I will be holding an Open House this Saturday at this home at 2101 Radcliffe Ave. Its in the heart of Myers Park and a short walk to Queens College. With five bedrooms, five full baths, two half baths, a three car garage, and plenty of living areas, you will have a tough time finding this much house in such a great location, for a price this low. If you would like to come explore the house, I’ll have it open from 3 to 5, this Saturday (January 31st).

While reading our monthly national Realtor magazine last night, I came across an interesting article about the approximate life span of various components in your home or condo. Take a look at this list and you’ll discover if you are close to replacing something soon!

100 Years or More
Brick siding: Lifetime of the home
All wooden floors: Lifetime of the home
Cellulose insulation material: 100-plus years

50-100 Years
Slate, copper, and clay and concrete roofs: 50+ years
Copper gutters: 50+ years
Kitchen cabinets: Up to 50 years
Modified acrylic kitchen sinks: 50 years
Vinyl floors: 50 years

30-50 Years
Thermostats: 35 years
Wooden windows: 30 years
Wood shake roofs: 30 years
French interior doors: 30-50 years

10-20 Years
Built-in audio system: 20 years
Aluminum windows: 15-20 years
Asphalt shingle roofs: 20 years
Faucets, kitchen sinks: 15 years
Gas ranges: 15 years
Cultured marble countertops: 20 years
Dryers and refrigerators: 13 years
Air conditioning units: 10-15 years
Lighting controls: 10+ years
Interior and exterior paints: 15+ years
Electric or gas water heaters: 10 years
Furnaces: 15-20 years

5-10 Years
Security systems : 5-10 years
Heat and smoke detectors: 5-10 years
Dishwashers: 9 years
Microwave ovens: 9 years
Carpet: 8-10 years

Are you looking for a great deal in Elizabeth? If you have done any searching in Elizabeth, you know its hard to find a home in good condition for under $400,000. Well, 421 N. Laurel may be the hidden gem you have been looking for close to uptown Charlotte.

I’ll be holding an open house tomorrow (1/25/09) from 3 to 5 pm to showcase this unique home. Come stop by and take a look!

As I toured Epicentre this weekend, I noticed that Strike City appears to be close to opening its doors. Strike City will add another aspect of entertainment to uptown and Epicentre with its bowling lanes. If you’re interested in being one of the first to see it, you can get tickets to their grand opening here.

Epicentre is moving full speed ahead in terms of opening new restaurants. Wild Wing Cafe opened its second Charlotte location this past week. While it doesn’t look that big from the exterior, it is surprisingly large once you enter Wild Wing Cafe. Enjoy their signature wings with your choice of 33 different flavors by day or live music on their stage at night.

I braved the sub-freezing temperatures this morning to visit aloft Charlotte at Epicentre. Aloft is one of Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ new concept hotels that is unlike any other hotel in Charlotte. It’s rooms are loft style with 42″ televisions, wi-fi connectivity, and the signature beds that Starwood is famous for and everyone loves.

To enter aloft, rather than entering off College Street as you might expect, you actually ride the elevator on the right side of Epicentre to the 5th floor. Once you arrive to the 5th floor, you are greeted by an open and colorful lobby. Incorporated in the lobby is a mix of a guest services desk, pool table, couches, XYZ Bar, and snack bar. While I didn’t visit one of the rooms, I was impressed by the friendly personnel and their excitement about this new hotel.

For additional details on aloft, you can visit their blog. To book a room, you can visit Starwood’s website.