Charlotte Real Estate | Saving the Market by Using Green Building Practices

Home buyers in today's market are faced with more than finding a piece of property for the right price. Now homes need to be equipped with the latest technology, including green, sustainable building practices and architecture that is both pleasing to the eye and good for the landscape and environment. But if you are a savvy investor you can find the right deals with the right features in the ideal market. Now is the time to buy if your credit, capital and security are in order. Business recruiting in Charlotte has traditionally been the domain of the chamber. It has a five-member economic-development staff that is augmented by other chamber executives and employees. The Charlotte Regional Partnership, the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County also have economic-development initiatives and personnel in place to share in recruiting and incentive work. But Smith’s new hire will focus solely on uptown. Any concerns about duplication of effort are outweighed by the need for a stronger push to land elusive corporate recruits, says Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber president. “Is there the potential for us to step on each other’s toes? Of course. But we can mitigate that and produce better results working together and having additional resources.� Morgan sees the center city group’s economic-development foray as part of a larger trend. In recent years, Lake Norman and Matthews have started hyper-local business-recruiting groups while maintaining ties with the chamber. Already, Morgan and other chamber executives have outlined an informal plan with Smith on their collaboration, with the chamber maintaining the lead role but calling on the center city recruiter for assistance. It’s similar to how the chamber works with private developers in the suburbs. Working together The reasons for the expanded recruiting focus are obvious. Morgan notes he delivered a speech on Charlotte’s next two decades of growth to more than 150 groups over a three-year period before the economic malaise set in last fall. “Now,� he says, “nobody wants to hear that speech. They want to know what we can do about the economy today and tomorrow.� It’s a fine line to walk for groups such as Smith’s. Charlotte Center City Partners is laying the groundwork for an expansive 10-year plan this year even as it focuses on the rapidly shifting business climate (see related story on this page). Pushing ahead on corporate relocations should be made easier by the crossover of the main recruiters in town, supporters say. “You don’t want people stumbling over each other,� says Darrel Williams, a former county commissioner who serves on the Charlotte Center City Partners board. He points to fellow board members — including chamber executive Morgan and both the city and county managers — as insurance against bureaucratic snags. Without those close ties, he adds, it would be much more difficult to do. Leaders point to uptown’s growing office-vacancy rate as a negative that can be turned around. Or, at least, one they hope can be turned around. “The tighter market (for office space) has been one of our impediments to attracting headquarters in the center city in recent years,� says City Manager Curt Walton. “If somebody wanted 300,000 square feet, we couldn’t give it to them. Now we can. That’s the silver lining to the cloud.� So there you have it, Charlotte real estate is on the move. There are opportunities for savvy investors, if you have the capital, credit and security, then there is a chance that the Charlotte market is the place for you.