Charlotte Off Topic

[archiham04]

United Engineering Group is now McKim and Creed.

[tozmervo]

Whoops, yeah. I hadn't worked with them in a while, forgot about that

[HopHead]

Very off topic, but I need some help recruiting a friend to the Queen City. Currently he works for a company (described by them as "a specialty contractor and maintenance firm, specializing in sustainable building solutions and innovative hvac management."). 

 

There is no such thing as going off-topic in the off-topic forum... 

[CLTProductions]

There is no such thing as going off-topic in the off-topic forum... 

touche

[rugger62]

Optima Engineering, McVeigh and Mangum, Barrett Woodyard, Sutton Kennerly, United Engineering Group

 

Just tell 'em some guy on the internet named tozmervo sent you. In.

[tozmervo]

Nothing says quality like the recommendation of tozmervo. 

[ScottCLT]

I work a floor below Optima Engineering. I could go up there and put in a word for you. Probably wouldn't mean much, though, as I don't know anyone that works up there

[CLTProductions]

HA much obliged

[New Name]

What's the deal with the NC Farmers Market out on Yorkmont? Could that ever move to a central city location (Levine-land?)... I like that place, but damn if it's not a PITA to drive/park over there.

[tozmervo]

That particular farmer's market caters more to businesses around the region than to localvores (ala atherton, kings drive, etc). On of it's big selling points is easy accessibility for people coming in from surrounding counties, often in tractor trailers and the like. Not exactly a selling-from-back-of-old-pickup crowd. http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/charlotte/index.htm

[HopHead]

Tonight is one of those nights I wish I had a camera or someone that could photograph while I drove. Driving on 277 from NoDa headed towards South, you could see the Duke Energy Center lit up in Teal and Purple (Hornets), BofA Stadium with all the exterior upgrades lit up with blue (including the mini-domes and new scoreboard) and most all the office towers with lights on. Definitely gave a nice bright, alive feel to the city. Not sure if it will look like that every night, but highly recommend the drive or photograph opportunity for it. 

[HopHead]

More details on how Charlotte nearly landed the Toyota NA HQ. Would have been 2,900 jobs averaging $107k each. While NC offered $107M worth of incentives vs. $40M that Texas did, it sounds like the friendlier tax environment in Texas (no state income tax and lower corp taxes) and non-stop flights to Japan made the difference. The tax part of it will almost always be the differentiatior. 

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/08/28/5135747/north-carolina-was-ready-to-offer.html#.VABsH_ldV8F

[SouthEndCLT811]

Can anyone give any insight to the Country Club Heights area?  Looking around Central/Masonic/Arnold area at a potential home.  A friend recently bought down the road from the one I'm interested in and really seems to like the area.  I've lived in Charlotte for 4 years and only been in this area a few times (mainly to go to Krazy Fish).  Homes seem to be appreciating in the area but the crime stats are a little off putting to me, I guess the spoils of living in Dilworth/Southend the entire time.

 

I'm viewing the place midweek and will be doing my research on the area.  Any first hand insight is appreciated though!

[Madison Parkitect]

I don't live in Country Club Heights specifically, but I live off Arnold on the other side of Eastway, so I live in a "worse part" of that area, and I can tell you that my wife and I feel totally safe and the single criminal incident we've had was a kid stealing a bike off a neighbor's porch. And even as safe as we feel and as much as we love our neighborhood, we think of living in Country Club Heights as a step up from us, if that tells you anything.

[SouthEndCLT811]

Thanks!  Actually the home I'm looking at is Merry Oaks technically, only saw Country Club Heights in the Google Map view over that area.  So we'd be neighbors!  A friend just went under contract with a home on Arnold up by the elementary school and that's what sparked our interest after seeing the area.  I can't believe the home prices just on the other side of the Briar Creek by Masonic/Morningside comparative to Merry Oaks.  Definitely seems like the time to get in.  

 

I was just unfamiliar with the area and at first glance can look a little grittier past Central/Plaza but I've heard nothing but good things about living in this area.

[Madison Parkitect]

Yeah, the price difference can be crazy. Our house is a 1956 ranch, 1400 sq. ft. with a carport, shed, and landscaped yard. Cross over Eastway to Merry Oaks and the same house would be 75k more, then go to Plaza Midwood and the same house would be another 75-100k. All within about two or three miles.

[tozmervo]

Can anyone define the difference between a condo and a townhouse? A friend is trying to buy in First Ward and the bank says it's a condo, when to all outside appearances it's a classic townhouse. It's causing mad frustration with financing. 

[DMann]

Can anyone define the difference between a condo and a townhouse? A friend is trying to buy in First Ward and the bank says it's a condo, when to all outside appearances it's a classic townhouse. It's causing mad frustration with financing. 

Condo's and Townhouses are listed as the same in MLS.  The basic difference is that a condominium owns no land, and does not sit on land it owns.  A townhouse is a dwelling that sits on the ground and will have land assigned to it.  Normally townhouses have only neighbors on either side, not above or below.

[tozmervo]

Ah, so even if it's by all appearances a townhouse (sits on land, no one above, etc), if another entity like an HOA owns the land, it's a condo for financing purposes?

[jednc]

Ah, so even if it's by all appearances a townhouse (sits on land, no one above, etc), if another entity like an HOA owns the land, it's a condo for financing purposes?

I believe that is correct. A condo owner owns from the walls inward.

[ScottCLT]

These units are considered condos, even though they look like town homes. There are actually 2 units per vertical stack (see the two front doors):

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2170134,-80.85892,3a,75y,291.48h,91.21t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sIeTrXSZ40qJ2q3DFN0NXww!2e0

 

These are in SouthEnd, not first ward, but just an example of what to look for.

Edited September 12, 2014 by ScottCLT

[videtur quam contuor]

A condo will have a personal insurance policy for items from the wall inward including wallpaper, cabinets, flooring and so forth plus there will be a building master policy that covers the walls, roof, structural components, windows, plumbing and HVAC elements and all common items. The cost of this master building policy will be shared by all co-owners. A townhouse usually has only the single personal fire insurance policy that covers the whole of the structure. I own half of a duplex that looks like a townhouse but legally was condo-ized by the renovator 2o years ago and now is more complicated thereby.

[tozmervo]

^The confusing thing is that I'm in a townhouse with a master HOA policy for the structure and "condo" HO6 insurance for the inside, but it's not a condo by definition. When you look my address up in the property tax system it's by itself, but when you look up the property my friend is looking at it brings up the entire development and each address within the development. 

[videtur quam contuor]

I grant that an insurance definition and a legal definition and a tax designation might disagree. on a single property. And each may be correct for its individual and separate issue(s).

Thus, lawyers.

[Niner National]

Ah, so even if it's by all appearances a townhouse (sits on land, no one above, etc), if another entity like an HOA owns the land, it's a condo for financing purposes?

Yep. My place looks like a townhome, but legally it is a condo because I don't own the property.