Lake Norman NC Real Estate

Just a little over 30 years ago, Lake Norman – 25 miles to the north of Charlotte –witnessed a great change taking place with the completion of I-77 in 1976.  Lake Norman used to be Charlotteans weekend retreat; its shores dotted with tin-roofed boathouses, mobile homes and  fishing cabins. One of the most popular weekend destinations was a bunch of small trailers located on the southern tip of Lake Norman...local folks summer fish camps...weekend runs. Now, it is home to The Peninsula Yacht Club. Times have changed!
Lake Norman, like Lake Wylie, its sister lake to the south, is a “working” lake, created by Duke Energy for the generation of hydroelectric power. Both are part of the Catawba River system. Lake Norman is the larger of the two lakes, residents often enjoy snubbing Lake Wylie residents by calling 'their lake', simply 'The Lake' in reference to its greater size... 520 miles of shoreline in four counties - Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba. At nearly 34 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it is larger than the Sea of Galilee.

There are nearly a dozen marinas that offer wet or dry boat storage starting at $1,000 annually. If you’re putting your own boat into the water, public access ramps are available at Jetton Park, Blythe Landing and Ramsey Creek Park in the Cornelius/Huntersville area. Iredell County public access areas include Hager Creek Access at Exit 33 and McCrary Creek Access, Pinnacle Access and Stumpy Creek Access off N.C. 150. In the Denver area on Lake Norman’s west shore, head to Little Creek Access Area on Webb’s Chapel Road or the Beatties Ford Access Area on Unity Church Road. Catawba County boaters can choose from several marinas on lower Lake Norman south of the N.C. 150 bridge or Long Island Marina on Burton Drive. Unless you’re on a boat or have access to private land, 1,600-acre Lake Norman State Park in Troutman is the only place swimming is allowed from Lake Norman shores. The park also offers boat ramps, picnic shelters, campsites, mountain biking and hiking trails.

West Lake Norman

West Lake Norman – which includes the eastern Lincoln County communities of Denver, Westport and Triangle and the Catawba County communities of Sherrills Ford and Terrell – offer easy commutes to Uptown Charlotte, great water views and less congestion than the eastern shore of the lake. The main thoroughfares are N.C. 16, running north from Charlotte; N.C. 73, running west from Huntersville; and N.C. 150, running west from Mooresville.

In comparison to eastern shores, Lake Norman’s west side is still in its building infancy. Gently rolling pastures, rustic barns and old family farmhouses can still be found, along with close-knit communities, neighborhood get-togethers, church activities and a slower pace of life.

The western shore’s small-town feel, rural atmosphere, friendly residents, focus on family and reasonable prices draw many folks who prefer to get away from the east side’s traffic jams, shopping centers, interstate congestion and high prices.

Western shore residents know growth is coming their way, too, but the goal has become controlling it and staying ahead of the problems population booms can bring to small communities. In the Lincoln County area of Denver, development is beginning to creep in from developers looking for lower prices, eastern shore spillover and the widening of N.C. 16 from Charlotte.

Newer neighborhoods in east Lincoln include SailView, a Crescent Communities neighborhood with waterfront and interior homes from the low $400,000s to more than $1 million. Interior homesites start in the $50s. Located east of N.C. 16 in Denver, SailView includes amenities such as a swim and tennis club, community boat slips and family activities such as an Independence Day parade, free movies for children and bunco groups. Verdict Ridge, developed by former Charlotte mayor Eddie Knox, also continues to build upscale golf course and wooded-view homes starting in the $200,000s. Set in the rolling foothills down Little Egypt Road off N.C. 73, Verdict Ridge features a challenging 18-hole PGA golf course, serene lakes, quiet woodlands and an activity-filled clubhouse with a pool and cabana, tennis courts and playground.

Governor’s Island, one of the first mansion-lined developments on Lake Norman, juts out from the western shore on a thin strip lined with sprawling homes. By car, the neighborhood is north of the N.C. 16/N.C. 73 intersection off of Webb Chapel Road. Also near the N.C. 16/N.C. 73 crossroads off South Pilot Knob Road are three communities: Waterside Crossing, The Gates at Waterside Crossing and The Bluffs at Waterside Crossing. All three communities have neighborhood swim clubs, playing fields, a short walk to shopping and a five-minute drive to public boating access.

To compensate for the recent population boom along the western shore, especially among families with young children, Lincoln County Schools recently opened St. James Elementary and North Lincoln High. Lincoln Medical Center, a 101-bed hospital which is part of the Carolinas HealthCare System, serves western shore residents with a 24-hour Emergency Department, Heart Center, Sleep Center and Chronic Pain Management program. The recently-opened Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville serves west side residents. New residents who want to get involved in the community or learn more about issues affecting them can contact the East Lincoln Betterment Association (ELBA), a citizens’ group that lobbies for improvements and monitors growth issues along the western shore.

As rooftops on the western shore of Lake Norman continue to pop up, so does retail. The N.C. 16/N.C. 73 intersection is a major shopping spot, with grocery stores, service stores and free-standing fast-food restaurants. One of the newest commercial developments here is The Shoppes at Waterside Crossing, a $2.2 million shopping center with a Harris Teeter, Coffee & More, Arctic Stone Creamery and other specialty stores. South on N.C. 16 on the way to Charlotte, developers have recently opened Callabridge Commons at Mount Holly-Huntersville Road with eateries, offices and shops.

Catawba County

If you’re looking for a place that’s like what Lake Norman used to be before its explosive eastern shore growth, head to the Catawba County communities of Sherrills Ford and Terrell. With a location that is the furthest away from Charlotte, no major highways and little water or sewer infrastructure, the northwestern corner of Lake Norman is by far the least developed.

Catawba County has 148,000 residents and most still live in central and western parts of the area known as the Appalachian foothills, particularly in Hickory and Conover. These cities benefit from Interstate 40, mixed drink sales and heavy industrialization in furniture, textiles and fiber optics. But the southeastern pocket of Catawba County is one of the fastest-growing portions, projected to grow by 25 percent or more between 2000 and 2020, due to the demand of lake lots, relatively low housing prices and proximity to Charlotte. Additionally, the new Lowe’s corporate center in Mooresville brings a number of jobs to the area. To many area residents, good schools, less congestion, lower prices and a small-town way of life are worth the nearly one-hour commute to Charlotte.

The population increase in the past few years has prompted Catawba County Schools to plan new schools and make additions to old schools in the southeastern part of the county to accommodate the rapidly growing area. In anticipation of coming changes, Catawba County Commissioners adopted the Sherrills Ford Small Area Plan in 2003. Drafted by a group of volunteers who live in Catawba County’s Lake Norman communities, the Sherrills Ford Small Area Plan explores current conditions and defines issues crucial to preserving quality of life in face of rapid change. Community leaders use the plan to make decisions regarding future growth and development.