Charlotte Growth...just keeps on improving

Here is an article published today that comments on the Healthy State of Charlotte's Economy and Growth:

"Navigating all the construction projects under way in Charlotte might be worth the inconvenience considering the alternative.
Economists say the cranes are a barometer of good health, indicating that things will keep going here no matter what happens on the national level.
The Charlotte Chamber's just completed 2007 report on new and expanding businesses seems to confirm that.
A record 1,326 firms announced plans to invest nearly $2.3 billion -- the second highest amount ever in Mecklenburg -- and create 14,648 jobs.
"What it tells me is we are building the infrastructure for future growth," said Tony Crumbley, chamber vice president of research. "I can't help but feel positive."
The city's uptown vacancy rate is around 2 percent -- the lowest of any downtown in the nation -- and office space is in short supply, helping fuel the building boom.
Employers, especially those who do business with the big banks, are eager to locate in the center city financial hub.
More than a half-dozen office buildings totaling more than 2.7 million square feet are under construction uptown and some won't be finished for two or three more years.
"The chamber's numbers have had a tendency to coincide with the general direction and magnitude of Charlotte growth," said Wachovia Corp. senior economist Mark Vitner. "The report shows we have a large backlog of work."
Home construction starts and sales have slowed, but Charlotte was one of just a few metro areas in the country where home values rose over the past year.
Vitner said local job growth, a key to future demand for housing, also remained relatively strong in 2007.
Planners see the Charlotte region adding an average of almost 50,000 people a year through the end of the decade.
Locally, consumers and businesses are keeping a wary eye on the uncertain national economy.
Vitner isn't predicting a recession, but if should happen, he doesn't believe it will last more than nine months.
In that case, activity likely would slow here, Crumbley said, "but we still have enough under way to keep us afloat."
The new construction and business expansion projects counted by the chamber totaled a record 25.1 million square feet.
Charlotte typically is insulated from drastic economic swings by its diversity of jobs and employers, Crumbley said.
The accommodations and food service industry -- the leading category in 2007 -- accounted for 4,436 of the announced jobs.
But firms also disclosed plans for almost 3,000 technical services jobs, 2,210 retail jobs and 360 manufacturing jobs plus substantial numbers of jobs in health care, finance and administrative support.
The big surprise in the year-end report, Crumbley said, might be the number of manufacturing jobs announced "because we are thought of around the country as a banking community."
Charlotte's location roughly between New York and Miami and interstate highway access is attractive to warehouse, distribution and manufacturing firms."

Merry Christmas and a GREAT Present for Charlotte: Yet ANOTHER Great Article!

Here is the article that was just printed today: December 26th about Charlotte:

Charlotte is one of just three places where home values are up
BY STEPHEN BERNARD
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK --There are only three places in the country where homes prices are rising - and Charlotte, N.C., is at the top of that very short list.
Along with Charlotte, Portland, Ore. and Seattle posted year-over-year home price appreciation in October, with Charlotte posting the largest gains at 4.3 percent, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index released Wednesday.
The index found that nationwide, U.S. home prices fell in October for the 10th consecutive month, posting their biggest monthly decline since early 1991. The record 6.7 percent drop marked the 23rd consecutive month of price deceleration.
The record 6.7 percent drop also marked the 23rd consecutive month prices either grew more slowly or declined.
"No matter how you look at these data, it is obvious that the current state of the single-family housing market remains grim," said Robert Shiller, who helped create the index, in a statement.
The previous record decline was 6.3 percent, recorded in April 1991. The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index tracks prices of existing single-family homes in 10 metropolitan areas compared to a year earlier.
A broader index of 20 metropolitan areas fell 6.1 percent. Among the 20 metropolitan areas used in the broader index, 11 posted record monthly declines and all 20 declined in October compared to September.
Miami posted the largest decline among those 20 markets. Home prices in the Miami metropolitan area fell 12.4 percent in October compared to the same month last year, surpassing Tampa, Fla. as the worst-performing city. Tampa posted a year-over-year loss of 11.8 percent.
Besides those two cities, Detroit, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego also posted double-digit year-over-year declines.
Atlanta and Dallas, which had previously posted price appreciation, fell in October. Prices fell 0.7 percent in Atlanta and 0.1 percent in Dallas compared to a year earlier.

Some MORE great news and positive reports. Don't let this incredible opportunity pass you by. Call me today and let's get your portfolio of investments full of properties in the BEST Real Estate market in the US...(Don't forget that the Charlotte Region is the FASTEST growing market in the ENTIRE UNITED STATES projected over the next 20 years which means great value for your investment purchases of today in tomorrow!)

Cheers,

Mike Knight
704.631.9938

Don't Listen to "Chicken Little" The sky is NOT falling in the Charlotte Region

I've been asked a lot here lately by clients and several media organizations and other institutions about: "Wow, how 'down' is business based off of everything people hear in the media". I can tell you that the truth is that business in the investment Real Estate market is UP, and it is UP STRONG. The Charlotte and surrounding region has been very fortunate. We have consistently produced higher and higher and higher average sales prices for homes (up 5.6% as of the recent reports as noted in a Wall Street Journal compared to the National average DOWN 4.4%...that is a 10% RISE in Prices versus the NATION).

It's not a fluke though, look at the incredible Economy that Charlotte enjoys, look at the location (yes, location, location, location IS still important), look at the fact that Charlotte is the FASTEST growing market in ANY category on pace over the next 20 years and with the recent layoffs in the Nation, Charlotte actually had a DECREASE in the Unemployment rate. The Charlotte region has a the BEST Bio-Tech Campus coming online in our region which is literally going to attract the top researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs associated within this field in the entire world.

Beyond that, don't forget that the smartest investment mindset is to think: FUTURE, FUTURE, FUTURE. Charlotte's home prices are UP (as mentioned above) and yes, our home sales volume has declined...WHY...well Charlotte has a tremendous amount of people moving into our area (remember we are the NUMBER ONE move-in destination in the ENTIRE United States) and unfortunately many of these people are coming from weak markets across the US and can't immediately sell their homes in THEIR market and so they have to rent first and then buy (after they sell their home). The point being that the decline in home volume is NOT a Charlotte thing, rather a Nationwide influence on Charlotte. Smart investors though see this and know that Charlotte is now more than ever the #1 market to invest in Real Estate. You have to think BIG PICTURE and if you think BIG PICTURE, then you realize that this is actually the BEST time to invest. Home prices are still low, foreclosures and other opportunities will bring you investments at a solid price and the rental market is growing with the movement of some previous "home owners" that took advantage of lax lending requirements that are now back into the rental market either because those loan programs no longer exist or unfortunatley their adjustable rate mortgage adjusted...WAY WAY WAY UP and so they've been foreclosed and now they're back to renting.

So, the answer to everyone's quetion is: "Now is the BEST time to invest!" A true investor is looking long term and investing in the market most likely to give the BEST return to them. Charlotte and this surrounding region IS that market. Charlotte has one of the STONGEST economy's in the ENTIRE US and still one of the LOWEST Costs of Living in the ENTIRE US...put those two together and mix them up with the fact that the population is exploding....it equals an increase demand in housing which means an increas in pricing for investors that make the best move and buy an investment now.

FORBE's AGAIN Loves the Charlotte Investment Market

Here is an excerpt from another incredible article about Charlotte:

"You're most likely to find undervalued real estate in cities where the real estate boom was driven by sustainable factors like job growth and economic expansion--like Charlotte, N.C. The city has quietly become one of America's leading financial centers"

Click Here for the rest of the article: www.buycharlotterealty.com/index.php?pageid=12


Reading this article and then reading the BLOG Post previous to this one, really puts it all into perspective, this is the time to BUY.

Buy Now, Buy Now

What Are You Really Afraid Of?
We all know that real estate investing is a great way to take control of your life. With "downsizings", "rightsizings", "off shoring" and layoffs at an all time high, job security is simply a thing of the past.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics millions of people lost their jobs in mass layoffs last year, and the same is expected this year. So why don’t more people actually embark to take control of their life? One common answer is a four-letter word, F-E-A-R. Fear is one of the biggest success killers there is. It not only stops people from becoming successful, it stops many people from even trying!! It's human nature to want to remain in our comfort zones, to avoid pain. Fear is the #1 reason why most people don't step out of that comfort zone.


What’s the Definition of Fear?

According to dictionary.com there are four definitions:
"A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger, a state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear".

"A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish".

"Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power".

"A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear".
Let’s look at fear from a business prospective. The first definition really does not apply. There is no real imminent danger in real estate investing, and it’s certainly not life threatening. The last three definitions are where we usually run into problems getting starting.

Fear is really about unfamiliarity and apprehension. Fear is a real emotion, but you can conquer it. If you really think about it we’ve been doing so our entire lives. Didn’t you once have apprehension about riding a bike, or going on a roller coaster, or learning to drive? Yet most of us were able to overcome these fears. I know these are basic fears, but moving forward to take control of your life really is no different.


Let's Analyze Fear

Let’s look at conquering fear analytically. We can break it down into four steps and apply these steps to our fears.

F – Figure it out.

E – Evaluate it.

A – Action plan it.

R – Repeat it.

Step 1 - Figuring out what we are really afraid of. Let’s use the common fear of public speaking as an example. Are you really afraid of speaking in public? Probably not, we do it all the time. The fear is more likely the act of speaking in front of a captive audience. To make it worse the audience is composed of strangers, so they are unfamiliar to us. Also we will most likely have to stand up and be on display during the speech. You have to think through the surface fear and figure out what is really causing the apprehension.

Step 2 - Evaluation. Why are we afraid of speaking to a captive audience? I know fear is an emotion, but try approaching it analytically. Are we afraid of misspeaking? Are we afraid of being embarrassed? Are we afraid of being asked a question? Are we afraid of what people will think? Are we afraid of our pants falling down? It’s probably a combination of all of these possibilities, plus some others.

Now we’re making some progress and getting to the root cause of our fear. When evaluating your fear ask yourself, "What’s the worst that could happen?" Make a list of these things and you have a good start on your evaluation. After reviewing your list you’ll probably see it’s really not so bad.

Step 3 is to action plan to overcome the fear. If we are afraid of misspeaking, being embarrassed, or being asked a question, then we can practice our speech over and over again, and even have notes available during the speech.

Will this guarantee that we won’t trip over a word do to nervousness? Of course not, but we also realize that all great speakers stumble over words do to nervousness or excitement. Do you really think any less of a person who corrects himself or herself while talking?

We need to practice in front of a live audience, but you should crawl before you walk. Let’s start by standing up and speaking in front of a few of our friends. There will be some initial nervousness and embarrassment, but it will soon pass. Then we might volunteer to give a presentation at a group we’re involved with, such as the homeowners association, the kid’s school, the office etc.

There will now be a combination of people we know and people we don’t know. Again there will be some initial nervousness, but it passes quickly. Now maybe we move up to the local toastmaster’s club and follow the same routine. Soon we realize that there is always some initial nervousness, but it always passes and we are able to complete the speech and answer questions.

Step 4 is to simply repeat the actions that you determined would help you overcome the fear. Repetition breeds familiarity, and once you become familiar with something there is no need to fear it.


Now, Put It All together

You can use the same plan to learn real estate investing. Eliminate the risk and apprehension by starting out as a real estate jobber. Learn first hand from established Investors. See how the process works in real life. This will help you become familiar and more comfortable with real estate investing. Eventually you'll wonder why you were ever afraid!

So what are you really afraid of?

Learning something new?
Networking with people?
Looking for leads?
Talking with Experienced Investors?
Possible failure?
Losing Money?

You’re probably not really afraid of any of these things. Figure out your fear and conquer it! There is no way to be successful without stepping outside of your comfort zone. Reflect on this to help beat your fear of real estate investing. Don't let fear stop you from succeeding.

Solid Support of Charlotte's Future by our Voters

Here is a brief write-up by Ivanna with our company about the solid support that Charlotte, it's current leaders and our growth was given by way of the recent elections:

1. Green-light for Mass Transit Projects: Voters made an emphatic statement Tuesday about how they view the future of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and its public transportation. The overwhelming majority believe an urban region needs more mass transportation choices, and that a half-penny sales tax remains a satisfactory way to pay for them.

2. Voters approve CMS (local school) Bonds- With renewed trust in school leadership and a painful awareness of the need for more classrooms, Mecklenburg voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a record school bond request. With all returns counted, 68 percent of voters backed the $516 million package for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

3. Mayor celebrates winning 7th Term- Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory celebrated a double victory Tuesday, easily winning a seventh term and watching voters overwhelmingly re-endorse the transit tax he championed a decade ago. No Charlotte mayor before him served more than four terms. For the 200,000 Charlotteans not here before 1995, he's the only mayor they've known.He called Tuesday's twin victory "an affirmation."
"I consider it a victory for Charlotte, both its leadership and its vision," he said. "It really gives me a lot of confidence that voters aren't just thinking about today, they're thinking about tomorrow. There's just a quiet majority out there who believe we are on the right track."

Home Prices Continue to Fall....except in Charlotte!

Here is a article released on Oct. 31 by the Wall Street Journal. As you can see, markets continue to fall throughout the US except for just a few shining spots, Charlotte is continually one of those shining spots. Charlotte is also the ONLY market in the US on path for 280%+ Population Growth over the next 20 years...get ready for a lot more reports like this one showing houses..ie YOUR WISE INVESTMENTS, climbing up more and more.

Home prices continue to fall in most major U.S. metropolitan areas, according to the latest update of the S&P/Case-Shiller home price indexes.

Prices of single-family homes in 20 major U.S. metro areas in August were down an average of 4.4% from a year earlier, Standard & Poor's, a division of McGraw-Hill Cos., reported yesterday. Prices in those metro areas fell an average of 0.8% from July to August, the fastest monthly decline in the seven-year history of the 20-city index.

Prices as measured by this index have been down from a year earlier for eight straight months.

"The fall in home prices is showing no real signs of a slowdown or turnaround," said Robert J. Shiller, co-creator of the index and chief economist for MacroMarkets LLC.

The Case-Shiller indexes track multiple sales of the same homes in an attempt to screen out price differences caused by shifts in the size and type of houses being sold. Some housing economists consider these indexes the best gauge of national and metro real-estate values.

The biggest declines are in the Rust Belt and in the former boom towns near the coasts. In the Tampa, Fla., area, prices were down about 10% from a year earlier. Prices continued to rise, though at a more modest rate, in parts of the Pacific Northwest and the South.

Eight of the 20 metro areas recorded their largest-ever year-over-year declines in August. Prices were up in five metro areas, led by Seattle with a 5.7% increase and Charlotte, N.C., with 5.6%.