Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
Wow! This stunning Lake Norman sunset was generously shared by one of my readers. I huge thank you to Jeff who sent me this photo taken by his wife Terri with her phone!
Tag Archives: Lake Norman Real Estate
Lake Norman Real Estate’s March 2017 Hot Sheet
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with a mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below actually confirm my thoughts when I wrote my February market report. After a serious dip in February it looks like our housing market is back on track or even better. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estates February 2017 Market Report: Yikes!
Wow, Lake Norman’s February home sales were stunning, but not in a good way: they were DOWN a whopping 34% compared to last February and the worst February since 2012, The only thing that I can say is that if you have been reading my market reports you know this drop was anticipated but I honestly didn’t think our closed sales would come in quite so low. Not to fret, however, this is not the whole story. What’s next? Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s February 2017 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below actually confirm my concerns when I wrote my January market report. There are some positives but our actual closed and pending sales indicate that our closed sales in February will struggle to meet last year’s. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s January 2017 Market Report
What a great way to start out 2017. Our Lake Norman real estate sales were 29% higher than last January’s AND, for the first time in 13 years, they even exceeded our record set in 2005! While there are a few dark spots in our numbers, it looks like our momentum from last year has carried over into January. What’s next? Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Mooresville Home Sales are HOT!
I had a friend ask me if I would do a sales analysis of Mooresville’s 28115 zip code because this area is not a part of my Lake Norman market reports. I said sure! Just to clarify, area 28115 is almost entirely the Town of Mooresville and is east of I-77. Almost all of the portion of Mooresville on the Lake Norman side of I-77, which has zip code 28117, is considered Mooresville but is actually in Iredell County and does not receive any services like sewer, water etc. from The Town of Mooresville. The Town of Mooresville even has a separate school system. Confusing? Yep!
First, I took a look at their total annual sales comparing 2016 to 2015:
*All date is from the Charlotte Multiple Listing service
So, as you can see, Mooresville’s number of homes sold in 2016 was 14% higher than 2015, the average sales price was 8% higher than 2015 but the days on the market was just about identical.
Next, let’s take a look at the past 6 months in more detail:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s January 2017 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below actually make me a bit nervous for the first time in months. There are some positives but our actual closed and pending sales indicate that our closed sales in January will struggle to meet last year’s. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s January 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (January 7th – 21st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the January chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s 4th Quarter 2016 Price Range Analysis: Great Tool for Buyers and Sellers!
If you are a home buyer or seller in the Lake Norman area it really only matters what is happening in YOUR price-range. Yes, it is important to know about the global economy, the national economy and the Charlotte area economy and real estate market but real estate is hyper-local so it is most meaningful to learn about the Lake Norman real estate market and within that, your specific niche. For instance, if you are looking to buy or sell in the $700,000 price range, you are going to have an entirely different experience than someone in the $800,000’s. This is the reason why I create a price-range analysis every quarter for my readers:
Lake Norman’s 4th Quarter 2016 Home Sales By Price Range
*Compiled from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service’s data, this chart enables you to focus on your specific price range(s) rather than use the broad-brush approach thus allowing you to size up your competition and better position yourself.
How to read this report:
Lake Norman Waterfront Home Sales 2005-2016: Interesting Insights!
Waterfront homes are a part of what makes Lake Norman so popular. What an amazing lifestyle they offer! Yet, during most of 2016 I once again noted, well complained, in my monthly Lake Norman market reports about our mercurial sales in luxury homes, the lack of inventory of good waterfront homes in the under $1 million price ranges and the historically low number of sales of waterfront homes as a percentage of our overall Lake Norman real estate market. So, what is up with waterfront homes? Now that 2016 is in the books I have put our 2016 waterfront home sales numbers in context with the past 11 years. The results are really fascinating if you like numbers! Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Waterfront Homes Sales 2005 – 2016
*All date is compiled using the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service
A closer look by vertical columns of this chart:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s December 2016 Market Report: It’s a Wrap!
Thanks to another strong month, our Lake Norman real estate market ended 2016 with a healthy 6.8% increase in single family home sales versus 2015 and the highest number of annual home sales since 2005! While our December sales only beat out last December’s by single digits, we still ended with 6 of the 7 final months of 2016 beating 2015 numbers handily. The cherry on top again this month is that the number of new contracts once again are higher than the past two years indicating that we should begin 2017 in the black. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
- “Waterfront homes continue to under perform despite Lake Norman’s overall high sales numbers. Waterfront properties represented only 26.6% of our December closed sales,. At the same time they currently comprise 40.7% of our active listings. The average sales price of a waterfront home in December was $886,643 which is slightly higher than the past 2 months but well below August’s $1,040,070, July’s $912,446. Our overall luxury housing market remains soft as well which is linked closely to our waterfront market. The average price per square foot of our waterfront homes came in at $226.00 down from last month’s impressive $252.94 and October’s $237.98. This number is best averaged over a longer period of months because it only takes one or two really expensive sales ($2- 3 million+) to skew any given month. It took on average whopping 162 days for a waterfront home to sell (verses 108 last month)and they sold for only 93% of the listing price compared to 96% last month. We currently have only 49 waterfront homes under contract comprising 26.7% of our total homes under contract. Our waterfront homes’ months of inventory actually dropped down to 8.8 compared to 11 last month. Waterfront home sales are still in a buyer’s market. These numbers certainly indicate that now would be a good time to by a waterfront home. That said, this varies quite a bit by price range, location and quality of water. Don’t be complacent because when really nice waterfront properties hit the MLS as they are actually selling quickly.
- 29 new construction homes closed in December through our MLS but this does not reflect an accurate picture of new home sales since so many are custom or are purchased directly from the builders and therefore never enter the MLS. (In fact, this segment of the market may be skewing our Lake Norman home sales numbers quite a bit.) The average listing price vs sales price of new construction single family homes was 99%. There is still very little if any wiggle room in new home prices. (But ask for all those great upgrades!) We currently have 75 new construction homes under contract in the MLS. The average sales price in December logged in at $391,829. The months of supply of active listings based on December sales stands at 7.1 so overall new construction homes are technically in a buyer’s market but again this varies greatly by location and price range.
- Distressed sales” (Foreclosures (REO’S), defaults, Short Sales) represented 1.5% of Lake Norman’s total home sales. With just 2 distressed closed sale for the entire month it is clear they didn’t play a role in December at all. Distressed active listings currently comprise 2.1% of Lake Norman’s current total inventory of single family homes for sales. Distressed sales continue to play an insignificant role in our Lake Norman real estate market.
- 50.0% of Lake Norman’s December single family home sales were under $400,000 which is about equal to last month’s.
- 68.8% of Lake Norman home sales in December were under $500,000, which is a bit higher than last month’s.
- Our “Under Contract Show” AND “Under Contract No show”/Pending sales combined total of 183 is once again higher than that past two years at this same date but not as much of a difference than prior months this fall. We have 4% more properties under contract than at the same time in 2015 and 18.8% more than January 6, 2014. We are on pace to have a relatively good start to 2017.
A closer look at the chart:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s Newest Tool for Home Buyers and Sellers
How would you like to get a “State of the market” report for every community in Lake Norman with just two clicks? It may sound impossible, but here is a link to my Home Search section where all you have to do in choose the community or area and you will get charts for the past 3 years including 2016!
2016 Annual Market Report Tool
You can search by area for our entire Charlotte MLS region or you can search by a community/complex. Here is an example of the results you will get. In this case I used The Point:
Now, just for fun, here are the same charts for The Peninsula:
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
Meet Zoey, my sweet and adorable kitty who, when not playing the piano, loves sitting on my lap “helping” me work. Three years ago in January I was working on a new waterfront listing on Lake Norman which had on it an old cabin and was tenant occupied. When I walked through the door on that cold night my eyes went right past the house to the sliding glass door facing the lake. There was this cute little kitten face staring at me. I walked right passed everyone to the door, went out and picked up the shivering little kitty. She purred louder than any kitty I have ever heard. She curled up on my shoulder and snuggled into my neck. It was love at first sight and I knew then that I had to help her. Apparently she had been abandoned as a tiny kitten and the tenants were feeding her outside.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s January 2017 Calendar is Here!
Lake Norman Area New Year’s Eve Celebrations 2016/2017
For New Year’s Eve 2017/2018 go to: Lake Norman Area New Year’s Eve Celebrations 2017/2018!
Lake Norman and the greater Charlotte area don’t have just one major New Years’ celebration or event, instead we have myriad ways to celebrate on New Year’s Eve 2016 and New Year’s Day 2017. Our public celebrations are, for the most part, found at local restaurants and entertainment venues spread throughout Lake Norman and Charlotte. From cruises on our beautiful Lake Norman to elegant 5-course dinners to rockin’ oldies bands, there truly is something for everyone.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s December 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below definitely indicate that our unusually heated pace of sales has slowed down to about the same as last year’s in the past two weeks. That said, we are well on our way to logging another strong month of sales to end the year on a high note. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s December 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (December 7th – 21st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the December chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s November 2016 Market Report
Wow, a 33% increase in Lake Norman’s home sales in November, now that is impressive! In 5 of the past 6 months we have beaten the same months in 2015 and 4 of the 5 by double digits. Not only were November’s sales 33% higher than last November but they also were the highest November sales since 2005. The cherry on top is the number of new contracts where are also significantly higher than last year indicating that this momentum is going to continue throughout the next several months at least. Mercurial has been emphatically replaced by momentum as my favorite adjective to describe our current Lake Norman real estate market. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s November 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below seem to indicate that while the pace is slowing just a bit which is expected at this time of year, it looks like we are well on our way to logging another strong month of sales. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s November 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (November 7th – 21st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the November chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Relocation Resources
Lake Norman Resource & Relocation Guide
Researching the Lake Norman North Carolina area when contemplating a relocation or buying a vacation home is an exciting adventure and it is definitely not just about searching for Lake Norman real estate or waterfront homes for sale. Here is a comprehensive list of Lake Norman related online links to help you learn about our area; from town, county and state government sites to detailed information about area schools, medical services, golf, boating and recreation on the lake as well as plenty of just plain fun things to discover.
Your first stop may be to The Charlotte Observer. They have a “Lake Norman Neighbor’s” section (see link below) and they publish an annual magazine Living Here at Lake Norman Magazine which is an excellent resource for newcomers. (If you would like a free copy email me…they are hard to come by but I have a few!)
Next, I would bookmark and read all of these great (printed and) online resources for Lake Norman news, community events, restaurant reveiws, sports and recreation, shopping and all about life in Lake Norman:
- Charlotte Observer Lake Norman Neighbors
- The Lake Norman Magazine
- Lake Norman Currents Magazine The Magazine for and about the people who call Lake Norman Home
- The Lake Norman Citizen Newspaper
- Creative Loafing is a great resource of myriad entertainment and happenings of all kinds in the greater Charlotte Area
- Lake Norman Fun
- Mooresville Tribune
Finally, below I have compiled tons of links loaded with information about life in Lake Norman!
OUR TOWNS: 
OUR 4 COUNTIES:
OUR STATE:
- North Carolina
- NC. Deparment of Motor Vehicles
- North Carolina Travel and Tourism
- North Carolina Our State Magazine
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg
- Iredell-Statesville (Lake Norman Schools in Mooresville)
- Mooresville Graded School District
- Lincoln
- Catawba
LEARN ABOUT LAKE NORMAN:
- Duke Energy
- Great Lake Norman Map!
- History of Lake Norman: Under Lake Norman
- History of Lake Norman: OUR STATE Magazine
- Lake Events
- Overview of Lake Norman Region
- Lake Norman, Surface Water Temperature
- Island Keepers
- Lake Norman Covekeepers
- Gus Gustafson (fishing pro) (Boating hazards)
FARMERS MARKETS
- Davidson’s Farmers Market
- Josh’s Farmers Market and Produce Stand, Mooresville
- Lake Norman Where to Find Fresh Produce Stands and Farmers Markets
- Foothills Farm Fresh in NC:
- Farm Fresh Markets
- NC Dept of Agriculture
MY FAVORITE MARKETS
- Whole Foods, Huntersville
- The Fresh Market, Cornelius
- Trader Joe’s
- Harris Teeter
- Publix in Mooresville, Cornelius and Huntersville
FUN and NIGHTLIFE
NEWCOMERS RESOURCES
RECREATION:
- Lake Norman Sports Resource Guide
- Lake Norman Fishing
- Lake Norman Ski Club
- Baseball, Soccer and other Sports
- Mooresville Lowes YMCA
- National Whitewater Center (300 acres, Olympic whitewater river, flat water boating, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking)
- Lake Norman State Park (Public beach, boat rentals and ramp, mountain biking, hiking, camping)
- Jetton Park (Cornelius, 105 acres; hiking, biking, picnic tables, tennis, playgrounds, lake suning beach)
- Ramsey Creek Park (44 acres; sunning beach, boat launch, docks, play ground, picnic shelters, nature trails, fishing pier)
- Mecklenburg County Dog Parks
- Great list of things to do and see
GOLF COURSES
- The Peninsula Club
- Trump National Golf Club Charlotte Lake Norman
- River Run Golf and Country Club
- Birkdale Golf Course
- Carbarrus Country Club
- Cowan’s Ford Golf Club
- Fox Den Country Club
- Highland Creek Golf Club
- Mallard Head Country Club
- Mooresville Golf Course
- Northstone Club
- Rocky River Golf Club
- Skybrook Golf Club
- Statesville Country Club
- Vertict Ridge in Denver
- Westport Golf Club
OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDLIFE
- NC Wildlife Resources Commission
- NC Division of Marine Fisheries
- NC Division of Parks and Recreation
- National Forests in North Carolina
- Lake Norman State Park
- Gus Gustafson (fishing pro) (Boating hazards)
MARINAS
- Long Island Marina: Catawba
- Lake Norman Marina:Sherrills Ford
- Boat Rack Marina: Sherrills Ford
- Midway Marina: Terrell
- Westport Dry Storage and Marina: Denver
- Kings Point Marina: Cornelius
- Holiday Marina: Cornelius
- Queens Landing:Mooresville
- Inland Sea Marina: Mooresville
- Stutts Marina: Mooresville
- All Seasons Marina: Langtree – Mooresville
- Skippers Dry Storage Marina: Troutman
Boat and Jet Ski Rentals and Charters:
- The Catawba Queen
- Yachta Yachta Yachta Yacht Charters
- Ragin Uptown Luxury Bus Charters
- Lake Norman Jet Ski Rentals
- Westport Dry Storage and Marina
- AAA-0 Saltshaker Marina
- Kings Point Marina
- Carolinas Boat Rental
- C.S. Rentals of Lake Norman
BOATING SAFETY AND OVERSIGHT
- N.C. Wildlife Resources commission
- The Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron
- US Coast Guard Auxilliary
- Lighthouse Marine Service
- Captain Alan Stopko: Peninsula Yacht Club
SHOPPING/MALLS:
HEALTH CARE/AREA HOSPITALS:
- Lake Norman Regional Medical Center (704.660.4000)
- Presbyterian Novant Medical Center Huntersville (704.316.4000)
- Presbyterian Novant Medical Center Charlotte (704.384.4000)
- Presbyterian Novant Orthopedic Hospital (704.316.2000)
- Carolinas Medical Center (704.355.2000)
- Carolinas Medical Center- Huntersville (704.512.3100)
- Carolinas Medical Center University Area (704.863.6000)
- Carolinas Medical Center-Lincoln (980.212.2000)
- Iredell Memorial Hospital (704.873.5661)
- Davis Regional Medical Center (704.873.0281)
- Catawba Valley Medical Center (828.326.3000)
- Piedmont HealthCare (704.873.4277)
SENIOR SERVICES:
- The Iredell Council on Aging:
- Statesville: (704.873.5171)
- Mooresville: (704.663.5112)
- Troutman: (704.677.2386)
- South Iredell Senior Center, Mooresville: (704.662.3337)
- North Mecklenburg/Huntersville Senior Center
- Charlotte/Mecklenburg Senior Centers
- Lincoln County Senior Center
- AARP
- Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services
RELATED LAKE NORMAN REAL ESTATE ARTICLES:
60 Things You Should Know About Life in Lake Norman
Are You Ready to Navigate the Waters of Lake Norman?
What You Need to Know About Buying Real Estate In North Carolina
What is it Like Living In Race City USA?
Fresh Sushi? Hush Puppies? The Scoop About Relocating to Mooresville Lake Norman
Lake Norman Real Estate’s October 2016 Market Report:
Lake Norman’s overall real estate market is still extremely active despite entering into our seasonally slower months. 4 of the past 5 months have beaten the same months in 2015 and 3 of the 4 by double digits! In October we closed 17% more home sales than last October and based upon our new contracts it looks like this momentum is going to continue throughout the next several months at least. Mercurial has been emphatically replaced by momentum as my favorite adjective to describe our current Lake Norman real estate market. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s 3rd Quarter 2016 Price Range Analysis: Great Tool for Buyers and Sellers!
If you are a home buyer or seller in the Lake Norman area it really only matters what is happening in YOUR price-range. Yes, it is important to know about the global economy, the national economy and the Charlotte area economy and real estate market but real estate is hyper-local so it is most meaningful to learn about the Lake Norman real estate market and within that, your specific niche. For instance, if you are looking to buy or sell in the $700,000 price range, you are going to have an entirely different experience than someone in the $800,000’s. This is the reason why I create a price-range analysis every quarter for my readers:
Lake Norman’s 3rd Quarter 2016 Home Sales By Price Range
*Compiled from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service’s data, this chart enables you to focus on your specific price range(s) rather than use the broad-brush approach thus allowing you to size up your competition and better position yourself.
How to read this report:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s October 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below seem to indicate that while the pace is slowing which is expected at this time of year, we are still looking very strong compared to all prior Septembers. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s October 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (October 7th – 21st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the September chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s September 2016 Market Report is Here!
Wow, I think Lake Norman’s real estate market is officially on a roll after a rather up and down first half of 2016. Now 3 of the past 4 months have been record breaking and based upon our new contracts it looks like this momentum is going to continue throughout the next several months at least! Following an impressive 18% increase last month (compared to August 2015) we have already logged in 171 sales for September for a 13% increase over September 2015. This is the highest number of single family home sales in the month of September since 2005 and when stragglers come in we may even beat that number! Mercurial has been replaced by momentum as my favorite adjective to describe our current Lake Norman real estate market. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s September 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below seem to indicate that while the pace is slowing which is expected at this time of year, we are still looking very strong compared to all prior Septembers. Let’s take a closer look:
2 Marketing Tools that will set your Lake Norman home apart
I recently listed this beautiful home in The Point and had the good fortune of getting a full-price offer within 24 hours of it hitting the market. At a price point that’s average days on the market is 212 days and the average listing- to-selling price is 95% for recent comparable sales I would say we did very well! So was this pure luck? Perhaps, but I do believe that my seller’s and my efforts getting the property ready, staging and then going all out on the marketing didn’t hurt!
In this specific case we decided the gorgeous pool and outdoor fireplace/grill and bar were huge attributes given that these amenities didn’t exist in our competition. So, besides having the house and garden groomed to perfection I hired a wonderful stager to make everything inside “popped” while I focused on the pool area and the front door. My inspiration was a recent Frontgate catalog and other photos on such online sites as Houzz.com. But all of this effort might have ended up under the radar of buyers if we hadn’t used two key marketing tools that are rather new to the Lake Norman area:
- Aerial/Drone Photography and Professional Video
- Matterport 3-D and 360 Virtual Tour
Of course, both of these required the expertise of a very talented photographer I was able to hire for the project. He did all of the still photos, the drone aerial photos, created the video and took the Matterport 3-D photos. The end result was pretty darn awesome!
Here is the video:
Below is the Matterport 3-D tour. If you are not experienced viewing this type of marketing, I find it easiest to click on one of the photos and then use your up, down, right and left arrows to either take a good look of a room by doing a 360 degree scan or literally walk through the house from room to room and stop and turn whenever you want:
What is the take away? I can’t emphasize enough the importance of staging a home and then using the best marketing tools available that are appropriate for your property. It is worth every penny!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s August 2016 Market Report is Up, Up and Up!
After being let down last month, August turned out to be a record breaking month for Lake Norman’s single family home sales; up an impressive 18%. The new norm here seems to be an every other month record breaking high (June and August) or sadly weak month (May and July). I have used mercurial to describe our 2016 real estate market and August served to underscore this characteristic. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
I love drones! This is one of my favorite photos of my new listing in The Point because you can see Lake Norman and get a real sense that this home is not only stunning but how it is truly surrounded by trees and just around the corner from the lake. I am planning to write my next post about drone and 3-D photography and how it helped to sell this property in one day. Stay tuned!
To make your desktop calendar just click on the link above and then right click and select “set as background”.
I would love to use one of your favorite photos depicting life here in Lake Norman. (Optimum size is a landscape photo about 2MB or about 1600 x 1200 pixels). I will give a $25 Gas Card to anyone who provides a photo that I use as one of my monthly calendars. If you’d like to submit a photo or an idea for a future calendar, please send it to…diane@dianeaurit.com
To receive all of my updates about Lake Norman Real Estate, subscribe here
Lake Norman Real Estate’s September 2016 Calendar is Here
Lake Norman Real Estate’s August 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with the mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below give us a bit of a mixed message for this month but seem to support the up and down trend we have seen so far in 2016. Sound familiar? Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s August 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (August 8th – 22st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the July chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s July 2016 Market Report: The Roller Coaster Continues!
Mercurial is the word that comes to mind when describing our 2016 Lake Norman real estate market. After being teased with strong “under contract” and pending sales statistics but disappointing closed sales numbers all spring, it all turned around in June with a record high 210 closed sales only to suffer a 12% drop in closed sales in July! Once again we have record high numbers of properties “under contract” but when will they translate into closed sales? Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
August in Lake Norman is the last chance for many folks to enjoy their summer vacations before the start of the school year. The weather right now is warm enough to tell our bodies to slow down and relax….even yawn on a warm summer’s afternoon. This lion has the right idea!
To make your desktop calendar just click on the link above and then right click and select “set as background”.
I would love to use one of your favorite photos depicting life here in Lake Norman. (Optimum size is a landscape photo about 2MB or about 1600 x 1200 pixels). I will give a $25 Gas Card to anyone who provides a photo that I use as one of my monthly calendars. If you’d like to submit a photo or an idea for a future calendar, please send it to…diane@dianeaurit.com
To receive all of my updates about Lake Norman Real Estate, subscribe here
Lake Norman Real Estate’s August 2016 Calendar is a Yawner!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s July 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with a mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below give us a bit of a mixed message for this month but some positive signs for the next few months thereafter. Sound familiar? Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s July 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (July 7th – 21st. As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the July chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s 2nd Quarter Price Range Analysis: Great Tool for Buyers and Sellers!
If you are a home buyer or seller in the Lake Norman area it really only matters what is happening in YOUR price-range. Yes, it is important to know about the global economy, the national economy and the Charlotte area economy and real estate market but real estate is hyper-local so it is most meaningful to learn about the Lake Norman real estate market and within that, your specific niche. For instance, if you are looking to buy or sell in the $700,000 price range, you are going to have an entirely different experience than someone in the $800,000’s. This is the reason why I create a price-range analysis every quarter for my readers:
Lake Norman’s 2nd Quarter 2015 Home Sales By Price Range
*Compiled from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service’s data, this chart enables you to focus on your specific price range(s) rather than use the broad-brush approach thus allowing you to size up your competition and better position yourself.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s June 2016 Market Report: Record Breaking!
Finally!!! After being teased with strong pending sales but disappointing closed sales numbers all spring, it all turned around in June. At 202 closed sales Lake Norman logged in the 3rd highest monthly sales since 2004! On top of this, as of today we have a high number of pending contracts as well. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s June 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with a mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? From these numbers it appears that we may have strong closings this month but there are signs of a slowdown on the horizon. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s May 2016 Market Report: What the?
I have been searching for just the right word to describe our May sales numbers. Confounding? Bewildering? Perplexing? I am truly dumbfounded. What the heck is going on? How can Lake Norman have record breaking numbers of new contracts for months yet log in such disappointing closed sales numbers? I have some theories but nothing concrete to back them up. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
It is amazing how glassy the water had to be on this beautiful evening on Lake Norman to create such a perfect mirror image of the trees along the shore, the clouds and the stunning sunset. A huge thank you to my past client and friend Betty Ann for sending me this for my monthly calendar!! The longer I stare at it the more artistic details I see, especially how the water accentuates the colors, the shapes of the clouds and the sky itself. How wonderful to have been able to capture and share this instant of nature’s beauty on our very special lake.
To make your desktop calendar just click on the link above and then right click and select “set as background”.
I would love to use one of your favorite photos depicting life here in Lake Norman. (Optimum size is a landscape photo about 2MB or about 1600 x 1200 pixels). I will give a $25 Gas Card to anyone who provides a photo that I use as one of my monthly calendars. If you’d like to submit a photo or an idea for a future calendar, please send it to…diane@dianeaurit.com
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Lake Norman Real Estate’s June 2016 Calendar is Here!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s April 2016 Market Report: Interesting Trends Emerging!
So, the good news is that Lake Norman’s deplorable March closed sales does appear to have been a one-month aberration of what has otherwise been a pretty good year. Last month I wrote “I am positive this dip is short lived because we currently have 297 homes under contract compared to last year’s 272. Clearly we are now on a terror! ” I think it is fair to say that still holds true and then some. Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
How Noisy is a Lake Norman Neighborhood?
How would you like to search for homes and be able to also find out just how noisy it is in each location? The company that provides the property search program for this website, Davis Farrell Technology, just added a really COOL new tool provided by a company called HowLoud. Utilizing a Soundscore™, buyers can search and view properties based on environmental noise. A Soundscore is a combination of 3 factors: airports, traffic, and local sources. Listings that are scored will display the score and a map like the one above.
To test this I did a search for homes in The Point in Mooresville. Above is the result for a property just off Brawley School Rd. As you can see, this property is rated 82 which is “calm” but getting close to being “active” given its proximity to Brawley School Rd. As the main road in and out of the Brawley School Rd. peninsula, you can see that Brawley School Rd itself is yellow which indicates “Active”. The farther away from Brawley School Rd you get the “Calmer” you get. Note that the darkest areas are the lake itself.
How cool is this? Have some fun, give it a try and let me know what you think!
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
The weather was amazing in April! Lake Norman’s gorgeous shoreline is once again decorated with our myriad lush green trees, flowering Azaleas and plants of all kinds. In many places the docks just peak out to let people know that, in fact, someone is lucky enough to live behind those trees on the lake.
I took this picture from the dock of a waterfront lot I just listed in The Point, arguably the most prestigious luxury community on Lake Norman. Since our recovery after the recession, the last remaining lots in The Point and the greater Brawley School Rd. peninsula have been gobbled up and most already have gorgeous new homes on them. Construction is everywhere. There are 3 waterfront homes being built just down the street from me and 3 others are completed. I must admit that it is sometimes hard to see our beautiful, wooded lots disappearing.
The lot in this photo is shoulder to shoulder with some amazing luxury waterfront estates! Check it out: 134 Cape Cod Way.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s May 2016 Calendar is Here!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s April 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
I always get excited to do this Hot Sheet analysis each month because it provides me with a mid-month pulse of our Lake Norman real estate market. So where are we today? The numbers below prove just how HOT our market is right now and the momentum that we saw last month is continuing after the dip in closed sales in March. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s 1st Quarter 2016 Market Report by Price Range: Great tool!
If you are a home buyer or seller in the Lake Norman area it really only matters what is happening in YOUR price-range. Yes, it is important to know about the global economy, the national economy and the Charlotte area economy and real estate market but real estate is hyper-local so it is most meaningful to learn about the Lake Norman real estate market and within that, your specific niche. For instance, if you are looking to buy or sell in the $400,000 price range, you are going to have an entirely different experience than someone in the $500,000’s. This is the reason why I create a price-range analysis every quarter for my readers:
Lake Norman’s 1st Quarter 2016 Home Sales By Price Range
*Compiled from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service’s data, this chart enables you to focus on your specific price range(s) rather than use the broad-brush approach thus allowing you to size up your competition and better position yourself. Please note that these numbers are actually from the 15th of January to to the 15th of April so they will differ slightly from my monthly market reports.
How to read this report:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s March 2016 Market Report: Sales Dip Sharply
So, we saw it coming in my mid-month hot sheet analysis, but the closed sales numbers for this March compared to March 2015’s were down right abysmal as -29%. That said, it is important to consider the fact that last March Lake Norman posted exceptionally high closed home sales. This year’s March numbers are as much about the huge sales we are up against as they are about the fact that we experienced a dip in momentum in late January/February resulting in lower March closed sales. I am positive this dip is short lived because we currently have 297 homes under contract compared to last year’s 272. Clearly we are now on a terror! Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you:
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
One of my favorite things about life in Lake Norman is my Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden. It has grown over the past 10 years from red clay to an amazing retreat where I can enjoy myriad plants, flowers and Lake Norman’s wide array of birds, wildlife and butterflies without ever leaving my house. Here is a photo of my pond and waterfall area from last April: Continue reading
Lake Norman Real Estate’s April Calendar is for the Monarchs!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s March 2016 Hot Sheet it Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
So, here are some very interesting numbers! They indicate that Lake Norman’s real estate market is HOT today but only after a potential hiccup for closed sales this month. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s March 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (March 8th – 22nd). As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the March chart using my data since 2009.
Lake Norman Real Estate’s February 2016 Market Report: So Far So Good!
To be perfectly honest, after such a great 2015 when we logged a healthy 7.3% increase over 2014, I had some concerns about this year particularly given our extremely low inventory of active listings. So far, however, these concerns have been unfounded. After a positive January, we were again in positive territory in February with a respectable 9% increase over February 2015 closed sales. In fact, this February we posted the strongest February since 2007. But where are we trending for the next few months? Let’s take a closer look:
* All data is from the Carolina Multiple Listing Service.
Some significant additional statistics for you: Continue reading
Download this month’s Lake Norman calendar here
It’s time to start thinking about spring and getting back out on our beautiful Lake Norman. From “cigarette” boats speeding up the main channel to kayaks like these on a quiet cove, Lake Norman offers something for everyone. Photos like this can’t help but bring you a sense of peace and serenity.
This stunning photo was taken by renowned artist Cotton Ketchie, owner of Mooresville’s Landmark Galleries, who spends much of his time driving all over North Carolina and even summer trips around the country, taking stunning photos. And, of course, he also takes some amazing photos of Lake Norman as well. If you haven’t visited his store on Main Street in Historic Downtown Mooresville you should put it on your list for 2014! He has myriad beautiful photographs like this one for sale as well as his wonderful watercolors and even North Carolina pottery. Continue reading
Lake Norman Real Estate’s March 2016 Calendar is here!
Lake Norman Real Estate’s February 2016 Hot Sheet is Here!
Want the very latest insight into our Lake Norman real estate market? So do I which is why, every month, I do a snapshot analysis of the middle two weeks of the month to get a sense of where we are at this very moment…an almost live insight into the heartbeat of the Lake Norman housing market.
After a solid January, this 2-week snapshot of our Lake Norman real estate activity when compared to the past 6 months and past 6 February’s isn’t as impressive but rather indicates that at the moment we are merely maintaining the status quo. Let’s take a closer look:
Lake Norman Real Estate’s February 2016 Two-Week Hot Sheet
* The above chart is a summary of today’s “Hot Sheet” from the Charlotte Multiple Listing Service for single family homes in all of Lake Norman. These numbers represent a real time snapshot of the past two week’s activity. (February 8th – 22nd). As always, I have included the past 6 months so that you can put these numbers in perspective. Below is the February chart using my data since 2010.