The Good News Report

[go_vertical]

Yes.  No more coordinating Atlanta trips with Microcenter visits

[sclark]

6 hours ago, Third Strike said:

Micro Center is coming to Charlotte. Location will be off South Boulevard, in the Woodlawn Marketplace: 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/02/23/micro-center-enters-market-south-boulevard-store.html

…and the nerds rejoice!! 

[KJHburg]

NC is a top 5 state # 5 for small businesses.

https://www.lendio.com/blog/best-states-for-small-businesses/

[Take2]

Lemme know where this post should go if not here...  

According to yelp, The Workman's Friend in Plaza-Midwood is the 12th best Irish Pub in the US for St.Patricks Day fun.  Yelp ranked 25 pubs. 

One other Carolina pub to made the list,  O'Hara's Pub in Lexington SC.

 

[KJHburg]

This is a good news bad news story depending on your point of view and how you plan to finance.

From Canopy MLS and the Biz Journal article today:

""Inventory jumped 70.5%, or by about 2,000 properties, since last year — the 4,717 homes on the market as of March 5 represented about a 1.2-month supply. That's up from a 0.6-month supply this time in 2022.

Areas with significant inventory gains last month included Anson County, now at a 2.7-month supply; Cleveland County, 1.9-month supply; Iredell County, 1.7-month supply; Lincoln County, 1.6-month supply; Stanly County, 2.1-month supply; Davidson, 1.9-month supply; and Statesville, 2.2-month supply.

As for housing prices in February, the $353,550 median sale price — which Canopy says is the best metric for measuring changes over time — decreased 1.9% over the year and 5.7% over the month. The median sale price is down 12% since the June 2022 peak of $399,900. The average home price rose 3.7% to reach $421,867.""

Inventory is increasing which means prices will not rise as much and return to more historical averages which is 3-5% annually in Charlotte region.  Concessions are increasing i.e. seller paid closing costs, more repairs done.  I describe this as prices have become squishy where as  a year they were firm and highest and best offers over list price. 

Bad news interest rates have doubled in the last year from 3% to over 6% more like 6.5% or so now.  However even though inventory has risen it went from EXECPTIONAL low inventory to EXTREME low inventory to use terms used to describe a drought.    Buyer and seller equilibrium is 6 months of inventory so we are a long way from that.  Days on market has doubled.  DOM is now 48 days till under contract vs 24 days on average a year ago.   It is still a sellers market but it has for sure cooled since last year this time.  

it is all confusing so  get a professional experienced Realtor if you are thinking of selling or buying right now.  I have witnessed 2 multiple offer situations in the last 2 weeks.  So some properties properly priced are attracting lots of interest and offers.  Others are cutting prices and increasing concessions.   New home builders are routinely buying down rates now to get people in homes.  

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/03/27/canopy-realtor-association-housing-market-economy.html

[KJHburg]

Charlotte metro labor market the 8th strongest in the country according to the Wall Street Journal. 

https://charlotteregion.com/news/2023/04/05/alliance-news/charlotte-ranked-in-top-10-strongest-labor-markets-in-the-u.s./

[KJHburg]

Charlotte to host international soccer games this summer.

https://www.qcnews.com/sports/concacaf-gold-cup-headed-to-bank-of-america-stadium-in-2023/?fgh

https://www.concacaf.com/gold-cup/article/concacaf-announces-host-cities-and-stadiums-for-2023-concacaf-gold-cup/   only games in southeast are in Fort Lauderdale and Charlotte. 

Edited April 10, 2023 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

The main reason why  Mecklenburg is considered a top agricultural yes agricultural county is this one place.  Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville near Skybrook golf community.  This is a profile WRAL from Raleigh did on it. 

https://www.wral.com/tar-heel-traveler-metrolina-greenhouses/20805125/?f

the largest single site greenhouse in the US and over 8 million sq ft of greenhouses (that's 8 Duke Energy Plaza buildings) 

If you have bought any plant from a big box store in the southeast it likely came from here.    I toured this place many years ago and it was unbelievable the size, the scope and acres of plants. 

[videtur quam contuor]

In the 1960's and -70's the term Metrolina was a favored name for our region. Metrolina Fairground, the greenhouse company and some regional planning organisations. It has fortunately fallen out of favor. One must live here to know that it describes the Charlotte area. No one outside this area is edified by the term.

[QCxpat]

47 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

The main reason why  Mecklenburg is considered a top agricultural yes agricultural county is this one place.  Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville near Skybrook golf community.  This is a profile WRAL from Raleigh did on it. 

https://www.wral.com/tar-heel-traveler-metrolina-greenhouses/20805125/?f

the largest single site greenhouse in the US and over 8 million sq ft of greenhouses (that's 8 Duke Energy Plaza buildings) 

If you have bought any plant from a big box store in the southeast it likely came from here.    I toured this place many years ago and it was unbelievable the size, the scope and acres of plants. 

 

Great post @KJHburg    Here's a pic. from the web showing how enormous Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville is.

Flickr image - USDA 1/6/2010

 

photo by Brian Sparks 4/25/2022

Edited April 13, 2023 by QCxpat

[NCMike1990]

16 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

In the 1960's and -70's the term Metrolina was a favored name for our region. Metrolina Fairground, the greenhouse company and some regional planning organisations. It has fortunately fallen out of favor. One must live here to know that it describes the Charlotte area. No one outside this area is edified by the term.

I like the name "Metrolina" and wish it was still used as commonly as Piedmont Triad and Triangle.

Edited April 14, 2023 by NCMike1990

[KJHburg]

14 hours ago, NCMike1990 said:

I like the name "Metrolina" and wish it was still used.

Yes the old Metrolina Fairgrounds is now a warehouse park off Statesville Rd built by Beacon.

and I check the NC agriculture stats and yes Mecklenburg is #1  in crop receipts i.e. plants like these at Metrolina Greenhouses.  Meck is not in the top 10 of NC counties where all farm receipts are considered which includes poultry, cattle, hogs etc.  But you can tell people Mecklenburg is #1 in crop receipts in the state and #1 in banking how's that for contrast?  Neighboring Union County is #3 highest total agricultural county in the state yes Union with his posh suburbs of Marvin, Weddington, Wesley Chapel, Waxhaw etc. 

Page 18 of this 2022 Ag census:

https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/North_Carolina/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/AgStat/NCAgStatBook.pdf

[ArchiCLT]

16 hours ago, NCMike1990 said:

I like the name "Metrolina" and wish it was still used as commonly as Piedmont Triad and Triangle.

Yes, the Metrolina term is still around, you just need to know where to look.

  - I grew up being familiar with Metrolina Christian Academy, a K-12 under First Baptist Church of Indian Trail.

  - There's a Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy in The Exchange at Tyvola & I-77.

  - There's numerous medical offices and other business that use the Metrolina name.

[rancenc]

North Carolina's economic development landscape still looks promising!

https://wraltechwire.com/2023/04/26/north-carolina-remains-a-hot-target-for-industrial-recruiters-says-ceo-of-economic-partnership/

[JRCLT]

Yes, the Metrolina term is still around, you just need to know where to look.
  - I grew up being familiar with Metrolina Christian Academy, a K-12 under First Baptist Church of Indian Trail.
  - There's a Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy in The Exchange at Tyvola & I-77.
  - There's numerous medical offices and other business that use the Metrolina name.

Metrolina Regional TMC. NCDOT


And also?



So I’m guessing it’s not so dead?

[rancenc]

Great news for the states tourism industry for last year.

https://journalnow.com/business/local/tourists-spent-a-record-33-billion-in-north-carolina-in-2022/article_73ac3638-ee75-11ed-96d1-4beab3c406dd.html

[KJHburg]

this is a price chart for lumber in the past few years.   Hopefully the insane prices of last few years are over for good.  

[KJHburg]

this needs to happen in Charlotte the NFL draft and seems like the NFL was sniffing around earlier this month.   

https://charlotte.axios.com/330063/nfl-leaders-visit-charlotte-for-nfl-draft-pitch/

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

43 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

this needs to happen in Charlotte the NFL draft and seems like the NFL was sniffing around earlier this month.   

https://charlotte.axios.com/330063/nfl-leaders-visit-charlotte-for-nfl-draft-pitch/

I wish they would put it in Truist Field  

[J-Rob]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

this needs to happen in Charlotte the NFL draft and seems like the NFL was sniffing around earlier this month.   

https://charlotte.axios.com/330063/nfl-leaders-visit-charlotte-for-nfl-draft-pitch/

That is exciting; however, when I read they showcased First Ward Park, my first thought was Levine's deck. Would hate to see an incomplete deck on national TV that has been sitting there for... like 6 or 7 years at that point?

[CTiger]

14 hours ago, J-Rob said:

That is exciting; however, when I read they showcased First Ward Park, my first thought was Levine's deck. Would hate to see an incomplete deck on national TV that has been sitting there for... like 6 or 7 years at that point?

First Ward Park would be horrible.  I really hope they re-think that idea.  Not only is First Ward ugly, cold, and uninviting, but it might also be as far away as you can get from bars and restaurants as possible in Uptown.  

[KJHburg]

Even though this is for the NC Ports in Wilmington it is good news for the Charlotte region where a CSX train makes an express trip to Wilmington from Charlotte several times a week.  Strong NC Ports help the entire state just as the huge strong port of Savannah helps all of Georgia. 

https://ncports.com/about-the-ports/news/north-carolina-ports-moves-up-three-spots-to-1-in-north-america-for-container-terminal-efficiency/

[rancenc]

Great news concerning the agricultural business in NC.

https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-business/north-carolina-agriculture-reaches-record-103-2-billion-in-economic-impact

[KJHburg]

This is good news for college football fans, Charlotte tourism, Charlotte national exposure and the 2 Carolinas.

""For the second time in three years, Charlotte’s college football matchup will occupy a prime-time spotlight. ESPN has selected the Sept. 2 game between South Carolina and UNC Chapel Hill for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on sister network ABC.

In addition, the city’s annual college football bowl game, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, will be played on Dec. 27. ESPN will televise that game with a 5:30 p.m. start time.""

 

[QCxpat]

Today's CBJ "Charlotte vs. Nashville?  What to take away from the Queen City's margin in the U.S. News rankings" by Erik Spanberg

Charlotte No. 8  vs.  Nashville No. 61  in the latest Best Places to live rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

“Yes, you need to be fun and cool and hip and affordable,” (Jeff Hite, chief economic development officer at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce) added.  “But the biggest thing is human capital.  Can you make the talent pitch (to companies)?”

"Direct flights to key business centers, access to mass transit, labor skills and availability, all these are prominent on corporate wish lists."

"John Boyd, principal at Boca Raton, Florida-based site selection firm The Boyd Company, cautioned against dismissing best places and other rankings too quickly."  "While Boyd did not say these are dominant factors in decision-making, he said they do make an impression.  ...  "In many cases, site searches start internally, with company executives turning to Google for some surface details before digging deeper and, eventually, calling in the experts.  Smaller companies might handle everything in-house."  "Something that lives online for a long time, like popular rankings and surveys, can pop into the prefrontal cortex and stick around, you might say."

"Ned Curran, a real estate executive who helped build Ballantyne into a corporate hub in the 1990s and early 2000s, continues to keep a close eye on such matters through his boutique consultancy, Stone Cottage Advisors."  "So, does Curran think Charlotte has scored a decisive advantage over Nashville?"  “I think we should enjoy our superior ranking for as long as it lasts,” he said.  “Until the next ranking, where we may not get the same outcome.”

Link:  https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/06/01/us-news-world-report-nashville-charlotte.html

Image - Adobe stock

Image - www.dilemma-x.com

Edited June 2, 2023 by QCxpat