Not sure whether to rent or buy your next home? This page offers you a little food for thought on just that subject! Take a look at this page, and if you still need some questions answered on whether you should be buying or renting your next home, give us a call and we will be your guides! We offer a full service agency and cover all aspects of home buying from first time home buyers, investment properties, vacation homes, with all types of property. Including single family residential, townhouses, condominiums (condos) and ranches. We walk you through the ins and outs of our contract, plus inspection and finance issues.
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Claude
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Jane Cross
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Renting or Buying?

Owning a home is a classic American dream and part of American culture.


Most people view renting as throwing away money. Why give your money away to a landlord when you can invest in your own home?

The main considerations are your lifestyle, your ability to secure a mortgage and your financial situation.

As part of a lifestyle, apartments fit people’s time restraints. There are few maintenance or upkeep requirements for apartments compared to houses.

For people in large urban areas, apartments give people the opportunity to live in trendy, fashionable neighborhoods that may only be affordable if they rent.

Renting also allows people starting or changing careers more flexibility when a job dictates a move.

Not everyone can secure a mortgage. Despite the myriad types of mortgages and federal programs, some people simply have bad credit or too much monthly debt to get accepted for a mortgage or to get enough of a loan to afford what they want.

Other considerations are how much do you want to invest in a home and how willing are you to let that affect your lifestyle.
You also risk unseen expenses such as a major necessary repairs, property tax reassessment, or disasters.

When you rent, you have more flexibility in reacting to major trends in the economy.

Despite risks and lifestyle changes, home ownership is a definite long term reward for most people. Recent changes in tax laws will now allow for home owners to pull equity out of their homes without needing to be 55 years of age, making individual homes a much more flexible investment. You also gain tax benefits by deducting certain home costs from your personal taxes.		 Choose what is right for you: Start by weighing the lifestyle and personal changes and risks you can make.

A home does not guarantee equity or profit on sale.

Like all investments, a home carries a level of risk. Because there are fees and costs with securing a mortgage, you will pay thousands of dollars up front for your home. Depending on your mortgage and payments it can take years to build enough equity to compensate that expense.

If you need to sell in a few years, you may never recover those initial costs and face the expense of sales commissions with the sale of your home.

If you move around much or anticipate needing to in the near future you will want to seriously consider the expense of short term ownership of a home.

Another factor to consider is the risk that your home or community may change dramatically, effecting your home’s property value.

Does the community you live in have one primary employer?

Does your community have one major industry creating most of your community’s jobs?

Can a down turn in that industry shift the demand for housing where you live?

Are the demographics in your community changing? Income declining? Crime rising?

These factors among others effect the property values of entire cities.



Ballantyne


Ballantyne Charlotte real estate neighborhood pages include information on housing reports, tax rates and things to do. As your agents, we will put our utmost effort forth as we search to find a perfect place for you!

Ballantyne real estate, Ballantyne custom homes, Ballantyne Luxury house estates, Ballantyne Country Club, Kensington, Ballantyne Meadows,Piper Glen, Providence, Ardrey, Stone Creek Ranch, Providence Pointe houses for sale in the Ardrey Kell High School Zone.


Union County:

Union County homes, Union County houses, custom homes in Longview Country Club for sale, luxury estates in Providence Downs, Marvin Creek, Hunter Oaks, Somerset,  Marvin homes.

Lake Wylie:


Lake Wylie luxury property in Charlotte for sale,  Lake Wylie waterfront home,  Lake Wylie custom homes, River Hills, The Palisades,  Tega Cay, Lake Wylie water view-lakefront.


Lake Norman:

Lake Norman waterfront realty,  Lake Norman custom homes, The Point, The Peninsula, Lake Norman houses for sale,  lakefront, Lake Norman NC home.

Luxury houses in Longview Country Club, custom homes in Ballantyne, houses in Piper Glen, exclusive Myers Park Homes,  Quail Hollow fine houses estates.

View Charlotte MLS listings in: Exclusive gated communities, Sun City active adult communities, Carolina Lakes Sun City Del Webb over active age 55 neighborhoods.

New Construction

Builders like: Centex, Pulte, Shea, Ryland, Ryan, John Wieland fine home builders, Orleans,  MI, Toll Brothers,  DR Horton, Eastwood, True Homes, Saussy Burbank homebuilders, Bonterra,  KB Homes, Lennar, CP Morgan, Arcadia, Persis Nova, Jas Am and others.

Custom Builders-Luxury

Why use a rookie, when you can use a seasoned professional? Get straight talk about custom homes, gated communities and the many builders that develop here.

We'll work by your side (as buyers agents) for exclusive  properties built by fine home builders, including the likes of Persis Nova, Jas Am, Simonini Custom Builders, Arcadia, Dienst, The Cunnane Group, Cyras, E.S.Johnson found in neighborhoods like Piper Glen, Longview Country Club and Ballantyne.

Moving to Charlotte?

We will work by your side to find new homes and new construction along with resale property. Consider us to be your full real estate resource. As such, we also work with international and national relocation companies providing realty services for Charlotte and it's bordering neighbors.

As you relocate, our job is to minimize the many hoops you might experience while you move. We offer full relocation services focused on your needs. Our services include listing houses offering seasoned insight on how to effectively sell your home at top dollar and in a timely manner.



Area Coverage:  Charlotte real estate  in 28277, 28270, 28078, 28226, 28079, 28104, 28105, 28173, 29715, 28269, 28209, 28227, 28031, 28210, 29710, 29715, 29708.

Search these related terms, realestate,  homebuyer, land, relocating, buying, selling, agent, property, condo, condominium, townhomes, land, seller, selling,  listing, listings.

View Charlotte homes for sale and Charlotte MLS Listings in these settings:

Other service areas are: Matthews property, Matthews houses, Matthews realestate, Matthews realty,  Huntersville realty, Huntersville homes, Huntersville houses, Huntersville property, Davidson realty,  Davidson home, Davidson property, Charlotte real estate.  Also: Weddington property, Weddington home, Weddington realty and Weddington realestate as well as Cornelius realty,  Cornelius property for sale, Cornelius home.

Nearby areas such as: Union County realty, buy Union County homes for sale, Waxhaw realty,  Matthews home, Matthews property. To include; Indian Trail homes, IndianTrail home, Indian Trail realty and Stallings realestate as well as Stallings realty,  Stallings property, Stallings home.

Preset neighborhoods: Charlotte homes for sale in Highgrove, Providence Plantation, Kenilworth, White Oaks. Charlotte real estate in Providence Country Club, Orchid Hill, Country Club Estates, Wynridge, Kingston Forest, and Allyson Park. Buy houses in Amberleigh, Blakeney Heath, Cobblestone, Reavencrest house for sale, Providence Crossing home for sale, Weston Glen, Reavencrest and Cady Lake house for sale. Homes for Sale in Beverly Crest  Thornblade realty for sale,  Blakeney Greens, Providence Pointe realty for sale, Hunter Oaks house for sale, River Hills, Providence Hills, and Ashley Creek. Realty in Providence Manor, Winterbrook,   The Forest, Providence Arbours, Canterbury Place, McKee Woods home for sale, Nottingham, and Willowmere. Houses for Sale in Ashley Creek,  and Bradfield Farms. Charlotte real estate in Cady Lake, Somerset, Ardrey, Marvin Creek real estate for sale, and Crismark. Realestate in Fort Mill,  homes for sale in Legacy Park,  homes for sale in Firethorne, Baxter Village, Bridgemill, Bridgehampton, Belair at Carolina Lakes, Beacon Knoll and  Balmoral. Homes for Sale in Weddington Chase, Blakeney Heath, Bent Creek,  Brightmoor,   Providence Crossing, Birkdale, and Tega Cay. Huntersville realty in Birkdale, Northstone home for sale, River Run, Summers Walk, Skybrook, Birkdale Village and Hampton Ridge. Homes for sale in MacAulay, Centennial, Vermillion, Villages at Rosedale, Stephens Grove, Cambridge Grove, Covington and Melbourne. Houses for sale McGinnis Village, The Hamptons, Plum Creek, Cedarfield, Gilead Village, Wynfield and Wynfield Forest. Houses for Sale in Highland Creek, Willowmere house for sale, Brighton Park, Charlotte homes for sale in Ballantyne Meadows, Berkeley, Legacy Park. Lake Wylie and Lake Norman homes for sale in The Peninsula, The Sanctuary, The Point, Overlook, The Harbour at the Pointe, Tega Cay, Captains Point, River Hills, and Beach Tree Bay. Realty for sale in Riverpointe, Pinnacle Shores, Heron Harbor, Kings Landing, Lake Shore, Wildlife Bay, and Lake Wylie. Homes for Sale in Shiloh Trace, Wesley Oaks homes for sale, Providence Springs home for sale, Deerfield Creek homes for sale in Matthews, Ballantyne house for sale, Charlotte real estate, Matthews realty and Huntersville houses. Charlotte CC homes for sale in Ballantyne, Birkdale house for sale, Firethorne, Highland Creek real estate for sale, Longview home  for sale,  Quail Hollow, The Peninsula,  The Point, River Hills, Tega Cay, Piper Glen, and Northstone. Custom building in Ballantyne, Providence Springs, Rea Woods, Piper Glen, Pellynwood, High Grove, Chadwyck and Giverny. High Grove, Chadwyck, Giverny, Kensington, The Forest, Carmel Crescent and Belingrath. Home in Eastover, The Palisades realty for sale, Stratford, Charlotte real estate in Myers Park, Foxcroft, Heydon Hall, Morrocroft Estates, Seven Eagles realty, Carmel Park, Challis Farm, Courance, Dovewood, Whitegate. Realty in Piper Glen, Ballantyne, Longview, Ballantyne and Evermay. Houses for Sale in Kensington at Ballantyne real estate for sale, Southpark realty for sale, Matthews Plantation, Hembstead, Bridgehampton, Charlotte homes for sale in Piper Glen, Birdale Village,  McKee Woods and Belair at Carolina Lakes Charlotte Homes in Weston Glen, Raintree, Charlotte homes for sale in Stone Creek Ranch, Reavencrest, Southampton Commons, Hampton Green and Country Club Estates. Matthews houses in Reverdy, Matthews Grove, Matthews Ridge, Brightmoor, Greenbriar, Thornblade and Ashley Creek. Union realty in Brook Valley Indian Trail, Highgate, Weddington Chase real estate for sale, The Reserve, Skyecroft, Providence Downs, Marvin real estate for sale, Stallings and Providence Downs South house for sale. Houses for Sale in Chatelaine, Sedgefield, Callonwood, Wesley Oaks and Bent Creek. Fort Mill, Matthews real estate for sale and the Huntersville housing market.   Find Union County real estate, Weddington homes, buy Matthews homes, Huntersville realestate,  Ballantyne neighborhoods, Waxhaw homes in Union County real estate  for sale. Ballantyne  Kensington, Ballantyne Meadows, Piper Glen real estate for sale,  Charlotte real estate in Providence, Ardrey, Stone Creek Ranch, Providence Pointe houses for sale in the Ardrey Kell High School Zone. Broad area searches of Charlotte real estate, Ballantyne homes,  Weddington real estate, Indian Trail real estate, Concord, Belmont houses, Gastonia, Matthews, Stallings real estate, Marvin real estate for sale, Wesley Chapel, Davidson real estate, Cornelius and Huntersville real estate.

As your agent, we will be providing all Charlotte MLS listings for sale and moving information to you, along with Charlotte real estate, Charlotte homes for sale, all Charlotte NC real estate and custom homes  per your criteria.