Luxury & Active Adult

Charlotte Active Adult Market

The Carolinas and in this article Charlotte North Carolina have become one of the most desirable Active Adult markets in the country for a variety of reasons.

1. Weather – Winter temperatures average 30-50 degrees and Summers average 70-90 thus avoiding the extreme hot and cold climates of deep South and Extreme North. Many new Active Adult residents in the Carolinas are part of a growing phenomenon called “half backs”. These are retirees from the Northeast that moved to Florida and decided it was too hot and moved half way back to the Carolinas.
2. Season’s & Topography– Many Active Adults relocating from the North East and Mid West have grown accustomed to the change in seasons. Most of the Carolinas will feel like home with similar trees, terrain and flowers, making your feel right at home. You can still enjoy fall colors and you will occasionally get a dusting of snow, but typically its gone in a day.
3. Cost of Living – Charlotte cost of living index is about 3% lower than the national average making it an affordable place to live for many retirees. While the medium home price is $173,200 for the Charlotte region, retiree’s should expect to pay more for locations closer to the city. If you are considering an Age Restricted Property you should expect to see prices from the low $200-s to the high $400’s.
4. Taxes – Charlotte is uniquely located within 15 minutes drive to the South Carolina border. So as a Charlotte resident you really have the choice of living in North or South Carolina. While each State has a sales tax, South Carolina is known to be one of the lowest property tax States in the country making it extremely desirable for retirees. North Carolina is still very appealing from a tax perspective when comparing to many other North East State, but South Carolina trumps in the property tax category. Many South Carolina Counties also offer a Homestead exception for residents over age 65 which further reduces your already extremely low property taxes.
5. Health Care – Charlotte has some of the finest Health Care choices in the Country. Visit our Resource Page on Health Care and get all the details on nearby Hospitals and Medical Centers.
6. Access to Coast & Mountains – Charlotte is located about 2 -3 hours from some of the most desirable mountain locations in the State. A day trip will take you to scenic Ashville, and other Blue Ridge Mountain Towns of Hendersonville & Cashiers. The coast is 3- 4 hours drive with your incredible choices of Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Hilton Head & Savannah.
7. Lake Regions – Within a 20 – 30 minute drive from Charlotte you will find two fascinating resort style lakes called Lake Norman and Wylie. Each offering a variety of water sports and lakeside dining. Travel a few hours west and enjoy the amazing Lake James or visit Lake Lure the scenic town made famous as the film location for the movie Dirty Dancing.
8. City of Charlotte – is quickly becoming one of the most vibrant cities in the country. Known as Uptown is home to two major sports teams and stadiums, the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Hornets. Rich in Theater and Arts with several museums and playhouses. In addition you will find plenty of quality dining and nightlife. Known as the second largest banking center in the country the city has a wonderful skyline and is easy to maneuver from a traffic perspective. Within a 1.5 – 3 hour drive you can visit other popular cities of Greensboro, Columbia, Raleigh, Greenville.
9. Traffic – Charlotte has just reached the 1,000,000 population mark, ranking it the 16th largest city in the United States. While traffic is considerably easier to manage than our big sister city to the south Atlanta. We are beginning to see signs of growth and fortunately the city planners are preparing. Our perimeter highway 485 is nearing completion and other highway are being identified for expansion. If you are comparing to any of the Northeast Cities or Atlanta you will find Charlotte traffic to be very easy to manage.
10. International Airport – Charlotte Douglas International Airport is ranked 8th in the country in terms of passenger. It is conveniently located within about a 10 minute drive to Uptown Charlotte and immediate access to highways 85 & 77. Home to US Airways now in partners with American Airlines you will find direct flights to almost every popular city in the country. The airport is easy to manage, with plenty of parking and several security gates to move you quickly to your flight.