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...One poster said "you buy what you can afford". I think this is the stupidist comment Ive seen and its why the USA is in serious catastrophic trouble now. If I bought what I could afford Id be living out 30 miles in a 4000 ft McMansion. And Id be shaking with fear in my bed right now too...
You missed her point. She didn't mean go max out what you can spend. There's a difference between what you can spend and what you can afford. What you can afford is what fits your budget. Concentrate less on holding down the shift key and more on understanding what people are posting.
What do people think of the University Area? Would you move there?
What do you think the area will look like 7-10 years from now. (i.e. the schools, crime, shopping, demographics. etc...).
Personally I dont like the university area and I wouldnt live there. I think there are some nice developments 10-15 minutes away from the university, but overall to me the area is very disappointing.
You missed her point. She didn't mean go max out what you can spend. There's a difference between what you can spend and what you can afford. What you can afford is what fits your budget. Concentrate less on holding down the shift key and more on understanding what people are posting.
...and I thought I was mad about this thread...
Yep, that is exactly what I meant - but there is an implication that evidently some people are missing.
Redlining - keeping people out of particular housing districts b/c of race, ethnicity, sexual preference, etc - IS ILLEGAL. That means - a realtor cannot even COMMENT on the racial make up of a neighborhood - and a lender cannot refuse a loan to a person b/c of race. In the past, lenders would not sign off on mortgages to black folks who wanted to move to certain neighborhoods. This was a way of "protecting" white people from "declining property values" that supposedly would occur when black folks moved into the neighborhood.
So my BIGGER POINT was . . . it does not matter what your race, ethnicity, cultural roots, religion or sexual persuasion is . . . you are free to choose any neighborhood you want to live in - and you will be able to secure a mortgage on that property. So as long as you can afford to live in a neighborhood (i.e., QUALIFY FOR A LOAN) - you can buy in that neighborhood.
However, what I have seen across this country (not just here in Charlotte) is that most neighborhoods have "integrated" - there are people from different races and backgrounds in the burbs, for example - but it often turns out that black folks choose to live with other black folks. They are not CHOOSING to live in white neighborhoods.
Thus, we have neighborhoods in the University area wh/ have more black residents than white. This happened b/c people CHOSE to move there. It is not that white people have somehow "banned" black people from other areas!!!
In addition, I have found it very interesting - the discussion about "coded language," wh/ is really what some of the semantics have been on this thread.
For example - it was mentioned that "scary" really means "black." I was very surprised to hear this, but upon reflection, I think that is probably correct.
Also, I was very surprised to find that "urban" means "predominantly black population." Again, I had no clue that this is how many people interpret the word "urban." This is coded language. That doesn't mean that every person is aware of the code, tho! I NEVER GOT THE MEMO. Call me naive or just plain stupid - I just had no clue.
For example - it was mentioned that "scary" really means "black." I was very surprised to hear this, but upon reflection, I think that is probably correct.
Also, I was very surprised to find that "urban" means "predominantly black population." Again, I had no clue that this is how many people interpret the word "urban." This is coded language. That doesn't mean that every person is aware of the code, tho! I NEVER GOT THE MEMO. Call me naive or just plain stupid - I just had no clue.
Ani, I don't think you're naive or stupid. I think you probably just don't see things that way, which is a good thing. It means that you see PEOPLE and not COLORS.
Well I’m sure everyone would find this encouraging…
Charlotte police report big crime drop in January
By Steve Lyttle
Posted: Tuesday, Feb. 03, 2009 “…The biggest decrease in crime was in the University City Division, where police reported a 41.7 percent drop…”
Article: Charlotte police report big crime drop in January | CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/513741.html - broken link)
Must be erroneous data Carolina Blue. We are overridden with gangs and thugs...so much so that when I open the blinds in the morning, all I see are walls of bad guys surrounding my house trying to get in. It's like a zombie movie. Really scary, it is.
For what it is worth, I wanted to add my perspective as a recent homebuyer in the University area. As a young, professional African American family moving to Charlotte I was looking for true diversity, and I see the North Charlotte area as a beacon of hope. The subdivision that I live in (off of Browne Rd) is about 50% complete, has an average home price of $450,000 to $500,000, and racially it is split down the middle. I am very realistic about racial perceptions and biases, and I do believe it is naïve to think that race doesn’t play a role in where SOME people choose to live, because it does. So, I am very aware that some white people will drive through a subdivision and if they see mostly black residents out mowing their lawns (no matter how high end that subdivision is price wise) some of them might keep going. But I would say that when I am looking at a subdivision I would do the same thing if I didn’t see anyone of color – truth be told, it is the reason that there are many neighborhoods in south charlotte that, while I could afford to live in, were not diverse enough for me. I know that there are white and black people, and people of all races, who value diversity. It is my hope that those who do outshine those that chose to continue to live their lives based on past prejudices, fears and misperceptions. I want my daughter, who is 2, to be exposed to so many people of different races that the meaningless distinctions that have held us all back fade away in her world.
For what it is worth, I wanted to add my perspective as a recent homebuyer in the University area. As a young, professional African American family moving to Charlotte I was looking for true diversity, and I see the North Charlotte area as a beacon of hope. The subdivision that I live in (off of Browne Rd) is about 50% complete, has an average home price of $450,000 to $500,000, and racially it is split down the middle. I am very realistic about racial perceptions and biases, and I do believe it is naïve to think that race doesn’t play a role in where SOME people choose to live, because it does. So, I am very aware that some white people will drive through a subdivision and if they see mostly black residents out mowing their lawns (no matter how high end that subdivision is price wise) some of them might keep going. But I would say that when I am looking at a subdivision I would do the same thing if I didn’t see anyone of color – truth be told, it is the reason that there are many neighborhoods in south charlotte that, while I could afford to live in, were not diverse enough for me. I know that there are white and black people, and people of all races, who value diversity. It is my hope that those who do outshine those that chose to continue to live their lives based on past prejudices, fears and misperceptions. I want my daughter, who is 2, to be exposed to so many people of different races that the meaningless distinctions that have held us all back fade away in her world.
MCKENZIE: Thank you for posting a message of hope founded in reality!!! Anyone who has not made a commitment to making sure our children value everyone around them as people - and not see the world divided b/c of race (and may I add - religions, sexual preference, too) - needs to read what you wrote and re-consider the messages they are sending out into the universe. Our children are our true hope.
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