April 21, 2007
Lake Norman News and Views
Oliver Hofmann and Ben Wirtz, both former Allen Tate real estate agents have united to form Estates And Condos Realty in Cornelius Lake Norman.
Disappointed by the inflexiblility of Allen Tate's structure and their low commission structure for their Realtors, they decided to leave the Allen Tate Company and implement a company policy where their Charlotte and Lake Norman real estate agents are able to earn 100% commission.
Oliver Hofmann and his Partner, Ben Wirtz, SBSSGBVP (don't ask) of Estates And Condos Realty give their agents the opportunity to negotiate their own listing commission, unlike the folks at Allen Tate.
Estates And Condos Realty is a full service real estate brokerage that offers discounted commissions to the sellers, while offering more than the traditional brokerage do!
Most consumers associate nothing good with discount brokerages. The fact is, the work is the same whether an agent sells a house for $60k or for $3Million. Why should he get paid so much more for the same work we asked ourselves and decided to start our brokerage giving sellers a brake on their commissions.
We take either 0.99% for a Lake Norman waterfront listing or 1.99% for a non waterfront home while still paying the full 3% to the co-operating broker who brings the buyer making it a total of 3.99% or 4.99% commission to you.
So why are you still paying 6% commission you might ask yourself?
Call Oliver at 1-888-321-LAKE or Ben at 1-888-88ESTATE to list your Lake Norman Real Estate.
We at Estates And Condos Realty have our own in house SEO (search engine marketing) expert who can get your home for sale to the top of Google within days. Who else can do this for your home?!
April 19, 2007
Lake Norman Visitors Guide
Lake Norman State park is situated in the North Lake Norman area. Lake Norman is the largest man-made lake in the state. When filled to capacity, it offers 520 miles of shoreline and a main channel 34 miles in length! It has earned the nickname, the "Inland Sea." The Lake Norman State park offers 13 miles of the shoreline which also provides boating access.
The state park also boasts its own 33-acre lake where fishing and boating are enjoyed. Visitors can enjoy the hiking trails, picnic areas, and the campgrounds.
Park Hours areNovember-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Christmas DayPark office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays Closed state holidays
Pedal boats and canoes are available for rent. They are available daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the summer and are available from noon to 4:15 p.m. on weekends in spring and fall.
Privately owned boats and watercraft may access Lake Norman from the boat launch area located at the south end of the park. Use of the area is free, but cars must leave the parking area by the park's closing time.
Tent and Trailer Camping is available upon a first come, first serve basis. Tent pads, picnic tables and grills are available at 33 sites on a first-come, first-served basis for a fee. Occupancy is limited to one family or six people per site. Park gates are locked at the posted closing hours. Campers may not leave the park after closing or before 8 a.m. except in an emergency.
Group Tent Camping may be reserved by organized groups for a fee. Campers without reservations must confirm site availability with park staff before occupying a site. No more than 25 people are permitted on each site. Drinking water and restrooms are available nearby; picnic tables and a fire ring are provided at each site.
Community Building located near the group camping area may be rented for events. The facility has a large meeting room, kitchen facilities, restrooms and a fireplace. The building may be occupied between 8 a.m. and a half hour before park closing. Contact the park office to reserve the facility.
Education and Events are held regularly by Rangers about Lake Norman State Park. To arrange a special exploration of Lake Norman State Park for your group or class, contact the park office. Educational materials about Lake Norman State Park have been developed for grades 4-6 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Lake Norman program introduces students to aquatic organisms. The program also focuses on water quality and resource management, demonstrating how watersheds should be managed to maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems and drinking water. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators.
Fishing is popular recreation. Fish in Lake Norman include crappie, bluegill and yellow perch, as well as striped, largemouth and white bass. The smaller park lake also has some choice fishing spots. Regulations of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission apply for both lakes.
Hiking is avaialbe in the park. The Alder Trail: begins this easy .8-mile loop at the parking lot near the swim beach. The trail crosses the picnic area, circles the peninsula between Norwood and Hicks creeks, and then skirts the edge of the lake. Take a short side path to the dam and view the spillway and gates that control the lake's water level before returning to the trailhead. Lake Shore Trail: The trailhead for this moderate but lengthy 6.7-mile trail is at the parking lot near the group camping area, but the trail may also be entered at several other points. Approximately a half mile from the trailhead, venture right or left for a loop around the peninsula bordered by Lake Norman and Hicks Creek. The trail follows the iakeshore, passes the family campground and returns to the trailhead. Take the Short Turn Trail for a shorter hike of 3.9 miles.Mountain BikingItusi Trail: Designed, built and maintained by volunteers, this 4.2-mile mountain bicycle trail winds through mature hardwood forests and offers a unique mountain bicycling experience. Novices as well as accomplished riders will enjoy the gentle but lengthy climbs of this single track trail. As volunteers continue their efforts to extend the trail, it will eventually cover a minimum of 10 miles. To protect the Itusi Trail from damage, the trail will be closed whenever conditions are too wet to allow riders. Accordingly, riders should contact the park prior to arrival to confirm that the trail is open.
Picnicking can be enjoyed by all who visit here! One of Lake Norman's two picnic areas is near the swimming area on a ridge overlooking the beach. Tables, grills and drinking water are provided. Another picnic area is located near the park entrance. Picnic tables are scattered throughout the woods. Picnic shelter areas available at each area and may be reserved for free. Restrooms are also provided at each area.
Swimming with lakefront swimming area and beach are located near the southernmost picnic area. Lifeguards may be present from 10 a.m. -5:15 p.m. daily from early June through early August, but call the park before your visit if you need to confirm that a lifeguard will be on duty.
N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation: 1616 MSC - Raleigh, NC 27699- (919) 733-1181
Posted by at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)April 5, 2007
Lake Norman Homes and Real Estate
Lake Norman Real Estate, as high in demand as ever this year is experiencing double digit gains per year.
Where else in the country can you find this in todays slowing real estate market in the USA.
Click on Search Homes to find your dream home in the Charlotte, NC area or call Toll-Free 1-888-88ESTATE to talk to our Broker in Charge, Ben Wirtz about a possible relocation.