Are you trying to figure out what to do this weekend? How about taking a stroll through Dilworth's very own neighborhood park.





Though it's smaller than nearby Freedom Park, Latta Park in Dilworth offers a wide range of activities and often is much less crowded than Freedom Park. Nestled between E. Park Ave and Romany Rd, Latta Park spans across 31 acres and offers:

• Picnic shelter with restroom, grill, electricity
• Tom Sykes Recreation Center
• Walking/fitness trails
• 1 Playground
• 2 soccer fields
• 1 Sprayground (water comes spraying out of the ground, great for kids in the summer!)
• 2 Basketball court
• 2 Multi-purpose field
• 6 tennis courts  
• 1 Volleyball court

There is plenty to see in the park while walking on the tree covered trails especially now that its spring time and the flowers are beginning to bloom.







While enjoying Latta Park make sure you take a second to admire some of the beautiful homes the Dilworth neighborhood has to offer.






If you're looking for a place to get out this weekend and enjoy the sunshine, smell the flowers, jog through tree -covered trails, have a picnic, or just let the kids get some energy out... you definitely need to check out Latta Park!




Completing a home inspection is an important step before committing to buy any house in Charlotte, NC. Having your future home looked at by a professional home inspector can reveal either small fix's or big remodeling nightmares. Here are a few things to look for in a home inspector before committing to buying your next house.

• 33 states require home inspectors to be licensed and only a handful require the inspectors to be insured, which may leave you responsible for their actions if property damage occurs during the inspection. So make sure you shop around for a licensed home inspector and make sure they are insured.
• Look for an Inspector that is professionally affiliated. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) requires its members to pass an exam, follow a code of ethics and standards, and complete a minimum of 250 home inspections before being affiliated.
• Review the Home Inspection Contract. This is the contract detailing the service they will provide as well as their limits on liability and the Inspector's Fee.
• Accompany your Home Inspector. The homeiInspector will go in detail through all of the major, and even minor functions, of your soon-to-be-home. It is extremely beneficial for you to be there to see what they find and listen to their suggestions along the way.
• Even in a new construction home problem areas can exist. Using a home inspector when buying a new home may feel like a waste of time and money, but they can sometimes find shortcuts the builder may have taken to get your house finished on time and on budget.

If you're in the market for buying a house, make sure you take the time to get a Home Inspection. It has the potential to save you a lot of money in unforeseen repairs and can often be very informative for tips on living in and maintaining your new home.

If you’re looking for something family-oriented to do on a Sunday, we’ve got your place! The weather is beginning to allow for outdoor activities and just in time for Dilworth Family Field Days. Every Sunday, from 2pm-4pm, the Tom Sykes Rec Center will be home to tons of families enjoying the weather, partaking in laid-back games, and neighbors getting their fill of Vitamin D.

It’s a great time for young and old, human and canine, Dilworth residents or not! Bring your baby and your basketball (maybe you should let someone hold the baby while you use the basketball) and come out to enjoy some spring weather.


For more info, check out the Dilworth Association website.

Location: Tom Sykes Rec Center

Time: 2-4pm

Dates: Every Sunday from March-June


-Big Daddy Burger
-Cantina
-Lebowski’s
-131 Main
-300 East
-Fuel Pizza
-Piccadilly
-Moe’s


Happy Sunday Fun-Day!

Most of our friends are at the kid-having and bigger-house-buying stage in their lives. When they're buying a new home, friends and clients with kids always ask me what the “luxury” items are when finding a home that’s kid-friendly. Think of it as the grown up version of wanting to "pimp your new ride" with leather, a cd-player, sunroof, GPS, and upgraded tires. Oh! And tinted windows!

Here are a few “luxury” items to look for when you’re searching for your next home.
Consider it a wish list after you've been diligent about saving your pennies!

-An awesome, already built and ready-to-go playset. No digging, no drills, no wood-staining? Score!

-In ground pool with safety barriers already installed. If you’re interested in a pool, it’s nice to already have the thing built. It can turn into quite the headache to have one installed while you’re living in the home. It’s also probably cheaper to buy a house already with a pool than to install it yourself (the resale value of a pool isn’t 100%).


-Mud-room for those rainy and snowy days. Somehow little ones just don’t understand why it’s not fun to run through the house with muddy shoes!?

-Art room. It’s almost essential that kids of all ages play with paint, clay, and explore with glue. Wouldn’t it be nice to have to clean it all up every time or to clear the art project before dinner? An art room with a large, flat workspace will work every time.

-A playroom. Same idea as above….this room will keep your home feeling like a home and the playroom feeling like Chuck-E-Cheese’s. It’s also great for the kids to take responsibility of the cleanliness of this single room instead of asking them to pick up their toys all over the house.

-Intercom system. This is an especially nice feature if you’ve got multiple levels.

-Large Garage. If you’re interested in having two cars housed in a garage, consider buying a home with a three car garage or space above the garage for storing larger items. Having more room in the garage for bikes, scooters, and the summer yard toys can be a major plus.

-One of a kind murals. These artistic additions can make your little ones feel special and they may actually enjoy hanging out in their rooms. For inspiration, read this blog about mural painting.

-Finished attic or basement. Having a special and out-of-the-way place to play and get imaginative can be very rewarding to your little one’s childhood. Didn’t you love having tea parties in the loft attic with your Barbies or building room-sized forts in the basement? Having off-the-beaten path space for your child to play and make into their own can foster a great imagination!

-Movie Theatre Room
Nothing says “Family Movie Night” like a room totally dedicated to being a movie theatre. Comfy couches, a large screen, and end-tables for juice & popcorn may be just the thing you all needed to spend a great cinematic evening together.

Remember, now, that I said "Wish List"! Some of these ideas may be over your ideal budget. However, most of these ideas can also be completed in a DIY manner and for less than you may think. Hopefully, this is the type of spoiling that your parents or in-laws wouldn’t shake their head’s at.

My assistant, Ellie, and I previewed a gorgeous property today in Dilworth for an out-of-town client looking to buy a home in Charlotte and fell in love with the mural painting on the walls of one of the bedrooms. It was like we were dropped right in the center of a county fair! The ceiling was painted like the top of a Merry-Go-Round with the light fixture being the center focal point. Each wall depicted a different circus animal and my assistant had a great time pretending she was riding on the giraffe. Can you imagine how fun it would be to fall asleep surrounded by circus animals? (Ok, you’re right…might actually be a little scary. Let’s assume, then, that your little rascal is one of those kids that loves animals, dinosaurs, and volcano’s and would never be scared this giraffe would jump off the wall and “get” them).




Scary animals or not, murals are a great addition to kid's rooms - heck, any room - because they add flavor and flair in a distinctive way; it’s your own piece of original art that visitors will love to ask questions about. If hiring a professional is not in your budget, consider hiring your school-age child to draw his favorite picture. Then use a projector (your favorite art teacher or teacher-friend will certainly let you borrow one for the evening) to blow up the drawing on the wall. It will turn into a family affair when everyone gets to paint their own section of the mural. And how special will Jr. feel that his artwork is featured in bigger-than-life form in his room!?


If you’re thinking of adding a mural or wall accent in another room of the house, think of something that will outlast the current fad. You’d be better off enjoying the artwork 5 years from now rather than putting a picture of something trendy that will be lame in 6 months. Keep in mind, too, that when selling your home, it’d be better to have something that might appeal to more than just you and your Buddha-loving partner. A 5-foot-tall Buddha in the dining room may not scream “buy me!” to your discriminating buyers. Check out some of these for inspiration….








I know a few great local artists in here in Charlotte if you’re ready to make the move into one-of-a-kind art. Email me if you’d like to have an artist come to your home to help you sort out ideas and for a quote.

Ellie also loved this elevated granite counter top in the Chef's kitchen of this Dilworth home. She has such great taste.



Happy Painting!

Clients who are looking for homes and also have children seem to always put "close to a park" or "within walking distance to _______" high on their list. It's important for parents of this generation to be able to take life slowly when they choose to by taking a stroll to the park or getting out of the house without getting into the car. I think it's our desire to go back to the days when our parents (or grandparents) walked to school and church (in the snow, of course) or when we were allowed to ride our bikes around the neighborhood (without having to bring a cell phone in case of an emergency). I've put together a list of neighborhoods and the parks nearby and another list of 'hoods with markets, restaurants, or shops nearby. Hopefully the list will help you narrow in on which 'hood offers the most for you and your family:

"Walkability" sounds like a test the pediatrician is going to ask your toddler to perform, yet it's just another housing list that Charlotte tops-once again. Hooray!


Here's a snippet from the study:
"More than just a pleasant amenity, the walkability of cities translates directly into increases in home values. Homes located in more walkable neighborhoods—those with a mix of common daily shopping and social destinations within a short distance—command a price premium over otherwise similar homes in less walkable areas. Houses with the above-average levels of walkability command a premium of about $4,000 to $34,000 over houses with just average levels of walkability in the typical metropolitan areas studied."


As a mom, being able to walk to the grocery, to work, the gym, the park, to shops is a great "plus". Mom & kids get to experience a little fresh air, get some exercise, and mingle with the neighbors. It brings about that American charm most homeowners are looking for these days. Whether you're in a downtown area or in a suburb, being able to walk to and fro from your fave spots draws positive attention. Don't you "ooo and ahh" when you drive through a neighborhood that has sidewalks? Or feel proud of your fellow citizens when you see them hoofing it from home in their suits, paired with sneakers, of course, walking briskly towards the office? Being able to walk to your errands means fewer lifts of the blasted car seat in and out of the back seat (which cannot be good for our backs), shedding a few extra pounds, and getting to know your neighbors.


Top Charlotte Neighborhoods with the Walkability Factor:

• Dilworth
• NoDa
• Eastover
• Plaza-Midwood
• South End
• Elizabeth
• Chantilly
• Uptown
• Commonwealth

Other cities that topped the Study:

• Dallas
• Chicago
• Washington, DC
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Austin

Click Here for the Full Report






Happy Walking, Charlotte!
 

I had a mommy/baby play date yesterday and joined 5 other moms at Freedom Park. It was great to get out of the house-admittedly more so for me than for Ellie. All of the babies there were older than Ellie so it was great to listen to their “horror” stories and know that I’m not alone and that after getting through the newborn stage, child-rearing will get easier.


One of the gals, Valerie, mentioned that she may be looking to move soon. Right now, she, her husband, and new baby are in a condo uptown (something they invested in when they were spry newlyweds who dined out most nights of the week and frequented Happy Hours sans baby) and they are now being squeezed out with all the baby swings, baby bouncers, Bumbo’s, Tummy Time mats, and other baby necessities. (I use the term “baby necessities” loosely obviously. And I’m not passing judgment on Valerie and her newly decorated condo-my own home has slowly transformed from young, elegant, & modern to infantile, silly, and cluttered). This home metamorphosis is exactly where our conversation led.

Valerie wondered: How can I show my home and sell it to folks who will most likely be a young couple, a single banker, or an empty-nester couple when it appeals only to 8-month olds? I was proud of Valerie for even recognizing the importance of staging and setting the tone for her potential buyers. She thought back to 9th grade Writing Class and said: “Who will be my audience?”

We talked about how Valerie & her husband must make it appear to the general public they that do not have an infant at home. In fact, she needed to make the home appear as though no one in particular lives there. I don’t mean, of course, that the condo be vacant, but that it looks simply like a new home or a home that is on display for Parade of Homes. The buyer must be able to envision themselves living there and unless they have an infant (which they probably won’t since they’re looking for a condo Uptown) then the minute they walk into 673-D they will mentally take this option out of potential purchases. I’ve seen it dozens of times: a couple walks in to a home with excitement and hope and you can see it melt off their face when the home is poorly decorated, cluttered, dirty, or “just not my style.”

Valerie’s next steps:


1. Decide if they’re really ready to put their home on the market

2. Find somewhere to store the extra “things” that are cluttering the condo (an attic, a friend’s house, a storage unit). “Store away items” might include: the cappuccino machine that’s never been used, the CD tower that goes unused since the iPod joined the family, the toy chest, winter/summer clothes, all family picture frames, extra furniture, etc.

3. Find a specific place for everything that's left in the house (including closets, cabinets, etc.). These items need to be “stored” away but kept close enough to grab for potential daily use. Remember, the house needs to look professionally staged. These items include things like: toothbrushes and other toiletries, superfluous kitchen counter items, dog food bowl, bin near the front door with shoes in it, and other daily items that don’t add to the home’s ambiance.

4. Pack it up or store it away!