Lake Norman :: Lake Homes & Waterfront Living

Change has been constant and dramatic throughout the Charlotte area for many years. However, nowhere other than Uptown has change been more striking than in Northern Mecklenburg County - where the driving force has been Lake Norman. Forty years ago, Lake Norman, surrounded by fishing cabins and old mobile homes and accessible by winding, often unpaved roads, was a weekend getaway - but not much more. Few would have even considered living at "the lake" year-round. Difficult access to area cities, very limited amenities and utilities, and scarce grocery stores and restaurants made it difficult to see the region´s potential. And the nearby small towns of Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson offered little signs of growth.

Lake Norman Development Begins

When Interstate 77 was completed in the ´70s and with the slow, but steady, improvement in other local infrastructure around the lake, attitudes began to change in the early ´80s. With uptown Charlotte now only twenty minutes away by interstate, Lake Norman became an option for year round living the early ´80s.   Very rapidly numerous housing developments and individual homes began to spring up around Lake Norman´s 520 miles of shoreline in the four counties of Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba. By the early ´90s, with the addition of such communities as The Peninsula in Cornelius, River Run in Davidson and Governors Island in Denver in Lincoln County, Lake Norman had become one of the Charlotte region´s most desirable places to live. This trend has continued with later significant additions of Birkdale Village in Huntersville, The Point in Mooresville and many other fine communities. Other landmark lake communities include Patricks Purchase, Crown Harbor, Sterling Pointe, Sailview, Pointe Regatta, Wrights Emerald Cove, The Farms and The Harbour at the Pointe. Today there are hundreds on communities around the lake, including many not on the lake, but close enough for residents to be a part of the Lake Norman "community". Some of the most noteworthy include two golf course communities, Northstone and Skybrook, plus Latta Springs, The Hamptons and Vermillion in Huntersville.

Northern Mecklenburgs Towns

When Charlotteans refer to the Lake Norman area, they usually mean the area north of the Harris Boulevard/I-77 interchange, which includes Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson  in Mecklenburg County and the southern tip of Iredell County, which encompasses Mooresville and its shoreline.   For many years these towns were your quintessential small towns, out of the mainstream and little affected by the Charlotte growth. However, the development of Lake Norman changed life for them and created many new issues for them - some good and some not so good. Instead of seeking growth at all costs, the towns in recent years have been seeking ways to manage growth while maintaining their small town flavor.   The good news has been a tremendous increase in the tax base with the development of high end home communities within the city limits. Cornelius, in particular, has benefited greatly with the lake front and country club community of The Peninsula, plus many other luxury home developments.  At the other extreme, Davidson has been most proactive in limiting growth in order to maintain its college town atmosphere with Davidson College. Davidson College. The town and area which seems to be growing most rapidly at present is Mooresville, just across the county line in Iredell County. Lowe´s is in the process of relocating its corporate headquarters there, which is bringing a new wave of other businesses and residential development.   All of these towns have many housing options, both in town limits, which have expanded greatly in the past fifteen years, or close by. If you want to be a part of the Lake Norman community, there are many, many choices...waterfront, golf course, small town, planned community, new home, townhome, etc.   The recent growth of rooftops around Lake Norman has brought forth the required services and entertainment.   Shopping got a major boost in 2005 with opening of NorthLake Mall near the I-77/I-485 interchange, with 150 specialty stores and anchors Dillard's, Belk, Hecht's, Dick Sporting Goods and a 14-screen cinema megaplex. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility brought thousands of new jobs to the area. Plus, Birkdale Village, a trend setting mixed-use development in Huntersville, offers more than 60 stores and restaurants including Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, Dick's Sporting Goods, Barnes and Noble, and a 16-screen movie theater. Lake shoppers can also browse unique boutiques, quaint village shops, upscale specialty stores and many national chains.   For those residents who don´t live on the water and don´t have personal access to the lake, there are many waterfront parks and public-access areas. Jetton Park, Blythe Landing and Ramsey Creek Park in the Cornelius/Huntersville area offer boat launching ramps, paved bike and walking trails, playgrounds, tennis courts and athletic fields, fishing piers and sandy beaches. If Lake Norman or Northern Mecklenburg County seems to be right for you, contact me for more information and to learn about homes for sale. To give you a quick view of Lake Norman homes check out the current listings for Lake Norman waterfront homes  and new Lake Norman homes. And contact me for details.

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