📍Start here and now

I’ve been talking to a lot of folks lately who are waiting on the sidelines until mortgage rates come back down. The problem? Charlotte real estate isn’t hitting the pause button while we wait. Prices are inching up, competition remains tight, and neighborhoods that were once overlooked are now on investors' radar.

That’s why this week I wanted to highlight something simple: start where you are, with strategies and deals that work today.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

THE PLAYBOOK

The 2-1-1 Starter Strategy

If you’re brand new in Charlotte real estate, your first play doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, simple usually wins.

Here’s a framework I call the 2-1-1 Starter Strategy:

• 2 → Go after duplexes.
  Duplexes let you house hack — live in one unit, rent out the other. It’s the lowest-stress way to learn landlording because your tenant is right next door, and one property manager (You) handles two income streams.

• 1 → Stay within 1 hour of Uptown.
  People want to be close to work, the airport, and entertainment. Areas like Gastonia, Concord, and parts of West Charlotte are still affordable, but close enough that renters see the value.

• 1 → Cover 65–75% of your mortgage with just one unit.
  This is your safety net. If the other side is vacant for a month or two, you’re not underwater; you’re still mostly covered.

Why this works in Charlotte right now: Our city is growing fast, and affordability is pushing people just outside the Uptown core. Duplexes in these areas are still priced within reach, but they ride the same appreciation wave as the city.

DEAL LAB

$290K Single Family in University Park

Let’s break down an actual style of deal to see how this plays out in real numbers.

Location: University Park
Purchase Price: $290,000

Financing

• Down Payment (20%) → $58,000

• Loan Amount (80%) → $232,000

Mortgage (P&I @ 6.5%, 30 yrs)
Formula: Loan × factor (0.00632 for 6.5% 30yr)
232,000 × 0.00632 ≈ $1,466 /mo

Holding Costs

• Taxes + Insurance → ~$278 /mo

• Total Monthly Cost (Mortgage + T&I)
  1,466 + 278 ≈ $1,744 /mo

Income

• Monthly Income → Rent = ~$2,245 /mo

Net Numbers

• Cash Flow = Income – Total Costs
  2,245 – 1,744 ≈ $501 /mo

What makes this deal solid:

• Still cash flows positive ~$500/mo with conservative assumptions.

• Appreciation upside in a fast-growing corridor near Uptown.

• Updated systems & finishes lower maintenance risk.

What to watch:

• Higher upfront capital needed ($58K down payment).

• Charlotte property taxes & insurance may rise faster than rents.

• Ensure demand supports $2,200+ rents in that submarket.

SIGNAL X NOISE

The Interest Rate Panic

You’ve probably heard this a dozen times lately: “Don’t buy until rates drop.”

Here’s the problem with that thinking in a city like Charlotte:

• Inventory is still tight. Even if rates go down in the next year, demand will shoot back up, meaning higher competition and higher home prices.

• Math doesn’t always line up the way you think. A $250K home today at 6.5% might cost you less per month than a $300K home at 5% two years from now. That’s the part most people overlook.

• Investors don’t wait for perfect. The focus isn’t on headline rates; it’s on whether the deal cash flows and whether the location has long-term growth.

You can always refinance when rates go down. You can’t go back in time and buy that duplex in West Charlotte for $260K once it’s $320K.

Until next week,

Know someone who would enjoy this newsletter? Please share this with them.

Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here

Quick links:

• Interested in sponsorship or advertising? Reach out

• House hunting or selling? Connect with an agent

• Need a contractor? Post a job