A Ribbon neighborhood guide: Concord, NC

Located 20 miles from Charlotte, Concord, North Carolina is the largest city in Cabarrus county. Founded in 1796, Concord started as a small town, but grew into a major cotton market. Today, it’s home to over 94,000 residents. With one of the most popular shopping attractions in North Carolina, The Concord Mills, it has become a hub of entertainment and activity. Wondering if Concord is right next step for you? You’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.

Employment

Concord is ranked as the 5th fastest-growing small city in the nation! As such, its unemployment rate, at 5.8%, is far below the national average of 6.3%.  The largest employer in the area is Carolina Medical Center Northeast. Bank of America, Red Ventures, and Microsoft are some of the best places to work in Concord. And, many of these employers have open positions. The most common jobs in Concord are in management, office/administration, and sales. With so  many big businesses coming to the city, you’re likely to find a position with great growth potential and lots of new coworkers to explore the city with.

School Districts

As a small city, Concord has one main public school district – Cabarrus County Schools. Complete with 39 schools, Cabarrus County Schools is a well-ranked district so anywhere you enroll your kid will be great. The top elementary schools in Concord are Cannon School, Harrisburg Elementary School, and Cox Mill Elementary School. For middle school, the top schools are Cannon School, J.N. Fries Middle School, and Hickory Ridge Middle School. Concord’s top high schools are Cannon School, Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School, and Christ the King Catholic High School. There are also 31 colleges within 50 miles of Concord. So you’re sure to have lots of options for babysitters!

Amenities 

Concord is home to the top attraction in North Carolina – Concord Mills. With over 200 shops it is the activity and entertainment hub of the city. Other great shopping areas include colonial-themed Cannon Village and Carolina Mall. Plus, there are many breweries, a BBQ joint, and other restaurants to check out. An easy way to make a day of it!

Another must-visit place in Concord is Historic Downtown Concord. Also featuring shopping, Historic Downtown Concord has theaters, museums, galleries, pottery. If you’re looking for family activities or specialty shops and restaurants, Historic Downtown Concord has it all. 

The city is also a great spot for car fans. Home to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Hendricks Motorsports Museum, the Mustang Owner’s Museum, and more, it’s unmatched in its car enthusiast community.

Outdoors more of your thing? Concord has plenty of options. Lake Fisher Reservoir is famous for fishing and Camp T.N. Spencer Park is a great place to camp, fish, swim, picnic, and more. Frank Liske Park used to be the working farm for the Stonewall Jackson Training School and still has many of the original historic relics – like a dairy barn. a great stop for families. Speaking of, there is also the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park Resort to the Sea Life Charlotte-Concord Aquarium for keeping the little ones busy. And that’s just the beginning of the list of highlights

Real Estate Trends 

The last thing we need to discuss is, naturally, what’s going on with the local real estate market. Much like everywhere else, Concord saw a real estate boom in 2020 that’s likely to continue in 2021. In January 2021, the median sale price jumped 6.4% to $266,205 in a year. And, inventory decreased by 68.7% from last year.

While home prices haven’t risen as sharply in Concord, there are still more buyers than houses available. Combined with low interest rates, this increased demand makes it challenging to buy a home in Concord. New homebuyers are likely to go up against multiple offers. So, if you’re looking to move to Concord, you need to have a competitive offer. Ribbon can upgrade your financed offer into a seller-preferred cash offer. This increases your chances of securing your dream home. That way, you can experience everything Concord has to offer.