by Jason | Aug 10, 2015 | Real Estate Market Conditions
Home prices were up during summer across the nation in year-over-year comparisons. With the economy on full mend, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has predicted a fine-tuning of monetary policy before the year ends. In tandem with the improved economy, the unemployment rate for July 2015 remained at 5.3 percent for the second month in a row. It is widely believed that interest rates will go up before the year is over. Generally, this does not happen without careful consideration for the impact such a move will have on residential real estate.
New Listings in the Charlotte region increased 3.7 percent to 4,646. Pending Sales were up 26.5 percent to 4,077. Inventory levels fell 21.9 percent to 13,166 units.
Prices continued to gain traction. The Median Sales Price increased 7.8 percent to $200,000. List to Close was down 7.3 percent to 114 days. Sellers were encouraged as Months Supply of Inventory was down 33.3 percent to 3.8 months.
Statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development indicate that privately-owned housing starts in July 2015 rose 10.1 percent compared to last year to the highest level the market has seen since October 2007. This bodes well for the eventual landing of a flock of potential buyers currently holding in a rental pattern. As ideal summer weather diverges toward autumn, we will begin to see some seasonal relaxation, but the market should still look positive when compared to last year.
by Jason | Jul 16, 2015 | Real Estate Market Conditions
It’s July, which means that we’ve made to the half-way point of the year 2015. Real estate markets across the country continue to show improvement as the summer real estate rush comes into full swing. Low inventory coupled with high demand has continued to push prices up in many areas, with multiple offers becoming commonplace for many Realtors®.
Watch our latest Market Update Videos to see what’s been going on your market and what to expect in the near future.
by Jason | Jul 10, 2015 | Charlotte Events
Charlotte Restaurant Week : July 17-26It’s mid-July in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina and time for the ever-popular Queen’s Feast 2015, also known as Charlotte Restaurant Week. If you’re not familiar with Restaurant Week, it’s a wonderful time for Charlotte residents and visitors to enjoy a 3-course meal in one of 120 different restaurants around the Charlotte metro area for $30 or $35 per person. It’s a terrific opportunity to try out a new restaurant or a higher-end restaurant, at a reasonable price.
Charlotte Restaurant Week has become extremely popular over the years, so if you haven’t made reservations yet, you’d better jump on it quick. The higher-end restaurants usually fill up first, so you might have to settle for an early or late reservation time. With that said, don’t limit yourself to just the typical steakhouses just because their normally out of your price range. There are dozens and dozens of restaurants on the list that are worthy of the Queen’s Feast crown (if that were actually a thing).
If you’re ready to make your reservations, a list of the participating restaurants is below, along with some additional information.
Charlotte Restaurant Week Information
- From July 17 through July 26, 2015
- 120+ Participating Restaurants
- 3 Courses for $30 or $35 per person (does not include tax and gratuity)
- Price is for Dinner Only
- Menus are subject to change
- Coupons may not be accepted during Charlotte Restaurant Week
- For more information and to see the Menus, visit Charlotte Restaurant Week’s site here.
- You can make reservations on OpenTable.com for many of the participating restaurants.
South Charlotte / York / Union
131 Main – Blakeney ($35)
BRAVO! Cucina Italiana – Blakeney ($30)
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill – Stonecrest ($35)
Fish Market Seafood Bar and Grill ($35)
The Flipside Cafe – Fort Mill ($30)
The Flipside Restaurant – Rock Hill ($35)
Gallery Restaurant ($30)
Harper’s – Carolina Place ($30)
Lure Oyster Bar ($35)
Maestro’s Bar & Bistro ($30)
Mickey & Mooch – Arboretum ($35)
New South Kitchen & Bar ($30)
Sky Asian Bistro ($30)
Stone Mountain Grill ($30)
Tapas 51 ($30)
Terrace Cafe – Ballantyne ($30)
Trattoria Antica ($30)
Trio ($30)
Villa Antonio ($30)
Vine American Kitchen ($30)
Waldhorn Restaurant ($30)
Lake Norman / North Mecklenburg / Iredell / Lincoln
131 Main – Lake Norman ($35)
The 220 Cafe ($30)
Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails ($30)
BRAVO! Cucina Italiana – Northlake ($30)
Campania Cafe ($30)
Chillfire Bar & Grill ($35)
Dressler’s – Birkdale ($35)
Epic Chophouse ($35)
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill – Northlake ($35)
Jeffrey’s Restaurant ($30)
Kabuto Japanese Steak House & Sushi – Lake Norman ($30)
The Melting Pot – Lake Norman ($35)
Mickey & Mooch – Lake Norman ($35)
The Prickly Pear ($35)
Red Rocks Cafe – Birkdale ($35)
Sabi Asian Bistro ($30)
Smoke Modern Barbeque – Birkdale ($30)
Trattoria Al Gusto ($30)
Twisted Oak American Bar & Grill ($30)
Plaza Midwood
Bistro La Bon ($30)
Fern, Flavors from the Garden ($30)
The Peculiar Rabbit ($30)
Yama Izakaya ($30)
Dilworth
131 Main – Dilworth ($35)
300 East ($30)
Bonterra Dining & Wine Room ($35)
Copper Modern Indian Cuisine ($30)
Dolce Ristorante ($30)
Fiamma ($35)
Fran’s Filling Station ($30)
Eastover / Myers Park
Lumiere French Kitchen ($35)
Napa On Providence ($30)
Primo Tuscan Grille ($30)
Uptown
5Church ($35)
Aria Tuscan Grill ($30)
Bernardin’s at Ratcliffe ($35)
BLT Steak ($35)
Blue Restaurant & Bar ($30)
Brazz Carvery and Brazilian Steakhouse ($30)
Bubble Charlotte ($30)
Caffe Siena ($30)
The Capital Grille ($35)
Chima Brazilian Steakhouse ($35)
Eight Sushi Asian Kitchen ($30)
Enso Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar ($35)
Evoke ($30)
Fahrenheit ($35)
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse ($35)
Luce Ristorante e Bar ($35)
Malabar Spanish Cuisine ($30)
McCormick & Schmick’s – Uptown ($35)
Mimosa Grill ($35)
Morton’s The Steakhouse ($35)
Osso Restaurant & Lounge ($30)
Red Ginger Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi ($30)
Ri Ra Irish Pub & Restaurant ($30)
Room 112 Modern Asian Cuisine + Sushi Lounge ($30)
Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Uptown ($35)
Texicali Taco & Tequila Bar ($30)
The Wooden Vine
SouthPark
Aqua e Vino ($35)
AZN Azian Cuizine ($30)
BAKU ($35)
BrickTop’s ($35)
Cafe Monte ($30)
Chuy’s ($30)
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House ($35)
Dogwood Southern Table & Bar ($35)
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill – SouthPark ($35)
Flagstones Southern Bistro ($30)
Georges Brasserie ($30)
Harper’s – SouthPark ($30)
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks – SouthPark ($35)
Paco’s Tacos & Tequila ($30)
Red Rocks Cafe – SouthPark ($35)
Ruth’s Chris Steak House – SouthPark ($35)
Toscana Ristorante Italiano ($35)
Upstream ($35)
Village Tavern ($30)
Matthews
Amor de Brazil Steakhouse ($30)
Cafe 157 ($30)
Sante Restaurant ($35)
Elizabeth
The Cajun Queen ($30)
Carpe Diem ($35)
Passion8 ($35)
South End
The Liberty Gastropub ($30)
Luciano’s Ristorante Italiano ($30)
Nan and Byron’s ($30)
Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar ($30)
Sullivan’s Steakhouse ($35)
Midtown
Dressler’s – Metro ($35)
Maharani Indian Cuisine ($30)
Mama Ricotta’s ($30)
The Melting Pot – Midtown ($35)
Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge – Charlotte ($30)
Vivace ($35)
Hickory / Catawba
Youssef 242 ($30)
Mountain Island Lake
Heirloom ($35)
Southwest Charlotte / Yorkmont / Rivergate
Omaha Steakhouse ($30)
River Bleu Steak & Fish ($30)
by Jason | Jun 12, 2015 | Charlotte Area News and Information, Charlotte Events
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Well, we’ve got you covered! Below are some fun activities taking place at the Charlotte Symphony, U.S National Whitewater Center, and the Mint Museum.
Uptown Pops
When: 5:30PM | Friday: June 12, 2015
Where: Romare Bearden Park, 300 S. Church St.
Cost: Free
Charlotte Symphony will be performing at 8:15PM, but you should arrive early to get some good grub from a variety of food trucks that will be serving all types of goodies, including Mae’s Creole Kitchen, Maki Taco, Cheese to the Mac, King of Pops, and many others.
Bank of America will donate 40 cents of every purchase from participating food trucks that are made using a BofA credit or debit card. The donation will go to the fight against AIDS.
Brew Stash Bash
When: 10:00PM | Saturday: June 13, 2015
Where: U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway
Cost: $5 to Park | $5 for Beer Sampling Card
4th Annual event with a buffet-style breakfast (10:00AM), the Brew Dash 6K Trail Race (11:30AM), plus local and national craft breweries handling out samples of their latest creations (1-6PM).
‘Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede’
When: 1-5 PM | Friday & Saturday: June 12 & 13, 2015
Where: Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St.
Cost: $12 Adults | $9 Students & Seniors | $6 Children 5-17
The final weekend for the Roy Halston Frowick & Andy Warhol exhibition which brings Halston’s garments together with Warhol’s photography, videos, and paintings.
by Jason | Jun 3, 2015 | Charlotte Area News and Information, Charlotte Events, Featured Content, South Charlotte
The 2015 Summer Pops at Symphony Park is about to begin, and we’re super excited to head out to listen to our very own Charlotte Symphony perform under the beautiful Carolina sky.
Below you’ll find the schedule of performances. Opening night is Sunday, June 7th. The gates open at 5 pm, with a Prelude Performance at 7 pm and the Charlotte Symphony at 8:15 pm.
Symphony Park
4400 Sharon Road (behind SouthPark Mall)
Charlotte, NC 28211
- 5 p.m. Gates Open
- 7 p.m. Prelude Performance
- 8:15 p.m. Charlotte Symphony
