Charlotte’s tremendous growth rate is reflected in the housing market, which has remained hot for years, no matter the swing in interest rates. The city offers an array of homes, both existing and new construction, giving people a selection large enough to accommodate anyone’s taste. And you’ll find just about any style you want: cozy bungalows or two-story Georgians, modest ranch houses or custom-built mansions, ginger-breaded Victorians or contemporary condos.
The same variety abounds in lifestyle. Choose from Uptown living or suburban locations, comfortable old towns or new-home communities, urban homesteading or prime Piedmont countryside.
Some current trends in the Charlotte region’s housing market may add an interesting twist or a challenging dimension to your search. First, while prices are still reasonable here compared to some other parts of the country, housing in this area isn’t the bargain it once was. Thus, depending on your circumstances, finding a home in your price range may mean you’ll have to look a bit longer, come up with some more cash or expand your search to less-costly neighborhoods that are a little farther away from the office.
At the same time, you’ll find some options here that you wouldn’t have enjoyed a few years ago. Case in point: condos and lofts in various locations throughout Uptown and other urban neighborhoods in Charlotte. Neo-traditional communities, whose homes and layout reflect the old-fashioned neighborhoods many of us grew up with, also have become extremely popular.
If you like condos or townhomes, you’ve come to a good place. The condo market has boomed in the past decade, with sales nearly doubling in the five-county Charlotte region. In addition, building permits for condos and townhomes have increased several hundred percent over the last five years.
With demand, though, comes a higher price. You’ll pay more for a condo in Charlotte’s hottest neighborhoods, although you may still find some bargains in new construction and former apartments that were converted to condos years ago.
One way to start your search is with the area map prepared by the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association and the Carolina Multiple Listing Service, which covers seven counties including Mecklenburg. The map, which pinpoints neighborhoods and developments in the Charlotte region, is used to organize home listings in the MLS directory and newspaper classified ads. You also can look for current listings on the CRRA/MLS Web site, www.carolinahome.com. |
