The Humane Society of Charlotte is revving up for their largest annual fundraiser, Pet Palooza!  Pet Palooza is this Saturday, May 5th at Independence Park from 8 am until 1pm.  The festivities kick off with a 5k run for humans followed by a 1k dog walk.  Ok, even if you sleep in, be sure to make it in time for The Fido Fashion show at 10:30!  There will be tons of dog-centric vendors and activities for you and your furry friends to enjoy.  Isa and I had a blast last year!  See you there!  Independence Park is located in Elizabeth which is just a hop and a skip from our very own Savvy office.

Heather and Isa at Midwood Maynia 2011

Right around the corner we’ll be celebrating Midwood Maynia! The two tail wagging day event starts Friday evening, May 4th with a Candlelight Home and Garden Tour and continues through Saturday evening.  Please join us for Midwood Maynia’s annual Pet Parade.  The Parade begins at 10 am, but please plan to meet at Kilgo Methodist church @ 9:30 for the blessing of the pets!  After the walk, the fun continues from noon til 7pm with Fun in the Park, where there will be fun for all from Kidswood for our youngest members of the hood to great live local music.  What a perfect way to spend our first weekend in May and to celebrate all that Midwood has to bark about!

1. 2012 Pedigree® Bark in the Park Presented by Food Lion is this Saturday, April 28th from 10 am to 4 pm in Huntersville.  Come out and support this great cause.  Proceeds support Mecklenburg county’s off leash dog parks. Contests like best bark and the Pooch Parade are sure to keep you entertained!

2. This Sunday April 29th, join North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue, where they’ll be showing off their new diggs in The Arts District!  They’re having an open house from 2-4 with human treats, and tons of dog kisses.  The event is hosted by NMAR’s AmbassaDog, Gunny. For more info, click here.

3. This Sunday, The Dog Bar in Noda is hosting The American Cancer Society’s Bark for Life, the canine contribution to help their human friends fight the fight angainst cancer and to have more birthdays!  To get your bark on for cancer and bark for birthdays, click here!   After the race, end your day back The Dog Bar for some well deserved playtime for you AND your pup!  Time to renew your annual membership of just $10 a year!

4.While your out and about, stop by and visit me at my open houses! On Saturday, April 28th 2-4, I’ll be in Historic Midwood at this dog-friendly home for sale!   With the georgeous fenced in back yard at  1508 Ivey Drive, I’m not sure who will love it more…you, or your dog!  On Sunday froom 2-4, you’ll find me at  255 W Park Avenue.  Just .6 miles from Wilmore Neighborhood Park, you and your dog will have tons of fun walks to the park this Spring!

Has your dog been chomping at the bit all winter for a swim?  Check out Savvy’s newest dog friendly lake view piece of real estate at 1735 Mt Isle Harbor Drive.   A hop and a skip down the path, and you’re at your own private boat slip!  This custom home is full of charm. The southern style rocking porch wraps this home in southern comfort. So, grab your sweet tea, your rocker, and your pooch!  This dog friendly home for sale is move in ready, dock and all.  Don’t forget your suit! Lets go for  a swim!

Sitting on over an acre, this doggy palace is your perfect place to relax after a day out on Mountain Island Lake!

About the palace: Your foyer is beautifully appointed with hardwood stairs and rod iron staircase! Custom stone fireplace in the living room greets you as you enter with natural light coming from your bay window. Spacious study with built in shelving is off to the right, perfect for a home office.

Kitchen with custom cabinets, stainless steel appliances, gleaming granite countertops throughout and center island. Kitchen opens to breakfast nook, allowing family and friends to visit and share as dinner is being prepared. Formal dining room with hardwoods is just off the kitchen to enjoy your meals or entertain guests. The wraparound porch opens off the breakfast nook, offering the  perfect space for preparing and enjoying a summer barbeque! You will relish in your privacy as you relax, enjoying your dinner overlooking the natural area and Moutain Island Lake.

The master suite with hardwoods and trey ceilings leads to master bath with garden tub and dual showerheads. This spacious master bedroom gives you a beautiful view of Mountain Island Lake. Bedrooms 2-4 are conveniently located on second level. These spacious bedrooms with hardwoods throughout share an updated full bath with tile and granite counters.

Walk out basement is plumbed and ready to be finished! Basement has cooling and heating along with light fixtures, this basement even has sheet rock and bathroom fixtures ready to go, they just need to be put in. Ask us about the possibilities with this 1300 square foot basement.

Just a short walk to the lake, enjoy your own private boat slip for easy access to the water. Mt. Isle Harbor subdivision also has free, secure boat and trailer storage with neighborhood boat launch. The Mt. Isle Harbor neighborhood has plenty to do, with the lake, tennis courts, swimming pool at clubhouse, multiple playgrounds and even a soccer field; you will enjoy this active outdoor lifestyle. This is your chance to have your home be your respite.

Located in Mt. Isle Harbor subdivision, this home in central to everything you need! This home is close to highway access, lake living, shops, golf courses and 12 miles to Uptown Charlotte.  Not to mention, Shuffletown Park, the newest addition to Charlotte’s off-leash dog parks is just 3.7 miles from here.

Read more : Lake Norman Living NC

ASPCA and Rachael Ray are giving away $100k!  The Humane Society of Charlotte and the DNC, that’s ‘dogs n cats’ for those of you who were wondering, need our help. So start clicking!  Between April 5th and 16th, pet lovers from all over the country will be voting for their favorite local animal shelter.  This is our chance to get out the vote and prove that Charlotte is THE pet friendly city!  As of this morning, HSC is in 11th place out of 104 organizations!  That’s phenomenal!  We can make it to the top with your help.  To show your support for the Queen City and its DNC vote today at www.CLT100k.com!

Looking for somewhere new to spruce up your wardrobe this Spring?  If you’re in the Huntersville area or are looking to explore an area of Charlotte that’s new to you, check out Birkdale’s Apricot Lane Boutique, and bring your dog too!  Apricot Lane is a savvy little dog-friendly boutique with tons of fun, interesting and unique clothing and accessories.

Originally from California, owners Leslie Benjamini and Bruce Hackel are not just business partners, but are brother and sister, and best friends as well.  Although they claim to run the show, I have a feeling Bruce’s best four legged friend, Muchie really runs the show! Muchie is the boutique’s mascot.   According to Leslie, people come in the boutique just to see Muchie.

Apricot Lane is open seven days a week.  But if it’s Muchie you are going to see, take note, he takes Thursdays and Sundays off to catch up on his beauty rest.

Need a loyal jogging companion to help get you motivated this Spring? Check out these Savvy Sweeties! They are both at CMPD Animal Control and are in need of a new foster or forever home ASAP!

Meet Hooch!

Although we’re not exactly sure how old Hooch is (maybe a year to two) we are sure that Hooch is a healthy 56 pound boxer mix with tons of love and energy that he’s just chomping at the bit to share! Hooch is eager to learn and please people. Filled with energy, and active in the training program, Hooch is eagar to please and would love to be your next jogging companion!

Meet Twist!

Twist is a German Shepard mix weighing in at 45 pounds and is just shy of two years old. Although, Twist is anything but shy! Twist is full of energy and would make a great jogging companion as well. After a good run, Twist loves to snuggle and would do anything for a belly rub! He is also in the training program and is proud to sit as he awaits his next treat.

If you would like to meet Hooch or Twist, please contact ourfriend Kiesha at CMPD Animal Control at cmccoy@cmpd.org or 704.336.7842. You can also email Rebecca Jones at rjones2106@carolina.rr.com.

10101 Saw Mill Road
Lake Wylie Home for Sale

Does your dog love to swim? If so, check out this waterfront home for sale in Lake Wylie! This gorgeous home sits on 1.2 acres on a deep water cove, ideal for Spot to go swimming for sticks! A huge boat house equipped with electrical boat and Sea Doo lifts has you ready for Spring on Lake Wylie.

The kitchen has been updated with granite, tile and SS appliances. Baths have new cabinetry, tile and fixtures. Sit back in the great room and enjoy the view of the lake from the huge windows, while you watch Spot grab a puppy nap in front of the gorgeous stone fireplace.

1408 Pecan Avenue
Historic Midwood Bungalow for Sale

Fetch anyone? Check out the yard at 1408 Pecan Avenue! This beautiful bungalow for sale in Midwood’s historic district sits on over 1/4 acre lot, with a huge fenced in back yard, perfect for a game of fetch! A two car garage and patio for grilling and entertaining complete the yard for a perfect oasis. Ok, let’s head inside. The home has an open floorplan with Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, keyhole archways, huge ceilings, greatroom with fireplace and natural lighting. Gorgeous home, inside and out, so grab your chuck-it and let’s go!

916 Academy Street
The Arts District (NoDa) Cottage for Sale

If you are looking for a Walk in the Park, this is the one for you… This 1941 cottage has been completely renovated with granite, SS appliances, hardwoods and tile bathrooms. 916 Academy Street is located in Charlotte’s Arts District, just a few blocks from the heart of NoDa. Your dog will be begging you to go for a walk to The Dog Bar or to nearby North Charlotte Park.

Helpful tidbits for getting your home show ready!

Take your dog for a walk, hire a dog-walker, send Fido to daycare for the day, or find a friend where you could drop him/her off for an hour or so. While your buyers may be pet friendly, there is always a chance that they are allergic, they may not like animals, or are even afraid of your pet. So it’s best to have your home pet free for all showings. If you aren’t able to have your pet out of the home, make sure to have them either in a crate, or secured in a specific space. Have your realtor make notes of this in your showing instructions as well, so that there are no surprises.

Do a good “down to the bone” deep cleaning. Before your house goes on the market, make sure that it gets a huge deep cleaning, behind all furniture, all closets, under all beds, etc. You may even want to hire a professional cleaning service to come in and give it a good once-over. Pet hair/dust seems to find its way very easily into inconspicuous spots that we may not notice at first glance. But a good deep cleaning, makes all the difference in making the home feel and smell a lot fresher.

Have a quick pre-showing clean-up routine. After your house is cleaned “to the bone,” it’s much easier to tidy up in a hurry. Some tips are a quick swiffer for hardwoods, or vaccum job for carpet. Keep a blanket on any/all furniture that your pet may cuddle up on. That way, it’s easily thrown in the washing machine, right before you have a showing. It will do wonders eliminating pet fur as well as odors from your home. De-nose your windows! We know how dogs love to stare out a front window or door to see which squirrels or birds are about for the day. But, no buyer will think those cute little dog smudges are as cute as you do. Grab a quick spray of windex, and smudges are squeaky clean!

De-clutter. Find a quick spot for all of your pet friendly items. Dog bowls, toys, bones, should have a quick hiding spot for showings. Try a bin in a pantry for example.

Curb your pet! You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Curb appeal is hugely important to buyers, so lets make sure that all outside areas of your home are pet free as well. From your front yard, your back yard, your courtyard, etc. Make sure your puppy’s playground shows no signs of pets. Pay attention and remove all sticks, toys and ALL OTHER debris that may be present.

Following just these quick tips should have your home winning “First in Show” and have buyers begging to move in!