Archive for October, 2009
Charlotte- NC- Very Funny
October 31st, 2009 Categories: About This Blog
This made me laugh this morning… a little like “Messing with Saskwatch”
yes I know but the post below is a lot more serious…
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte The Biggest Loser, Raleigh a Close Second in Fight For Stimulus Money
October 30th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte
Charlotte NC
The Stimulus Plan and Charlotte- State Politics at Work Again AS Charlotte Receives $34.09 PP, Lenoir County $744 PP
Everyone is familiar with the national brouhaha behind The Economic Recovery Act, aka the stimulus plan… Is it possible that, at the State level, the funds could have been politically hijacked, and sent to primarily rural political strongholds in the state? It is possible that the rural interests gain once again at the expense of the cities that pay the state’s bills?
Most of us remember the loud political fight over the Stimulus plan, the denial that it would improve anything, that it was all just a boondoggle, and that is now credited with the 3.5% 3rd quarter growth in US GDP. The same bill that not a single Republican supported.
The Stimulus invested $563,065, 282 in North Carolina, and of that $512,689,234 is “Under Contract”, or allocated presumably with “shovel-ready ” projects and contractors from around the state. Much of this data comes from ProPublica*
How was it decided who would get what?
North Carolina, 10th largest state in the nation, was treated fairly by the Federal Government. It has received the 9th largest State Stimulus Check at $563,065,282.
Where have the Federal Stimulus funds been allocated in North Carolina?
Since the Charlotte area is, by far, the largest county by population in NC , the largest contributor to state GDP, it is logical to assume we are receiving the largest amount for stimulus funding, right? No, not exactly.
Surely it is Raleigh? No, not Raleigh either. Have a look for your self:
| 2006 US **Census estimated | |||
| Project $* | population | Stimulus per person $/pp |
|
| Cumberland | $54,589,053.00 | 299060 | $182.54 |
| Lenoir | $42,926,208.00 | 57662 | $744.45 |
| Iredell | $33,310,466.00 | 146206 | $227.83 |
| Mecklenburg | $28,209,711.00 | 827445 | $34.09 |
| Wake | $28,168,890.00 | 786522 | $35.81 |
| Guilford | $21,660,762.00 | 451905 | $47.93 |
| Alamance | $19,872,081.00 | 142661 | $139.30 |
| Johnston | $18,891,975.00 | 152143 | $124.17 |
| Buncombe | $17,685,375.00 | 222174 | $79.60 |
| Watauga | $16,637,727.00 | 42700 | $389.64 |
| Martin | $11,311,611.00 | 24342 | $464.70 |
Mecklenburg County, with a larger population that Cumberland, Lenoir and Iredell combined, receives21% of their Total spending. There were 25 counties who received nothing, $0, so technically they are the biggest losers, but at $34.09, Mecklenburg County would have had to work to do worse.
Mayor McCrory was right when he feared, out loud in the Spring, that Charlotte wouldn’t get its fair share of stimulus spending.
Let’s look at spending in NC Congressional Districts, maybe that will shed some light…
The NCs 5th Congressional District, the former district of now Senator and chief NC stimulus critic, Senator Richard Burr, collected $95,506,098 of Stimulus spending. The 5th District seat is currently held by Virgina Foxx, Republican Congress woman, best known for her rants that the killing of Matthew Sheppherd in Wyoming wasn’t a hate crime.
In 2nd place, NC-01, at $44,066,742 in the swarming metropolis of East NC, held by Democrat George Butterfield. This is the area around Rocky Mount and Elizabeth city, Oxford and … New Bern. Anyone special live in New Bern?
In 3d place, NC-11, Democrat Heath Shuler’s district, covering the western area of Franklin, Murphy, Asheville
In 4th Place, NC-04, at $31,263,844 -the 4th is held by Democrat David Price, and covers the area around Chapel Hill, Mebane, and east to Cary.
In 5th place, NC-08, at $25,7904,268 Democrats Larry Kissell, is the first to come Charlotte’s way, includes East Charlotte, Concord, on to Fayetteville and Laurinburg
Sue Myrick’s 12th District? $0 so far, along with NC-13.
Are you getting the picture here? I ask the question again, “Who Decided?”
tm
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
* Spending information came from the public interest ProPublica
** Population estimates cam from US-Places
| Currently No Comments » |
Economy GROWS 3.5% in 3rd Quarter- Music to My Ears in Charlotte
October 29th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte News and Politics
Charlotte NC. This is Great Economic News. Great.
The US economy in 2009- 1st Quarter 6.4% loss, 2nd Quarter 0.7% loss, 3rd Quarter 3.5% gain
Inflation was annualized 1.6%. that is outstanding as well.
What’s left, we are done on the economy, right?
No, not done, not even close with more than 10M jobs lost, and over 12 M unemployed, and a Still shaky financial system.
It is ALL about Creating new jobs. Obama said it, and I couldn’t agree more. Waiting on those unemployment numbers to trend DOWN. Details here at the New York Times
But in Charlotte we are making progress:
If you saw my last post you know Charlotte IS creating new jobs, 20% ahead of the pace in 2008, and unemployment is falling in Charlotte and Charlotte real estate prices have risen in 4 of the last 6 months, and homes sold were up 23% in August over a year before…
Still, if we want the good times rolling here in Charlotte, we have to create jobs- jobs for May grad’s, for mid-level managers, in finance, in manufacturing, in the service sector…
Question of the day? How can Charlotte, and North Carolina Grow more jobs here? Without the cross-state bribery going on in South Carolina?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Buying or Selling your home, we are here to help. Visit us online at Charlotte Real Estate or “meet me” online at the #1 Video on You Tube for Charlotte NC. More urgent? Call me direct at 704-351-1519
Charlotte Real Estate-Charlotte Home Prices Trending UP
Charlotte Relocation Links- All you Need to get you started
Search Charlotte Homes for Sale
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte NC- Good Housing and Economic News
October 26th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Buy A Charlotte Home, Charlotte Business, Charlotte First Time Home Buyers
Unemployment DOWN, Existing Home Sales/Home Prices UP, Charlotte On The Rebound?
Yes, it is too early to declare the recession over. However, these are some encouraging signs–more than the “just getting worse slower” We have strong economic reports and increasing home prices again… the details below
Mecklenburg County Unemployment fell .3 % from August’s 11.3 to 11% in September
The region, Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord dropped .2%. Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton region dropped .5% to 14.1. In all, unemployment fell in all 9 counties I watch closely.
The Charlotte Chamber of Commerce announced that job creation is well ahead of 2008’s pace, and jobs are growing here faster than the last few years, hopefully signs of good times ahead. Area employers announced new jobs of 11,527, up from 9,552 last year. This good news was tempered by substantially lower capital investment numbers-from $1.75 billion in 2008 to $784M through the first3 quarters of 2009
The energy sector is growing as the world sees a larger commitment to nuclear power coming and Duke Energy’s HQ here makes all the difference. Health care is strong here as well , with two major hospitals competing and Premier Health Care relocating corporate headquarter’s here…Personally, we’ve moved several doctors this year.
Johnston and Wales University announced plans to expand its Uptown presence building a 30,000 square foot recreation center. The building will house a gymnasium, locker rooms, and places for student activities to meet…we’ll keep an eye onit. Johnston and Wales opened in 2004 in Charlotte with the plan to close its Richmond and Charleston campuses.
Wells Fargo reported increased earnings,$2.6B for the 3rd quarter, even as credit losses rose and Bank of America reported record 3rd quarter losses of 2.24B… and that Ken Lewis wouldn’t be getting a bonus in 2009.
Housing Prices Bottomed and Moving Back Up Slowly
Charlotte is a part of the well regarded Case-Shiller 20 city Home Price Index, and has had the 5th least price drop of the 20 major cities measured. This summer, Charlotte’s price index had 3 consecutive months of increasing home prices through July, the latest month reported. Home prices are still down more than 9% from a year ago, but they are moving in the right direction. Prices have now risen 3 months in a row and 4 of the last 5 months, Charlotte home prices hit bottom and are bouncing back.
ED NOTE: August C-S report slightly lower prices in August-still nearly 2% above February low
The number of foreclosures fell 6% in NC in the 3rd Quarter according to Realty Trac, the soure for foreclosure information.
Nationally, existing Home Sales up 9.4% from August pushed by first home buyer tax credits. It’s happening here in Charlotte too…as home sales under $200k are about 66% of our market in September as reported in the CarolinaMLS.
Charlotte Job creation up, housing sales up, home prices up… Take that Washington Post! Happy Monday!
Terry McDonald, Charlotte NC
Related Videos and Posts
Charlotte Homes – An Introduction to Charlotte, You Tubes #1 Video Charlotte NC
Charlotte Custom Homes Luxury Homes- Charlotte update and Luxury home report combined
Charlotte Homes For Sale- A Market Report Through 3 Quarters 2009
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
First Home Buyer Alert
Yes, there is still time to get in before November 30, The TAX CREDITS WERE EXTENDED! hopefully you are far enough along and getting ready to make an offer. The IRS is not flexible, their deadline for contracts is April 30, Closings July 30, 2010. Call me and I’ll help you put it together. 704-351-1519
Home buyers, our $500 Gift card program has been extend to 12/31 and now applies to All Home Buyers who close begore 12/31/2009. Use us as your buyer agents, and within a few days of closing receive a $500 Gift card good at Ikea, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel or Lowe’s Home Improvement Center. Call me today and we’ll get you started.
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte Real Estate
October 25th, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home, Charlotte Homes for Sale
Charlotte Real Estate|Charlotte Homes For Sale
How do you like our generally new look? Please check out the Charlotte Relocation link, to see the familiar relocation links for jobs, taxes etc. We’ve added the home search in the right column, and did some house cleaning.
Here are someof my favorite recent posts: to get you
A Charlotte First home buyer (cute one!) Says “Show Me the Money!”
Charlotte New Homes- first home buyer inventory
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Call us to get you started, still just enough time for for first home buyers. 704-351-1519
| Currently No Comments » |
NC State Fair| A Day at the NC State Fair In Raleigh
October 25th, 2009 Categories: Things To Do Charlotte
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh is just a quick 2.5 hour drive from Charlotte, so with in a days trip for special occasions. I visited the North Carolina State Fair Saturday for the first time in my 17 years in Charlotte NC. It was an impressive event stretching over a large area in suburban Raleigh, out near the veterinary school of NC State University. It was quite a site, a huge event, and crowd, even on this rainy Saturday…Fried Oreo’s anyone, or my favorite the chocolate dipped frozen Twinkie… you’ll see one of those, plus prize pigs, cows and calf…
Sometimes I”m asked, “What is the New South?” The short answer is it is an industrial south that industry was willing to invest in post-segregation. But the State Fair? That’s a look at the Old South, the way things used to be in NC…
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Remember, to qualify for the $500 Gift card, give us a call first-704-351-1519- we’ll often get the right agent on the phone right then… and get you started. Sign up here for your Fast Start Guide to Buying Your First Home
Why You Need A Buyer Agent- Sand Traps and Land Mines to Avoid When Buying Your First home
Learn more about the McDonald Team and First Home Buyers.
Charlotte Home Prices Passed Bottom and Trending UP
Search for Charlotte Homes, Townhomes and Condos (First)
| Currently No Comments » |
Tweets to be Indexed by Bing…Google, Yahoo Next?
October 22nd, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home
Bing announces deal with Twitter and Facebook to index Tweets, Google follows suit next day
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
first time home buyers lets get cracking! Timeis running out to get your home financed and closed by November 30.
See First Home Buyer Liana M and her $8,000 Check! Call me today 704-351-1519
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte Weekend Update
October 16th, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home
First Time Home Buyers? Time is running out, call today, see homes today, 704-351-1519. Last Call is Coming for First Time Home Buyers
Fun Queen City kinda things to do, Charlotte, weekend of 10/16
Story night at Novello REading Festival, sponsored by the Public Library, tonight Friday the 16th
Kathy Griffin-my life on the D list comedian is playing tomorrow Saturday night at Ovens auditorium
Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, performed by The Children’s Theater of Charlotte, at ImaginOn- 704-973-2828
Our favorite,
NODA Gallery Crawl tonight,
begins at 6, but party starts closer to 8, buy some art tonight! 36th and North Davidson, self-guided tours- with wine!
Halloween is coming… what color is your costume?
Time is running out- it is closer than you may think to buying that first home AND receiving the$8000 Tax Credit..have Fun, buy a house and get $8000 Cash back–we can do it! Have a great weekend!
Search for Charlotte Homes, Townhomes and Condos (First)
| Quick Search Charlotte Homes | Charlotte Condos and Townhomes |
| Quick Search Luxury Homes | Luxury Condos and Townhomes |
| Quick Search Fort Mill Homes | Fort Mill Townhouses Condos |
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte Homes and Real Estate Updates
October 15th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Real Estate News
September- Good New from the MLS
Pending RESIDENTIAL Home Sales were up 4% in September over September 2008, the FIRST year over year gain in two years.
Building Permits were up 24% in September, reflecting a “boomlet” caused the last of the tax credits which expire 12/1/09.
Bad News at Epicenter Condo 210 Trade
The developer, Flaherty and Collins LLC filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy-liquidation giving up on the project. The liquidation effectively means Buyers with deposits are just another creditor, and lost between $11,000 and on the high side $300,000, totaling over $15M. This is just not right.
When a Realtor takes a deposit for a home- that deposit is placed in a strictly supervised escrow account, so that a Broker can’t use the Deposit as working capital, and so the money will be there at closing, or if needed, there for a refund. Why shouldn’t this be a law?
The builder contract explicitly states that builders can use the deposit for any purpose. This is a basic consumer protection that Raleigh should address as the industry seems incapable of doing it on its own- and now, I’d hate to be the customer who lost tens of thousands of dollars with no recourse, or the future sales person on any new project when a Buyer asks about the risk to their deposit.
This will have a chilling effect on sales for a decade.
Interest in Moving to Charlotte Remains High
The most popular Charlotte video on you Tube, Introduction to Charlotte, passed the 30,000 view mark last week, making it by far the most popular Charlotte video, and one of the most popular “city” videos in the US. See the story at Charlotte Real Estate, or the video at Charlotte NC
In keeping with the one good, one bad economic story here 
the bad news is…
Foreclosures will be a record in 2009 for Mecklenburg County- almost a certainty.
Filings nationally are at an all time high according to Realty Trac, and Meck will fit right in there. I’ll be watching for where they congregate, and the price levels… how hard will the “blue chips” be hit?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mixed news to say the least, if you care coming our way you need a skilled Buyer Agent to help you navigate your way here. Please call Direct at 704-351-1519, this phone is answered most of the time. Quick Search Charlotte Homes
| Currently No Comments » |
Charlotte Things to Do- Weekend Update October 10
October 9th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Buy A Charlotte Home, Charlotte First Time Home Buyers
Beer Lovers- Charlotte’ own Oktoberfest,
Saturday 2 to 7:00, take that DD! Metrolina Trade Expo
Disney’s Beauty and The Beast
continues at Imaginnon- great reviews in the paper and from neighbors! 704-973-2828 for times.
Novello Festival of Reading continues Schedule here
Carolina Panthers Play Washington Redskins Sunday-
come early and tailgate in the city, plenty of tickets will be available outside, don’t pay over full ticket price! If you wait till kickoff, prices drop dramatically. 
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Time is running out- it is closer than you may think to buying that first home AND receiving the$8000 Tax Credit..have Fun, buy a house and get $8000 Cash back–we can do it! Have a great weekend!
Search for Charlotte Homes, Townhomes and Condos (First)
| Quick Search Charlotte Homes | Charlotte Condos and Townhomes |
| Quick Search Luxury Homes | Luxury Condos and Townhomes |
| Quick Search Fort Mill Homes | Fort Mill Townhouses Condos |
| Currently No Comments » |
; ?>/images/MatoChiclet.gif)
