After looking at the deal for more than a year, Donald Trump and his associates apparently have dropped their effort to buy The Point Lake & Golf Club in Mooresville. Trump’s son Eric tells The Mecklenburg Times they were scared off by all the squabbling among the club’s members and property owner Crescent Communities, the property’s owner. Read the full story

In the 1990s, the most expensive housing in America, by square footage, was in the high-end suburbs outside of cities. But that’s changing, Christopher Leinberger writes in the New York Times. Now, it’s in high-density, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods in cities and inner suburbs, he says. He thinks this trend was a factor in the mortgage collapse.

LINK: Nov. 28, 2011, New York Times, “The Death of the Fringe Suburb”

Recently I had to review shingle options when we replaced the roof on our house. It amazed me all the choices that are available today. While doing this, I thought of the times people have asked me whether they need to coordinate their home’s outside appearance with how they decorate the inside.

Maybe. Here are some guidelines to consider:

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(The Point Lake and Golf Club photo)

Ownership of The Point Lake and Golf Club, on Brawley School Road in Mooresville, is about to change, and a big question mark is who might end up with the club. The Mecklenburg Times reported Thursday that Crescent Communities is scheduled to turn over ownership of the club to members by year’s end. But the Trump Organization – and Donald Trump – also are negotiating to buy it. And that has some members unhappy. Read the full story

Kris Krider

Kris Krider, a Davidson resident and the town’s former planning chief, isn’t going far for his next career move: He has landed a job as planning director in Kannapolis.

Mr. Krider has joined Benchmark CMR Inc., which provides outsourced planning, zoning and code enforcement under contract to the city of Kannapolis. He’ll be a Benchmark employee, working as the city’s planning director.

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Your dining room probably will get the most use during the holidays, so it's worth a little extra effort.

This time of year we turn our attention over to the holidays and want our home to reflect the season with some new touches. You do not have to go overboard and address every area in your home. A few select locations such as the foyer, dining room and family room will be sufficient.

More than likely you will be using your dining room the most during the holidays so make sure you include it in your decorating. The table setting and centerpiece needs to be impressive.

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