Carolinas Real Estate Talk

Fun Things to Do in Charlotte NC--Attend a Charlotte Symphony Pops Concert

Carol Fox — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:34:00 GMT

It’s almost June. That means it’s time to pull out your picnic basket and blanket so that you can spend an evening under the stars with the Charlotte Symphony. The Symphony’s Summer Pops concerts will begin on June 10th at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall. Symphony Park is a band shell with grassy seating that was built especially for the Charlotte Symphony’s summer series.

Thousands attend the concerts every year. The music is a blend of light classics, Hollywood tunes and Broadway favorites. A prelude act begins at 7pm. The symphony plays at 8:15.

Here are the programs for the 2012 Summer Pops series.

June 10 Symphony Park Serenade
June 17 Symphonic Passion
June 24 Vive la France
July 1 Three Great American Composers
July 3 Celebrate America

The gates open at 5pm for the concerts at SouthPark. Admission is $10 for adults. Children under 18 are admitted free. Tickets are sold online and over the phone until 4pm on Fridays. Tickets are sold at three locations at Symphony Park at 4pm on Sundays.

If you prefer to experience the Pops Concerts in a smaller setting, the Symphony also plays its programs in some of the small towns around Charlotte. You can hear the Symphony on June 8 at Stumptown Park in Matthews, on June 22 at Duke Energy Explorium in Huntersville, on June 28 at Belle Johnston Park in Pineville and on June 30 at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius. Admission to these concerts is free.

Want to know more about living in Charlotte NC? Request a free Charlotte relocation package.

Union County NC Small Towns--Buyers or Sellers Market?

Carol Fox — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Buyers market or sellers market? This is the third in a series about the Union County NC real estate market. This post will examine the market in some of Union County’s small towns to see who has a stronger negotiating position: buyers or sellers?

In the first post, we looked at the Union County real estate market as a whole. The first step was to determine how many months of supply or market absorption rate the county had in the month of April 2012 as well as the previous three, six and twelve months. A look at supply in each quarter could help us spot trends over the past year.

We defined three types of markets as follows:

Sellers Market Fewer than five month of supply
Balanced Market Five to seven months of supply
Buyers Market More than seven months of supply

We concluded that Union County as a whole has maintained an eight month supply of inventory over each quarter of the past year. This is defined as a buyers market.

In the second post, we analyzed the Union County real estate market by price points to determine whether there were any price ranges where sellers had the advantage. We determined that sellers with homes priced under $200,000 were in a balanced market with 5.8 to 6.8 months of supply over the past year. Buyers had the advantage in the other price ranges with months of supply increasing as prices increased.

In this post, we look at the market absorption rate in some of the small towns in Union County. Where are the best places for buyers and where do sellers have the advantage? The table below shows the results of the analysis.

None of these small towns has a sellers market. Most of them have a buyers market like Union County as a whole. Indian Trail and Waxhaw have balanced markets currently with a six month supply of housing in Waxhaw and a five to six month supply in Indian Trail. Towns with the greatest housing inventory like Weddington, Marvin and Wesley Chapel also tend to have the higher priced homes. This is consistent with the results found in our study of the various price points in Union County.

Trends over the past year show some improvement in Stallings and Monroe but deterioration in some of the higher-priced towns where more sellers in the marketplace recently have apparently outpaced the number of buyers. Lake Park, a modestly priced town, has seen its market absorption rate decline over the past year.

Union County	1 Month	3 Months	6 Months	12 Months
Months of Supply	8.7	8.6	8.7	8.3
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers
Waxhaw
Months of Supply	6.8	6.7	6.9	6.2
Type of Market	Balanced	Balanced	Balanced	Balanced
Indian Trail
Months of Supply	5	6.1	5.9	5.5
Type of Market	Balanced	Balanced	Balanced	Balanced
Monroe
Months of Supply	8.1	9.7	9.9	9.5
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers
Stallings
Months of Supply	7.8	8.8	10.4	8.3
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers
Lake Park
Months of Supply	14	10.7	6.6	1.1
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Balanced	Sellers
Wesley Chapel
Months of Supply	12	7.8	9	9.7
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers
Weddington
Months of Supply	10.3	10.3	8.7	7.3
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers
Marvin
Months of Supply	13	13	11.8	7.8
Type of Market	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers	Buyers

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Mint Hill NC Open House--13927 Jonathans Ridge Road on Sunday May 20

Carol Fox — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:28:00 GMT

Jonathans Landing, Mint Hill - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 13927 Jonathans Ridge Road on May 20 from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM.

Property information

Stevens Mill Area Neighborhoods in Stallings NC--2011 Market Update

Carol Fox — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:11:00 GMT

The Stevens Mill area in Stallings NC is a great place to find a home whether you are looking for an affordable place, a full brick home, a generous lot with mature trees or a golf course community. Named after a family who operated a mill in the area, Stevens Mill lies along Stevens Mill Road between Idlewild Road and Lawyers Road. Idlewild and Lawyers Roads each have an interchange with I-485 within a mile of Stevens Mill Road so access to other parts of Charlotte to the north and south is very convenient. There are community shopping centers at Lawyers and at Idlewild with grocery stores, restaurants, a bank, a car wash and other service businesses.

2011 Market Update for Stevens Mill Area Neighborhoods

Except for Shannamara and Emerald Lake, the two golf course communities in the area, Stevens Mill neighborhoods are small without many sales each year. The 2011 real estate market will be described briefly below. Click on each neighborhood for a link to an article with more information about the neighborhood, its amenities, its builders, current homes for sale and the real estate market from previous years.

Fairfield Plantation

Fairfield Plantation was the first neighborhood built in the area. You’ll find affordable brick homes built in the 1970s in this community. You can also find new construction here as a builder recently began construction on available lots. The neighborhood includes a swimming pool and other amenities.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
3	1883	$156,000	$138,800	97

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Hunley Creek

Construction in Hunley Creek began in the 1980s. Lots in the neighborhood range from a third acre to a half acre in size. Many of the homes are colonial in style with hardboard siding. You can find ranches as well as two-story homes. Full-brick homes are also available. Hunley Creek residents have a swimming pool and clubhouse.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
4	2399	$214,000	$171,950	113

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Stevens Mill

Stevens Mill is a small neighborhood of primarily full-brick homes that was built in the early 1990s. Big lots with wide frontage allowed mature trees around the homes to remain. Both ranches and two-story homes are found in the neighborhood. Stevens Mill has a common area with a picnic shelter for residents.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
5	1840	$231,342	$198,500	37

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Willowbrook

Willowbrook is adjacent to and shares the community clubhouse and swimming pool with Hunley Creek. The neighborhood was built at the same time as Hunley Creek and Stevens Mill but offered larger homes with upgraded features. Most Willowbrook homes are full-brick homes. Large lots with trees and mature landscaping are characteristic of this community as well.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
1	2503	$245,000	$245,000	421

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is one of the two golf course communities in the Stevens Mill area. Its homes are built around the Emerald Lake Golf Club, a semi-private course. The neighborhood was built in the 1990s up to the mid-2000s by several custom builders and one production builder. The homes have brick and stone exteriors and many are on the golf course. Residents have access to the swimming pool at the Golf Club but do not have to purchase a membership in the Golf Club.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
1	4028	$363,000	$363,000	109

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Shannamara

Shannamara is a large neighborhood of approximately 700 homes. Many of its homes are on The Divide golf course, a daily fee course. Like Emerald Lake, Shannamara was built from the 1990s until the mid-2000s by both production and custom builders. All of the homes have a brick front. Many are full brick. Shannamara is a great place to find a ranch-style home. Community amenities include two swimming pools, a clubhouse, tennis courts and a playground. There is a private lake with homes ringing it in the neighborhood.

Total 2011 Closed Sales	Median Square Footage	Top Closed Price	Median Closed Price	Median Days on Market
29	3272	$465,000	$312,000	93

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Stallings NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Windrow--Neighborhood Information and Homes for Sale

Carol Fox — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:31:00 GMT

Discover Windrow, one of Charlotte’s affordable equestrian neighborhoods.

Built in the 1970s and 1980s and designed to be an equestrian community, Windrow is a great Charlotte neighborhood to find larger lots and mature trees and landscaping. Windrow is located in Matthews, a small town on the southeastern edge of Charlotte. Loaded with small quiet neighborhoods and a historic downtown, Matthews offers a farmers market, a library, shopping and a variety of community festivals for Windrow residents.

The first section of Windrow to be built was Windrow Estates where equestrian trails wind through backyards. Farmhouse-style homes with big front porches are numerous in Windrow Estates. Residents of this section have access to community facilities, including a clubhouse and pools and a fishing lake.

Windrow II was the last section to be built in Windrow. Here the lots are only a half acre in size and residents don’t have access to the community facilities. There are no homeowners fees for Windrow II.

Windrow Homes for Sale

Click here to see Windrow homes for sale.

Want to know what your Windrow home is worth? Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Windrow Real Estate Market

Five homes closed in Windrow in 2011. Three of those sales were foreclosures causing the 2011 median sales price to be dramatically lower than previous years.

Windrow Single Family Market Update	Closed Price Range	Median Closed Price	Home Sq. Ft. Range	Median Days on Market	Median List-to-Sale Ratio
Year 2011	$90,000-$190,000	$128,199	1689-2502	155	95%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Windrow Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	% of Closed Sales
Resale	2	40%
New Construction	n/a	n/a
Foreclosure	3	60%
Short Sale	n/a	n/a

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Windrow Community Features

Location: Between Idlewild and Phillips Roads near Highway 51. Town of Matthews NC. Mecklenburg County NC. Zip Code 28105.

Builders: Squires Homes

Community Amenities: Windrow Homeowners Association, walking trails and common areas, clubhouse, two swimming pools, playground, fishing lake, equestrian trails.

Schools: Bain Elementary, Mint Hill Middle, Butler High. School assignments are subject to change. Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current assignments.

Matthews NC History Takes Center Stage This Saturday

Carol Fox — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:48:00 GMT

Downtown Matthews NC will host the second annual Discover Matthews event on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Discover Matthews celebrates the town’s history and heritage with a series of activities from 10am to 4pm.

Matthews has been very successful in preserving buildings and homes that showcase its heritage. Its historic downtown appeals to those who visit or want to live in a small town that reminds them of simpler times. Charming buildings with restaurants and other enterprises give the immensely walkable downtown a friendly feel and provide a wonderful backdrop for the many community festivals throughout the year.

What can you discover about Matthews’ heritage on Saturday?

Visit the old Seaboard Railroad Depot to see artifacts from the days when Matthews was an important railroad hub for the surrounding community.
Trace your roots at the Matthews Library’s Genealogy Day.
Learn about the future Matthews Heritage Museum at the Massey-Clark House.
Visit the Nancy Reid house to learn about the Matthews Historical Foundation.
Enjoy musical presentations at the Matthews Gazebo outside town hall.
Take a walking tour of historic downtown Matthews.
Enjoy an old-fashioned Strawberry Social at the Nancy Reid house.

Read more about historic homes and buildings in Matthews.

Nancy Reid House
Historic Homes in Matthews
BD Funderburk House
Matthews Community Center

Want to know more about real estate and living in Matthews NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Union County NC Best Price Points for Buyers and Sellers

Carol Fox — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:19:00 GMT

The Union County NC real estate market is in a buyers market with approximately eight months of inventory on the market. This market absorption rate has held steady for the past year. Click here to learn more about how the market absorption rate for Union County was calculated.

What is the market absorption rate for various price ranges within the Union County real estate market? Is it possible to find price points where sellers have more strength in negotiating offers and selling their homes? Let’s analyze the Union County market by price range and see whether buyers or sellers are stronger.

Remember that a sellers market has less than 5 months of supply, a balanced market has 5 to 7 months of supply and a buyers market has more than 7 months of supply.

Best Union County NC Price Points for Buyers and Sellers

The table below shows that Union County sellers priced below $200,000 are in a balanced market with supply in the six month range. The trend over the past six months appears to favor sellers as months of supply has been dropping.

The market swings to favor home buyers above $200,000. Between $200,000 and $500,000, there are nine months of supply. In this price point, months of supply has dropped slightly over the last six months. Buyers in the $500,000 to $750,000 are in a very strong buyers market with the trend turning upward from a little over 9 months of supply a year ago to almost two years of supply currently. Perhaps greater activity in the spring of 2012 has encouraged more sellers in this price point to put their homes on the market. The market above $750,000 is still a buyers market although trends show that it has improved recently.

Market Activity	1 Month	3 Months	6 Months	12 Months
<$200,000
Closed Sales	111	300	568	1278
Average Sales Per Month	111	100	94.6	106
Homes for Sale Currently	648	648	648	648
Months of Supply	5.8	6.4	6.8	6.1
$201,000-$500,000
Closed Sales	66	191	366	909
Average Sales Per Month	66	63.6	61	75.7
Homes for Sale Currently	614	614	614	614
Months of Supply	9.3	9.6	10	8.1
$501,000-$750,000
Closed sales	5	23	63	149
Average Sales Per Month	5	7.6	10.5	12.4
Homes for Sale Currently	116	116	116	116
Months of Supply	23.2	15.2	11	9.3
>$751,000
Closed Sales	10	22	44	100
Average Sales Per Month	10	7.3	7.3	8.3
Homes for Sale Currently	106	106	106	106
Months of Supply	10.6	14.5	14.5	12.7

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about buying and selling real estate in Union County NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Waxhaw NC Spring Fest Honors Mothers This Weekend

Carol Fox — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:51:00 GMT

Mothers will be the guests of honor at the Spring Fest in downtown Waxhaw NC this weekend.

Because Waxhaw’s annual spring festival falls on Mother’s Day weekend this year, there will be special events for mom in addition to the arts and crafts show and children’s activities.

Here is a list of some of the activities that mothers can enjoy with their children.

Princess Tea Party for mothers and daughters. May 12 10-11am Cost $5 per person
Mother and Son Ice Cream Social May 12 1-2pm Cost $5 per person
Free gift making for mom (Mother’s Day card and paper flower bouquet) May 12 2:30-5:30pm
Mommy Makeover Contest
Fashion Show May 13 2-3:30pm

Everyone can enjoy the musical entertainment throughout the weekend. Children will be treated to entertainment from a clown, a musician, a pirate and the hula hoop lady. They can also spend time at the pony rides and the petting zoo.

The 70 degree weather will be perfect for this festival that fills the main street in historic downtown Waxhaw. Restaurants and shops will be open and the sidewalks of this pretty town will be a great place to meet friends and neighbors. Proceeds from ticket sales for the special events benefit the Museum of the Waxhaws.

Click here to learn more about the Waxhaw NC lifestyle.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Waxhaw NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Union County NC--Buyers Market or Sellers Market?

Carol Fox — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:24:00 GMT

Question: Is the real estate market in Union County NC a buyers market or a sellers market?

Answer: It depends. Whether buyers control the market or sellers control the market depends on the location within the county and the price range. A market absorption analysis will tell us how many months of inventory are available for purchase. We can look at trends for the past month, past three months, past six months and a full year to see if the market is changing.

Defining A Buyers Market and a Sellers Market

Generally, local real estate markets are defined as a buyers market, a balanced market and a sellers market. Months of supply on the market will determine which category the market falls into. Here are accepted definitions:

Sellers Market Fewer than five month of supply
Balanced Market Five to seven months of supply
Buyers Market More than seven month of supply

Union County Real Estate Market April 2011-April 2012

Market Activity	1 Month	3 Months	6 Months	12 Months
Closed Sales	169	513	1019	2145
Average Sales Per Month	169	171	169	178
Homes for Sale Currently	1485	1485	1485	1485
Months of Supply	8.7	8.6	8.7	8.3

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

The table shows that Union County’s market absorption rate has remained steady over the past year at eight months of supply. This means that the Union County real estate market as a whole can be defined as a buyers market. What this means for Union County buyers and sellers is that buyers may have a stronger negotiating position when they purchase and sellers may have to give ground on pricing and concessions.

Future posts will analyze different price points within Union County’s real estate market as well as markets within its small towns.

Want to know more about buying or selling real estate in Union County NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Barrington--Neighborhood Information and Homes for Sale

Carol Fox — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:07:00 GMT

Discover Barrington, an all brick neighborhood in one of Charlotte’s quaint small towns.

Barrington is located in Waxhaw NC, one of Charlotte’s historic small towns in the southern part of the region. The neighborhood is set among the horse farms, rolling hills and grand estates located along Providence Road and Bonds Grove Road in Union County. Quaint downtown Waxhaw is a short drive away where antiques and art shops, a farmers market, restaurants and community festivals provide lively meeting places for town residents. South Charlotte’s amenities and access to I-485 are just ten to fifteen minutes away.

Barrington is a great neighborhood to find an all brick home at a reasonable price. Construction began in the neighborhood in 2006. Today the neighborhood is nearing completion. Pricing ranges into the mid-$300,000s for homes just under 3000 square feet to over 4000 square feet.

Barrington residents can enjoy community amenities including two pools and walking trails. Highly-regarded public schools are nearby.

Barrington Homes for Sale

Click here to see Barrington homes for sale.

Want to know what your Barrington home is worth? Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Barrington Real Estate Market

Thirteen homes closed in Barrington in 2011. Almost 85% of those sales were new construction.

Barrington Single Family Market Update	Closed Price Range	Median Closed Price	Home Sq. Ft. Range	Median Days on Market	Median List-to-Sale Ratio
Year 2011	$271,000-$339,000	$331,965	2811-3941	33	100%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Barrington Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	% of Closed Sales
Resale	2	15.4%
New Construction	11	84.6%
Foreclosure	n/a	n/a
Short Sale	n/a	n/a

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Barrington Community Features

Location: Off Bonds Grove Church Road. Town of Waxhaw NC. Union County NC. Zip Code 28173.

Builders: Shea Homes

Community Amenities: Barrington Homeowners Association, walking trails and common areas, clubhouse, junior olympic pool, kiddie pool, playground.

Schools: Sandy Ridge Elementary, Marvin Ridge Middle, Marvin Ridge High. School assignments are subject to change. Check with the Union County Public Schools for current assignments.

Mint Hill NC Scottish Heritage on Display at Highland Games

Carol Fox — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:46:00 GMT

This weekend you can join the celebration of Mint Hill’s Scottish and Scots-Irish heritage at the 8th Annual Highland Games. The clans will gather at Mint Hill Park on Friday evening May 4th and Saturday May 5th. You can enjoy celtic musical entertainment, highland athletic events, border collie demonstrations, children’s activities and food. This year, there is no parking or entrance fee to attend the event.

Friday events at the 2012 Highland Games include two hours of musical entertainment starting at 7pm. At 9pm a torchlight ceremony marks the calling of the clans. The gates open on Saturday at 9am and the athletic competitions begin. Music and border collie demonstrations are offered throughout the day. The Parade of Tartans is at noon. Gates close on Saturday at 5pm.

I attended the games last year and thoroughly enjoyed the music and the interesting athletic events. Watching the Parade of Tartans with each of the clans dressed in their family colors was a lot of fun.

Click on the link below to see photographs of the 2011 Mint Hill Highland Games.

Mint Hill NC Highland Games

Want to know more about real estate and living in Mint Hill NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Matthews NC Homes for Sale--1009 Jerry Lane

Carol Fox — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:21:00 GMT

Custom Ranch with Upstairs Suite

• 3 bath, 3 bdrm ranch "Upstairs bonus/suite" - MLS® $315,000

Streamside of Matthews, Matthews - Discover this beautiful custom ranch home lovingly built with exquisite upgrades and attention to detail. You'll love the location in one of Matthews' mature wooded neighborhoods near the heart of its historic downtown.

A peaceful entry courtyard leads into a beautiful great room with stone fireplace, wood floors, bonus room overlook and a soaring cathedral ceiling with paddle fan. Arched openings to the formal dining room and beyond add character to the room.

Enjoy entertaining in the formal dining room that is separated from the great room by architectural columns. A tray ceiling and crown and chair rail with picture frame molding dress up this room.

The heart of the home is the kitchen with abundant cabinetry with pull-out drawers. Beautiful granite countertops and wood floors add warmth to this room. Stainless appliances include double ovens, a gas cooktop, a dishwasher and microwave.

Banks of windows in a bay fill the breakfast room with light. This room overlooking the backyard has plenty of space for a large table and extra furniture.

A sunroom offers more views of the wooded, private backyard. Outdoor living continues from this room to the patio outside. Wiring has been added at the back of the house for a future hot tub.

The main level master bedroom suite has French doors to a stamped concrete patio outside. In the master bath, double sinks are set into an adult height vanity with granite countertop. An alcove with columns and faux glass window holds a soaker tub with tile surround. A large walk-in tile shower with seat is adjacent to the tub.

Find versatile space upstairs where a bonus/loft room overlooks the great room. A second master suite upstairs could be a great place for a roommate, guests, or teens. This bedroom has a walk-in closet plus access to walk-in attic storage. You'll find the same quality upstairs as down in this home.

Property information

Mint Hill NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:07:00 GMT

Mint Hill NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Mint Hill NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Mint Hill NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 35 single family homes closed in Mint Hill during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $525,000. Median days on the market were 84 days. There were 11 townhome or condominium closings in Mint Hill during the quarter. All but one of these closings were in Brighton Park.

Single Family Homes in Mint Hill NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings dropped over 15% compared to 2011 and was 42.1%% lower than the median closed price in 2008. The rate of home sales during the quarter was lower than previous years with only 35 homes closed. Median days on market in the first quarter increased slightly from 2011.

Single Family Homes

Mint Hill Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$258,500	$218,495	$195,545	$177,000	$149,001
Number of Homes Sold	194	152	176	155	35
Median Days on Market	26	41	103	80	84

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Mint Hill NC

Almost 40% of all single family sales in Mint Hill during the first quarter were distressed sales. The steep drop in median closed price is most likely due to the large number of distressed sales.

Mint Hill Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	15	42.8%
New Construction	7	20%
Foreclosure	9	25.7%
Short Sales	4	11.5%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Mint Hill NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Matthews NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:54:00 GMT

Matthews NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Matthews NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Matthews NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 30 single family homes closed in Matthews during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $388,500. Median days on the market were 120 days. There was one townhome or condominium closing in Matthews during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Matthews NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings dropped over 13% compared to 2011 and was 19.1% lower than the median closed price in 2008. The rate of home sales during the quarter was lower than previous years with only 30 homes closed. Median days on market in the first quarter increased slightly from 2011.

Single Family Homes

Matthews Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$224,450	$198,000	$208,250	$210,000	$181,500
Number of Homes Sold	228	178	172	184	30
Median Days on Market	32	46	89	115	120

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Matthews NC

Eighty percent of first quarter sales in Matthews were market resales.

Matthews Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	24	80%
New Construction	1	3.3%
Foreclosure	3	10%
Short Sales	5	6.7%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Matthews NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Union County NC Real Estate Market--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:58:00 GMT

Union County NC Real Estate Market—January-March 2012

The median closed price of Union County NC single family homes declined 7.4% in the first quarter of 2012 compared with all of 2011. The townhome/condominium price was slightly higher in the first quarter than in 2011.

A total of 506 homes sold in January through March. Almost a third of these sales were distressed sales, which most likely accounted for the decline in single family prices. Median days on market declined for both single family homes and townhomes.

Single Family Homes

Union County NC Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	Quarter 1 Year 2012
Median Sales Price	$217,000	$195,000	$200,000	$189,000	$175,000
Number of Homes Sold	2372	2089	1992	2143	491
Median Days on Market	36	43	94	90	80

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Townhomes and Condominiums

Union County NC Townhomes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	Quarter 1 Year 2012
Median Sales Price	$145,495	$131,000	$119,000	$113,500	$114,300
Number of Homes Sold	114	84	79	57	15
Median Days on Market	48	35	105	107	78

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Union County Types of Closed Sales

Sales Type	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resales	228	45%
New Construction	112	22.1%
Foreclosures	125	24.7%
Short Sales	41	8.1%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Union County NC Small Town Price Changes from 2009 to 2011

What about the small towns in Union County? Which ones saw price declines in the first quarter of 2012 and which ones had price increases? Four towns, Wesley Chapel, ,Waxhaw, Lake Park and Indian Trail, saw price increases in 2011. These increases were hefty ranging from 8.9% to 12.6% with Wesley Chapel’s increase the largest.

Median prices declined in the rest of Union County’s small towns. Monroe and Stallings had the largest decreases of 22.7% and 15.7% respectively.

Single Family Homes

Area	2009 to 2010 Change	Median 2011 Closed Price	2010 to 2011 Change	Quarter 1 2012 Closed Price	2011 to Quarter 1 2012 Change
Union County	+2.5%	$189,000	-5.5%	$175,000	-7.4%
Wesley Chapel	+12.8%	$301,000	+0.6%	$339,000	+12.6%
Monroe	+4.9%	$113,950	-10.9%	$88,000	-22.7%
Stallings	+2.1%	$199,495	+1.1%	$168,000	-15.7%
Marvin	-0.5%	$542,975	-4.7%	$491,486	-9.4%
Waxhaw	-2%	$235,000	-7.6%	$260,995	+11%
Lake Park	-3.6%	$142,250	-13.7%	$155,000	+8.9%
Weddington	-5%	$412,500	-13.1%	$416,300	-0.9%
Indian Trail	-8.4%	$155,597	+0.4%	$173,000	+11.1%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Union County NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Monroe NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:01:00 GMT

Monroe NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Monroe NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Monroe NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 69 single family homes closed in Monroe during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $294,000. Median days on the market were 78 days. There were two townhome or condominium closings in Monroe during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Monroe NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings dropped almost 23% compared to 2011 and was 37.8% lower than the median closed price in 2008. Median days on market in the first quarter also declined from 2011.

Single Family Homes

Monroe Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$141,500	$121,950	$128,000	$113,950	$88,000
Number of Homes Sold	248	200	173	234	69
Median Days on Market	38	48	83	91	78

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Monroe NC

Approximately 50% of first quarter sales in Monroe were distressed sales. This high volume of foreclosures and short sales was likely responsible for the large drop in the quarter’s median sales price.

Monroe Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	33	47.8%
New Construction	2	2.8%
Foreclosure	30	43.4%
Short Sales	4	6%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Monroe NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Mint Hill NC Homes for Sale--13927 Jonathans Ridge Road is Reduced!

Carol Fox — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:20:00 GMT

Jonathans Landing, Mint Hill - Announcing a price reduction on 13927 Jonathans Ridge Road, a 2 bath, 3 bdrm 2 story "Full-brick". Now MLS® $300,000 - .

Property information

Lake Park NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:20:00 GMT

Lake Park NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Lake Park NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Lake Park NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 7 single family homes closed in Lake Park during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $252,500. Median days on the market were 95 days. There was one townhome or condominium closing in Lake Park during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Lake Park NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings increased 8.9% over 2011 but remains below previous years’ median prices. Median days on market increased slightly over 2011.

Single Family Homes

Lake Park Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$175,000	$172,000	$165,692	$142,250	$155,000
Number of Homes Sold	45	23	24	42	7
Median Days on Market	37	60	143	80	95

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Lake Park NC

Over seventy percent of sales during the first quarter in Lake Park

were market resales.

Lake Park Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	5	71.4%
New Construction	n/a	n/a
Foreclosure	2	28.6%
Short Sales	n/a	n/a

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Want to know more about real estate and living in Lake Park NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Stallings NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:39:00 GMT

Stallings NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Stallings NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Stallings NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 17 single family homes closed in Stallings during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $440,000. Median days on the market were 241 days. There were two townhome or condominium closings in Stallings during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Stallings NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings was substantially lower than those of previous years. Analysis of first quarter sales shows that most sales were in moderately priced neighborhoods bringing the median price down. Median days on market more than doubled in the first quarter.

Single Family Homes

Stallings Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$227,490	$193,000	$197,165	$199,495	$168,000
Number of Homes Sold	161	125	95	88	17
Median Days on Market	34	38	85	113	241

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Stallings NC

Seventy percent of sales during the first quarter in Stallings were market resales.

Stallings Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	12	70.5%
New Construction	2	11.7%
Foreclosure	3	17.8%
Short Sales	n/a	n/a

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Stallings—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Chestnut Oaks Kerry Greens Callonwood

Want to know more about real estate and living in Stallings NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Indian Trail NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Indian Trail NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Indian Trail NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Indian Trail NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 76 single family homes closed in Indian Trail during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $535,000. Median days on the market were 82 days. There was one townhome or condominium closing in Indian Trail during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Indian Trail NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings increased 11.1% in 2012 over 2011. The first quarter 2012 median price is now higher than any year since 2008. Median days on market increased slightly over 2011.

Single Family Homes

Indian Trail Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$181,250	$169,200	$154,900	$155,597	$173,000
Number of Homes Sold	326	314	217	294	76
Median Days on Market	41	40	92	77	82

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Indian Trail NC

New construction sales accounted for over 30% of first quarter closings, which may have raised the median sales price in the town. Distressed sales accounted for approximately 25% of sales in the first quarter.

Indian Trail Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	33	43.4%
New Construction	24	31.5%
Foreclosure	15	19.7%
Short Sales	4	5.4%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Indian Trail—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Bonterra	Brandon Oaks
Fieldstone Farm	Sheridan

Want to know more about real estate and living in Indian Trail NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:15:00 GMT

Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Waxhaw NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Waxhaw NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 56 single family homes closed in Waxhaw during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $1,800,000. Median days on the market were 75 days. There were no townhome or condominium closings in Waxhaw during the quarter.

Single Family Homes in Waxhaw NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings increased 11% in 2012 over 2011. The first quarter 2012 median price is now higher than any year since 2009. Median days on market decreased 7.4% from 2011.

Single Family Homes

Waxhaw Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$312,725	$260,000	$254,597	$235,000	$260,995
Number of Homes Sold	184	159	172	183	56
Median Days on Market	26	43	98	81	75

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Waxhaw NC

New construction sales dominated first quarter closings at over 46% of all sales. Distressed sales only accounted for approximately 14% of sales in the first quarter.

Waxhaw Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	22	39.2%
New Construction	26	46.4%
Foreclosure	2	3.5%
Short Sales	6	10.9%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Waxhaw—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Barrington	Cureton	Lawson
Millbridge	Prescot	Weddington Trace

Want to know more about real estate and living in Waxhaw NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Matthews Community Farmers Market Opens for the Spring Season

Carol Fox — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:53:00 GMT

Saturday, April 7th, was opening day for the Matthews Community Farmers Market.

This market is a wonderful community asset located in the heart of historic downtown Matthews NC. The market is open every Saturday morning from April through November. Established in 1991, the Matthews Community Farmers Market has produce and other food products from farmers and other vendors located within 50 miles of Matthews.

The Matthews Farmers Market offers a great place to meet neighbors and friends on Saturday mornings. You can also enjoy the special events at the market each week. At 7:30am there is a Chef’s Secret demonstration and at 8:30am local chefs demonstrate how to use in-season produce. Musical entertainment begins at 9am. There are often special seasonal events, such as tomato tastings and cookbook swaps.

Click on the link below to watch a video of opening day for the 2012 spring season at the Matthews Community Farmers Market.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Matthews NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Weddington NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:04:00 GMT

Weddington NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Weddington NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Weddington NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 18 single family homes closed in Weddington during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $1,999,000. Median days on the market were 89 days.

Single Family Homes in Weddington NC

The median price of first quarter 2012 closings was nearly the same as the median closed price for 2011. Median days on the market remained the same as well.

Single Family Homes

Weddington Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$567,917	$500,000	$475,000	$412,500	$416,300
Number of Homes Sold	72	58	90	89	18
Median Days on Market	31	68	103	89	89

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Weddington NC

Resales accounted for for over 60% of all home sales during the first quarter of 2012. Nearly 30% of the sales were new construction. Distressed sales were a very small part of the Weddington market with only one short sale recorded.

Weddington Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	12	66.6%
New Construction	5	27.7%
Foreclosure	n/a	n/a
Short Sales	1	5.7%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Weddington—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Providence Woods Highgate

Want to know more about real estate and living in Weddington NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Marvin NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:58:00 GMT

Marvin NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Marvin NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Marvin NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 12 single family homes closed in Marvin during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $815,000. Median days on the market were 67 days.

Single Family Homes in Marvin NC

The median sales price of first quarter 2012 closings in Marvin continued to decline dropping 9.4% from 2011. Median days on market dropped approximately 14% from 2011.

Single Family Homes

Marvin Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$731,250	$573,270	$570,000	$542,975	$491,486
Number of Homes Sold	34	30	39	54	12
Median Days on Market	33	38	118	78	67

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Marvin NC

Resales accounted for nearly 70% of all home sales during the first quarter of 2012. The remaining closings were divided between new construction and distressed sales.

Marvin Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	8	66.6%
New Construction	2	16.6%
Foreclosure	1	8.4%
Short Sales	1	8.4%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Marvin—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Weddington Chase Marvin Creek

Want to know more about real estate and living in Marvin NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Wesley Chapel NC Real Estate Market Report--January-March 2012

Carol Fox — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:33:00 GMT

Wesley Chapel NC Real Estate Market Report—January-March 2012

How did the Wesley Chapel NC real estate market fare during the first quarter of 2012 and how does it compare with previous years?

The tables below compare the Wesley Chapel NC real estate market during the first quarter of 2012 with years 2008 through 2011. 12 single family homes closed in Wesley Chapel during the first quarter of 2012. The highest priced single family home sale was $637,500. Median days on the market were 64 days.

Single Family Homes in Wesley Chapel NC

The median sales price of first quarter 2012 closings in Wesley Chapel was up dramatically over the previous three years and equal with 2008. Median days on market dropped approximately 35% from the previous two years.

Single Family Homes

Wesley Chapel Single Family Homes	Year 2008	Year 2009	Year 2010	Year 2011	First Quarter 2012
Median Sales Price	$339,000	$265,000	$299,000	$301,000	$339,000
Number of Homes Sold	38	33	29	36	12
Median Days on Market	52	35	96	99	64

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Types of Closed Sales in Wesley Chapel NC

Resales accounted for almost 60% of all home sales during the first quarter of 2012. Distressed sales accounted for approximately 40% of all sales during the quarter.

Wesley Chapel Sales Types	Number of Closed Sales	Percentage of Closed Sales
Resale	7	58.3%
New Construction	n/a	n/a%
Foreclosure	2	16.6%
Short Sales	3	25.1%

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Wesley Chapel—January-March 2012

Click on each neighborhood below to get more information about the community and to see homes for sale.

Price Mill

Want to know more about real estate and living in Wesley Chapel NC? Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.