Perks of Suburban Living in Charlotte
What are the advantages of buying a lot outside of the city?
It’s no secret that purchasing a home — or a lot on which to build one — is more difficult and expensive in downtown areas. Especially in hot markets like Charlotte, NC, finding a viable lot within city limits is generally very costly and will involve plenty of waiting. Fortunately, choosing a lot in suburban Charlotte comes with its own set of advantages. We talked with Tracy Delgado, Senior Manager of Land Acquisition at Atmos, about the perks suburban lots have to offer.
More Amenities
Areas on the outskirts of Charlotte are constantly building amenities to make suburban living convenient and full of recreation opportunities. In the last few years, Charlotte’s suburbs have seen an uptick in retail areas, restaurants, grocery stores, and shopping centers. While city living has its perks, the reality remains that daily chores like grocery shopping can become a bit more difficult with limited parking and cramped stores. The suburbs allow for more ease of living, especially for those who work remotely or who only need to commute a couple of days per week.
Privacy
On top of newly-built amenities and the convenience that comes with suburban living, buying and building on a lot in Charlotte’s suburbs also affords more privacy than living in the city does. Even for those who do manage to find and afford a lot downtown, it’s likely that the new home will have a lovely view…right into the neighbor’s yard or window. On the other hand, living in the suburbs allows for more space to spread out, and in turn, the opportunity for much more privacy.
Better Inventory
While the housing market in much of the nation is seeing a slowdown, cities like Charlotte continue to experience housing inventory shortages. Especially in terms of buildable lots, there simply aren’t enough for all of the people who would love to build a home in Charlotte. When it comes to buildable land, you can’t make more of it. In order to find healthier inventory levels, it can be best to turn to the suburbs to find a buildable lot perfect for your new custom build.
Larger Lots
On top of simply being more available, lots in the suburbs of Charlotte are also generally larger than those within the city. A larger lot means more privacy, but it also means more buildable area. This can be particularly important when restrictions like stream buffers come into play. Buying a bigger lot in the suburbs can allow for a wider variety of floor plan options, more living space, and room for a beautiful outdoor area as well. With more space to work with, there are more options for what can be built.
Multigenerational Pull
Another aspect drawing home builders to lots in the Charlotte suburbs is the desire for multigenerational and multi-family properties. Thanks to the availability of larger lots outside of the city, the Charlotte suburbs allow space for a larger footprint, making it easier for families to build a mother-in-law suite, an apartment above the garage, or even entirely separate living quarters. Since COVID, a growing portion of buyers look to house aging relatives, siblings, or even friends on the same lot. In the suburbs, there’s room to do so, and to build an entire community of family and friends.
COVID has changed the way people view the concept of home, and many of those changes landed in favor of privacy, additional space, and added convenience. Lots in the suburbs of Charlotte offer all these aspects and more, while also being easier to come by and more affordable.
Thinking of building your dream home in the suburbs of Charlotte? Get started with Atmos today!
