As a life long resident of the Lake Norman area, it was  hard to imagine the lake as a vacation destination for travelers from all over the United States....But I found out a few years ago how wrong I was!!!  

My husband and I purchased a small home on the water in  2004 with the plan of updating it, renting it out on a yearly lease for a few years, then selling it, hopefully for a profit.   We then decided that it could be more profitable for us to rent it weekly as opposed to monthly.  So, when the remodel was complete, we furnished it from top to bottom with great furniture, kitchen supplies, linens, small appliances...the works...

It took about a month from the time we began advertising the rental to book it solid for the entire summer of 2005, at $1750 per week.  (We were shocked! ) We had plans to charge a monthly rent of the same!  We were pleasantly surprised to find out just how many people wanted to come to Lake Norman to spend their vacation time with their families, as opposed to going to the mountains or the coast.    We also booked the home for other events throughout the year..... wedding parties,  families coming in to attend graduation,  NASCAR race weeks,  the holidays, spring break, class reunions, etc......We even had guests come stay with us that booked for several weeks while they shopped for a home in the area.  

At the time we started renting our home there were only 15 or so waterfront rentals.  Now there are over 75....all around the Lake, from a small lake cabin to a waterfront estate.  You have your choice.  The options are varied and come in all sizes and price ranges.

If you need help in finding a vacation rental on Lake Norman, please never hesitate to call me!  It truly is a wonderful way of enjoying our wonderful Lake for just a little more than the cost of a hotel room, especially if you are bringing in a family or several couples.  Most properties will rent by the week, and give you small discount for multiple weeks/months.  And it is a great option for those needing furnished temporary housing in the area for whatever reason.

And if you are interested in investing in a Lake Norman waterfront home...it is a great way to get return on that investment!!! 

Here's a thought....Just say you live elsewhere, but have plans of retiring to Lake Norman down the road.  Why not buy NOW, while WF prices and interest rates are  LOW, and rent the home out as  a weekly vacation rental until you are ready to move to the area??  That way you can still come to use your home whenever you would like,  and cover some or most of that monthly mortgage..    

If you need assistance in searching for a waterfront home, or just want some pointers on renting your current home,  I will be happy to assist!   Never hesitate to contact me at 704-995-9838 or email at elizabeth@christywalker.com.

Elizabeth Davis

Buyer Specialist -Christy Walker & Associates

Keller Williams Lake Norman

704-995-9838

 

Well you've heard my take on the Golf Course section of Irish Creek, here's my take on the neighborhood itself.

This neighborhood is being developed by one of the premier development companies IN THE WORLD in Castle and Cooke. This is a company that's been around since the 1850's and developed some of the top rated resort neighborhoods everywhere from Hawaii to California, just to name a few.

The homes are being built by some of the areas most reputable builders, many who I have personally dealt with, and have proven themselves to be honest, intelligent, thoughtful people who take real pride in what they do. And I don't mean the pride of a national firm who thinks it deserves an award because they try to return your call within 24 hours when you have an emergency. I mean real personal service, hands-on builders who don't accept anything less than perfect. I mean personal service when you go to SELL the home years after you bought it. I'm talking about Zande, Hughes, and Lopez among others. These are the builders largely responsible for making Lake Norman area neighborhoods as desirable as they are today.

The neighborhood will include Golf Course front, Lake front (Lake Kannapolis), and interior lots with a 10 year build-out plan through multiple phases. Prices as they stand now in Phase 1 range from the $800's for homes around 4,000 sq ft to about $1.3M for the larger more elaborate homes with lots sizes edging over the 1 acre mark. Later phases are slated to range across the board from the $400's up and will include a variety of living situations including "patio home type lots," and possibly townhomes.

Located just 5 miles from the Research park, this neighborhood will be one of the very few options the high paid scientists will have as they move in the area so there is no doubt it will be a success.

The new Irish Creek Neighborhood and Golf Course I finally had the pleasure to play the new Irish Creek Golf Course in Kannapolis, NC this week and I can't help but write about my experience. Davis Love III did one phenomenal job with the design and renovation of this course and it is no wonder to me why it is being considered as one of the top renovations in the country for 2008. Formerly know as the Kannapolis Country Club, this course renovation is part of the billionaire David Murdock's transformation of the city of Kannapolis from a struggling mill town that recently saw the largest number lay-offs in NC history, to a booming town based around a multi-billion dollar research facility based on Bio-technology and health/nutrician. But back to the course. Over a million dollars was spent soley on new sod! 6 new holes were added and none were left original. The greens are excruciatingly misleading to all but those of you with the keenest of eyes but roll so true. Bent grass, when maintained at this level is a beautiful thing. The athestics of the course are maximized by utilizing every possible inch of shoreline along Lake Kannapolis and what a gorgeous view it is. Set up in the link style of Old European courses Irish Creek also incorporates the painfully long grass of the likes of St. Andrews. What fun! You will be sure to remember the two back to back 530 yard (from the blue tees) par 5's. Great challenge. More later on the neighborhood.