Queen-City momentum is real: median sale prices rose 6 % to roughly $405k while active listings dipped 12 %. The result? A 1.9-month supply—firmly a seller’s market. New construction is clustered in Steele Creek, University City, and along the 485 loop; builders like Lennar and Pulte are offering 3-2-1 buydowns, but you still need a pre-approval letter that will pass muster with onsite agents. Investors are competing for sub-$300k rentals in Belmont and Villa Heights, so owner-occupants should budget 2–3 % over ask.

• Hot ZIPs: 28203 (South End), 28205 (NoDa), 28277 (Ballantyne)
• Fastest appreciation: 28206 (Optimist Park) up 14 % year-over-year
• Hidden value: 28215 (Eastland) median $265k, 15 min to Uptown via Blue Line Extension

NMHL updates our rate sheets daily and can lock for 60 days, protecting you from spring-summer spikes.

Uptown & South End condos: FHA spot approval is tricky; NMHL maintains an internal list of approved buildings so you don’t waste time. If the HOA’s delinquency rate is under 15 %, we can get an exception in 48 hrs.

Matthews / Mint Hill: USDA eligible—zero down, 100 % financing up to $453k in 2024 limits. You’ll need a 640 score, but PMI is only 0.35 % annually, cheaper than FHA’s 0.55 %.

Dilworth / Myers Park: Jumbo territory. NMHL jumbos start at 10 % down with 700 credit; we can cross-collateralize if you own rental property in Gastonia, avoiding PMI.

University City: Hot for first-time buyers using NC 1st Home Advantage. Light-rail access to UNC Charlotte keeps rents high, so house-hack a 4-bed and cover 80 % of the mortgage.

North Carolina Housing Finance Agency runs two big programs Charlotte buyers routinely layer:

• NC 1st Home Advantage: $15k forgivable second, 0 % interest, 15-year term. Can pair with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional at 3 % down.
• NC Community Living Program: $8k for buyers with a permanent disability purchasing in a 501(c)(3) community; perfect for Charlotte’s new universal-design townhomes in Ayrsley.

City of Charlotte-specific:

• House Charlotte: $10k at 0 %, forgiven monthly over 10 years; household income ≤ $86,600 for 1–2 persons, 99 % of AMI for families.
• Community Heroes: Another $10k if you’re a firefighter, teacher, or nurse inside city limits; must stay 5 years.

Union County (Indian Trail, Weddington) offers a silent second up to 5 % of purchase price for households earning ≤ 80 % AMI. NMHL files the UCC-1 for you so the lien is subordinate but doesn’t hinder refinance later.

Mecklenburg County reassesses every four years; the last revaluation bumped assessed values 43 % on average. Don’t panic—state law caps owner-occupied increases to market value, so appeal if your new assessment tops recent comps. Tax rate breaks down like this:

• County: $0.6169 per $100
• City: $0.3670 per $100 (if inside Charlotte city limits)
• CMS (schools): $1.57 per $100 (built into county rate)

On a $350k assessment you’re looking at $3,377 yearly, paid in September and January. NMHL escrows 1/12 each month plus a two-month cushion so you’re never short.

Insurance: Because of 10-year hail claims, carriers now require roof inspections on homes older than 15 years. Budget $1,200–$1,500 annually for a $400k frame house; townhomes run $850 because the master policy covers roof. Flood zones along Steele Creek and near McAlpine require separate coverage—FEMA maps updated 2022—so we order the cert up front.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools operate on a choice-magnet system, so home values aren’t tied to a single elementary zone the way they are in Raleigh. Still, certain feeder patterns command premiums:

• Myers Park High: homes trade 12 % above county median; entry $550k for 1950s ramblers.
• Providence High (South Charlotte): similar premium, but you get more square footage for the money.
• North Meck / Hopewell: prices 8 % below county median but rising fast as light-rail jobs migrate.

For investors, homes zoned for River Gate Elementary in Steele Creek cash-flow better—median rent $1.95/sq ft versus $1.75 countywide—because Amazon, Wells Fargo, and American Airlines keep demand constant. NMHL’s debt-service-coverage-ratio (DSCR) investor loan lets you qualify using only the lease, no personal income docs.

Big banks cherry-pick 740-credit W-2s; we specialize in the gaps:

Bad Credit / Past Credit Events
Our FHA Plus accepts scores to 580 with 3.5 % down, 550 with 10 % down. One-year out of Chapter 13 discharge OK; two years out of Chapter 7. We manually underwrite and consider rent history, utilities, even Netflix subscriptions as alternative credit.

Self-Employed & Gig Economy
Bank-statement program uses 12 or 24 months of business or personal deposits; we average and apply a 50 % expense factor—no tax returns, no K-1s. Perfect for rideshare drivers, OnlyFans creators, and consultants banking at First Citizens or Truist.

Veterans & Active Duty
We waive the 1 % VA funding fee for veterans rated 10 % or more disabled. VA IRRRL refinances close in 10 days; we don’t re-qualify credit or income, so you can drop your rate even if you lost income during Covid.

First-Time Buyers
Combine 3 % conventional (HomeReady/HomePossible) with $15k NC 1st Home Advantage and seller concessions; your cash to close on a $275k bungalow can be under $2,000. We also offer free homebuyer-education classes every month at our South Tryon office—completes the certificate required for assistance.