Making Your Home Yours Is Easy As 1, 2, 3.

Lifestyle, My Space, and Personal Space Options in True Homes

True Homes, the largest new home builder in North Carolina understands that each homeowner is unique. As such, each person's dream home will look a little different. We get it; there's nothing appealing about a cookie cutter home that looks exactly like your neighbor's. That's precisely why True Homes offers you the opportunity to make your new home a one-of-a-kind.

Our Lifestyle, My Space, and Personal Space Options allow you to customize the details in your new home so as to ensure that your home reflects who you are, and what you value.

By Lifestyle Options, we are referring to the style of your main floor. Whether you want an open plan, a transitional plan or a traditional plan, the choice is yours. From there, we will guide you in helping you to also select a plan for your kitchen, second floors, and bedrooms.

Lifestyle Options

Our My Space Options allows you to dictate how you'd like to make use of your square footage. Perhaps you want a home office, or a place to work out. Maybe you'd prefer an extra bedroom in lieu of a den. You just tell us what makes sense for you and your family, and we'll make it happen.
 

My Space Options

Personal Space Options empower you to truly customize your home. That means that you have the option to request structural changes. If you want an extra closet, let us know. If you'd prefer a more open plan, we can remove walls and readjust accordingly. And of course, we can build custom spaces into the plan that will be uniquely yours.

Personal Space Options

At True Homes we stand at the ready to help you customize your new home in North Carolina. All of our homes are energy efficient, and made with only the finest materials. For information on purchasing a new home in North Carolina, contact us at www.truehomeusa.com or call 704-271-1191.

Health Benefits of Living in a Green Home

With multiple communities in Charlotte, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina, the team at True Homes more than understands the importance and necessity of providing families with a safe, affordable, and most significantly, a healthy home. By providing green homes for our residents, True Homes is able to bring much more than just lower electric bills—you’ll enjoy real health benefits to help provide you and your family with a long and healthy life.

Reduction of Toxic Materials

For a lot of people, building and living in a new home comes with an almost unavoidable consequence of being exposed to harsh chemicals used in flooring, paint, and other construction materials. In today’s world, many non-green homes are comprised of compressed wood products that have been treated with preservatives such as formaldehyde; carpeting, which contains petroleum; and even countertops that may release trace amounts of uranium once they begin to decay. Life in a True Homes green home is designed with the health of your family in mind—meaning a healthy home contains almost no volatile organic compounds (VOC). In a green home, toxic materials are not used—allowing residents to see an immediate improvement in the safety, air quality, and overall health of all residing in their home. Of course, there are also numerous benefits associated with living in a home built with sustainable, eco-friendly materials and reduced electric bills.

Water Quality
Water is most essential to our everyday lives. Without water, or without properly filtered water, your risks of contracting contaminants like chlorine metals, VOC’s, and pesticides are greatly increased. Water quality isn’t only important for the water that you drink, you’re also using water brought in through your home to shower in, use to wash your laundry, and clean your dishes with. In a green home, a whole-house filtration system means that more than 99% of pollutants are removed from your water. Whole-house water filtration systems are easy to retrofit into an existing home, but can be even easier to install in a new construction home. Better water quality has been shown to greatly reduce the risk of you and your loved ones of developing respiratory problems, serious bacterial infections, and the onset of allergies.

Natural Light

Green homes are equipped with large, open, beautiful windows that allow much more natural light than traditional houses. Natural light not only brings down the cost of your electrical bills, but also brings improved psychological stimulation to you and your family that can result in increased happiness and natural vitamin D intake.

The benefits that come with living in a True Homes green home don’t just stop with this list—you’ll also enjoy the many perks of a vibrant, family oriented, blooming new community. To learn more about life with True Homes in Charleston and Charlotte as well as the steps we’ve taken to build some of the greenest homes on the market today, give us a call at (704) 937-2307 to speak with one of our representatives directly, or visit us online at www.truehomesusa.com.

5 Important Lessons to Teach Your Children

At True Homes in Charlotte, we understand that raising children comes with ups, downs, and everything in between. However, teaching your children important values while they’re in their formative years will pave the way for an easier parenting future and help ensure the success of your kids. Below are five of the cornerstone principles you can instill in your children as they grow into mature and successful adults.

Responsibility

When raising children, one of the most important and staple lessons you can teach your child is responsibility. Depending on your style of parenting, there are several ways you can teach your child responsibility, though a common theme involves always sticking to your word. Teach your child that if he or she commits to doing something, then they must do it regardless of circumstance. If a child commits to a sports team for instance, and they end up deciding that they may not like the sport mid-way through the season, you can teach your child others are now relying on their presence and they cannot let their team members down.

Respect

The second lesson on our list is respect. Teach your child that each person deserves to be treated equally and in their own right. Respect is something that should be given at all times to everyone, whether the person they are interacting with is a man or woman, older, younger or the same age. Teaching your child respect while they’re still young will allow them to better understand the imperative value as an adult.

Financial Responsibility

As with most childhood lessons, learning important values at a young age tends to transcend into our adult lives, and the importance of financial responsibility is no exception. When a child is given an allowance, putting a portion of the money into a piggy bank or another means of savings will allow the child to learn how to set monetary goals for themselves. This allows the child to form a thought process that becomes adult philosophy.

Education

Crucial lesson number four is the importance of education. Not only is it essential to provide your child with a stable understanding of schoolwork, but giving your child the freedom to educate themselves in something they are interested in teaches them that they can succeed in choices of their own. Whether your child enjoys art, the piano, sports, science or history, enable them to become educated further in a topic of their choosing.

Self-confidence

In today’s society, it has never been more important for children to be confident in themselves. Letting them know that if they are secure and strong in who they are and what they know and believe in; there is no need to feel disabled by others. An important part of developing self-confidence is to also let children know that throughout life, everyone will have different opinions, and it’s imperative to always stick to your own ideas.

Now that we’ve shared several cornerstone morals to be sure to teach your children, we encourage you to take a few minutes to visit our website to discover the values of True Homes in Charleston and Charlotte. For more information regarding our new family communities, visit us online at www.truehomesusa.com or contact one of our representatives directly at (704) 937-2307. We look forward to welcoming you to your new home.

Have you considered adding a dog to your family? 5 reasons why owning a dog is a good idea

Dogs have the reputation as being man’s best friend, and rightfully so. The humane society estimated that approximately 39 percent of households own a dog, but why? Dogs provide companionship, friendship, and entertainment. They don’t pass judgment and are always happy to see you when you come home, which is especially uplifting if you’ve had a tough day at work. Dogs can also help teach your children about responsibility, and can even help your children develop stronger immune systems.

If you’re on the fence about adding a dog to your family, True Homes, the largest homebuilder in Charlotte, NC, has put together a list of the top five reasons you should own a dog.

Dogs are good for your health

Studies have long shown that dog ownership is associated with a number of positive health benefits, including: reduced stress, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of dying from any cardiac disease, increased physical fitness, 

Dogs are entertaining

Whether you plan on training your dog to perform funny tricks, play fetch, or simply want another personality in the household, dogs are a constant source of entertainment. 

Dogs help teach your children responsibility

Dogs are a wonderful way to start teaching your children responsibility. By giving your children certain responsibilities for you dog, such as feeding, walking, or grooming the dog, you can start to teach them the importance of being responsible. Since the responsibility of the dog is ultimately up to the adults of the household, you can teach your children consequences by taking away privileges if their duties are not kept up with. Dogs also teach your children the importance of being kind and respectful to animals.

Dogs make your children healthier

According to several researchers, infants who grow up in a household with a dog go on to live a healthier life. In particular, one study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that children who grew up with dogs were 31 percent less likely to contract respiratory tract infections and 44 percent less likely to suffer from ear infections. While this may seem counterintuitive, since dogs are known to have a number of allergens and track in dirt and debris from outside, it is the exposure to these contaminants that help your children develop strong immune systems.

Dogs help keep you and your family safe

Dogs are very loyal companions and part of their companionship means protecting their masters. One of the most common examples is when dogs bark to alert you if someone is approaching your home, or if one of your family members is in distress. Other ways that dogs keep your family safe depends on the particular breed of dog. For example, herding dogs will keep the family pack together no matter what, which can help keep your children from wandering off.

There you have it, True Homes’ top five reasons to add a dog to your family. If you are thinking about getting a dog, you should consider adopting. By adopting, you’ll save a life, money, and feel better about your decision to get a pet. Adopted dogs appreciate you rescuing them, and make one of the most loyal companions you’ll ever have.

True Homes has a number of new home developments in Charlotte, NC marketed to young families (many of which are dog owners). To learn more about True Homes, visit us online at www.truehomesusa.com or get in touch with us directly on the phone at 704-271-1191 today.

How to find a good babysitter for your kids

Raising a family is a full time job, and everyone deserves a night off sometime. Leaving the kids at home gives you a chance to spend time with your wife, and escape the realities that wait at home. However, finding someone that you can entrust your kids with while you spend a night on the town can be a difficult process. How do you know they are responsible? Will they make sure your kids are safe? True Homes has put together a list of resources that you can use to help you find a good babysitter for your kids.

Ask Your Friends

One of the benefits of living in a new home community full of other young families is that some of your neighbors may have already scouted a reliable babysitter you can use.  Be warned though, with good sitters becoming increasingly hard to come by, some neighbors are reluctant to share their resources.

Another option to finding a babysitter for your kids is barter with your friends, sort of like someone being the designated driver for the night. One weekend, you’ll watch their kids over at your place while your friends go out, and the next weekend they’ll reciprocate. This arrangement can be especially good since you won’t have to pay extra for a sitter, or worry about having a stranger in your house while you’re away. Many areas are also starting babysitter co-ops, which is a more organized community of the barter agreement described above. Instead of paying with money, the co-op works on a point system to ensure that everyone has to give in what they take out.

Online

There are a number of online resources available to help you locate a good babysitter for your kids. More general websites like Craigslist and Angie’s List have very active communities, and a lot of people report having found a good sitter through these sites. Be careful though, when selecting any sitter, you’ll want to do some basic background checking on them and meet with them well before you need them to get a sense of the type of sitter they are.

Other online options like Care.com and Sittercity.com focus specifically on connecting parents with babysitters across the country. Manny of these sitter-centric websites charge some sort of membership or usage fee in exchange for doing a lot of the heavy lifting, e.g., prescreening babysitters and handling the payments.

Everyone deserves a break from the normal routine every now and again, but you want to make sure your kids are safe while you’re out having fun. The most important advice of all when selecting any babysitter to watch your kids is to meet with them first, do a little background research on them. Even if you don’t want to pay for a full background check, you can easily ask your prospective sitter to provide you with several references and speak with them about their experiences with that sitter.

True Homes is the largest homebuilder in Charlotte, NC and has a number of new home communities geared for young families.  If you’re looking to relocate to Charlotte, or are looking for a new home in the area, we hope you’ll consider one of our fabulous communities. One of the benefits of living in a new home development is you’ll be surrounded with like-minded neighbors. For example, you’ll most likely all have young children and can start your own neighborhood babysitting co-op. For more information, visit us online at www.truehomesusa.com or call us on the phone at 704-271-1191. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

How to start saving for your child’s education

One of the most expensive aspects of raising a family is paying for your child's education. With college tuitions on the rise, and the pressure to graduate from college growing, it’s more important now than ever to start saving for your child’s education. To help get you started, True Homes has put together a list of helpful guideposts to keep in mind when planning for your child’s education. 

Save Early, and Save Often

The more time you have to save for your child’s education, the more money you’ll have available when the time comes. The power of compounded interest helps your education savings snowball into much more than you’d think. For example, if you start setting aside $200 per month when your child is born, those contributions will grow to almost $70,000 by the time your child turns 18 (assuming a 5 percent annualized return). A good way to make keep up with your child’s education savings is to have a set amount deducted from your paycheck every month.

Consider Special Tax-Deferred Education Accounts

There are a couple of special, tax-deferred education accounts that can help you get the most out of your education savings. Two popular education savings accounts are: 529 College Plans, and Roth IRAs.

529 Plans are state-sponsored investment vehicles; similar to your employer-sponsored 401-K. 529 Plans are set up by the parent, who always retains control of the account. The main benefit of 529 Plans is that the account owner (parent) doesn’t pay income taxes on the account’s earnings, meaning your investments can grow tax-deferred much like an IRA. Contributions made to the 529 Plan are after-tax dollars, and qualified withdrawals for education expenses are tax-free. Additionally, there are no income restrictions, so anyone can open (and contribute to) a 529 Plan. And if your child decides not to go to college, you can always transfer the account to another beneficiary. FinAid.org has a comprehensive page detailing the pros and cons associated with 529 Plans.

Roth IRAs are another popular type of account to start saving for your child’s education; however, they are much more limited in terms of who can contribute to them and how much. Roth IRAs must be opened in your child’s name, and there may be minimum opening deposits and/or annual contributions. Roth IRAs also have income cutoffs, and must be opened at least five years before you plan to start withdrawing money for education expenses. Furthermore, any profits withdrawn from Roth IRAs are taxable. The upsides to Roth IRAs is that any unused money can be used to jumpstart your child’s retirement savings, and they are much more flexible in terms of investment options.

Prepaid Tuition

A number of states and private universities offer prepaid tuition programs that can help you save for your child’s education while protecting against tuition inflation. Basically, once you start the plan, you’ll be locked into that year’s prevailing tuition rates. For example, can prepay for a year of college tuition while your child is still in elementary school. Monies paid into prepaid tuition programs are generally transferable if your child decided to go somewhere else; however, the dollars may not stretch as far since you’ll be paying then-current tuition costs. A number of private universities also offer prepaid tuition programs. You can learn more about private college 529 Plans here.

Talk To Your Kids about Their Education Expenses

Another aspect of saving for your child’s education is educating them about the reality of college expenses. If you’ve been saving for your child’s education, use it to motivate them to do better in school. Giving your children a sense of ownership in their education savings account lets them know that doing good in school and receiving scholarships potentially means more money in their pocket. 


If you have specific questions about saving for your child’s education, you should meet with a qualified financial advisor who will be able to assess your individual situation and help you develop a plan that best suits your needs.

As the largest home builder in Charlotte, NC, True Homes understands that your family’s future is important. We offer a number of new home communities marketed towards new families with floor plans for every budget. To learn more about True Homes, visit us online at www.truehomesusa.com or call us on the phone at 704-271-1191.

Find Out Why Charlotte is Such a Great Place to Raise a Family

It’s no secret that Charlotte is a wonderful place to live. With a low cost of living, wide selection of educational options, and a vibrant economy, Charlotte is also a fantastic place to raise a family. Hence, new homes in Charlotte are high in demand. To help you understand exactly what makes Charlotte so great, True Homes has put together list of the standout reasons why you should raise your family in Charlotte.  

Low Cost of Living

With a cost of living index of 94, Charlotte, NC is significantly more affordable than most cities in the United States (the average is 100).  A lower cost of living means that your paycheck goes further and you’ll have more disposable income to save for your children’s education, your own retirement, or to simply enjoy many of the activities Charlotte has to offer. 

Stable Economy

Charlotte has seen explosive growth over the past 20 years, and this trend is expected to continue. As one of the largest financial centers in the country (second behind New York), Charlotte has many high paying jobs and opportunities for career advancement. Charlotte’s robust economy has also helped stabilize housing prices, which makes it an ideal area to invest in a new home for you and your family.

Education Choices

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district ranks as the second largest in the North Carolina and the 20^th largest in the United States. In addition to having a number of excellent public schools, Charlotte is also home to several outstanding private schools further adding to your options for your children’s education. Additionally, North Carolina is home to a number of nationally ranked universities including Wake Forest, University of North Carolina, Davidson, Elon, and Duke University (to name a few).

Activities Abounding

Charlotte has a wide variety of activities you can enjoy with your family. Whether you like spending time outdoors or at developed attractions, Charlotte has something for everyone. Some of the notable attractions in and around Charlotte include: the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, which is home to many outdoor concerts throughout the year; the US National Whitewater Center, which is the largest man-made recirculating river in the country; the McDowell Natural Center and Preserve; the Charlotte Motor Speedway; and a number of beautiful parks and historic sites. With so many choices, you’ll never run out of things to do with the family.

The points discussed above are just some of the reasons that make Charlotte such a great place to raise a family. It is the crowning glory of North Carolina real estate. In addition to area-wide considerations, another important aspect of raising a family is living in a neighborhood with like-minded families. To help create the ideal environment for your family, True Homes has developed several of new home communities in and around Charlotte specifically marketed for new families. To learn more about True Homes in Charlotte, North Carolina, visit us online at http://www.truehomesusa.com or give us a call on the phone at 704-937-2307. We look forward to welcoming you home.

The benefits of buying a new home over a used one

Buying a new home is a big decision. As the largest new homebuilder in Charlotte, North Carolina, we know that as well as anybody. One of the first decisions you should consider when selecting a home is whether to buy a new home or a used home. While the decision to buy a new or a used home is largely an issue of personal preference, there are a number of advantages to buying a new home over a used one. To help you understand some of these differences, we’ve put together a list of 5 reasons in favor of buying new.

 

Modern Amenities and Personalization

 

New homes are better designed for the needs of the modern family than older homes. Buying new also allows you to have some input into the design and materials used in the home. Our True Style Process allows you to customize certain aspects of your home before it’s built, allowing you to impart your own personal style and preferences. For example, new homebuyers are able to select from a range of options like paint colors, crown molding, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and more.

 

Energy Efficiency

 

New homes are built with energy efficiency in mind. Not only is an energy efficient home better for the environment, it can also save money on your utility bills. In fact, a True Home is more than 40 percent more efficient than the average existing home. Additionally, high performance toilets and faucets drastically reduce water consumption.  

  

Warranties

One of the biggest advantages to buying a new home over a used one is the warranty that comes with a new home. Not only do you get manufacturers’ warranties on all your new appliances, you also get a builder’s warranty that covers the structure of your home. True Homes offers a 10-year structural warranty that protects you against costly problems that may arise down the road with a used home. 

 

      Lifestyle 

New homes are often built in entirely new developments designed with a certain kind of buyer in mind. This means that the reasons you decided to move into the community are likely the same as your neighbors. New developments give you a unique chance to help create your own neighborhood lifestyle. New developments also tend to attract younger families, which means your children will have more playmates and your neighbors are more likely to become your close friends.

       Safety

New homes adhere to rigorous safety standards that may have not been in place when an older home was built. In addition to meeting the latest building codes, True Homes also partners with industry leading companies to ensure your home is built to last. State-of-the-art fire detection systems, wiring insulation, and plumbing components also help protect your investment and keep your family safe. To learn more about True Homes or to browse our selection of new homes in Charleston, South Carolina, visit our website at www.truehomesusa.com.

True Green: True Homes are 40% more energy efficient than a used home

True Homes is the premier homebuilder in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have built several communities throughout the region, including our most recent new home community in Charleston, South Carolina. True Homes is committed to building new homes with environmentally friendly materials and high energy efficiency rankings. On average, True Homes are 40 percent more energy efficient than existing homes; that’s a fact. It’s easy for home builders to make claims about the energy efficient of their home, but every home built by True Homes is independently tested and certified by a third party. Independent testing means you can be confident about purchasing decision. After the inspection is complete by a Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) certified building inspector, we provide you with the estimated energy savings, in writing, so you know exactly how much you can expect to save with an energy efficient True Home.

How Are True Homes Evaluated?

The standard scoring chart for home energy efficiency is the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index, which was established by RESNET. The values of the HERS Index range from 0 to 150, and the lower the score, the more energy efficient the home is. The average score is 100, which is based on the energy efficiency of a model home built to the 2006 International Energy Conversation Code. True Homes score, 76, which means they are more energy efficient than most new homes built today, and over 40 percent more energy efficient than existing homes.

  

How Does True Homes Achieve Such a High Level of Energy Efficiency?

The first step to building an energy efficient home is the design. Next, we utilize tight construction techniques, high performance windows, and superior insulation that all work together to allow your home to perform at its peak efficiency. Next, True Home incorporates high efficiency appliances and fixtures throughout the home.

 

Features like high efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, low flow toilets and faucet fixtures, and energy efficient lighting all help make your home more energy efficient and lower your cost of ownership. Energy efficient homes are not only better for the environment; they are also a better investment. If you’d like to learn more about our new homes in Charlotte or Charleston, please take a minute to visit our website at www.truehomesusa.com. You can also speak with one of our representatives directly at 704-937-2307.

Moving soon? Make sure you’re prepared with the right supplies

Moving can be a real headache. In addition to having to pack your life into boxes and live in a state of limbo until the move is complete, moving can also be expensive—even if you decide to do it yourself. To help make sure you’re prepared for your next move, True Homes, a leading new home builder based in Charlotte, North Caroline, has put together a list of supplies you’ll need as well as some helpful tips to save you money and ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.

Recommended Moving Supplies

Moving Boxes. Whether you’re planning to move yourself or hire professionals, you’ll need plenty of moving boxes to pack your belongings into. It’s always better to have more boxes than you think you’ll need as certain items will inevitably take up a lot more space than you planned for. Buying new boxes can get expensive, but you can save a lot of money getting creative here. Supermarkets and liquor stores have more boxes than they know what to do with, and are usually happy to give you a few extras. 

Bubble Wrap/Packing Paper. You’ll want to make sure your items arrive at your new home undamaged, so be sure to wrap everything up in bubble wrap or packing paper. Packaging peanuts are also good at protecting your valuables, but they can be messy to deal with. To save money on these packing supplies, start saving old newspapers before your move. You can also ask friends and family to save their old newspapers for you too. Unless you know someone who moved recently, you’ll probably have to spend some money on bubble wrap to protect your fragile items like glassware and china, but you save a lot of money by repurposing old materials.

Packaging Tape. Packaging tape is essential for keeping your boxes closed, and securing items with multiple pieces. Clear box tape is strong enough to make sure the bottom of your boxes don’t fall out, but isn’t ideal for taping things together. If you need to keep things together during the move, masking tape is your best bet since it won’t leave a sticky mess for you to clean while unpacking. 

Carpet Film. Carpet film is a great way to protect your floors during the move. Different than saran wrap, which can be good for protecting sofas and other upholstered furniture, carpet film is stick on one side. Before your move, plan out which areas of your home will be used as moving corridors, and put some film in place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure here, and picking up carpet film is a lot easier than having to shampoo your carpet or deal with unsightly scuffmarks on your hard floors.  

Moving Tips

Moving is going to take a lot longer than you think, so it’s a good idea to start preparing for your move at least two months before your scheduled move-out date. 

Get Moving Estimates

If you’re going to hire a professional mover, you can start getting estimates before hand to get a better idea of the cost of moving. Also, booking a mover early will ensure that one is available when you need them. And if you’re going to move yourself, you should also shop around for a moving truck before the move. Locking in rates early will help you better budget for your move.

Pack Early

Whether you’re hiring a professional or are going to move yourself, you should start packing well in advance of your move-out date. Packing early takes a lot of the stress out of moving as you can do it at your leisure, instead of being rushed all at the last minute. For example, you can pack up all your out of season clothes without sacrificing any creature comforts in the mean time. Books, and decorative items are also good candidates to pack early.

Do Some Spring Cleaning

Moving provides you with an excellent chance to get rid of some unwanted clutter. When going through your belongings, decide if it’s something you really want to take with you. You can also have a garage sale before the move to help offset the costs. Craigslist and eBay are also great places to sell your unwanted items. You can also donate all the items that you’re unable to sell.  

While every move is a little different, the above list of supplies and tips are applicable to almost every type of move. Before you move-out, you’ll also need to update your address at the post office and let friends and family your new address. Likewise, be sure to transfer your utility accounts to your new address so you don’t move into a house without electricity or water.

If you’re planning to move into a new home in Charlotte, North Caroline or Charleston, South Carolina, why not consider a True Home? Our newest community in Charleston, South Carolina offers a range of affordable, environmentally friendly new home designs. For more information on building your True dream home, visit www.truehomesusa.com or contact us at 704-937-2307.

Fun for the Family in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina is a great place to work and live. And with plenty of activities to do year round, Charlotte has enough to fulfill even the most demanding family entertainment needs. Whether you’re already a resident of Charlotte, or are planning to buy a new home in Charlotte, True Homes has put together a list of some of the top family activities that Charlotte has to offer.

Biltmore Estate

Located just outside Charlotte, in Asheville, the Biltmore Estate is the perfect getaway for you and your family. Originally built by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800s, the Biltmore estate remains the largest private estate in the United States. The entire estate consists of over 10 square miles, and offers activities for every type of visitor. While the main house is the primary attraction at the estate, there are also lots of other activities you can do, including: horseback riding, bicycling, fly fishing, get lost in the garden maze, visit the farmyard animals, and more. Best of all, children under 9 years old get to visit the estate free. 

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Located just 13 miles outside of Charlotte, in Concord North Carolina, the Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of the top motorsport complexes in the country. In addition to NASCAR events held year round, the Speedway is also home to the semi-annual Food Lion Auto Fair —one of the nation’s largest car shows. Even if car races aren’t your thing, the Charlotte Motor Speedway attracts thousands visitors every year for Speedway Christmas, which is heralded as “the area’s premier holiday lights extravaganza.”

Dan Nicholas Park

Dan Nichols Park is an amusement park geared for families with younger children. With a number of attractions including a carousel, water plaza, petting zoo, nature center, train station, aquarium, gem mine, mini golf, and paddle boat rentals, Dan Nicholas Park has enough to keep you and your family busy all day. And if you get too tired to make the drive home, you can even stay overnight at the park campgrounds.

Schiele Museum

The Schiele Museum of Natural History is located in Gastonia, NC, about 20 miles outside of Charlotte. The museum features the largest collection of mammal specimens in the Southeast. With five permanent galleries, and a number of special exhibits throughout the year, the Schiele Museum is both a fun and education way to spend the day with your family. 

Reed Gold Mine

Reed Gold Mine is home to the first documented gold discovery in the United States. Today, the site serves as one of North Carolina’s most valuable historical assets. Portions of the mine have been restored, and the center offers guided tours of some of the old gold shafts. You can even try your hand at panning for gold, and hope to strike it rich!

North Carolina Zoo

The NC Zoo has over 500 acres of exhibits that are home to 1,600 animals and 52,000 plants, making it one of the largest natural habitat zoos in the United States. Some of the standout animals at the zoo include Elephants, Rhinoceros, Chimpanzees, and exotic birds from around the world. The zoo experience involves a walk along a five mile shaded pathway, so be prepared for a little bit of exercise. The official website expects tours to last between 4 and 6 hours. The list of family activities listed above doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the variety of entertainment Charlotte has to offer. If you’re looking to purchase a new home in Charlotte, we hope you’ll consider True Homes. True Homes offers a number of environmentally friendly new home communities that are perfect for you and your family. For more information, visit our website at www.truehomesusa.com or call us directly at 704-937-2307.

Green Homes Construction on the Rise

There is a definite shift taking place in the market as green practices spring to the forefront. According to a recent Smart Market Report on home construction, green and sustainable homes developments are expected to skyrocket over the next several years to a staggering 29 to 38 percent by 2016.

Those interested in purchasing new homes in Charlotte are looking for green homes as they area a long-term saver and also known to be more high quality construction. Visit True Green Homes

Other factors are also driving green home construction growth. Nearly two-thirds of builders and remodelers said more and more new home buyers in Charlotte are requesting green homes and green, sustainable projects, many of them seeking out lower energy costs.

The higher costs of building green are less of a factor now than they were several years ago. With ample supply of green home products, prices have become more competitive with traditional green home projects.

 

The report also found that more than 80percent report that energy efficiency is making today's homes far more green compared to two years ago. Use of energy-efficient features is commonplace in the market and has become the top practice by nearly all builders and remodelers.

 

Also tops in consideration are indoor air quality, with 95 percent of high volume home builders including these features, and durable materials being emphasized by remodelers.

 

“These findings confirm the shift we've seen in the market,” says Jim Halter, Vice President, Construction Solutions for Waste Management. “Builders and remodelers are placing more emphasis on energy efficiency, increases in sustainability focused waste management practices and more products made from post-consumer materials. These important factors are pushing our industry forward.”

 

True Homes is the largest home builder in Charlotte, North Carolina, with new communities in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information on building your True dream home, visit www.truehomesusa.com or contact us at 704-937-2307.

Charlotte, North Carolina in Top 3 Percent of US Metros for Energy Jobs

It’s no small secret that Charlotte, North Carolina has been a strong contender for energy jobs. However, that momentum has increased significantly over the last few years. The 16-county Charlotte region counts more than 200 organizations and more than 20,000 employees performing the important daily work of the energy industry.  So much so, that it is now considered America’s new energy capital.

A Lean, Green Workforce

This continued spawning of green, clean Charlotte companies and the vocations they offer is one of the main attractions for buyers of new homes in Charlotte. Combined with fantastic schools and universities offering learning opportunities and degrees in energy efficiency and sustainability, Charlotte’s work force has been identified as a major competitive advantage, and the influx of young energy leaders with diverse experiences has emerged as a significant resource for energy and engineering firms.

The plan to foster an energy hub in the Charlotte region is kicking into high gear, with a number of organizations playing key roles in the initiative. Major energy players in Charlotte include AREVA, Babcock and Wilcox, Duke Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, Fluor, Metso Power, Piedmont Natural Gas, Siemens Energy, Shaw Group, Toshiba, URS Corp., and Westinghouse. Leaders representing businesses of every size, local and state government, educational institutions and civic organizations have put Charlotte on the energy map.

Green City, Green Homes

The Charlotte energy hub also brings with it the demand for green homes. For True Homes, being green isn’t just the latest trend or buzz word; green building is at the core of our business philosophy. It is a commitment to green home design and green construction. Our True Green building program flows directly out of that desire.

At True, we believe we have a responsibility to our customers and communities, as well as the environment. We achieve this through GREEN BUILDING and CONSERVATION. These two areas allow us and True Home green living home owners to reduce the impact on our environment, create healthier green living environments, conserve energy, as well as save money.  

True Homes is the largest home builder in Charlotte, North Carolina, with new communities in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information on building your True dream home, visit www.truehomesusa.com or contact us at 704-937-2307.

Charlotte Home Sale Closings Up 22 Percent from Last Year

According to a recent report by the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association, residential real estate activity for August 2012 continues the good news from the previous month of July: home sales closings have gone up again in Charlotte. Along with that, home sale prices have also increased to an average of $207,380.

Strong Gains Seven Months Straight

Strong gains in new home sales and new home prices last month were preceded by steady gains over the last several months. Although average list prices have taken a slight dip, sellers are now receiving more of their asking price, which is up a staggering 89.7 percent from last July. With six months ahead of it, August makes the seventh straight month of gainful real estate activity in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

August also saw homes spending fewer days on the market from listing to close, decreasing two weeks compared to 2011. Distressed foreclosure properties, which tend to sell fastest, actually decreased, with the number of active foreclosures at its lowest level since January 2008. However, they also saw the largest year-over-year median price gain of 6.7 percent. The number of active short sales was also at its lowest level since April 2009.

A Popular Destination for Relocation

Charlotte is fast rising in relocations, welcoming transplants by the hundreds. Baby boomers, retirees, young tech-savvy hipsters and green energy professionals are moving into the southern city for work, creating an increased demand to buy new homes in Charlotte. That fact, combined with historically low interest rates, affordable home prices, and being a great overall place to live, Charlotte becomes pretty irresistible to new home buyers looking for a home in the Carolinas.

True Homes is the largest home builder in Charlotte, North Carolina, with new communities in Charleston, South Carolina. For more information on building your True dream home, visit www.truehomesusa.com or contact us at 704-937-2307.