Union County Real Estate Talk

Lawson, a Charlotte neighborhood where history is preserved.

Lawson doesn’t have historical houses.  It’s the land itself where Lawson lies among 500 acres of rolling woodlands that has a history.  In 1701, an English naturalist named John Lawson followed an ancient trail of the Waxhaw Indians to discover the area.  In the mid-1700s, a thriving settlement was located here where five roads met at Five Forks.  The land was also the site of a 19th century mill called Howard’s Mill.

These historical sites are preserved in Lawson’s common areas, which encompass nearly a third of this master-planned community.  Miles of walking and hiking trails weave through the common areas for residents to enjoy.  The working water wheel and building of the community clubhouse evoke Howard’s Mill.

Lawson residents can enjoy its history and natural sites while living in newer homes.  Started in 2005, Lawson has several villages completed and a new builder has announced plans for three new villages in 2012.  The neighborhood has a great location off Cuthbertson Road in the small Union County NC town of Waxhaw NC.  Waxhaw is a twenty minute drive from Charlotte’s southern edge.

Click the link below to get more information about Lawson, its builders, its community amenities, the 2011 real estate market, and its schools.

Lawson—Neighborhood Information and Homes for Sale

Watch a video tour of the Lawson neighborhood.

Click here to see Lawson homes for sale.

Click here to receive a free market evaluation of your Lawson home.

Copyright 2012.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors. *Charlotte Neighborhoods—Lawson*

Millbridge, a great place to find a new home in a master-planned community.

Charlotte’s only covered bridge to welcome you into the community.  An amenity center with a 12,000 square foot clubhouse, two pools and an airnasium.  A nearby town park with sports fields.  A recently-built elementary school within walking distance.

Millbridge is a Charlotte neighborhood where the amenities were built before the homes.  With about 200 homes currently finished in the neighborhood, Millbridge will eventually include 2000 homes.  Five builders are currently building in the neighborhood.  Homes can be as small as 1500 square feet or as large as 4000 square feet.  Ninety percent of the 2011 sales in Millbridge were new construction.

Millbridge is located in the small town of Waxhaw.  Waxhaw is a historic town with quaint shops, a farmers market and a number of community festivals.  The town is about a twenty minute drive from the southern edge of Charlotte.

Click the link below to get more information about Millbridge, its builders, its community amenities, the 2011 real estate market, and its schools.

Millbridge—Neighborhood Information and Homes for Sale

Click here to see Millbridge homes for sale.

Click here to receive a free market evaluation of your Brighton Park home.

Copyright 2012.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors. *Charlotte Neighborhoods—Millbridge*

The 2011 Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market--Five Facts

It's time to look at the real estate market in Waxhaw NC and to assess how home buyers and home sellers fared in 2011.

Here are five facts about the Waxhaw marketplace in 2011.

1. Nearly half of all closings in 2011 were new construction.
2. The median closed price for all single family homes in 2011 was $235,000.  This represents the lowest median price in the last four years and almost a 25% decline since 2008.
3. The number of single family homes sold in 2011 was similar to 2008 levels.
4. Distressed sales accounted for roughly 30% of 2011 closings.
5. The townhome market is very small in Waxhaw.  There were only six sales in one development during the year.

What do these five facts mean for Waxhaw buyers and sellers?

• Waxhaw is a very attractive place for builders who are seeing good demand for their homes.
• Buyers can find good values in new homes because new construction prices in Waxhaw are the most affordable in years.
• Resale sellers may have difficulty selling their homes in the face of all the competition from new homes and distressed sales.

Want to learn more about the real estate market in Waxhaw and see all the numbers for each of the past four years? Want to know where the most active Waxhaw neighborhoods were in 2011? Click on the link below.

Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—Year 2011

Copyright 2012. Carol Fox. Allen Tate Realtors. *The 2011 Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market--Five Facts*

Barrington in Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—2011 Year-to-Date Review

Barrington is a popular new construction neighborhood in Waxhaw NC.  Nearing completion, the Barrington community is a great place to find full brick homes.  Neighborhood residents enjoy community amenities including a clubhouse, two pools, a playground and walking trails.

Barrington Real Estate Market Comparison

A detailed comparison of the 2011 year-to-date real estate market in Barrington can be found in the tables below.  What can Barrington buyers and sellers learn from these statistics?

1. There were only two resales in Barrington in 2011.  Resale sellers will have to compete with new construction homes until the neighborhood is complete.  This means that the resales will have to be in tip top condition and priced competitively.
2. Barrington is a good neighborhood for buyers who wish to purchase a full-brick new or nearly new home.  Prices have risen in the neighborhood since 2010.

Single Family Homes

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Barrington Types of Closed Sales

Most of the 2011 sales were new construction. 

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Copyright 2011. Carol Fox. Allen Tate Realtors. *Barrington in Waxhaw NC--2011 Year-to-Date Market Report*

Lawson in Waxhaw NC--A Video Tour

Lawson is a master-planned community near Waxhaw NC, one of the small towns in the southern part of the Charlotte region. It is named for John Lawson, an English naturalist who explored the area in the early 1700s.  A third of the communities 500 acres has been preserved in common areas with walking trails and natural parks.

Watch this video to learn more about Lawson's communities amenities and its homes.

Want to know more about other Waxhaw NC neighborhoods?  Visit www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Lawson in Waxhaw NC--A Video Tour*

Lawson in Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—2011 Year-to-Date Review

2011-11-14

Lawson is a planned community in historic Waxhaw NC.  Distinct villages are arranged around common areas and walking trails.  Cuthbertson Middle and High Schools are located near the neighborhood.

Lawson Real Estate Market Comparison

A detailed comparison of the 2011 year-to-date real estate market in Lawson can be found in the tables below.  What can Lawson buyers and sellers learn from these statistics?

1. Forty five percent of the sales in Lawson year-to-date are new construction.  Several new builders entered the neighborhood building at a price point lower than previous neighborhood builders.  These sales combined with several foreclosures and short sales accounted for a drop in the 2011 median sales price compared with previous years.
2. With lower prices, Lawson remains an attractive neighborhood for buyers.

Single Family Homes

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Lawson Types of Closed Sales

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Read more about Lawson, its community amenities, builders and public schools: Lawson in Waxhaw NC: Homes for Sale and Community Profile

Lawson Homes for Sale

Click here to see Lawson homes for sale.

Ever wonder what your Lawson home is worth?

Click here to receive a free market evaluation.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors. *Lawson in Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—2011 Year-to-Date Review*

Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—July-September 2011

The number of homes sold in Waxhaw NC during the third quarter dropped almost 50% from the second quarter but the median sales price increased by 1.3% to $250,000.  This is just slightly less than the median sales price for 2010.

Only three townhomes sold in Waxhaw during the quarter with the median sales price dropping 11.5% to $109,900.  Median days on market for these townhomes was nearly a year.

What do the third quarter 2011 numbers mean for Waxhaw NC buyers and sellers?

• Single family home sellers in have seen fairly stable median prices over the spring and summer of 2011.  Townhome sellers face a difficult market with plummeting prices and long selling times.
• Housing, both single family and townhomes, remains very affordable for buyers in Waxhaw. 

Single Family Homes

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Townhomes and Condominiums

Source: Carolina Multiple Listing Service

Most Active Neighborhoods in Waxhaw NC Third Quarter 2011

The following neighborhoods had the most sales activity during the third quarter. Click on the neighborhood for more information and a list of homes for sale.

Copyright 2011. Carol Fox. Allen Tate Realtors. *Waxhaw NC Real Estate Market Report—July-September 2011*

Waxhaw NC Homes for Sale--7123 Davis Road

Are you looking for complete privacy?  But you want to be able to go shopping and eat out without driving more than ten or fifteen minutes?

Perhaps you would like purchase a property that would give you the flexibility of building two more homes on it.

If these features are on your wish list, check out 7123 Davis Road in Waxhaw NC.  It's a beautifully updated ranch/basement on nearly six acres.

Learn more...

Fall in love with this private hideaway on almost six acres. This beautifully updated ranch with unfinished basement has a wooded setting where every window reveals a leafy paradise.

A covered front entry welcomes you inside. A new architectural roof was installed on this home in 2011.

The unfinished basement area includes two bays for garaging your cars plus a third bay that makes a great workshop. There's also a small storage room in the basement.

The interior is loaded with special features that add character. Cathedral ceilings with skylights bathe the public rooms with light. A brick accent wall and hearth with woodstove are the focal point of the spacious great room.

A formal dining room with chair rail is open to the great room. New paint and carpet freshen the interior.

Sparkling white cabinetry with new countertops and a tile backsplash lines the kitchen. An island with smooth cooktop adds counter space. New tile flooring adds appeal.

Decorative glass-front cabinetry provides space for your decorating touches. Appliances include the cooktop, a wall oven and microwave and dishwasher.

Watch the birds from the spacious breakfast area. There's plenty of wall space for additional furniture.

A small room off the kitchen area is perfect for a home office. An adjacent laundry room includes a utility sink and built-in cabinetry. This area also has a powder room for guests.

A window seat with storage enhances the master bedroom. A large room, there is abundant space for furniture. The master bathroom has double sinks, a linen closet and a tile floor.

Two secondary bedrooms and a hall bath complete the bedroom wing of the house. One bedroom has built-in bookshelves and cabinetry. The other bedroom has a window seat with storage.

It's easy to enjoy the outdoors. Dine or relax on the 22'x12' decking off the kitchen/breakfast area. You'll find a niche for your grill here.

Enjoy the backyard rain or shine from the 20'x12' screen porch.

The property includes a storage shed in addition to the basement workshop.

The land has been divided into three lots of approximately two acres each so that two additional homes can be built here.

You can live in your own private world but historic downtown Waxhaw is just ten minutes away. Communityfestivals, restaurants, shops, groceries and even a home improvement store are all available in Waxhaw.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Waxhaw NC?  Request a free Waxhaw NC relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Waxhaw NC Homes for Sale--7123 Davis Road*

The Great Waxhaw Train Wreck of 2010

One of the significant features of Waxhaw NC is the set of train tracks that splits the historic downtown down the middle.  Beautiful old commercial buildings and Victorian homes rise above the tracks.  A historic wooden bridge spanning the tracks at one end of the town offers a wonderful view of the town and its railroad.

In July of 2010, one of the trains that moves through Waxhaw wrecked just outside the downtown area.  Six grain cars derailed and closed Highway 75, the main arterial through the town.  Luckily no one was hurt but businesses, neighborhoods and town officials had to work together with the railroad to re-open the street.

Drive through downtown Waxhaw today and you’ll see a sculpture that commemorates this spirit of cooperation after the great train wreck of 2010.  Located beside the tracks at Jackson Street and North Main Street, the 3000 pound sculpture is named “Getting Back on Track”.  It was created by local artist Tom Risser from steel, wood and plastic.  He collected scrap from the site of the wreck to incorporate into the sculpture.

The figures silhouetted against the Carolina blue sky represent the workers and townspeople who were at the scene of the wreck.  Look carefully at the yellow railroad sign in the center.  Instead of rXr, Risser changed the sign to wXw to stand for Waxhaw.

Want to know more about real estate and living in Waxhaw NC?  Request a free Waxhaw relocation package.

Copyright 2011.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *The Great Waxhaw Train Wreck of 2010*