Would you like to own a part of one of Lake Norman’s trendy new mixed-use Urban Villages?  Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 18th at 10:00am when 17 new residential condominiums located in the popular South Main Street District in Historic Downtown Davidson will be sold by auction.

The scoop:  5 of these condos are going to be sold at “ABSOLUTE AUCTION” which means there is no reserve.  The highest bidder buys regardless of the price!  The other 12 condos will sell subject to the sellers confirmation.

The history:  Pre-selling of these “Condos in South Main Square” began in 2007.  5 sold through our MLS at prices from $129,900 for a 550 square foot ”garden condo” to $247,595 for an 1132 square foot 2-bedroom 2-bathroom patio condo. The rest of the units for sale on the MLS were withdrawn several months ago.  17 of these will be in this auction.

The facts: There are 17 units with 4 floorplans ranging in size from 1072 to 1132 square feet.  All of the units have 2 bedrooms and either 2 or 2.5 bathrooms. 10 of the units are actually 2 level townhomes.  The listing prices for these 17 units before they were withdrawn from the MLS ranged from $198,100 to $248,500.  Financing is available from Peoples Bank.  The auction itself is being held at Campania Cafe which is located at 416 S. Main Street adjacent to the condos.  For more information: Interstate Auction, for photos, floorplans, contracts, instructions on how to bid and buy at the auction and other important information.

Open Houses:  Every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm – 5pm or by appointment. (704.892.6923) until auction day.

If you are looking for new construction in a truly walkable neighborhood that is part of the Davidson Main Street Arts District and close to Davidson College, minutes to the I-77 and only about 25 miles to Charlotte, this might be a great opportunity for you.

I would caution that there are a number of townhomes and condominiums currently for sale in the Davidson community some of which are new construction and some re-sale.  Sales are very slow so know your comparable sales before bidding. It is hard to know whether these will be bargains until the day of the auction. 

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When one thinks of Lake Norman housing developments, Butterfly Meadows, Crab Apple Orchards and a suggested plant list derived from the “North Carolina Wildlife Federation  Recommended Native Plants for Wildlife” don’t normally come to mind.  I think that is what I love most about Lake Norman because not only do we have lifestyles and homes designed for lake living, we also have innovative housing developments like The Woodlands in Davidson that is the first in North Carolina to be designated a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

The result of a collaboration between Greathorn Properties, Inc, Ridgeline Development  and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, the 70-acre site of The Woodlands housing development is a 57-home community located about 3 miles from downtown Davidson on a 70-acre site where 24 acres are preserved for open space including natural hardwood forest, orchards and walking trails.

The three custom home builders at The Woodlands: Dienst Custom Homes, Marquee Builders LLC, and Walker Madison are committed to designing ecologically conscious homes that incorporate energy-efficiency and blend into the natural environment.  Homes range in size from 2,500 to more than 5,000 square feet and are priced from $400,000s up to $1.5 million. Architectural styles include Arts & Crafts, French Country, American Farmhouse and English Tudor. 

 The Woodlands was created to serve as a model of ecological sustainability by preserving the hardwood trees, creeks, wetlands and the paths for woodland creatures.

There are certain responsibilities the homeowner assumes as well.  Owners are “required to landscape their lots with plant material which is indigenous to the area and leave untouched as much as possible the existing vegetation and natural amenities.  The use of vegetation native to the North Carolina Piedmont Region is required.” Plantings for all common areas and public open spaces are designated habitat friendly by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.  

What is really exciting is that it will take very little additional effort for homeowners in The Woodlands to have their yards become a “certified wildlife habitat”.  Just about all new homeowners of The Woodlands will have to do is add water! (Birdbath, pond etc.)  

The Certified Habitat Program for the National Wildlife Federation is growing in popularity around the entire Lake Norman area. ”The four essential elements of a wildlife-friendly habitat are food, water, cover and places to raise their young” according to Julie Higgie, a certified habitat steward with the National Wildlife Federation. 

So, if you want to live close enough to the services and amenities of the nearby towns of Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville yet enjoy the natural environment and wildlife of the country, The Woodlands in Davidson just may be your ideal community!

Learn More!

The Woodlands at Davidson 

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation

How to create a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat in your own yard

Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists

If you want to experience the best of life in a small college town in the Lake Norman area, you need look no further than the Summit Coffee  house on Main Street in Historic Downtown Davidson.

Summit Coffee & Tea is the epitome of what true old-school coffee houses should offer:  A gathering place for students, faculty and locals where people of all ages are drawn to the warm and inviting ambiance, great coffee, delicious pastries, fine teas, micro-brews, wine, evening entertainment and a place to hang out with your laptop or a good book.

 With tables and chairs in both the front and on the large rear patio, (pictured to the right), on a sunny day you will find Summit Coffee to be a central meeting spot for students, soccer moms, professors, artists, athletes and anyone who appreciates top quality coffee and a place to just enjoy being with friends.

Inside the 100 year-old building in which Summit Coffee is located, a collection of antiques and mis-matched furniture, ceiling fans and a wall of eclectic sundries from T-Shirts to coffee mugs are all just the right amount of funky to make everyone feel at home. 

Don’t be at all surprised to find a group of people waiting in line.  I don’t think I have ever been there when it wasn’t busy! 

That’s because Summit Coffee serves up the best coffee around by a friendly group of top-notch baristas! 

The chalk board menu behind the counter offers myriad beverage options including the best espresso I have found in the Lake Norman area as well as pastries and lunches from La Patisserie in Mooresville.

You can also buy freshly roasted coffee beans by the half or pound.  My favorite is their rich decaf Magnolia. 

If you climb up the rather unassuming stairway to the second floor you will find a huge room with stuffed furniture, a corner for the musicians, and a great place to enjoy their premium wines and micro-brew beers 6 nights a week. 

During the day it’s a popular but quiet place to hang out or study with friends.

You will quickly learn, however,  that Summit Coffee is more that just a place to find great coffee. 

There is an overarching theme of mountain climbing and adventure blended with a passionate focus on Sustainability, Fair Trade, Organic and Shade Grown coffee. 

Since it opened over 10 years ago, Summit Coffee has shown a strong commitment to the community and giving to charitable organizations like The Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, The Conservation Alliance, Davidson Lands Conservation to name just a few.

If you go to their website: SummitCoffee.com, you can order their “Climbers Series, World Class Coffees” as well as their regular coffees, coffee mugs, learn about Sustainability and top quality Fair Trade, Organic and Shade Grown Coffee. 

I think the Quote from mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer  which is on their organic cotton T-Shirt says a lot about the owner and the character of Summit Coffee and what makes it special:

“A summit isn’t just a place on a mountain.  A summit exists in our hearts and minds.  A summit is a symbol that with the force of our will, we can transform our lives into whatever we choose them to be”

 Summit Coffee & Tea.

128 South Main Street. Davidson, NC 704.895.9090

If you have taken Exit 30 off of I-77 lately you will know what an incredible transformation has taken place just off of the exit towards Davidson’s Main Street!  All of a sudden a whole other community has cropped up including the new Harris Teeter Shopping Center, town homes, condos, offices, Davidson Day School and even an hotel.

In keeping with Davidson’s small town charm, growth control, high standards and sense of community, all of the new construction, mostly brick,  is focused on walkable, Live-Work neighborhoods that are designed to compliment the character of old Davidson. 

The largest of these is Harbour Place, a mixed-use project where you will find 29 Brownstones and 15 town homes surrounded by new shops, restaurants and several office buildings.  

There are currently housing 11 units for sale in Harbour Place ranging in price from $135,000 for a 2 bedroom 2 bath Brownstone to $499,000 for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom town home.

The high-end townhomes offer 10′ ceilings, hardwood floors, granite counters, private courtyards and 2-car garages.

Community amenities include a 4-acre park and walking paths to  Davidson Lake which is just at the end of the row of Brownstones/town homes.  There are views of the lake from some of the units as well!

 The future north rail line will not be far and there are plans for bus stops in effort to support “walkability” component of the overall Harbor Place plan.

  Surrounding the first of the new traffic circles is the retail, office space and new Homewood Suites Hilton Hotel.  Tenants of the 60,000 square foot office and retail building include Snap Fitness, a 24-hour gym, Sabi Asian Bistro, a Subway and businesses such as Bank of America, a pediatric dentist and a laser skin center.

Davidson just seems to know how to do it right…they have nurtured their old Main Street small college town atmosphere, preserved their historic buildings and carefully designed their new growth communities to compliment the sense of community that is so valuable to them.  It’s all about walking, nature, health and exercise and a quality of life that is hard to replicate!

Learn More about Lake Norman’s Other Urban Villages

Lake Norman’s Birkdale Village: Great Shopping, Dining and Housing!

 Lake Norman Real Estate:  Morrison Plantation; Another Urban Village

Lake Norman Real Estate Development: The Village in Cornelius

Legacy Village: Lake Norman’s latest Live/Work Development

Lake Norman Real Estate: Langtree at the Lake

For those of you who don’t frequent the charming Lake Norman college town of Davidson, you may not know that we now have THE BEST chocolate in the entire Lake Norman/Charlotte region right in our own back yard!

Opened in the new Harris Teeter Shopping Center last August, Davidson Chocolate Co. is a labor of love for owners and confectioners John and Sue Elliott. Using classic recipes from the Drost Family of Holland dating back to 1887, they create their incredible array of chocolate truffles, confections, fudge and specialty items right in their shop.

At much personal sacrifice I have made several trips to Davidson Chocolate Co. to buy samplings of their truffles and bark which I can say with great enthusiasm are truly incredible!

They offer about 14 different flavors of truffles from Cappuccino to Cherry Cordial in dark, milk, white and even sugar-free chocolate.  John is constantly experimenting with new flavors.  One of the favorites is “Hot Chili”!

Using a “full-bodied 70% cocoa mass” their dark chocolates have a richness that is rarely found. 

Not only are their truffles decadently delicious, but each one is a mini-piece of art.  

Because they are made without any preservatives nor paraffin and are very FRESH, the Elliotts recommend that their chocolates be frozen in an air-tight container if not eaten within 2-3 weeks.  Of course, whatever I bring home is consumed within a matter of hours!

Davidson Chocolate Co. hand-crafts all of their confections so they are able to offer custom work for weddings, corporate logos, and specialty molds.  As they said to me ” there isn’t much we can’t do if a customer has a special need!”  If you are celebrating a special occasion consider chocolate!

They also have a wonderful selection of ice cream, fudge and other confections.  Well worth the visit!

Davidson Chocolate Co.

610 Jetton Street Davidson, NC 

704.896.7245 or 877.896.7245.

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