Category: Growth Report

Issue #3 · Friday, October 16, 2026

Please note: The news here comes from public sources listed at the end. Amir’s Takes are my opinion, not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Projections and plans can change. City plans guide decisions but don’t change zoning. Always check the details for a specific property before you decide.

Where Charlotte will grow by 2040

The city has finished its 14 Community Area Plans, which map where Charlotte expects new homes and jobs through 2040. City Council adopted the last of them in April, and plain-English summaries of all 14 are now online at cltcommunityareaplans.com.

A few areas stand out in the city’s own projections:

Area	New homes	New jobs
West Outer (airport, Dixie-Berryhill)	16,478	43,234
Northeast Middle & Outer (University, Blue Line)	13,801	4,693
Southwest Outer (Steele Creek)	10,881	12,287
South Inner (Dilworth, South End)	10,596	19,999

The biggest surprise is West Outer: it has about 3% of the city’s residents today but is projected to get 16% of all new jobs.

Keep in mind: These are the city’s projections, not guarantees, and they can be revised. The plans guide rezoning and spending decisions but don’t change anyone’s zoning, and City Council can still vote against them.

AMIR’S TAKE Jobs usually arrive before the homes do. When an area is planned for a lot of new jobs, nearby demand for rentals and starter homes tends to follow. If you own or are thinking of buying near the airport or Steele Creek, these plans are worth a look. Want to know what the plan says about your street? Reply and I’ll look it up for you.

Optimist Park: 371 more apartments on the way

Developer Space Craft plans Mira, an eight-story building with 371 apartments and street-level shops at 2323 N. Davidson St. in Optimist Park. Construction is expected to start this fall, with opening planned for fall 2028.

AMIR’S TAKE Optimist Park keeps filling in between NoDa and Uptown along the light rail. More neighbors bring more restaurants and shops, and that helps the value of the older homes and townhomes nearby.

Mortgage rates hold at 7.40%

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% this week (Oct 15), unchanged from last week. A year ago it was about 6.27%. The 15-year rate dipped slightly to 6.71%.

AMIR’S TAKE Your monthly payment matters more than the headline rate. Buyers: get pre-approved and compare at least two lenders. Sellers: price for today’s payments, not last year’s.

Also this week: the airport’s $2.1 billion expansion

Mayor Rob Harrington vetoed City Council’s 6-5 vote to delay a new 10-year lease with American Airlines and the other carriers at Charlotte Douglas. The lease, now expected back in about two weeks, comes with a $2.1 billion building program, including an expanded Concourse C and a new tunnel.

AMIR’S TAKE The airport is one of the region’s biggest job engines, and years of construction there support home demand on the west side of town, the same area the 2040 plans expect to grow fastest.

What it means for you

Buying? Check what the 2040 plan says about the area before you buy. It hints at what will be built nearby.

Selling? If your area is planned for growth, tell buyers what’s coming. It’s part of your home’s value.

Investing? Areas planned for lots of new jobs, like the west side near the airport, tend to see rental demand first.

Sources: City of Charlotte Community Area Plans (cltcommunityareaplans.com), Connect CRE (10/8/26), WFAE (10/12/26), Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (10/15/26).

Disclosures: Behdani Realty Company LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in North Carolina and South Carolina. This report is general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice, and it is not an offer to buy or sell any property. Facts come from the public sources listed above and can change. Projections and forecasts are estimates, not guarantees. Please talk with a qualified attorney, CPA or lender before making decisions. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Issue #2 · Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Please note: The news here comes from public sources listed at the end. Amir’s Takes are my opinion, not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Projections and plans can change. Always check the details for a specific property before you decide.

From City Council

Airport expansion: the mayor vetoes a delay

Council voted 6-5 to push the final vote on a new 10-year lease with American Airlines and the other carriers at Charlotte Douglas to late November. On Monday (Oct 12), Mayor Rob Harrington vetoed that delay, his first veto, so the lease is expected back on the agenda in about two weeks. The airlines agreed to a $2.1 billion building program, including a bigger atrium, an expanded Concourse C and an underground tunnel to the new C gates.

AMIR’S TAKE The airport is one of the biggest job engines in the region. A long lease and $2.1 billion of construction mean steady work for years and keep Charlotte a major hub, and that supports home demand around the airport, west Charlotte and Steele Creek.

Data center pause: hearing held, vote by end of October

Council held a public hearing Monday night on extending the city’s pause on data center projects, which expires Nov. 5. A final vote on the extension is expected by the end of October.

AMIR’S TAKE Data centers bring construction money but few long-term jobs, and they use a lot of land and power. However this vote goes, it shapes what can be built on large industrial sites around the city.

On the Nov. 3 ballot: a record $425 million in city bonds

Voters will decide on three city bonds: $280 million for streets, sidewalks, bike paths, drainage and traffic signals; $125 million for housing for people with low or moderate incomes (specific projects not yet named); and $20 million for neighborhood improvements. City officials say the bonds are already built into the current budget and tax rate, so they don’t expect a tax increase.

Keep in mind: Ballot measures can pass or fail, and the city hasn’t named the specific housing projects yet. This is not a recommendation on how to vote.

Coming up: Council’s next zoning meeting is Monday, Oct 19. The airport lease is expected back in about two weeks, and the data center vote by the end of October.

Friday follow-up

Wegmans opens tomorrow

Last Friday we mentioned it: Wegmans opens its first Charlotte-area store tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct 14) at 9 a.m. at 11550 North Community House Road in Ballantyne, with about 450 jobs.

AMIR’S TAKE Expect busy roads around Ballantyne this week. Over time, a store like this is one more thing buyers name when they say why they want to live nearby.

Sources: WFAE (10/12/26), WSOC-TV (10/12/26), WBTV (10/12/26), Wegmans and goballantyne.com.

Disclosures: Behdani Realty Company LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in North Carolina and South Carolina. This report is general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice, and it is not an offer to buy or sell any property. Facts come from the public sources listed above and can change. Projections and forecasts are estimates, not guarantees. Please talk with a qualified attorney, CPA or lender before making decisions. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Issue #2 · Friday, October 9, 2026

Please note: The news here comes from public sources listed at the end. Amir’s Takes are my opinion, not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Projections and plans can change. Always check the details for a specific property before you decide.

Charlotte’s warehouse boom: up 129% in a year

Charlotte’s industrial construction pipeline (warehouses, distribution centers and factories) grew about 129% from a year ago, the biggest jump of any market in the South, according to CommercialCafe’s September report. The largest new project is a 1.57 million sq ft building on Moores Chapel Road in west Charlotte.

More is on the way. The Kings Grant plan near the Cabarrus County line calls for up to 2.75 million sq ft of warehouses plus 488 apartments. And just across the state line, drone maker Powerus made Rock Hill’s Riverwalk business park its U.S. headquarters last Friday and is already hiring.

AMIR’S TAKE Warehouse and factory jobs land on the edges of the region: west Charlotte, Gastonia, Concord and Rock Hill. Those areas still have more affordable homes, and workers like to live close to work. If you own a rental near I-85, I-77 or I-485, demand from these new jobs should help keep it filled.

An empty Uptown tower gets a second life

City Council voted 10-1 on Sept 28 to make 301 South Tryon (the old Jefferson-First Union Tower, now vacant) a historic landmark. The new owners, Riverside Investment & Development and Singerman Real Estate, bought it this spring for $36.5 million.

Their plan: turn it into about 275 apartments, a 200-room hotel, offices and street-level shops, and open up the plaza and atrium to the public. The landmark status lets them use historic tax credits to help pay for it.

AMIR’S TAKE Office-to-home conversions are how downtowns stay alive after people started working from home. More residents in Uptown means more restaurants, more foot traffic and more reasons to live nearby. Condos and townhomes in Uptown, Fourth Ward and Dilworth benefit when the center of the city gets busier.

Mortgage rates climb to 7.40%

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.40% this week (Oct 8), compared with 7.28% last week. A year ago it was about 6.30%. The 15-year rate is 6.73%.

That’s the second weekly rise in a row, up from 7.03% two weeks ago.

AMIR’S TAKE Your monthly payment matters more than the headline rate. Buyers: get pre-approved and compare at least two lenders, because offers differ more than most people think. Sellers: a price that fits today’s payments brings more showings than one you plan to cut later.

Also this week: Wegmans opens next Wednesday

Wegmans opens its first Charlotte-area store on Wednesday, Oct 14 at 9 a.m. in Ballantyne (11550 North Community House Road): 110,000 sq ft and about 450 jobs, a short drive from Daimler Truck’s new headquarters.

AMIR’S TAKE Big-name grocers pick spots where they expect growth. Homes within a short drive tend to get extra attention from buyers, and Ballantyne just added another reason to move there.

What it means for you

Buying? Look beyond the center of town. Areas near new job hubs often give you more home for the money.

Selling? If you’re near Uptown, Ballantyne or a growing job hub, tell buyers what’s coming. It’s part of your home’s value.

Investing? New warehouse and factory jobs mean steady renters near I-85, I-77 and I-485.

Sources: CommercialCafe National Industrial Report (Sept 2026), Charlotte City Council agenda (9/28/26), K104.7 (10/1/26), Charlotte Stories (10/2/26), Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (10/8/26), goballantyne.com.

Disclosures: Behdani Realty Company LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in North Carolina and South Carolina. This report is general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice, and it is not an offer to buy or sell any property. Facts come from the public sources listed above and can change. Projections and forecasts are estimates, not guarantees. Please talk with a qualified attorney, CPA or lender before making decisions. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Issue #1 · Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Please note: The news here comes from public sources listed at the end. Amir’s Takes are my opinion, not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Projections and plans can change. Always check the details for a specific property before you decide.

From City Council

Uptown’s empty bank tower gets landmark status

On Sept 28, Council voted 10-1 to make 301 South Tryon (the old Jefferson-First Union Tower) a local historic landmark. The new owners plan to turn the empty office complex into about 275 apartments, a 200-room hotel, offices and shops.

AMIR’S TAKE The landmark status unlocks historic tax credits, which is what makes a conversion like this pencil out. More people living Uptown means more shops and restaurants staying open after 5 p.m., and that helps home values in Uptown, Fourth Ward and Dilworth.

Plaza Midwood mill site rezoned for homes and shops

On Sept 21, Council approved rezoning about 21 acres of Barnhardt Manufacturing’s campus on Hawthorne Lane from industrial to a neighborhood center zoning that allows apartments, shops and other businesses. The 125-year-old company keeps operating for now and calls this the start of long-term planning.

AMIR’S TAKE This is one of the last big pieces of land near Plaza Midwood. Nothing changes overnight, but if you own nearby, a planned mix of homes and shops next door usually adds value over time.

Also approved Sept 21

DreamKey Partners (formerly the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership): about 6 acres off Beatties Ford Road, rezoned for more homes. ACRO Development: about 23 acres north of Morehead Road, rezoned for light industrial use.

Four new communities asked to join the city

Also on the Sept 28 agenda were four requests to bring planned projects into city limits: Kings Grant near the Cabarrus line (335 acres, up to 488 apartments and 2.75 million sq ft of warehouses), Yardly West Towne off West Blvd (335 rental homes), Taylor Grove at Mallard Creek (190 attached homes) and Freedom Manor, 37 Habitat for Humanity homes at Reedy Creek.

AMIR’S TAKE Kings Grant is the one to watch: jobs and apartments together near I-85 and Concord. Where warehouses go, workers follow, and they rent and buy close by.

Coming up: Council’s next zoning meeting is Monday, Oct 19. A rezoning for River Point, a mixed-use project on about 13 acres off Dixie River Road, has a public hearing set for Oct 26.

Friday follow-up

Ballantyne: Wegmans opens next Wednesday

Last Friday we covered Daimler Truck’s new headquarters in Ballantyne. Just down the road, Wegmans opens its first Charlotte-area store on Wednesday, Oct 14 at 9 a.m. at 11550 North Community House Road: 110,000 sq ft and about 450 jobs.

AMIR’S TAKE Big-name grocers do their homework before they pick a spot. When a store like Wegmans opens, homes within a short drive tend to get extra attention from buyers.

Sources: Charlotte City Council agendas (Sept 21 and Sept 28, 2026) and City of Charlotte rezoning pages, K104.7 (10/1/26), WFAE, Ballantyne (goballantyne.com).

Disclosures: Behdani Realty Company LLC is a licensed real estate brokerage in North Carolina and South Carolina. This report is general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice, and it is not an offer to buy or sell any property. Facts come from the public sources listed above and can change. Projections and forecasts are estimates, not guarantees. Please talk with a qualified attorney, CPA or lender before making decisions. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Issue #1 · Friday, October 2, 2026

Two headquarters, 876 jobs: a big week for Charlotte

On Tuesday, Governor Josh Stein cut the ribbon on two headquarters in one day. Capital Group, one of the world’s largest investment firms, opened its East Coast hub in Uptown with 600 jobs. Daimler Truck Financial Services opened its new North American headquarters in Ballantyne with 276 jobs, many of them moving here from Michigan and Texas.

The Daimler jobs are expected to pay an average of about $134,000 a year, well above the Mecklenburg County average of roughly $87,000.

AMIR’S TAKE Every one of these hires needs somewhere to live, and many of them are relocating with families. Well-paid newcomers usually rent first, then buy within a year or two. I expect steady demand for homes near Ballantyne and along the light rail into Uptown to continue into 2027.

Mortgage rates climb to 7.28%

Freddie Mac’s weekly survey put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% this week (Oct 1), up from 7.03% the week before. That’s the second week in a row above 7%. A year ago it was about 6.3%. The 15-year rate rose to 6.60%.

Rising bond yields and higher oil prices are pushing rates up, even though Freddie Mac says the economy and job market are still solid.

AMIR’S TAKE Don’t try to time rates perfectly. Buyers: get pre-approved now and ask your lender about a rate lock and a future refinance. Higher rates also mean fewer buyers competing with you, which gives you more room to negotiate. Sellers: price it right from day one, because today’s buyers are watching their monthly payment closely.

A new walking bridge will link South End to Uptown

Construction is underway on the Rail Trail bridge over I-277, a $23.8 million bike and pedestrian bridge connecting the Rail Trail in South End to the Brooklyn Village light rail station in Uptown. Heads up if you drive: the I-277 South exit to College Street (Exit 1E) is closed until late 2027 while crews build it.

AMIR’S TAKE Walkability sells. Buyers consistently pay attention to how easily they can walk to restaurants, trails and transit, and closing the gap over I-277 makes South End and Dilworth even more connected. If you own near the trail, this is good news for your long-term value.

What it means for you

Buying? New jobs keep demand strong. Get pre-approved so you can move quickly when the right home appears.

Selling? Relocating buyers are arriving. Homes that are priced right and ready to move into will stand out.

Investing? Newcomers often rent first. Ballantyne and areas near the light rail are worth a look.

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Sources: NC Governor’s Office (9/29/26), Freddie Mac PMMS (10/1/26), City of Charlotte Rail Trail Bridge project page. Amir’s takes are opinion, not financial advice.