School’s Out for Summer

The last day for school in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area is June 8th; what are you going to do with the kids now? Of course there are the usual things to do. Sleep late, play video games, hang out with your friends, watch TV, and maybe some sport activities. But what happens after that first day off?

Many children are bored before the end of the first week off from school. So what on earth can a parent do to keep the children happy, active and learning? One place that could help is the EnergyExplorium sponsored by Duke Power.

The EnergyExplorium offers self-directed learning for everyone, a mile-long nature trail on the banks of Lake Norman, interactive exhibits with subjects ranging from saving energy to tracking the weather and a beautiful picnic shelter. The EnergyExplorium has all the makings of a learning day that just might be fun.

If the kids would rather spend the day outdoors and checking out some animals, taking a wagon ride, and picnicking, then the Lazy5 Ranch is the place to go. Get up close and personal with a Texas Longhorn, learn about a Watusi and see Luther the rhino. A day trip like this would be fun for the whole family.

Spending the day with the kids is a great way to kill a few days during the summer, but most of us have jobs that keep us away from home most of the day. This leaves the children at some sort of day care, and it’s hard for you to help them enjoy too much at either a relative’s house or child-care facility.

The Charlottearea has ways for kids to be supervised, learn and still enjoy the summer. On the Charlotte Parent web-site there are listings for day camps, overnight camps and week-long camps, with a wide range of activities that are sure to suit any child or parent’s likes.

UNCC also offers academic-enrichment camps for rising grades 1-12 on the UNC Charlotte main campus. Programs include Aspire, Cool School and a wide variety of week-long, day and overnight camps for grades 4-12. Campers get to “go to college” and experience life on campus in a safe, fun learning environment.

As you can see, living in the Charlottearea offers a wide range of things for the kids to do this summer. So whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, I’d love to hear from you! Tiffany Johannes – Help-U-Sell Buy Today – Office Phone: 704-837-0010 Email: tiffany@husbt.com or visit us on the web . ddj

Market Statistics for the Charlotte Area

Trying to decide where to live in the Charlotte area can be a daunting task.  Many times just finding out what you can afford is the biggest hurdle to jump over.  But also what you can afford can make a big difference in where you buy as well as what you buy.

If you are looking for a single family home there are some statistics that can help you out.  The graph shows the median and average prices for single family homes in the greater Charlotte area during the month of April, 2012.

The Altos Research Site tells us that the median list price for all of the major cities around Charlotte (listed in the graph) is $232,121.  The average list price for the same area is $334,911.  This means that if you can afford a home mortgage of around $200,000 you would stand a good chance of finding something in your price range.

But don’t worry; there are different averages in different areas.  The Indian Trail area has a median price of $187,749 and the average price is $209,000.  Also the towns of Concord and Charlotte have a median price of $168,900 and $187,905 respectively.  These figures let prospective buyers know that there is a wide range of home prices that are sure to fit any budget.

April has seen home prices starting to level out, the downward trend has started to slow and some home prices have started to rise slightly.  Interest rates have also leveled out but are not on the rise just yet.  For a further breakdown in the pricing market another resource is Trulia.  This site breaks down price buy community and shows the same type of trend that we have discussed before.

This is still a very good time to buy according to many sources, and hopefully we have given you some good background information.  So whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, I’d love to hear from you! … Tiffany Johannes – Help-U-Sell/Buy Today – Office Ph: 704-837-0010 Email: tiffany@husbt.com or visit us on the web at www.CharlotteHomeExperts.com