0 Charlotte Nature Museum

The Nature Museum at Freedom Park in Dilworth is a great place to go for a family day out. With numerous activities throughout the museum you'll be sure to have a blast. Take a walk through a butterfly pavilion and discover all kinds of plants and animals while learning fun facts about local wildlife. The Charlotte Nature Museum provides a whole day of learning by experiencing wildlife through live animal exhibits and interactive education programs.

The Museum is separated into these sections:

• Beginnings - explore the life cycle of young animals
• Creature Cavern - Get close to opossums, owls, snakes, skinks, skunks and more
• Butterfly Pavilion - Walk among butterflies and watch them as they grow
• Insect Alley - view tiny insects and explore their world.
• Our Big Backyard.- Discover the world underground
• Paw Paw Nature Trail - Take a walk through the woods and see local wildflowers

Kids can sit around and enjoy Grandpa Tree and his forest friends as they tell stories by the “nighttime campfire” or catch a Puppet Show. Museum trips are not only fun for the whole family but they can turn out to be great shopping trips as well!

Gift shops have many unique and educational toys that are perfect for decorating a kid's room. With all of the indoor and outdoor exhibits available its always a great time to visit the Charlotte Nature Museum and adds to the list of fun things to do around Dilworth.

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0 Charlotte Homes Rank #1 in Real Estate Market

Dilworth is one Charlotte neighborhood that helps make Charlotte, NC #1 on a list of top 5 cities for increasing home values.

In a recent report published by the National Association of Realtors, Charlotte was ranked #1 in increasing home values for the first quarter of 2011. The median home price in Charlotte rose 12% to an average of $195,000, which is the highest increase in the nation. Go Charlotte!!! The average home price in Dilworth is about $600,000. Go Dilworth!!!

The NAR ranked the top five cities for home values in order as:

• Charlotte, NC
• Buffalo, NY
• Burlington, VT
• Jackson, MS
• Florence, SC

Charlotte's established neighborhoods saw little change during the recession as compared to the rest of the country. Neighborhoods like Dilworth, Myers Park, and Midwood along with other established neighborhoods provided a strong base for home values and prevented the Charlotte market from seeing the sharp decline that swept the nation.

Dilworth Home Sales On The Rise

 

Dilworth residents take great care in maintaining beautiful homes and a great community which helped it overcome the recession and is poised to be the most sought after neighborhood in Charlotte.

Through continued job growth Charlotte is set to be one of the fastest growing cities in America. As Charlotte grows, established neighborhoods like Dilworth will continue to see huge gains in home values.

If you'd like to receive these Dilworth market updates monthly, email me (DilworthCharlotte@gmail.com) and I'll sign you up.

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0 Front Entry First Impressions

The front entry of your Dilworth home is the face of your home and should be well maintained and designed. Dilworth residents take great pride in the look and location of their homes but the front entry can often be overlooked in the design scheme.

Granite countertops, wood floors and upgraded appliances make for amazing interior updates but without an impressive front entry your neighbors, guests and potential buyers may not give your home the credit it deserves. Take these tips to help your home reach its fullest potential and become the star of the Dilworth neighborhood.

Front Door
Consider the front door to be an introduction to your home. Front doors with windows offer lots of natural sunlight. By using an install-ready prehung door, you can make an easy front entry upgrade in a day.

Lighting
Exterior lights add safety and illumination, which accents the front of your house. When deciding on your homes entry lighting, be sure to pick a style that complements your home's unique architecture.

Plants
Plants act as a visual anchor for an entry and provide a natural feeling at your front entry. Make sure the containers you put them in are weatherproof to prevent damage during severe weather.

Walkway
Its easy to turn a concrete stoop into a showpiece by capping the treads and risers with stone, split-brick, or limestone pavers. By taking the time to design a beautiful walkway, your house has the beginnings of the perfect entry.


Sprucing up these four areas can greatly improve your homes first impression, value and make it a focal point in the Dilworth neighborhood.

Talk to the fabulous staff over at Luxe Home Couture or the folks at Cottage Chic for more entryway advice. Or, if you'd like to receive Dilworth market updates monthly, email me (DilworthCharlotte@gmail.com) and I'll sign you up.

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0 Charlotte, NC New Home Sales On The Rise

New Home Sales are on the rise in Charlotte, NC

February marked the lowest percentage of new home sales since the government began tracking the data in the 1960's. On a positive note, the Census Bureau reported a two month consecutive new home sales increase of 7.3% for the month of April. This is a great sign of a rebounding economy and may be an indicator that this is the best time to buy a new house in Charlotte.

The average price for homes sold is slowly increasing as the economy makes the shift from a recession to a recovery. There is also a substantial supply of foreclosed homes available that can often be purchased well under market value. In addition to new home sale growth and a rebounding Charlotte real estate market, the job market has also experienced gains.

The annual rent average is increasing as the economy rebounds which is making right now the best time to look into buying a house. There is possibly no greater motivator for first time home buyers than increasing rent. The prospect of paying as much to own a home versus renting is one that has motivated buyers for decades and facilitated the American dream. 

Mortgage rates are at the lowest point in history, the job market is rebounding, rent is increasing and there are vast opportunities for potential home buyers to seize the moment. If you are in the market for buying a new home in a Charlotte neighborhood, there's no time like the present.

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0 Cottage Chic Tent Sale

Cottage Chic is a lifestyle store located in the Dilworth neighborhood specializing in... that's right... living a chic cottage lifestyle. Everything from comfy white sofas and beautiful white carpets, to original art, quilts, clothing, and "Jackie O's" signature white sunglasses. This isn't you're typical "big-box" retailer of mass production, Cottage Chic offers their customers handmade furniture, no-iron linens, retro appliances, and plenty of hard-to-find items that make perfect gifts.
Make sure you don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to get great deals on chic cottage living household and personal items.

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0 Dilworth is Loving All Things Savvy

Dilworth has found a new way to dazzle Charlotte with a “savvy consignment boutique” located on Park Road.  J.T. Posh has a wide variety of clothing and accessories available from many designers. The prices are too good to argue with at 50-80% off of regular price.

                                                        
                                                         Courtesy of JTPosh, thecharlottelifestyle.com


Unlike other consignment boutiques who only update their inventory occasionally, J.T. Posh updates it's items almost daily. If you have been looking for a reason to pamper yourself, rest assured that checking out this boutique will prove successful.   And, of course, we love their savvy slogan!                                         
                                        

                                                         

                                                                             Courtesy of JTPosh, thecharlottelifestyle.com

With all those clothes you'll be buying, you just might need a new closet in a Dilworth home nearby! :)

  



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0 Current Dilworth Home Values

Has listening to the news left you feeling like there's no hope for Charlotte's real estate market? Well rest assured that every cloud has a silver lining and if you're living in Charlotte's Dilworth neighborhood your silver lining keeps getting brighter. Real estate trends and fluctuations in the housing market can't always be applied to all areas of the country. Some states have seen gains in home values, some have seen declines in home values, some states have seen increases in population, some have seen decreases in population. The point is there is no calculable method that can be applied to all real estate markets. Every state, every city, every neighborhood, every house will be effected in a different way by real estate market trends.

North Carolina has continued to grow in the downturn and is forcasted to be one of the fastest-growing states in the country; that means more people needing homes in Charlotte which translates to your home being worth more. It's a simple case of supply and demand.

Now let's narrow the area down even further: Dilworth is one of Charlotte's most sought-after neighborhoods and its small size means there is limited supply available to a growing number of potential buyers. If you have a home in Dilworth rest assured that the sky is not falling and you are in one of a few neighborhoods that are seeing increases in real estate values. The most recent Neighborhood report for Dilworth shows these stats:

Homes in Dilworth currently for sale: 41

Average list price: $592,365   ($234.13/sqft)

Average price of homes sold

Past 1 yr    =  $491,547

Past 9 mos = $478,999

Past 6 mos = $497,671

Past 3 mos = $566,400

- This graph clearly shows the value of Dilworth homes showing a continuous growth pattern.

Average price/sqft of homes sold

Past 1 yr    = $196.26

Past 9 mos = $190.90

Past 6 mos = $191.61

Past 3 mos = $201.17

- These figures show that, on average, homes in Dilworth are experiencing continuous increases in value over the last 9 months and can provide a rough idea of what a buyer might be willing to pay for your home.

Average "discount" off list price given by sellers

Past 1 yr    = 5.04%

Past 9 mos = 4.4%

Past 6 mos = 6.22%

Past 3 mos = 9.22%

- These figures show that sellers are becoming much more flexible and willing to negotiate on the price of their house.

The graphs provided show what appears to be a market bottom for the Dilworth neighborhood nine months ago, and continued growth in real estate values since. If you're looking to sell your house, I hope these figures help you sleep better at night. If you're a potential buyer looking to move to Dilworth, I hope these figures show you that moving to Dilworth is an investment in your future.

If you'd like to receive these Dilworth market updates monthly, email me (DilworthCharlotte@gmail.com) and I'll sign you up. You'll simply receive the charts and data. Nothing more, nothing less.

Have a great weekend!

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