent. There is really a sense of belonging within the projects.

Many of these 55 and older communities are marketed as if they are campuses of like minded people coming together. They focus on holistic wellness, resort style amenities, and social interaction. There are also many of the communities that provide full assisted living for residents who require a higher level of care.

If you are interested in one of the many communities for active adults in and around Charlotte, give us a call at (704) 525-4045. You can also view current listings on our website here.