Jay Royster is the Founder and Owner of Royster Commercial Real Estate - an advisory firm that specializes in development consulting and infill investments within high-growth corridors.

We sat down to discuss the development landscape and housing market projections that will shape the future of Charlotte and its neighboring communities...

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Branden Piks:

I think staying fluid is critical, especially in a growing market like Charlotte. This city isn’t just being built with multifamily—it’s a mix of everything, and you must be ready to pivot. A lot of firms specialized before the pandemic, but I believe you must be ready for whatever the market is calling for at the time. Our portfolio reflects that same mindset: we’re not trying to master everything, but we stay versatile so we can meet different needs as they come up.

Jay Royster:

At the end of the day,

That could mean infill land or suburban land—two acres in South End is a very different deal from 200 acres in the suburbs, but the core process is similar when it comes to approvals and due diligence. From 2018 to 2023, we sold $120 million worth of Lower South End development sites, including both redevelopment and new construction opportunities. Right now, we’re focused on suburban deals with national builders, but when the market shifts again, we’ll pivot back to wherever the next opportunity is.

​Read the Full Conversation Here​

North Carolina is America’s Top State for Business in 2025, led by a strong workforce and economy

"With a solid economy, a world-class workforce, and a wealth of corporate hospitality, North Carolina is America’s Top State for Business in 2025. The Tar Heel State is on a roll. It captured top honors in the annual CNBC rankings in 2022 and 2023, and it was runner-up in 2021 and 2024 — missing the top spot last year by just three points to Virginia, which slips this year to its lowest position among states since 2018." Read Full Article.​

How does this impact our region?

As someone deeply connected to the architecture and construction community in Charlotte, this announcement reinforces what we’ve been sensing locally: North Carolina’s growth trajectory is real, and Charlotte is at the center of it.

We’re already seeing a wave of commercial and industrial development, and this CNBC ranking will only accelerate that trend. With massive projects like JetZero’s aerospace plant (bringing over 14,500 jobs) and Amazon’s $10 billion data center investment, there’s going to be an increasing demand for site planning, engineering, and specialized construction work—especially in the Charlotte region.

This growth also puts pressure on infrastructure and zoning. As more businesses relocate or expand here, we’ll need utility upgrades, transit improvements, and more efficient permitting processes to keep up. This is where our community has a real chance to step up and help shape the policies that will define Charlotte’s next chapter.

With NC ranking third nationally for attracting college-educated workers, we can expect more demand for residential, retail, and mixed-use design projects that serve this influx of talent. For us, that means leaning into walkable, live-work-play communities that match the expectations of these incoming professionals.

We’re also watching the rise of institutional and innovation-adjacent growth. Areas like the UNC Charlotte Energy Production & Infrastructure Center and Charlotte’s expanding research hubs are becoming magnets for STEM development. That opens doors for firms like ours to design lab spaces, collaborative offices, and R&D facilities that support this economic evolution.

In closing, Charlotte’s success hinges on maintaining a high quality of life. CNBC’s rankings took sustainability and wellness into account, and so should we. Our projects need to integrate green building principles, public spaces, and climate-forward design to help Charlotte attract and retain the talent these businesses are bringing in.

We recently completed design for a 19 home luxury single-family development in Monroe, NC situated on over 22 acres of land. Each home will have close to an acre lot and prospective homeowners will have four home designs to choose from, each consisting of several customizable plan and elevation options. In addition, each home will come with a custom, in-ground pool and be pre-wired for electric vehicle charging and solar panel connection.

Contemporary meets farmhouse as design elements mesh together the aesthetics of both while offering a warm, neutral palette for exterior materials. Being located in a rural community of Charlotte, the designs are curated to those looking for a beautiful home that has amenities (and a yard) all while being within a 45-minute commute to Uptown. If quiet, traffic-less backroads and the ability to live in an affordable luxury home are what you're looking for - the Riverbrook development fits the bill.

Our process began with collecting a series of programmatic elements from the Ownership team to determine home footprints, square footage, and site configuration. These homes will run on septic, so there are some restrictions with restroom and plumbing fixture counts based on local jurisdiction constraints. At the end of design, we settled on four unique floor plans, each with its own set of square footages, room adjacencies, an exterior presence. Regardless of which home sits on which lot, the community will be blended together through material, color, and form of the structures.

A sustainable community consists of many elements and can vary depending on the location, climate, and program. In addition to being pre-wired for electric vehicles and solar panel connection, each home is designed with "multi-generational living" in mind. A second, primary suite with individual exterior access is offered as a plan option to those families looking to sustainably live with an older generation of their family. This design trend has become more prevalent recently in our region as homeowners look to maximize the value of their land and bring family closer to a transplant heavy city.

"Decide. Commit. Act. Succeed. Repeat." | Tim Grover