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The southern states have not had the best reputation when it comes to thinking of “high-end,” whether that means business, education, quality of life, or even real estate. Very often southerners and the states they’re from are stereotypes as slow, uneducated, “down home,” and rather modest in their interests and accommodations.
But of course things have shifted much in the past few years. Many people that shied away from southern states are now appreciating their natural beauty, whether it’s the ocean, the mountains, or the forests. Additionally, some southern states are below the jet stream, meaning that their weather stays warmer than most throughout the long winter months – another factor for many, especially those who are interested in outdoor life and who want to take advantage of their “toys” for as long as possible.
As an example, consider the city of Miami. Years ago, it was a joke that only older people who were retiring would move down there, and that those were the only residents you would find in the city.
But today, Miami is known as one of the country’s hottest cities when it comes to nightlife, entertainment, water sports and other recreation, and as a vacation destination. The TV show “Miami Vice” made the city into an entire lifestyle, complete with its own fashion and lingo. That old Miami stereotype is long dead.
In the same vein, many other southern cities are seeing a boom when it comes to population growth, including the wealthy and the well-educated.
Living in Charlotte
The capital city of Charlotte, North Carolina, has seen a tremendous growth in business in the past few years due to several factors. One in particular is the banking industry, many headquarters of which are located in the city; Charlotte is actually the second largest banking center in the U.S., with more than $1.8 trillion in banking resources headquartered there.
Five of the nation’s top 150 banks operate in Charlotte, and the nation’s largest two banks based on deposits, Bank of America and Wachovia, both have their headquarters in Charlotte.
Enhancing Charlotte’s position as a financial center is a branch of the Federal
Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Bank of America’ headquarters, along with other regional banking and financial services companies, are located primarily in the uptown financial district. Thanks in large part to the expansion of the city’s banking industry, the Charlotte skyline has mushroomed in the past two decades and boasts the Bank of America Corporate Center, the tallest skyscraper between Philadelphia and Atlanta. The 60-story postmodern gothic tower, designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, stands 871 feet tall and was completed in 1992.
The following Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Charlotte metropolitan area:
Bank of America
Duke Energy
Family Dollar
Goodrich Corporation
Lowe’s
Nucor
Sonic Automotive
SPX Corporation
Wachovia
Other major companies headquartered in the Metro Charlotte include Time Warner Cable (a business unit of Fortune 500 company Time Warner), Continental Tire North America (formerly Continental/General Tire), Muzak, Belk, Harris Teeter, Meineke Car Care Centers, Lance, Inc, Bojangles’ , Carlisle Companies, LendingTree, Compass Group USA and Food Lion in suburban Salisbury. Also, neighboring Gastonia is home to Choice Beverage, Inc., makers of SunDrop and Cheerwine, and Parkdale Mills world headquarters.
Charlotte has also emerged as one of the country’s best places to live, no doubt because of the commerce that followed the banking industry. As the home of the New South, Charlotte is a blend of new and traditional, conservative and innovative. It’s a dynamic city that combines world class amenities with Southern hospitality.
The climate of Charlotte also lends itself to a beautiful standard of living. The city has mild winters and hot, humid summers. In January, morning lows average around 32 °F and afternoon highs average 51 °F. In July, lows average 71 °F and highs average 90 °. Because of this warmer climate, residents enjoy the outdoors year-round.
The city also offers any sports enthusiast a variety of options. It is home to the NFL Panthers, the new NBA Bobcats, WNBA Sting, and is a favorite destination of the PGA. Additionally, Charlotte is home to NASCAR, the number one tourist destination in North Carolina, with 9.4 million visitors each year. There are more than 100 golf courses, 15,000 acres of parks and two major lakes to enjoy.
Surrounding Charlotte
The first thing one might think of when considering what surrounds Charlotte are the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains. However, there is much more to North Carolina than mountains and forests.
Because of the great number of lakes in the state and because of the warmer climate year-round, the region surround Charlotte has grown into a sea of suburbs like no place else. The cities of Mooresville, Asheville, Huntersville, Kannapolis, and many others have many new homes being built, most with places for boats, jet skis, and other water toys that come standard. Nearby lakes and marina abound and offer docking and storage for residents.
Because there is typically a large amount of disposable income for the residents in and around Charlotte, there are a great many upscale shopping centers and restaurants that have followed. Concord Mills is a unique center that it does not feature the typical anchor stores found at the other malls; it focuses more on attracting outlet store tenants. As of 2006, the mall is the state’s largest tourist attraction, visited by over 15 million annually.
North Carolina is no longer thought of by most as being a “down home” southern state that moves at a snail’s pace. Because of the influx of the major businesses to Charlotte in particular, and because of the rich tapestry of its residents, North Carolina is now seen as a prime and desirable destination for anyone looking for the best in homes, shopping, nightlife, and entertainment. So if you’re searching for the best standard of living possible, and want a home in a beautiful environment surrounded by the best that anyone can afford, then you should definitely set your sights on the beautiful state of North Carolina.
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