I would like to move to an area outside of Charlotte, NC, perhaps near Lake Norman. Any suggestions for a family with small child? High quality schools, good economic development and quality of lifestyle are important. How's the traffic near this area?
Where should we steer clear of? (Middle - Upper Middle Class type of neighborhood would be nice)

My son lived in a suburb in the southeastern part of Charlotte near Matthews. I visited him many times during the 5.5 years he was there. Although Charlotte has many nice residential areas, I visited his home many times so I feel like I know that area better than the others. His house was near the ntersection of Monroe Road and Sardis Road, at 9310 Hinson Drive. Nice neighborhood.

I have lived in Charlotte all my life and would love to help you with this. The lake Norman area is wonderful, but I would not suggest it unless you actually live on the lake, otherwise, in my opinion it is not worth it. The homes on the lake are very expensive, but if you have a budget for it, it would certainly be worth it. Lake Norman spreads a couple of counties and I believe the majority of the schools up there are good. The traffic into town can get hairy, as the interstate is very busy but the traffic in Charlotte is not the best. I also suggest the south side which also has good schools and great new and older homes, again, this is definately upper class. Davidson is a wonderful area too. If traffic is a big issue, tell me what part you may be working in and I can steer you in the right direction. Feel free to email me. I love Charlotte, and I am sure you will too.

Davidson is the place to go.

hi

Check out the Davidson area.

Where to live in Charlotte ! Anywhere outside of Mecklenburg County! Davidson, Kannapolis, Concord would be o.k. Charlotte traffic is getting to be the pitts! Interstates just won't carry all the traffic now and the DOT drags their feet on improvements. Weather is great. Come on down!

check out www.charlottehomes.com It has great locational information on different parts of town.

york county

I lived in Charlotte for three years in my late 20s before moving to Washington, DC. My mother still lives in Charlotte so I visit the city often. It is a great place to live and raise a family. Yes, the traffic is bad, but that is only because despite best efforts, road construction has not kept up with the city's exuberant growth. I don't know of many cities that size and larger that don't have major traffic problems so I think that comes with the territory. I have friends who lived on Lake Norman for several years and ultimately moved closer into the city because the commute to the city every day was too much of a pain. I myself would never live up on Lake Norman because it's just too far out of the city. When I was in Charlotte I lived in the Dilworth neighborhood which I loved because it was very close to downtown, with lots of good restaurants within walking distance of my home and a nice atmosphere with lots of young families. It is close to Freedom Park. Another nice neighborhood in the city is Elizabeth -- lots of charming, older bungalow-style homes with character. The high-end, old-money neighborhood in the city is Myers Park if it's status you want, but the prices are outrageous. If I were moving to Charlotte I would look on the south side of the city, which is where a lot of the growth is and where I think property values are really going to skyrocket in the next few years. The areas around South Park are nice but too highly priced for what you get. If you are willing to look a little farther out, you will get more for your money. Look around the south side of the beltway and the Pineville-Matthews area. A website with good links is www.charlotte.com. Good luck.