comalua

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Reviews

3/5
Just now

"An oddly configured area"

This neighborhood is a bit hard to explain. To begin, I'll start all the way in the back. If you follow James Road all the way to the back, you'll find a brand new housing development, and there are even side streets off of James which have new, two story homes which appear to have been built in the past decade or so. This area of Charlotte is growing EXTREMELY fast, and there's no doubt that before long this whole neighborhood will look completely different than it does now because of new homes. The homes in the new areas in back are good for new families and that type.

James Road itself is just a little different. You'll find a strange mix of homes which have, generally, bigger lots, maybe about an acre or two (sometimes more). There is a Buddhist or Chinese place of worship on the road, which seems quite out of place, and some of the homes seem to be ill kept, perhaps the type you'd see a lot of dogs or horses, or a shooting range, if you follow.

Overgrown lots are not uncommon, but neither are homes with well manicured lawns. It truly is a crapshoot on this street as to what you'd be getting.

The neighborhood itself is low crime, but that, too, may change as Charlotte grows. I'd recommend this house to anyone who's willing to do a LOT of research first.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
Just now

"An extension of NoDa"

This road is a mini extension of the NoDa neighborhood, which is Charlotte's arts district. The road is directly off Plaza Rd., which prides itself on its mix of historical, artsy, and commercial properties.

The homes are generally moderately priced, and most are older, not the kind of homes you see which are built in a day in new neighborhoods. Most will have things like hardwood floors and real wood, heavy doors.

The down side to living on this street is that while you'll likely have a fairly generous backyard, with the capability of fencing, etc., you are VERY close to busy streets which are not suitable for children. Young families may opt to live here as the neighborhoods are, for the most part, friendly, but precautions will need to be taken to be sure the kids are safe.

There are local shops and restaurants nearby, and of course the arts district is closeby for gallery crawls twice a month. The historical district is a short drive, if you'd like to sightsee on a weekend afternoon!

All in all it's not a bad neighborhood, and you're bound to find a home in your price range, whatever that may be!
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
1/5
Just now

"Great neighborhood! (If you like gangs)"

This is just the "entrance" to this whole neighborhood, which is the notorious breeding ground for gangs in Charlotte. Don't be fooled! It looks like a nice, quiet, convenient diamond in the rough, but in all reality, it's just rough.

The homes are generally small, about 1500 sf, split level or two story. The lots are average sized for the area, about .5-.75 acres, and the neighborhood is deceiving. During the day, it's quiet. You will rarely find anyone out and about in the streets, but at night you will not have a hard time hearing gunshots and shouting, as well as the streets getting busy with "traffic". (Trafficking?)

If you must move here, please do not bring your children.
3/5
Just now

"Not bad, but a bit stereotypical"

This is one of those neighborhoods that was built in about 2 months. The homes are generally two stories, modular mainly, and on tiny little lots. But the plus side of all this is that you can actually live fairly near to the University without the standard crime that usually comes with that.

The neighborhood is walking distance to the Amphitheater, and this gets NOISY! But for college kids looking for a place to rent, it could actually be a good thing. There's a movie theater nearby, and the road and neighborhood is sandwiched between two major roads, University City Blvd and N. Tryon. One leads to nearby Concord, the other leads to the University and downtown.

This would be a grat place to find a rental to share with roommates for college kids who do not want dorm life, or for families starting out with their first home.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
5/5
Just now

"Beautiful spot by the lake!"

The title of this review says it all! This is an unexpectedly gorgeous little area, which is right on Lake Wylie. It's quiet, despite being just minutes from the airport (somehow it seems not to be under the flight path), and is great if you have a boat or love water sports! The homes are modest, yet likely pretty generously priced, due to the waterfront. The area itself is usually undergoing road construction, and is growing a bit, but it's possible that it won't get too crowded due to its proximity to the airport, and the fact that much of the land does belong to the airport. There's a quiet little bed and breakfast on the street, as well as an elementary school for those families with children, and the neighborhood is definitely conducive to older kids walking to school. Check this neighborhood out!
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
1/5
Just now

"Stay out of here!"

Even if you don't count the human remains found in the woods here on a semi-regular basis, this area is still dangerous, noisy, and not worth your visit. This is not a very residential area, but travelers coming in to Charlotte may be tempted to stay here because of the glut of motels in the area. Do yourself a favor and drive (or take the public transportation) to a place which is a little farther out from here, or you may even be able to find somewhere *closer* to the airport! The police presence seems to be low, and that is reflected in the crime rate and the general filth of the area. I do not recommend this at all.
5/5
Just now

"A place you'd not expect"

This is such a lovely little neighborhood! Vine-covered homes with a great variety of style. Brick, wood, you won't see any of that vinyl siding here! The impressive part is that it's so close to the University, which is a quickly developing area and is very "heavy" on the new, quick-build types of neighborhoods. This neighborhood is different! You'd be hard pressed to find a rental here, most of the residents are established homeowners who are families or retired.
There is also a "secret" path which traces from the neighborhood to the shopping center behind it, which has a coffee shop, grocery store, restaurants, a drug store, and other shops!
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2/5
Just now

"Don't do it."

I do not even recommend this area for college kids, moving into the area. The apartments and homes advertise themselves as being close to the University, and that's about the only plus. They are not well kept, and the crime is notoriously bad. Big city crimes! Cars are stolen or broken into, women are raped... It is not a pretty neighborhood. The University City area is quite bad for this actually, but there are places which are close to campus which would be more suited for young college students than this area. It *is* closeby to movie theaters and other amenities, but I promise you it's worth the drive to live a few miles away.
4/5
Just now

"I came close to moving here"

This is a beautiful little neighborhood, if you subtract the HUGE water towers that you've got a view of from your front yard. The houses seem to be stick built and have a very family-friendly atmosphere. The lots are larger than you'd expect in this area of Charlotte, and the homes themselves are very unique! There are one or two houses, in particular, that I looked at when moving from an apartment into a house, but because they are such nice, unique houses, the rent is priced a little higher. Homes would be well suited for established families with, perhaps, slightly older children, and the neighborhood itself is very accessible to highway and other things such as shopping, dining, and the University. At the time I price checked, approximately 2007, rent averaged around $900 for a 3 BR home.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
Just now

"The old route to a new neighborhood"

This street is probably one of the first developed in a new neighborhood. It seems to be modular homes, and is very quiet! It's located convenient to the University and to shopping, and also to the interstate. Adjacent to the little road are a few "off" streets, on which you'll find newer, two story models, also modular-types. Moody has houses which are cute little one story houses, with approximately .5-.75 acre lots, and are great for families with kids, or couples starting off.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
Just now

"What a wonderful area!"

This road, and the roads nearby, are just wonderful! They're secluded and out of the way,but have plenty of business nearby, from WalMart to KFC. It is very convenient to I-77, and also to Harris and I-85.

The homes in this area are wonderful for families, singles, or anyone who is looking for a long-term residence. The homes are modest but unique, with plenty of room to "run around", and I don't recall a lot being smaller than an acre or two. It's almost like living on farmland (which I'm sure it was at one point), and a home purchase as a primary residence or rental property would be a great investment!
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
Just now

"Good for the artsy type"

This little street is pretty cute! It's a friendly place, located near the Arts District of Charlotte, and you'll definitely find that vibe reflected in the people around you. The neighbors are constantly out and about, and that extends to the neighbors on surrounding streets.

A drawback is the location directly on the Plaza is pure torture- leaving home to make a left hand turn can take quite some time. But other than the sounds of the cars, which is no heavier than any other street after about 11 pm, the neighborhood is quiet.

You're close to restaurants, art galleries, and shopping, and very nearby to major interstates, libraries, and Charlotte schools.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
3/5
Just now

"Soccer moms, unite!"

This review is intended to help with residency, as opposed to golf or other activities.

The Highland Creek subdivision is highly overrated. The homes are relatively small for the price, and the lots are too small to do anything with. You're a stone's throw away from your neighbor (and the other neighbor, not to mention the one across the street).

If you like taking your kids to soccer in a minivan, having barbecue cookouts with other couples from work, or just telling everyone that you live "in Highland Creek", this neighborhood might be for you. But in all honesty, you could get much more home at much better building quality elsewhere, for example in the are surrounding Maryanne Drive, or in Concord.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
3/5
Just now

"Just another run of the mill neighborhood"

This is a great neighborhood for middle income families, particularly with children. The homes are mainly modular, and all have similar floorplans. The neighborhood itself is very friendly, but the yards are small and there's not a lot of room for kids to play.

Homes are well kept, street is relatively quiet- seems to be mainly younger couples (in their 30s?) living here, and some have children. There is, as in most areas of Charlotte, a very diverse set of ethnicities here, and you won't feel out of place.

The area is close to 85, 77, and Northlake Mall. There is plenty of dining and shopping, and it isn't far from the University if you have a schedule which allows you to deal with Harris traffic.

Great starter homes for families in this neighborhood.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
5/5
Just now

"This is a hidden gem!"

I normally wouldn't recommend a place right near the airport. But this little neighborhood is wonderful! The houses are well kept, the families are diverse in age, and the area is unbelievable quiet despite the nearby airport!

The site is convenient to, of course, the airport, to downtown, and to both major highways (85 and 77). Getting downtown is a breeze, and even over to the arts district is not too far of a drive.

I'd definitely recommend this neighborhood to anyone!
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2/5
Just now

"Don't do it if you can help it!"

I'm just going to be honest- this is a low income, high crime neighborhood. The area surround Shamrock and Eastway in this corner is very dangerous for families and singles, particularly women. There are high crime rates, frequent shootings (apparently some are gang related), and is not recommended for anyone who absolutely can help to not live here.

Eastland Mall is notorious for crime, in particular. There is an ice skating rink inside, but to be honest I would not bring my child there. There is another rink downtown in winter if this is something you're interested in.

This area was recently featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and will be broadcast by the time this is read, I'd be curious for others to post their comments regarding the atmosphere they get from the show about the area.
2/5
Just now

"Not the best place to live or visit."

While the neighborhoods behind this area are "okay"... I wouldn't live here.

In Charlotte, the streets generally divide one "area" from another. This side of Harris, between here and Plaza/Milton, is pretty much a low income, not well taken care of area. The people are noisy, the homeowners don't seem to take pride in their property, and honestly I wasn't too comfortable with the gunshots at night.

Because this area of Charlotte is so quickly expanding, I'd probably be safe to assume that the area won't get much better. Emphasis is being put on shopping and University-related things, but not on property values.

You're better off on the other side of Harris, toward Cabarrus County.
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"Great place to college students or young singles!"

The neighborhood is an apartment complex. It is clean, well kept, the apartments are bright and very attractive, and amenities are wonderful.

Reedy Creek park is right down the road, offering picnic shelters, sports fields, and an excellent disc golf course, and the hospital is a mile away in the other direction.

Located very close to the University, this community tends to draw younger folks, but not the type you'd find in college dorms. The "kids" are quiet, respectful, responsible, and generally live there because they don't want the "party life" associated with a dorm on campus.

The community staff is also wonderful! With very few exceptions, the front office offers great service and prompt responses to calls for maintenance and other issues, which are rarely needed. There is security on site.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5
Just now

"Things sure have changed in NoDa!"

I moved to the area about 4 years ago, and North Davidson Street and the surrounding area (NoDa) was a mecca of diversity, entertainment, and food.

It seems, however, that it's not being taken care of. The neighborhoods are run down, the people are like vagabonds, and the entertainment still exists but is starting to decline.

You'll likely hear the local college kids speaking of NoDa as if it's still the "cool" place to go. The fact of this is that the law enforcement is lax, there are people often drinking on the street corners, and many of the buildings are boarded up and vandalised.

Hopefully Charlotte will make some improvements to this area soon, before it becomes worse.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 5/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 5/5
Just now

"Great place for young families or retired couples!"

This street is in a small neighborhood called Hampton Park. I've rented a house here for 3 years, and have only considered moving when my husband's employment threatens to change. There's a great mix of people in the neighborhood of all ethnicities, and kids and adults of all ages.

We're only a few minutes from the University, and that does draw some coffee shops and other business into the area. The hospital is a 5 minute drive from here.

Home values have increased slightly, but there are both rental and purchase estates available. most of the homes have the same floor plan, and are about 1200 square feet. An average of the purchase price currently is around $120K, but that will rise as new businesses are brought in. The area is very rapidly expanding.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees

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