Union County Real Estate Talk

Bella Sera in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

Looking for an active adult lifestyle?  Consider the Villas at Bella Sera in Matthews NC.   Here you’ll find maintenance-free living in brick and stone attached patio homes.  You can enjoy fellowship and friendships in this small community, which has a beautiful clubhouse with stacked stone fireplace and full kitchen, a pool, two community ponds, walking trails and a putting green.

Each of the patio homes has two bedrooms and two full bathrooms.  Floor plans are open with cathedral ceilings, sunrooms, wood floors, and gourmet kitchens with granite countertops and stainless appliances.  Heated area ranges from over 1500 square feet to 2100 square feet.  Both resale homes and new homes are available at Bella Sera.

Bella Sera has an ideal location near the Levine Senior Center and Sycamore Commons Shopping Center with restaurants, Costco and Lowes Home Improvement.  Groceries, restaurants and other big box retailers are also nearby along Independence Boulevard.  Presbyterian Hospital and medical offices are within two miles as is historic downtown Matthews NC.  Click here to learn why Matthews is a great place for the active adult, senior and baby boomer lifestyle.

Bella Sera Community Features

Community Amenities:  Bella Sera Homeowners Association,  two community ponds, walking trails, putting green, club house, pool

Builders:  Bella Sera Ventures

Schools:  Crown Point Elementary, Crestdale Middle, Butler High.  School assignments are subject to change.  Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current school assignments.

Bella Sera Real Estate Market Update

January to December 2009

Homes Sold:  7 homes

Prices:  $227,900 to $275,000   Average Sales Price:  $259,142

Average Square Feet:  1910

Average Days on Market: 274

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Bella Sera Homes for Sale

Click here to see Bella Sera homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your Bella Sera home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Bella Sera in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

Winterbrooke in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

An established neighborhood.  Quality custom homes.  Convenient location in Matthews NC.  Winterbrooke is the perfect neighborhood for anyone looking for these qualities.  Winterbrooke lies along Weddington Road in Matthews.  Two shopping centers, each with a grocery store and restaurants, are a few minutes from the neighborhood at the intersection of McKee and Weddington Roads.  The Siskey YMCA, offering a water park and sports and fitness programs, is also located at this intersection.

Winterbrooke homes were built from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.  Most are traditional two-story homes with custom features such as extensive millwork and wood floors.  Heated area ranges from approximately 2500 square feet to over 3500 square feet.  Exteriors are brick or wood.  The Winterbrooke neighborhood includes a community pond and walking trails.

Quaint downtown Matthews NC is a short drive away.  Matthews offers town residents a farmers market, unique shops and numerous community festivals.  Click here to learn more about historic downtown Matthews NC.

Winterbrooke Community Features

Community Amenities:  Winterbrooke Homeowners Association, community pond and walking trails

Builders:  Harrington-Dowd

Schools:  Matthews Elementary, Crestdale Middle, Butler High.  School assignments are subject to change.  Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current school assignments.

Winterbrooke Real Estate Market Update

January to December 2009

Homes Sold:  4 homes

Prices:  $299,900 to $397,500   Average Sales Price:  $361,600

Average Square Feet:  3150

Average Days on Market: 34

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Winterbrooke Homes for Sale

Click here to see Winterbrooke homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your Winterbrooke home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Winterbrooke in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

The Heathers in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

Affordable homes and great schools.  The Heathers in Matthews NC is a neighborhood where you find both plus pretty wooded lots and mature landscaping.  The Heathers is located off Phillips Road, a quiet area between Independence Boulevard and Idlewild Road.  There is no formal homeowners association nor HOA fees in the neighborhood.

You’ll find colonial two-stories with traditional floor plans and cute ranches with open interiors in The Heathers.  Exteriors are hardboard or vinyl with some brick fronts.  Many have front porches for relaxing and enjoying the neighbors.  Homes were built from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s and range in size from 1500 square feet to almost 3000 square feet.

The Heathers has an ideal Matthews NC location.  Butler High School is within a mile of the neighborhood.  Big box retailers and restaurants are nearby along Independence Boulevard.  Downtown Matthews with its farmers market, quaint shops and many festivals is just a few miles away.  Click here to learn more about historic downtown Matthews NC.

The Heathers Community Features

Community Amenities:  The Heathers has no neighborhood amenities and no homeowners association or dues.

Builders:  Squires, Fortis

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

The Heathers Real Estate Market Update

January to December 2009

Homes Sold:  11 homes

Prices:  $156,000 to $215,000   Average Sales Price:  $184,272

Average Square Feet:  2044

Average Days on Market: 59

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

The Heathers Homes for Sale

Click here to see The Heathers homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your The Heathers home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *The Heathers in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

Matthews Plantation in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

A great location, generous lots with mature landscaping and full brick homes define Matthews Plantation in Matthews NC.  Built by Trotter Builders during the 1990s, Matthews Plantation is located along Pleasant Plains Road near the intersection with McKee Road.  Two community shopping centers, Plantation Marketplace and McKee Farms, are just five minutes away.  You can find two grocery stores, banks, a gas station, multiple restaurants and other stores at these centers.  The Siskey YMCA with its family-friendly facilities and programs is located adjacent to these centers.  McKee Road is planned for extension from Pleasant Plains to Independence Boulevard during the next five years making Matthews Plantation very accessible to the commercial enterprises along the Boulevard.

Matthews Plantation homes were built during the 1990s.  Neighborhood homes include two-story colonials and ranches.  They range in size from approximately 2200 square feet to over 3000 square feet.  Pricing starts in the low $220,000 and increases to more than $300,000 for the largest homes.  A neighborhood recreation area includes a pretty pond, a playground and tennis courts.

Matthews Plantation is a short drive or bicycle ride from historic downtown Matthews NC.   The town’s quaint center is the site of multiple festivals during the year, a farmers market, shops and restaurants, and a public library.  Click here to learn more about historic downtown Matthews NC.

Matthews Plantation Community Features

Community Amenities:  Matthews Plantation Homeowners Association, pond, tennis courts, playground

Builders:  Trotter Builders

Schools:  Matthews Elementary, Crestdale Middle, Butler High.  School assignments are subject to change.  Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current school assignments.

Matthews Plantation Real Estate Market Update

January to December 2009

Homes Sold:  7 homes

Prices:  $222,000 to $300,000   Average Sales Price:  $265,714

Average Square Feet:  2598

Average Days on Market: 135

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Matthews Plantation Homes for Sale

Click here to see Matthews Plantation homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your Matthews Plantation home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Matthews Plantation in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

St Andrews in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

It’s all about the lifestyle at St Andrews in Matthews NC.  The focus is on providing a maintenance-free neighborhood with custom quality interiors on a single level.  St Andrews is a patio home complex where four single level homes are attached in a “pinwheel.”  The pinwheel design creates a private entrance for each home.  Upscale features found in the St Andrews patio homes include a steep roof pitch, exteriors of brick, stone and hardi-plank, and the ability to customize some interior appointments.

You can purchase a brand-new home at St Andrews or a resale home.  Each of the four floor plans includes a luxury master bedroom and a second bedroom with a study and/or sunroom option that can become a third bedroom.  A spacious great room with gas log fireplace opens to a formal dining room.  The large eat-in kitchen includes abundant cabinetry and counter space with under-cabinet lighting, a planning desk and a pantry.  The great rooms, dining rooms and master bedrooms have dramatic cathedral, 10’, or tray ceilings.  An oversized two-car garage is included with each home.

St Andrews home prices range from approximately $195,000 to $295,000.  The four floor plans are from 1600 to 2100 square feet in size.  Monthly homowners dues range from $164 to $220 depending on the floor plan.  The neighborhood includes a clubhouse and pool.

Empty nesters and seniors will enjoy the convenient Matthews NC location.  St Andrews is located near the intersection of McKee and Weddington roads,  The McKee Farms and Plantation Marketplace shopping centers are within walking distance as is the Siskey YMCA.  These centers are filled with grocery stores, banks, restaurants and other service businesses. The YMCA has a pool and fitness programs. The Levine Senior Center is just a few miles away in downtown Matthews.  Click here to find out why Matthews NC is ideal for seniors and baby boomers.

St Andrews Community Features

Community Amenities:  St Andrews Homeowners Association, clubhouse and pool

Builders:  WKB Properties

Schools:  Matthews Elementary, Crestdale Middle, Butler High.  School assignments are subject to change.  Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current school assignments.

St Andrews Real Estate Market Update

January to December 2009

Homes Sold:  5 homes

Prices:  $191,000 to $313,942   Average Sales Price:  $244,888

Average Square Feet:  1873

Average Days on Market: 276

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

St Andrews Homes for Sale

Click here to see St Andrews homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your St Andrews home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *St Andrews in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

Brightmoor in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile

Brightmoor in Matthews NC is one of several neighborhoods along Pleasant Plains Road that were built in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s.  Two landscaped entrances mark the tree-lined streets leading into the neighborhood.  Brightmoor is an ideal neighborhood to find wooded lots with wide frontage giving homes privacy not found in many newer subdivisions.  Most of Brightmoor’s homes are colonial in style with big front porches.  The later homes built in the neighborhood have a transitional style with two-story rooms and vaulted ceilings in the interiors.

Brightmoor has an active homeowners association that manages several community amenities, including two swimming pools, a playground, tennis courts and walking trails throughout the neighborhood.  The neighborhood association also sponsors activities throughout the year such as yard sales and holiday activities.  Brightmoor is conveniently located near downtown Matthews NC with its restaurants, shops and many festivals.  The Siskey YMCA and two community shopping centers with grocery stores, restaurants and shops are located within a couple of miles of the Brightmoor neighborhood.

Map of Brightmoor in Matthews NC

View Brightmoor Neighborhood in Matthews NC in a larger map

Brightmoor Community Features

Community Amenities:  Homeowners Association, walking trails, swimming pools, tennis courts, playground, proximity to grocery stores, restaurants and shops

Builders:  Squires Homes, Ryland Homes, UDC Homes, other small builders

Schools:  Matthews Elementary, Crestdale Middle, Butler High.   School assignments are subject to change.  Check with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools for current school assignments.

Brightmoor Real Estate Market Update

January to November 2009

Homes Sold:  14 single family homes

Prices:  $160,000 to $330,000   Average Sales Price:  $210,092

Average Square Feet:  2281

Average Days on Market: 87

Source:  Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Brightmoor Homes for Sale

Click here to find Brightmoor homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your Brightmoor home is worth?

Click here to request a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Brightmoor in Matthews NC—Homes for Sale and Neighborhood Profile*

Matthews NC active adults and seniors have a new option for retirement living.  Epcon Communities is breaking ground at their newest community called The Polo Club at Silver Oaks.  The Polo Club at Silver Oaks is  located at the intersection of Idlewild Road and Stallings Road within the Town of Matthews.  An interchange with I-485 is just a half mile away from the community.  The popular Levine Senior Center is within two miles of the community.

The Polo Club at Silver Oaks is Epcon's first age-restricted community in the Charlotte area.  What age-restricted means for Matthews NC active adults is that 80% of the community homeowners must be at least 55 years old.  Homeowners between 50 and 55 can make up the remaining 20% of community purchasers.  No one under the age of 19 will be allowed as a permanent resident of The Polo Club at Silver Oaks.

Active adults, baby boomers and seniors will find the village-like atmosphere in this Matthews NC community appealing with only 94 ranch-style villas available.  Some of the villas will be built in the popular pinwheel style where four units are joined at the back with private front doors.  Detached patio home villas will also be available.  Each of the homes has a private courtyard and some will be able to customize the courtyards with sunrooms or screen porches. The courtyard villas range in price from $193,000 to $273,000 while the larger patio homes are priced from $249,900 to $289,900.

***Update  11/09  Building in this community has not yet begun.***

Learn more about amenities available to Matthews NC active adults:  Matthews NC-Ideal for Baby Boomers and Seniors. 

Click here for more information about homes and communities for Matthews NC active adults. 

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  All rights reserved.  *Matthews NC Active Adults Have New Community Option in Polo Club at Silver Oaks*

Baby boomer, active adult, over 55 or senior?  No matter how you describe yourself, Matthews NC is a great place for your active adult lifestyle. 

What makes Matthews NC so attractive to seniors?

• Matthews is located in the North Carolina Piedmont with its mild weather and four seasons.  The mountains and the beaches are just a few hours away.  A number of golf courses are found within a 20 to 30 minute drive of the town.
• Matthews has a quaint town center that offers fun destinations, such as the Matthews Farmers Market and Renfrow's Hardware, in business for over a hundred years.  Events and festivals in downtown Matthews attract visitors throughout the year.  You can walk to the library or a coffee shop, get a sandwich or eat at an upscale restaurant in downtown Matthews.
• Matthews seniors have a thirty year history of organizing for fellowship, sharing, and activities.  A group called the Happy Times Club worked for twenty years to create a senior center in the town.  Their dream was realized in 2006 when the Levine Senior Center on 9.8 acres opened.  Today the center has approximately 1000 members.  Members have many activities to choose from at the center:  exercise and fitness classes plus a fitness room, water aerobic and other classes in the heated pool, massage therapy, a library, arts and crafts, dance and computer classes, a billiard room, a community room, and a meditation room.  The center has a cafe open daily for lunch and a large meeting room with a capacity of 375 for community use.  The center also sponsors holiday celebrations and dances as well as learning luncheons and support groups.
• Matthews has a number of community shopping centers with grocery stores and pharmacies as well as regional shopping destinations with big box retailers within the town.  Downtown Charlotte with its cultural amenities is just a 30 minute drive from Matthews.
• Matthews is not just for seniors.  The town is popular with families with children for its abundance of activities and desirable schools.  Every generation can enjoy Matthews and living near each other.

What are some attractive places for active adults to live in Matthews NC?

Whether you want to live in a golf course community, in a single-family home or in an attached townhome, or a retirement center, there are many possibilities in Matthews itself or nearby in surrounding towns.  A few of these options are described here.

• Bella Sera Villas and the Polo Club of Matthews.  These neighborhoods are near the Levine Senior Center and community shopping.  Each offers patio or villa homes that are attached.  Five homes have sold in Bella Sera in 2008.  Pricing ranged from $231,000 to $294,900 and square footage from 1522 sf to 1767 sf.  The Polo Club had no sales in 2008 and a successor neighborhood call the Polo Club of Silver Oaks will begin construction soon.

• St. Andrews.  St. Andrews is another neighborhood of attached patio homes nearing completion in Matthews.  2008 sales ranged in price from $231,000 to $244,000.  The size of the St. Andrews homes ranged from 1650 sf to 2150 sf.

• Windsor Run.  Windsor Run, Matthews' newest option for seniors, is a continuing care retirement community that is just beginning construction.  Windsor Run offers apartment-style homes in multi-level buildings.  The clubhouse will provide a place for activities and several restaurants.

For more information about living in Matthews or buying or selling real estate in Matthews NC, visit

www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

About the author:  Carol Fox of Allen Tate Realtors is a veteran real estate agent who has lived in Matthews for over twenty years.

Copyright 2008.  Carol Fox.  All rights reserved.  "Matthews NC:  Ideal for Baby Boomers and Seniors"