Can I get a thank you for CFFA660?

Recently the Charlotte chapter of the Salvation Army was the victim of a robbery. The Charlotte Observer reported that armed criminals stole $4,000 and 13 kettles. Talk about the Grinch Who Stole Christmas! Well - all is well now thanks to the the men and women of Charlotte Fire Fighters Association who donated $6,000 to cover the lost cash and the cost of the kettles. This epitomizes why I help CFFA660 with their charitable endeavors. Thank you!

Firefighters donate $6,000 to Salvation Army
'Extra push' aimed at replacing theft, what 13 kettles would have collected.
By Mark Price
msprice@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009

The Charlotte Fire Fighters Association is the latest group to show its disgust at last week's theft of 13 Salvation Army red kettles filled with an estimated $4,000 in donations.

Firefighters presented the charity with a $6,000 check Wednesday, intending to cover both the missing money and any donations lost because there are 13 fewer kettles.

"When something like this robbery happens, it really touches a nerve," said John Foster, association president. "You see the Salvation Army out every year, scraping the bottom of the barrel to help those in need. We wanted to give them an extra push."

Other responses to the robbery have included $3,300 from a Charlotte woman who raised the money by soliciting friends for donations online, and $600 collected from revelers at a Christmas party Saturday night.

The gifts come at a time when the Salvation Army is attempting to provide holiday gifts for a record 13,500 children and 2,000 seniors.

Investment Property

This month realtor.org has several excellent articles on investment property. This article covers cash flow and return on investment. These are both eminently important when selecting a property. I too consider these factor when purchasing an investment property. However my main criteria are; can I afford it if it goes un-rented and could I live in the property if I had to. I have found by adding these factors into the decision making process my investments have been very good in both the short and long term. I have positive cash flow and I have seen excellent appreciation over time. Now is a great time to buy investment property in Charlotte, NC. Interest rates are low, sellers out number buyers and our market is flat which means good prices.

How to Size Up an Investment Property

When you're evaluating a potential property investment, it's important to consider the cash flow and ROI. Here's how.
By Chris Lombardi | May 2009

If you're thinking about buying your first real estate investment, there's good news. There are lots of good deals out there. But even if a deal looks to good to resist, you need to be sure you have a firm understanding of the two significant elements that determine profitability: cash flow and return on investment (ROI). Otherwise, it's very easy to misjudge just how profitable the property will be...

Charlotte Neighborhood Symposium

As a reminder, the deadline to register for this year’s Neighborhood Symposium is Friday, May 8th. To register, click here or call 704-336-2061.

Theme: From Policy to Practice: Improving Our Homes, Our Communities, Our City
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Time: 7:45am-3:00pm
Location: Charlotte Convention Center at 501 South College Street
Cost: FREE (pre-registration is required)

Highlights:
* Adult and youth workshops
* Exhibits
* Town hall forum
* Community building activities
* 2009 Neighborhood Awards presentation

Join us and learn how you can continue to improve and maintain the quality of life in your neighborhood! To learn more about the Symposium, visit http://neighborhoods.charmeck.org and click on the Neighborhood Symposium link.

If you have already registered, thank you, and we’ll see you on the 16th!

Jean Love
City of Charlotte
Neighborhood & Business Services
600 East Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
(o) 704-336-4161 / (f) 704-336-3959

It Is Alive!

The Charlotte Business Journal is reporting signs of life in our housing market. Good signs indeed. The average sales price is up and closings are up. Anecdotal experiences form agents indicate we are coming back to life...showings are up and buyers are writing offers. Click here for the complete story.

Charlotte housing data shows monthly gains
Charlotte Business Journal

The number of residential real estate closings in the Charlotte region grew 24 percent in March from February, according to the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association.

The average sales price increased 4.7 percent.

There were 1,671 closings in March, up from 1,348 in February. The average sales price rose to $191,433 from $182,865 in the same period...

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Home prices in the Charlotte area are very competitive and sellers are motivated. This year should be one of the best times to buy a home for people new to the market. Buyers are seeing historically low interest rates, a first-time buyers tax credit and my commission rebate. What a great time to buy your first home!

The National Association of Realtors has put together an excellent presentation on the 2009 Tax Credit for first time buyers. Click here for a list of frequently asked questions about the program.

Charlotte Cobras

Philadelphia vs. Charlotte

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Come check out the Cobras this Saturday as we host Philadelphia in our first game of the 2009 Season. For those of you in the Charlotte area, weather.com says sunny and 70. Tickets are $5 and all proceeds go to charity. This is a great opportunity to get your football fix in the spring and support your local public safety personnel. Thank you.

Hopewell High School, 11530 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville NC 28078.

1pm Kickoff

The Charlotte Cobras are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a member of the National Public Safety Football League.

The National Public Safety Football League is a union of public safety agency/ football teams from throughout the United States, united to promote a positive self-image to the public by raising funds for charity through spirited competition. The NPSFL teams play full-contact football. They follow NCAA rules. Each team plays a four game league schedule every spring season. The Cobra Football team is comprised of Police Officers, Firefighters, and Sheriff Deputy’s from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Dept, Charlotte Fire Dept, The Mecklenburg County Sheriff Office, Concord Police Dept, Huntersville Police Dept and other public safety personal in the Charlotte Metro area.

Cobras' Mission

"We play for a charitable cause: Cobra Kids. Cobra Kids help kids in high risk environments make sound choices and not fall into a criminal lifestyle. This is our main charity but we are not limited to just this cause. Any worthy children charities would be considered in order to promote the safety and welfare of the kids."

First Time Home Buyers

What a great time to buy a home in the Charlotte area. Mortgage rates are at historic lows and many sellers now realize they have to price their property correctly. This article in the Charlotte Observer covers the first time home buyers tax credit which was authorized by the economic stimulus package. The law allows for a tax credit which is equal to 10 percent of the purchase price or $8,000 whichever is greater. Add in my commission rebate for government employees and union members and you have the makings of the perfect storm for buying a home.

Buying house for first time? Uncle Sam has a gift
An $8,000 tax credit is sealing the deal on some home sales.

By Nancy Stancill
nstancill@charlotteobserver.com

Calvin Davis got a great deal on his first home a few weeks ago, paying $116,000 for a four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath foreclosure in Monroe.

But that wasn't all. The 42-year-old handyman went straight to his accountant, filing papers for the new first-time homebuyer's tax credit. Within 10 days, he got $8,000 – using it to put in new carpeting, pay off a debt and boost his savings...