Category Archives: Charlotte new homes

new homes and real estate in Charlotte, North Carolina

Nine Carolina Cities Make Improving Markets List for April

Nine cities in North and South Carolina made the list of housing markets showing measurable improvement in April. Compiled by the National Association of Home Builders and First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), April’s list included 101 metropolitan areas across the nation.

Seven North Carolina cities: Burlington, Charlotte, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Greenville, Rocky Mount and Winston-Salem made the list. Charleston and Spartanburg made the list for South Carolina.

The IMI identifies metro areas that show increases over a six month period for each of the respective lows related to employment, housing permits and house prices. The data is collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US Census Bureau and Freddie Mac. The list of 101 cities is up from the 99 listed in March, with 11 slipping from the list and 13 new ones being added.

“While housing markets across the country continue to struggle under the weight of overly tight lending conditions and other challenges, the April IMI indicates that at least 101 individual metros are showing measurable and consistent signs that they are headed in the right direction,” said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg. “A total of 35 states are now represented on the list, with 10 states having four or more entries. This positive news is in line with what our builder members have observed regarding firming conditions and improved buyer interest in certain locations.”

The National Association of Home Builders is a trade organization of 140,000 plus members involved in multifamily construction, home building, subcontracting, remodeling, housing finance, property management, building product manufacturing, design and more. NAHB builder members are expected to be involved in 80 percent of new housing projects this year.

If you’re interested in buying a home in one of these booming cities in North Carolina or South Carolina, visit Carolina Real Estate Forum.

Charlotte Ranks in Top 25 U.S. Cities with the Most Energy Star Buildings

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Charlotte was recently listed as one of 25 cities with the greatest number of energy efficient buildings that earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification in 2011.

These buildings sprawl over a combined 25 million square feet, and are expected to save almost $15 million annually in energy costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to the emissions of 2,600 homes.

Buildings and plants that carry the Energy Star label are the best in terms of energy efficiency. They save the most money, use the least amount of energy and significantly reduce green house emissions. Across the nation, the 16,500 Energy Star certified buildings have helped save $2.3 billion in utility bills annually and have prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to 1.5 million homes.

The list of the top 25 cities with the greatest number of energy efficient buildings was first released in 2008. Since that time, Los Angeles has remained the top city. Other top cities include Washington D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Tampa, Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City and Riverside. This year, California was the top represented state, with six of its cities making the list.

The Energy Star rating was launched by the EPA in 1992, and is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Over the program’s 20 years, $230 billion has been saved on utility bills and 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon pollution have been prevented. There are a total of fifteen types of commercial buildings in addition to new homes that can earn this designation including office buildings, retail stores, K-12 schools and more.

If you’re interested in buying an energy-efficient new Carolina home, visit our website.

Learn How to Organize Success at 2011 Closets & Home Organization Expo

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If you work in the home organization industry, you know the value of getting the most out of every available space. You’ve shown clients how to organize and take advantage of simple concepts, so why not do the same for yourself? Use the idea of getting the most out of what’s available and attend the 7th annual Closets & Home Organization Conference & Expo in Charlotte, N.C. on February 23 through 25 at the Charlotte Convention Center.

This unique conference, sponsored by CLOSETS magazine and the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals, offers over two dozen profit-driven, educational sessions for home organization professionals including:

The Art of Pricing Profitably
How to Become a Million Dollar Salesperson
Showrooms & Sales Management
Business Dashboard and Metrics Management
Working with Designers & Architects

There will also be several other events during the conference.

Wood & Wood Products Magazine is hosting an educational Wood Tech Summit where attendees can see presentations and demonstrations of integrated wood manufacturing concepts and advanced technologies.

Custom Woodworking Business and Cabinet Makers Assn. are hosting the 2nd annual Custom Cabinet Conference for cabinet shop executives that will include an expanded curriculum of business, marketing and technology topics. There will also be educational seminars and workshops provided by the CMA Speaker’s Bureau.

If you’re in the home organization industry, do not miss this event. You can learn about the latest products and trends while networking with other industry professionals. Not only did 89 percent of the 2010 show attendees have a role in the purchase of the exhibited products and services , but 69 percent also found new companies to do business with at the expo.

For more information, visit http://www.closets-expo.com.

Why You Should Cover Your Carolina Home With an Umbrella

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Why should your home need an umbrella? Well, when litigation rains (and it seems to reign king in society these days), you’re going to want to make sure your home and all your assets are covered. An umbrella policy may be the extra coverage you need.

Especially for homes and families that have pools, dogs, teenagers, motorcycles, boats or RVs, lawsuits are the rain cloud that’s always hovering nearby. One accident, and you could end up paying with your current assets and your future earnings.

Homeowners insurance and auto insurance will cover some liability, but they have there limits. According to the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog, that’s where an umbrella policy steps in. It protects assets and income when the limits on your basic policies have been reached, plus it will step into some situations your other policies won’t touch.

The Equifax article, written by insurance expert Linda Rey, is titled “

Umbrella Insurance: The FAQs.” It says that some things an umbrella policy might cover where you would otherwise be left on your own are overseas claims, non-business-related personal injury cases, and liabilities that occur off your property.

Umbrella policies are sold in increments of $1 million, and you may think you don’t need one because you simply don’t own that much stuff. However, when you add the value of your Carolina home with your investments, assets, future earnings potential and even your future pension income, you may be surprised at how much you have to lose.

The good news is that you may be able to get a discount on your policy. Try purchasing auto, home and umbrella insurance from one provider, and you should receive a cut in your premiums. And that doesn’t count what you will save on peace of mind.

For more details on umbrella policies and to make comments or ask questions of the experts, visit the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog.

Experience the magic of Venice at the 2010 STARS Awards Gala

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Be a star at the 2010 STARS Awards Gala on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at the Hilton Charlotte Center City Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The STARS Awards are a centerpiece of the 21st Century Building Expo and Conference—the premiere building expo and conference in the Southeast. Each year, the gala salutes the outstanding professional performance of HBA members throughout the region by honoring the achievements of builders, associates, Realtors, media and advertising professionals, and many others who make major contributions to the residential home building industry. Local home builders associations are also honored for their outstanding achievements. With 47 categories to choose from, there is something for everyone!

Do you have a great project that deserves recognition? Do you need a creative way to make your product and company stand out above the competition? If so, enter the STARS Awards! To be eligible for consideration in the 2010 awards program, you must be a member of the National Association of Home Builders. Projects must have been completed between January 1, 2009 and July 31, 2010. Entrants can choose between two entry deadlines this year:

1) Early Bird deadline: All entries (fee and entry materials) must be received no later than July 12, 2010. Fee: $100 per entry

2) Regular deadline: All entries (fee and entry materials) must be received no later than July 21, 2010. Fee: $150 per entry

The official Call for Entries can be accessed at the following link: http://www.21buildingexpo.com/star_award.cfm

If you would like a hard copy mailed to you, please contact Kathryn Atkinson at 919-676-9090 or katkinson@nchba.org to make a request.