The Top Five Real Reasons Americans Buy a Home

According to a survey performed by The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, there are five real reasons Americans purchase a home.

Keeping Current Matters' sums up those reasons in its Winter 2015 edition of "Things To Consider When Buying A Home."

1.  Having a good place to raise children and provide them with a good education.

All manner of people purchase homes, from single individuals to traditional and nontraditional family units.

For many families with children, and even for those without, living in a quality school district is very important.

People already living locally typically know which public school district(s) they want to live in, but many relocating families do not.

I always direct my clients who are concerned about schools to visit www.greatschools.org for an unbiased take on school ratings to select which educational environment is best for their children.

2.  Having a physical structure, a place, where you and your family feel safe.

Following physiological needs such as eating, breathing, and sleeping, safety and security are second on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

So, it's no surprise that having a safe place to call home is the No. 2 motivator for home ownership.

Safety can mean being secure from the elements, i.e., weather, or living in a community with infrequent criminal activity.

You can learn more about how safe your community is by visiting www.weather.com to find out how frequently tornadoes frequent your neighborhood, or go to  www.crimereports.com for recent crime statistics.

3.  Having more space for your family.

Someone's always talking about Real Estate

We've already alluded to growing families because of children, but many households are growing due to aging parents moving in with their children, and even adult children moving home after college.

Whether your need more bedrooms, more dens, or maybe a bigger yard and recreational space, most homeowners "move up" several times in their lives prior to downsizing later in life.

4.  Having control over what you do with your living space, i.e., doing updates and renovations.

It's your place, so you can do whatever you want with it!  To a certain extent, that is, as long as you don't violate your HOA's regulations or your neighborhood's CC&R (covenants, creeds, & restrictions).

Unless you live on a couple of acres on a quiet country road with no neighbors nearby, you likely won't get away with keeping a car on cinder blocks in your front yard.

5.  Having a vehicle for building wealth which can be passed on to future generations.

Whether you rent or you own your home, you're paying somebody's mortgage.

Either you're paying your landlord's mortgage, plus his property management fee, plus your landlord's maintenance costs, plus some profit on top.

Or you can pay your own mortgage, increasing your equity in your home and building your own personal wealth.

Doesn't it sound great to pay your own mortgage instead of someone else's?

Doesn't it sound even better to be a landlord?

So, which one of these reasons applied to you when you purchased your first home or your last?

And if you've never purchased a home, what are some of the reasons you haven't done so?  Which of these reasons will be your driving factor when you one day decide to purchase your first home?

If you or someone you know is thinking about buying a home now or sometime in the future, email me at jimmy.grappone@allentate.com and I'll gladly provide a free downloadable copy of KCM's 21-page home buyer's guide.

About the Author:



Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. 

His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. 

Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. 

He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:

Facebook.com/JimmyGrapponeRealtor

Twitter & IG: @jimmygrapponeOnline: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

Why You Will Need To Sell Your Home Twice

Photo courtesy of [the nest]

Keeping Current Matters published an article recently in which they state that in order to sell a house, home owners don't sell it once.  You actually sell it twice!

In order for a house to sell, all parties in the transaction must agree on at least one thing...THE PRICE!

First, there's the sales price.  Hopefully your Realtor helped you determine an appropriate price range to attract buyers and sell your home quickly at a price that's fair to you.

If you are working with a cash buyer, the only other hurdle you must negotiate may be repairs or price adjustments for repairs.

But, if your buyers are like the majority of buyers and require a loan, then the home has to be "sold" one more time.  This time to the lender.

The lender will hire an appraiser to perform a reasonable home valuation called an appraisal.  The appraisal's purpose is to ensure the lender they are lending money to purchase a home which could be reasonably resold for the same price if the borrowers.  Unfortunately, people don't always pay off their loans. (see: Foreclosure)

Hopefully you and your Realtor took the recent sales of other similar, or comparable, properties into consideration when arriving at your list price and accepted sales price, because this is exactly what the appraiser does.

If the appraised value of the home is determined to be in line with or higher than the agreed to sales price, all parties may proceed with the transaction.

However, if the appraised value of the home is determined to be less than the agreed to sales price, there are three options.

First, the lender may refuse to loan the money required to purchase the home.

Next, the lender may require the borrower to come up with additional funds to bridge the gap between the sales price and the appraised price.

Finally, the seller may reduce the sales price of the home to fall in line with the home's appraised value.

This is just one more reason why it is so important to price your home correctly at the beginning of your listing.

Check out Fannie Mae's post on "Sales Price vs. Appraised (Market) Price" on their website, The Home Story, for a more detailed explanation.

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:

Facebook.com/JimmyGrapponeRealtor

Twitter & IG: @jimmygrapponeOnline: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

Five Tips to Winterize Your Home

Five Tips to Winterize Your Home in the Carolinas

It is that time of year again!

With freezing temperatures upon us in Charlotte, North Carolina, it is once again time to prepare your home for the winter season.

Here are five tips to help you with the winterization process.

1.  Clean out your gutters. Most leaves have already fallen by now and there’s a good chance they are clogging up your gutters!  Not only do clogged gutters affect drainage, but they are also very heavy and can cause unwanted damage to your home. Water that freezes in the gutters against your house can also create ice dams and cause water to drip into your house.

2.  Close the vents. I’m talking about the vents on the outside of your home, particularly if your home has a crawl space! Shutting the dampers on the outside of your home helps prevent the pipes under your home from freezing.

3.  Check for leaks around your windows and doors. Check out this factoid from the Allen Tate Company Blog: “According to EarthWorks Group, the average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall...that’s a lot of cold air coming into your home during those winter months!

4.  Disconnect hoses and insulate your spigots. Outdoor faucets are exposed to freezing temperatures during the winter, and they are a direct conduit to the pipes beneath your home. Freezing and thawing water expands and contracts, putting tremendous pressure on your pipes that could cause them to burst, resulting in costly water damage and repairs. By disconnecting hoses and insulating outdoor spigots with a foam sleeve, you’re reducing your risk of burst pipes.

5.  Set your heat to at least 55 degrees. This is, of course, if you are taking a holiday trip out of town. You may also want to turn on your faucets just enough to produce a very slow drip as another safeguard to prevent frozen pipes...and water damage!

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

This blog post isn't exactly an article.  It is certainly not a Top 10 list or tips on winterizing your home (though that's on the agenda).

This post is simply to state what I'm grateful for and to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

I am grateful for my wife, Lauren, and my dog Jack, and the home we share.

I am grateful for my parents who live close by and for my in-laws who are essentially my other parents and friends.

I am thankful for my sometimes crazy, but always caring sister, Kristin, up in Virginia and hopeful we'll someday live nearby again.

I am thankful for my extended family in Virginia and here in the Carolinas.

I am grateful for my friends, some who I see and talk to on a regular basis, as well as those who I can go ages apart from and fall back into step with like a day hasn't passed between us.

I am grateful for my colleagues and for having a career that I love and that excites me and teaches me something new every day, and for the successes I've experienced and those that are yet to come.

I am thankful to no longer work in retail sales -- no offense, T-Mobile -- and to be on the golf course with my dad on Black Friday instead of working.

I am grateful for the all-blue Color Rush Panthers unis.

I am thankful for the undefeated Carolina Panthers, who are 10-0 this season heading into today's Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys.

I am grateful for the great weather -- 60 degrees and sunny in Charlotte -- and great food and fellowship that will be shared with family today.

I am thankful to live in the small American town of Waxhaw, North Carolina and to feel safe on a day-to-day basis despite the chaos taking place in this crazy world.

I am grateful to be alive and to live, laugh, and love, because that is what life is all about.

And I am thankful for you all -- my readers, my supporters, my friends and family, my clients, my neighbors...

And I am grateful for God and / or whatever reason we get to experience this meaningful life!

Thank you all!

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

An Open Letter to Anyone Who Asks Why I Am a Realtor®

My name is Jimmy Grappone and I am a Realtor®. 

I work in the Allen Tate Realtors® Charlotte-Ballantyne office and I serve both North and South Carolina from Indian Trail to Indian Land, and from south Charlotte to Fort Mill, Weddington and Waxhaw.

I joined Allen Tate Realtors® in September 2013, not long after getting married and earning my North Carolina real estate license.

I was previously licensed in Virginia about 10 years earlier and I was looking for an opportunity to not only support my new family, but to help my new family to thrive, to pursue a career I am passionate about, and to make a positive impact on as many other families and individual lives as possible.  

I had a good feeling that working as a Realtor® was what I was looking for, and I could not have made a wiser decision.

A Lasting Impression

My 7th-grade English teacher, Ms. Wanda Erickson, told my mother two things that have remained with me.  First, was that I was an outstanding writer and communicator.  Way back then I loved to write and I was already well versed in the gift of gab.  Secondly, she said that I would make a difference in the world.

I’ve sought to make Ms. Erickson a prophet ever since and that is precisely why I do what I do.

It's fitting I chose the company affiliated with the hometown NFL team.

Two things that those who best know me know about me are: A) I love sports and B) I love to talk about and to write about sports.  When sports are the topic of conversation, there’s nobody I won’t talk to.

When it comes to real estate, I am exactly the same way.

I wish for everyone to be able to find their path to happiness, meaningfulness, and success, and I feel truly blessed to have found mine.

I am grateful to everyone who has allowed me an opportunity to work as their Realtor® in my first few years in the real estate business.

I can't wait to continue helping countless more people in the months, years, and even decades to come.  

A Call To Action

However, YOU are the key to my continued success.  

YOU there reading this blog or watching this video.  YOU who I grew up with or played sports with. YOU who I went to school with or lived with. YOU who I have worked with, worshiped with, or stayed out a little too late with.  YOU whom I have already served as your trusted adviser.

YOU are the difference.  

I am not working only to earn your direct business, but also to earn your endorsement.

Your referrals and your reminding friends and family, co-workers and colleagues, your neighbors and your network that you know a great Realtor® who will be their advocate, who will work tirelessly to help them find and purchase their new home, or to market and sell their existing property.

YOU are the reason I am able to continue doing what I do, and I am thankful for the role you play in my continued success.

So, thank you for your continued support and please allow me to help support the endeavors that are most important in your life.

Because the only way to pay it back, is to pay it forward.

Sincerely Yours,

Jimmy Grappone

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

Spotlight Shines a Little Brighter on Uptown Charlotte for Monday Night Football Contest

Cam Newton celebrates a touchdown vs the Philadelphia Eagles on October 25, 2015. (Jeremy Brevard/USA Today Sports)

Not since September 2012 has the national media spotlight shined as brightly upon Charlotte, North Carolina as it will tonight.

In September 2012, Charlotte hosted the Democratic National Convention ahead of the U.S. Presidential election.

Tomorrow may be Election Day, but in 2015, the focus is not on politics, but rather on sports as the undefeated Carolina Panthers get set to play their second prime-time game in as many weeks.

Last week, the Carolina Panthers hosted the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football in the second game of a four-game stretch considered by many experts to be their toughest stretch of the season.

The Panthers won that game, 27-16, before a national audience.  

Even though the attention is on Charlotte's professional football team during prime time for the second week in a row, local politicians and businessmen are concerned with more than just the outcome of the game.

For the men and women who run the city, and for all Charlotteans, tonight's broadcast is an opportunity for the City of Charlotte to shine on the national stage.

Folks who live in and know the area will see many familiar sights during the game.  Fortunately, according to the Charlotte Observer's preview of tonight's Uptown festivities, ESPN camera crews took many of their beautiful shots of Uptown Charlotte over the weekend before the heavy rain settled in:

"ESPN, the Panthers and Wells Fargo, which owns the skyscraper, coordinated so crews could take nighttime shots of the building bathed in blue over the weekend, Wells Fargo spokesman Josh Dunn said.

Monday night, an employee will control the lights from a laptop while in a stadium press box, he said.

The building will glow in red, white and blue during the National Anthem. Each time the Panthers score a touchdown, the building will light up blue. And when the game ends, the top of the building will shine a blue “V” for victory – if the team wins, of course. If they lose, the building will just stay lit in blue." -- Jonathan McFadden: 704-358-6045, @JmcfaddenObsGov

Entering the game with a record of 6-0, Carolina is the last remaining undefeated team in the NFC.  Their guests are the Indianapolis Colts, who have had a disappointing start to their own season with a 3-4 record.

Somehow, the Colts' record is good enough for first place in the struggling AFC North.  Carolina has a two-game lead over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South.

So tune in to the game tonight -- along with the rest of the country -- to watch a showdown between former No. 1 overall draft picks in QBs Andrew Luck and Cam Newton, but also take notice of the Charlotte skyline and listen to what the commentators have to say about the Queen City of the South.

Then put yourself in the shoes of an executive who is considering relocating her company to Charlotte or a college senior who is debating where to move in six or seven months for his first post-collegiate job.

When you think of it that way, tonight's game is about more than just football and gridiron X's and O's.  It's also about Charlotte putting its game plan for success on full display.

Regardless of the final score, tonight will be a Chamber of Commerce night for Charlotte.

My Prediction: Carolina 31, Indianapolis 20

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article42174816.html#storylink=cpy

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

How to Spend Your Halloween Weekend in the Queen City

Are you looking for something to do in or around Charlotte for Halloween but you haven't made plans yet?

This image borrowed from Showcase Realty Blog.

Here are a handful of options to get you started.

1.  Scarowinds.  The amusement park at Carowinds turns into hallowed ground for those who enjoy a good Halloween Haunt.  Gain access to all of the regular scary rides -- from Intimdator to Fury 325 -- as well as haunted mazes, scare zones, and morbidly entertaining shows.  For tickets and hourly information, click here.

2.  Barktoberfest @ Social Pets.  While Charlotte's "official" Barktoberfest took place on October 24, 2015 at South End's Triple C Brewery, the event gets a second iteration at Social Pet Hotel in Pineville this Saturday (Halloween Day) from 10 AM-2 PM.  Bring your four-legged friends for a free romp on the grounds of south Charlotte's premier puppy palace and enjoy the same great food and brews that were available last weekend.  The event is co-sponsored by Dog Bar and will feature the OooWee BBQ food truck.

3.  Trunk or Treat.  Carmel Presbyterian and several other churches throughout the Charlotte area will host a safe, family friendly alternative to trick-or-treating on dark neighborhood streets.  Carmel's event will take place on Friday, October 30, and the event will include a costume parade in addition to "candy, fall fun, and fellowship" according to the promotion on Charlotte's Got a Lot.

4.  The Haunted Mill.  Prepare to be scared.  If you think haunted houses are scary, you'll be truly terrified at The Haunted Mill in Belmont, NC.  The mill's haunted tour features forty actors, crazy animations, chainsaws, and special effects that will have you shrieking with horror and shaking in your boots.  For visitors who don't enjoy being scared out of their gourdes, the mill also features black light mini-golf, pool tables, and a game room that stays open year-round.

5.  Trick or Treat in The Park.  This $3 event is sponsored by the Harrisburg Department of Parks & Recreation and has fun for the whole family.  Children up to 12 years old can participate in a costume contest and local businesses will compete for the best decorated booth.  Festivities take place from 6-9 PM on Halloween night.

For an all-inclusive list of Halloween options for grown-up revelers in the QC, check out this big list of Halloween festivities from Creative Loafing.

Whatever you decide to do to celebrate this weekend, have fun and most importantly, be safe!

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385

25 Things To Know Before Moving To Charlotte, North Carolina

If you are considering a move to Charlotte, North Carolina, or one of the many small towns nearby, there are just a few things which you ought to know.

Here are twenty-five tips and facts about the Queen City of the South.

We can't wait to meet you, bless your heart!

1. You're not from around here, are you?  It's okay. No one else is from here, either.

2. Did you say meet me at the intersection of Queens and Queens?  Half of the roads change names every two miles. The other half are named after churches. And sometimes a road will intersect itself just to play mind games with you.

3. Rock me, Momma. Charlotte is laid out sort of like a wagon wheel. Uptown / Center City is the hub and the streets emerging from the city are the spokes. It is a shame that Raleigh is mentioned in the song "Wagon Wheel," but North Carolina's largest city is not.

4. If you're not already a Panthers fan, you will be. The Panthers are everyone's second favorite NFL team, though the fan base has grown in recent years. Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, and "Riverboat" Ron Rivera have taken giant strides to make Carolina the most popular team. Unfortunately, you'll always see more Cowboys and Steelers jerseys in the crowd whenever those teams are in town. The two-time defending NFC South champions are a team on the rise, so get on the bandwagon before everyone else does.

5. How about that Carolina football team?  Folks talking Carolina football could be discussing the Panthers, Tar Heels, or Gamecocks. You can usually tell by the shade of blue or garnet in their shirt, dress (yes, Carolina women know their football) or tie.  The collegiate Carolinas will face off in the 2015 Belk College Kickoff game in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, September 3.

6. College basketball's greatest rivalry lives two hours to the north. If you live in North Carolina, you'd better choose quickly between UNC and Duke. No one cares about NC State outside of Raleigh. If you live in South Carolina,  you'd better choose between Clemson and USC.

7. BB&T Ballpark is Charlotte's newest showcase.  The Charlotte Hornets have the city's coolest professional sports uniforms, but the Knights AAA baseball team has the newest and nicest digs. A game at BB&T Ballpark has to be among the best experiences in minor league baseball. Hence, the Knights led all minor league teams in their inaugural Uptown season in 2014 despite a last-place finish in the standings.

8. We like our tea, and we like it SWEET. The further south you go, the sweeter the iced tea becomes. Unless the restaurant is owned by New Yorkers. For the best iced tea, look no further than a Chick-fil-A or Bojangles drive-thru. 

9. The New South. There are A LOT of people here from "up North." Yanks are fast learners, though, and it doesn't take them long to learn that tea comes laced with a pound of sugar unless you specify otherwise.

10. A Half-what? If you meet a native Northerner who first moved to Florida and then moved to the Carolinas, this person is referred to as a "half-back." This is because they moved all the way down the East Coast to Florida before wisening up and settling halfway back to NJ/NY/NE in the Carolinas.

11. Pipeline to Anywhere! Gas is WAY cheaper in South Carolina than it is in Charlotte proper. And unless you live near Lake Norman, the state line is like right there! *As of August 28, 2015, gas in Ft. Mill, SC costs $1.94/gallon!

12. Buy me a boat. Even though Charlotte is landlocked, we have three fine lakes linked by the Catawba River: Lake Norman, Lake Wylie, and Mountain Island Lake. "LKN" is the party lake where the majority of NASCAR drivers live.

13. You've got options. You can wake up in the morning and be at the beach or the mountains before lunch time. Both are within a two to three hour drive depending upon your starting point and destination.

14. Boogity-boogity. Charlotte is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and hosts a week-long party called "Speed Street" in Uptown between the All-Star race and the Coca-Cola 600. You should go...once.

15. The Town Where Down is Up. By the way, our downtown is called Uptown. "Center City" is at the intersection of two former major Native American trading paths, now known as Trade & Tryon streets, and is considered Charlotte's central location, or epicenter. This is just a few blocks away from the entertainment and nightlife hub known as "The EpiCentre."

16. We LOVE to party. The CIAA, an HBCU athletic conference, hosts its annual basketball tournament in Charlotte every year. More people come for the parties than for the games.

17. Sports Town, USA. Charlotte also hosts the annual ACC football championship game, the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow (PGA golf), and countless other major sporting events, including the aforementioned NASCAR All-Star race. The Queen City of the South will also host the 2017 PGA Championship and the 2017 NBA All-Star game, and Charlotte is a contender to host the 2019 or 2020 NCAA college football championship game.

18. Where am I, exactly? Charlotte is a town of neighborhoods. NoDa and Plaza Midwood are for the eclectic and the hip. South End is where you'll find the yuppies, i.e., bankers in their 20s. Ballantyne is populated by the nouveau riche whereas Myers Park and Dilworth are home to Charlotte's old money. And the New Yorkers are all moving to Indian Land, SC.

19. This list is making me Hungry. Along with the great migration of Northerners to the Southeast comes great food. There are actually several places to get a good bagel and a slice of pizza. My favorites are Brooklyn Water Bagel and Lorenzo's Pizzeria, both in the Ballantyne / Blakeney area.

20. The other white meat. Barbecue remains Charlotte's signature dish. There are a ton of great barbecue joints from 521 BBQ in Indian Land to Kyle Fletcher's BBQ in Gastonia. New BBQ restaurants like Queen City Q are also beginning to pop up and put an artisinal spin on pork and beef brisket. 

21. Traffic ain't that bad. Thank the Lord 485 is completed! Though the highways can get congested, the expansion and widening of 485 have been crucial. As long as you know where you are on 85, 77, 485, and 277, you will never get lost. Just avoid rush hour at all costs.

22. Unless it rains. Or snows. Charlotteans do not know how to drive in inclement weather.  Fortunately, we have good weather nearly year 'round, sparing the occasional winter ice storm and 1-2 inch snow producing "blizzards."

23. We're trendy. Charlotte's latest crazes are food trucks and craft breweries. Food Truck Fridays are sprouting up in Charlotte's South End and neighboring Matthews and Concord communities. Check out CharlotteBeer.com for a list of local breweries from Cornelius' Ass Clown Brewery to NoDa Brewery in Charlotte's Arts District.

24. Every name has a meaning. Charlotte was named after England's Queen Charlotte, hence the nickname "Queen City." Ballantyne Corporate Park and the residential community that surround  it are named after developer Smokey Bissell's favorite aunt, Barbara Ballantyne. More on how other Charlotte neighborhoods got their names here.

25. Charlotte is The Place to Be! Charlotte was recently listed among the United States' fastest growing and most desirable cities in which to live. The U.S. Census Bureau ranked Charlotte No. 2 behind Austin, Texas in terms of growth among cities its size.

So c'mon down (or up) to Charlotte, North Carolina and stay for a spell.  

You just might not want to leave!

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and writing articles about things that interest him. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone, @jimmygrapponerealtor
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385