Charlotte Named #2 in the US by Kiplinger | 2011 Best Value Cities  

All signs point to the Queen City as Charlotte continues to rock the numbers when it comes to popular relocation cities across America!  We truly do live in a beautiful, sunny city, where our neighbors are friendly and welcoming, our children enjoy top ranked schools and on occasion, we even see a little snow!

Why do relocation clients and businesses select Charlotte as one of the most popular destination cities?  Our economy is in a constant state of betterment; our affordability is second only to Omaha, NE according to Kiplinger, and you’ll never run out of things to do in Charlotte either!

Here are a few reasons that relocation clients choose Charlotte as their destination city:

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Charlotte’s Economy

Charlotte is known as a banking mecca!   Yes, we are positioning ourselves as one of the world’s largest energy sectors but, we are most certainly known as the 2nd largest financial center in the nation, second only to New York.  The New South growing!

With the upcoming Democratic National Convention, we’re soon to be known by Americans far and wide!   “Charlotte is one of the best-kept secrets in the country,” said Mayor Anthony Foxx, “but in the very near future it’ll be one of the worst-kept.”   We’re expecting 30,000-plus delegates, journalists and other visitors to our beautiful city in September of this year so, we certainly will be front and center.

For now, banking is the biggest business in town with the largest bank, Bank of America being headquartered here.  However, with a well diversified economy, we’re more than just a banking center. Several big name Fortune 500 companies are headquartered here such as Lowe’s, Family Dollar Stores and Nucor to name a few.   Charlotte’s local government is working diligently to make registration and permitting processes easier and to open up the small-business-loan program to more sectors–we’re confident that our 27,000 small businesses in the Charlotte Metro area will soon be joined by many more.

Because of our location –amidst Virginia Tech and Georgia Institute of Technology, NC State and Clemson, we are surrounded by great engineering talent and Charlotte’s energy sector is quickly becoming on of the largest in the world.    Duke Energy is growing, along with Siemens Energy and Toshiba’s nuclear power engineering center who are also adding jobs.

As well, there are more than 125 companies within the  green industry with 26 charging stations for electric vehicles soon to be located in multiple areas around the city.

Companies such as Electrolux and Chiquita are moving their headquarters to Charlotte, primarily because of the forward-thinking, progressive city that we are known for!  The cost of living is affordable; our geographic location is premier–located just a quick drive to the coast or the mountains; we enjoy a full four-seasons as well.   Charlotte public schools are top-notch — last year 14 of the 33 area high schools were ranked among the top 1,600 schools in the nation by Newsweek.  Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools offer over 40 magnet schools, with themes ranging from math and science, performing arts, communication, technology, military and Montessori, affording great choices.   Project Lift, funded by Bank of America and Wells Fargo, among others, will contribute $55 million into the most challenged schools over the course of the next five years.

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Charlotte’s Affordability

The vast majority of those relocating to the Charlotte area are amazed at our incredibly low taxes!  Yes, after you’re here for awhile, you’ll too complain about any tax increases that we are assessed but, remember what they were in your former city?   Our taxes remain a fraction of what other city/county taxes are, leaving more money in our pockets for spending!

Our utility rates are also easy on the wallet as well as new construction costs; in fact, our housing costs are approximately 80% of the national average–more money in your pocket!  The real estate market didn’t suffer the bubble that others did in other parts of the country but, we have still seen a decrease in our home values, much of which is associated with a surge of distressed properties over the past 2-3 years.  The average home price is between $200,000 and $250,000, ranging from condos in the heart of Center City to a wonderful single family home in the surrounding suburbs.

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Charlotte’s Attractions

Oh, the things you can do in Charlotte!  You’ll never suffer from boredom in this fabulous city–from dining in upscale restaurants in Uptown to eclectic neighborhood eateries, Charlotte offers a wide array of culinary options.  Don’t forget, we are the home to Johnson and Wales University so, unbelievable chefs are not difficult to find here!

Uptown’s “cultural mile” includes art museums, a fabulous theater and an intriguing science center. NoDa (North Davidson) is another of Charlotte’s artsy communities, hosting  a popular gallery crawl on the first and third Friday of each month and includes street vendors and live music.   uptown’s Alive After Five event features free music on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the summer. Festivals throughout the year include the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival, a barbecue fest, Festival in the Park and the Food Lion Speed Street.

If you’re into sports, you’ll have a nice variety of professional teams including the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), our Charlotte Bobcats (NBA) and Carolina Panthers (NFL) whose homes are located in Charlotte Uptown.   The Timewarner Cable arena is also a popular host of the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

And if you’re into the great outdoors, Charlotte offers miles of sidewalks all across the city, great parks scattered all over the city, as well 33 miles of developed greenway trails throughout Mecklenburg County.  The U.S. National Whitewater Center is also located here.  The YMCA/YWCA system here in the Charlotte Metro area is one of the largest in the country as well.

COMPLETE STORY: Best Value Cities 2011

• VIDEO: Kiplinger Tour of Charlotte
• TOOL:   How Does Your City Stack Up?
• TOOL: Track Home Prices in Charlotte
• SLIDE SHOW: 11 Comeback Cities for 2011

Searching for a city to relocate in the future, click the button below to see homes for sale and then give us a call.  We represent relocation clients from across the country and would love to help you locate your dream home in Charlotte too.