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Thank you. That's a start. But as I'm not familiar with what qualifies as "uptown", I don't know where North of Uptown is, lol. I look at a map and see where downtown Charlotte is. So is uptown, just north of that? I see neighborhoods named Tryon Hills, Sugar Creek, Nevin... Are those "uptown Charlotte"? So north of that would be, what... Huntersville?
I'm sorry, I don't have a point of reference of what is uptown, what is newly built and what is old. Till I take my trip, I can only read forums, articals and look at maps.
I am trying to see where there are big old ancient trees along the streets, as newly planted trees usually mean a new area of course. But that is proving difficult to do as well, since alot of new neighborhoods were simply cut out of the old forests. The give-away is when the old trees are between the house and the street, instead of just behind the house.
Uptown is what they call downtown Charlotte. Don't ask me why...
I'm thinking parts of University and Huntersville may be considered north of uptown.
I would also look at South Charlotte and Dilworth and parts of East Charlotte.
I wouldn't suggest West Charlotte, although there are some nice pockets there are a lot of rough areas over there. If you go past West Charlotte to Belmont I think it gets better.
All I can say is that I find it alarming that so many have forgotten that there were no such things as HOA's when many of us grew up. I lived on an upper middle class street in a small town, and it was as beautiful as they come. I was surrounded by mid-middle class, and lower-middle class neighborhoods, and they looked equally beautiful, they just had less money. People still cut their grass and took pride in their homes. And the thought of a neighbor spying on you or reporting you to some organization was preposterous.
To each their own. My parents non-HOA neighborhood ran down as prices in the neighborhood dropped. People stopped taking care of their lawn. Started putting cars on blocks in the front. No extra facilities. Flowers beds in front of neighborhood sign were dead since no money paid for that.
My home is an HOA neighborhood. I am fine with it. While we are required to do such and such, it keeps up the neighborhood. Fees pay to upkeep pool, basketball courts, playgrounds, plants throughout the neighborhood, etc. Our fees are reasonable. I don't see the big issue unless you plan to run a dog kennel or put some eyesore in your front yard.
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My original question asked where the cookie cutter sub-divisions are, so I can avoid them. This kind of led to the HOA subject, only because those areas are the worst offenders in that sense.
HOA/new subdivsions are all over especially outside of I-485. Your best bet is in the older areas such as Dilworth, Matthews, Concord, Gastonia, etc. Get yourself a real estate agent and they could point you to a home within that guideline.
The cookie cutters are scattered all over. However, it seems that if the house has a small lot (<0.3ac) the odds of it being a cookie cutter increase dramatically (with the exception being older homes).
The cookie cutters are scattered all over. However, it seems that if the house has a small lot (<0.3ac) the odds of it being a cookie cutter increase dramatically (with the exception being older homes).
I looked at a nice home but the neighbors were looking at me from their house when I was in the kitchen so I didn't buy it. LOL. Nice home but way too close to the neighbors. It felt like a townhouse.
To each their own. My parents non-HOA neighborhood ran down as prices in the neighborhood dropped. People stopped taking care of their lawn. Started putting cars on blocks in the front. No extra facilities. Flowers beds in front of neighborhood sign were dead since no money paid for that.
That's one of the main thing people say about HOA's...
Did the bubble in 2008 hurt HOA's less? Just wondering.
To each their own. My parents non-HOA neighborhood ran down as prices in the neighborhood dropped. People stopped taking care of their lawn. Started putting cars on blocks in the front. No extra facilities. Flowers beds in front of neighborhood sign were dead since no money paid for that.
My home is an HOA neighborhood. I am fine with it. While we are required to do such and such, it keeps up the neighborhood. Fees pay to upkeep pool, basketball courts, playgrounds, plants throughout the neighborhood, etc. Our fees are reasonable. I don't see the big issue unless you plan to run a dog kennel or put some eyesore in your front yard.
HOA/new subdivsions are all over especially outside of I-485. Your best bet is in the older areas such as Dilworth, Matthews, Concord, Gastonia, etc. Get yourself a real estate agent and they could point you to a home within that guideline.
Dilworth, Matthews, Concord, Gastonia... aha! Now I'm getting somewhere. So those are older and outside of I-485 is newer. Okay, thanx!
As far as your reasons to like HOA areas, I see a definitive point in what you mentioned. Neighborhood plants, basketball courts, pool... those are all "common areas". My perfect home has no common areas to plant neighborhood plants or put up basketball courts. All the land is owned or is woods. If I want a playground, I can climb the trees. If I want to swim, we'd gather at one of the neighbors that has a pool. And if I want to play basketball, I put a net on the front of my garage. The problem is, an HOA would not allow me to put a net on my garage. And I find THAT an absolute travesty.
So I guess it comes down to wanting a neighborhood organization to provide and upkeep facilities. I don't want any facilities. Private facilities are far better. And if neighbors are not secret police, chances are you'll all be friends, and they'll invite you to use their facilities.
Now I can't imagine why people in your parents neighborhood stopped mowing their lawns. The house I grew up in in the 70's looks exactly as it did then. Same people cut the same beautiful lawns as they did 30 years ago, without any threatening notices from some organization.
But as you said, to each his own. But I'll definately never get the whole concept of HOA benefits outweighing the loss of freedoms. It's totally alien to me. Really ... no basketball net on my house? Why? And mandatory matching trash cans? Why? How rules like that are not seen as completely and utterly absurd is beyond my scope of understanding.
You will not likely find a newer housing division that does not have an HOA. It seems as if every place has a HOA fee these days.
That's just it. I DON'T want a newer housing division. I want older housing divisions. Or no divisions at all. Just houses on an old street. Aren't there areas where the big old trees grow over the tops of the streets and meet in the middle... wood houses have front porches... etc. ? What is it that I'm describing? Perhaps I'm looking for an old small town.
Last edited by WunGoodGuy; 12-21-2011 at 02:00 PM..
That's just it. I DON'T want a newer housing division. I want older housing divisions. Or no divisions at all. Just houses on an old street. Aren't there areas where the big old trees grow over the tops of the streets and meet in the middle... wood houses have front porches... etc. ?
Yes. But you will pay big bucks for that. Dilworth, beautiful, expensive. Meyers Park, once again beautiful, expensive. A really cool area is the 4th Ward, gorgeous, extremely expensive. We are relocating in March, and are looking for the same thing you are, NON cookie-cutter. But, we have kids, so we need to be in a good school district (ie: Meyers Park), so we have to be mindful of where we rent/eventually buy. If you don't need a specific school you will have a much easier time. Good luck!
Yes. But you will pay big bucks for that. Dilworth, beautiful, expensive. Meyers Park, once again beautiful, expensive. A really cool area is the 4th Ward, gorgeous, extremely expensive. We are relocating in March, and are looking for the same thing you are, NON cookie-cutter. But, we have kids, so we need to be in a good school district (ie: Meyers Park), so we have to be mindful of where we rent/eventually buy. If you don't need a specific school you will have a much easier time. Good luck!
No kids, single, middle age. So school system is irrelevant.
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