Union County has added nearly 37,000 residents since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The question is, where to put all those people? Local builders and real estate agents are taking an, "If you build it, they will come" approach to the situation.
So far, Union County approved 1,199 single family home build permits through August of 2021. In 2020, the total for the entire year was 1,382, which had already surpassed the 1,239 approved in 2019.
What You Need To Know
- New home builds in 2020 were valued at more than $334 million
- Number of residential, single family home building permits are set to increase for a third straight year
- Union County's growth is evident in both permit numbers and U.S. Census data
If trends continue for 2021, the total number will increase for a third straight year.
In 2020, new single family home builds had a valuation of more than $334,000,000, according to county data.
To at least one Union County realtor, the growth is not a surprise.
“When we came here it was still very heavy horse and strawberry country. And now, there’s at least a dozen neighborhoods that have been built since we moved here in 2013, and many many more still coming,” said Victoria Kauffman in-between housing tours.
Kauffman, an experienced realtor in Union County, works for Kennedy Homes of the Carolinas. She and her husband made the move down to North Carolina from New Jersey back in 2013, after her brother attended college in the Charlotte area.
“He loved it and so many of his friends stayed, and I thought that was weird, like there must be something cool about the city. So we came down and looked around,” Kauffman said.
After returning to the New York, New Jersey area and comparing home prices, size and availability, they decided the time was right to move south.
“We built a house and we moved here in June in 2013, and by December of 2013, we were in a brand new house,” Kauffman said.
More family followed suit and Kauffman’s real estate business is now filled with northern friends looking to head south.
“So many people can work remote now, so we saw so many people saying, 'Okay well, I’m going to move where the cost of living is a little bit less and where I can have a home office and my kids have an outdoor play space,'” Kauffman explained.
She said transitional moves from north to south account for about 60% of her business. And, the demand in Union County is reflected in the numbers.
“A lot of people who are actually coming here from out of state tell me, ‘Well if I’m moving to North Carolina, I’m building myself a new house,'” Kauffman said.
In fact, while speaking with Spectrum News 1, she held two FaceTime home tours for potential buyers.
Kauffman said part of Union County’s appeal is the suburban, family-friendly feel right outside of Charlotte. She added the lower taxes, prices, and newer builds are bringing people to Union County.
Early data for September stated in just the first few days of the month, nearly 50 permits were approved. Meaning, Union County’s growth continues.