A new deck allows the family to enjoy their backyard and entertain in style When the LaBrec family purchased a dated 1970s ranch in a premier south Charlotte community, they knew it would need quite a bit of work. With three bedrooms and two full baths, the 2,100-square-foot home offered a prime location across from the neighborhood swim and tennis club, but little room for their family of five. “We soon came to find this home offered nothing but framework and a fabulous lot/ neighborhood, the rest was up to us and whatever budget we could afford,” Mary LaBrec wrote in a 2007 letter. Unfortunately, the LaBrecs encountered a common challenge. “They hired an architect, gave him their budget, and months later, he returned with a project that was several hundred thousand ..... read more

Local Residential Design & Build company, da Vinci Design Group has been awarded Contractor of the Year Award for a Whole House Renovation (in the $250 000 - $500 000 category), by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Greater Charlotte. (NARI) da Vinci Design Group won the award for a fabulous transformation they did on a home in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. This is the process of re-using the basic structure of an existing house and adding to it in a manner which transforms the architecture and updates the interior. This home typifies traditional Tudor architectural details and craftsmanship on the exterior while including all of today’s modern amenities and finishing’s on the interior. The critical goal achieved, was a more than doubling of the homes ..... read more

To say the last few month’s have been financially tumultuous, would be an understatement – however, that being said, some leading real estate professionals weigh in on what they see happening in the marketplace right now in Dilworth. T.J. Larsen, Owner of My Townhome Realty, whose company has been operating in the area for the last 10 years, says, “Anyone who reads the paper or watches the news has heard the horror stories about how desperate the market is and how sellers are unable to sell their properties at any price. The fact is the media sells their product through sensational headlines. Savvy consumers must check media facts and not just accept today’s sound bite. There are certainly real estate markets around the country that are in dire straights; however, because Charlotte ..... read more

When you drive through the tranquil side streets of Fairmeadows, it’s easy to picture how this serene neighborhood looked in the 50s. You can imagine brightly colored Chevy BelAirs cruising along Eastburn Road while neighbors took the time to chat with friends on the sidewalk. Children rode their bicycles to the neighborhood pool, probably stopping at a friend’s lemonade stand for a much-needed refueling break.  Totally transforming existing homes like those in the Fairmeadows neighborhood into residences that preserve the architectural integrity of the residence and the neighborhood is a strength of design/build firm da Vinci Design Group.  “The neighborhood opened on May 11, 1957,” explains neighborhood historian Joyce Johnson, who has lived in Fairmeadows for 30 ..... read more