Offer on house on highway 49 (lions gate) mistake? (Charlotte: foreclosure, to rent)

[cutejanelle1]

I went down to Charlotte and found an affordable townhome (I'm a teacher). I read the thread about ethnicity and schools.... was wondering if the area near the super target and other stores is a good area? Is it safe for a single woman? Should I choose a safer area? Please Help

[businessperson]

I think its safer than up closer to 1485 and beyond toward Uptown. My son used to live there at York Ridge Apts. and there is some stuff that goes on but mostly its ok. The best thing you can do to check out an area is go to charmeck.org and look at the quality of life study. It shows demographics and crime stats. What did your agent suggest? If you don't have one let me know; I can help you.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by cutejanelle1

I went down to Charlotte and found an affordable townhome (I'm a teacher). I read the thread about ethnicity and schools.... was wondering if the area near the super target and other stores is a good area? Is it safe for a single woman? Should I choose a safer area? Please Help

Relax, that area is just fine Do you have a teaching job yet though? You wouldn't want to have go from that end of the county all the way to the other to work.

[cutejanelle1]

I was attempting to choose between lions gate and whitley mills in fort mill... whitley mills was 15k more than lions gate community but maybe it was a better buy? I need candid advice before I get too far in the buying process only put down 1000 of earnest money. PLEASE BE BLUNT

[lovethecarolinas]

Originally Posted by cutejanelle1

I went down to Charlotte and found an affordable townhome (I'm a teacher). I read the thread about ethnicity and schools.... was wondering if the area near the super target and other stores is a good area? Is it safe for a single woman? Should I choose a safer area? Please Help

as businessperson as mentioned...the farther away from the 485 the better the area becomes. This area is referred to as Steele Creek/SW Charlotte. My advice is call the local police department (with your future address) and see for yourself what kind of activity (if any) has occured around there.

[lovethecarolinas]

Originally Posted by cutejanelle1

I was attempting to choose between lions gate and whitley mills in fort mill... whitley mills was 15k more than lions gate community but maybe it was a better buy? I need candid advice before I get too far in the buying process only put down 1000 of earnest money. PLEASE BE BLUNT

Well, if I were to pick...I would go with Whitley Mills in Fort Mill (But I might be a little biased)

Best to you!

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by lovethecarolinas

Well, if I were to pick...I would go with Whitley Mills in Fort Mill (But I might be a little biased)

Best to you!

Actually, I would too. You might even enjoy teaching in Fort Mill if you could get a job there - which would be the best possible scenario - living and working in Fort Mill - no real commuting headaches. Also, that area of 49 is more heavily traveled than ever before - personally, a bit too busy around there for me But, I'm more of a country girl!

[3johnsons]

I live in Steele Creek in Chesapeake off Choate Circle. I can tell you that this area is a pretty good area. Of course, there are pockets of bad spots like any other area, but I really like Steele Creek. The area around River Gate (the new Super Target development) has really blossomed, and the stores that are going in are very nice establishments (Books-A-Million, Old Navy, GNC, Best Buy, Super Target, Home Depot, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, TGI Fridays, City Tavern, Fuel Pizza).

I don't know anything about the Fort Mill location, but I can tell you that Steele Creek is NOT as bad as I've seen some post here. I think part of the problem is the misconception that the Steele Creeke area is only the part that extends to 485 (which Businessperson accurately told you to stay south of) and encompasses the worse neighborhoods around 485, Arrowood, and on up toward Tyvola. Steele Creek IS very diverse (you pass rolling farm lands and immediately hit subdivisions, then back to pasture, plus there are older neighborhoods scattered between newer neighborhoods), but I like it just fine.

[lovethecarolinas]

Originally Posted by cutejanelle1

I was attempting to choose between lions gate and whitley mills in fort mill... whitley mills was 15k more than lions gate community but maybe it was a better buy? I need candid advice before I get too far in the buying process only put down 1000 of earnest money. PLEASE BE BLUNT

If you are interested..below is a link from the SC side in regard to Whitley Mills

http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...earchid=692227

[anonentity]

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M I S T A K E
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and this is why...

this development has townhomes in the $140K range.
that constitutes the low-end of the market.
it is also located a bit further out from the city center.

the charlotte market has been red hot this last year.
meanwhile,the rest of the country has flattenned or cooled tremendously.
a significant number of homes in the charlotte area were purchased through creative financing, especially last year.
the mortgage morass is expanding - exponentially.
charlotte will be affected. no hyperbole here. its already happenning.

traditionally, areas extreme to urban cores experience the last upswing, but also the first downswing. this is especially true of newer developments.

my recommendation would be: slow down...and rent.
if you are single, find a better part of town to rent in where you might have a life beyonf the super-target.
if you have a family, consider renting an older home in close proximity to the school where you will teach at, or where your children might attend school. let that be the primary driver for now.

i will be blunt: at your price range, there is no great tax advantage to buying a house. your standard deduction, especially if you have a family, will come pretty close.

by next year, you will have a clear sense of where the housing market is going in charlotte (my own prediction is NOWHERE BUT DOWN due to a HUGE increase in foreclosure activity, especially in your price range!!)

enough said.
.