Real Estate Information

Blake Frazier from Autumn Hall stopped by our company office meeting today to share some updates on the development, which is located off Eastwood Road on the way to Wrightsville Beach. If you aren’t familiar with Autumn Hall, this is a beautiful new community still in the Phase 1 development stage that is designed to maintain its southern and coastal roots in its architectural design and living style. It includes multiple planned parks, nature preserves, community lawns, solitude gardens, playgrounds, walking trails, and gathering sites. Residents have access to Bradley Creek, the salt marsh, and the community’s 8 acre lake. There will be some shops and restaurants located at the front of the community, but they are designed to blend in with the surrounding environment.

Phase 1 includes 94 home sites, 6 parks, and walking trails. Autumn Hall currently has home sites for sale from $120,000 to $160,000. Cottages start at $370,000 or custom and semi-custom homes start in the $400,000s. You can see current inventory homes here or view some of the lots for sale.

Today, Blake announced that they’ve added Bill Clark Homes to their family of builders. BCH is a well-known company with a good reputation in our area. They’re sure to add great value to the development. Blake also announced that they are planning to break ground on Autumn Hall Club, the club house, within the next 30 days. It will include the swimming pool, a community room, fitness room, and tennis courts.

The folks at Autumn Hall have so much planned, it’s difficult to summarize in a blog post. So, check out their e-Brochure, which features design plans for major features of the development.

If you’re interested in viewing any of the homes or land they have on the market, or would like to check out the home plans they offer, give us a call at (910) 202-2546 or email us at cameronteam@seacoastrealty.com.

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. A big CONGRATULATIONS to the many runners that competed in the Wrightsville Beach Quintille's Full and Half Marathon yesterday! What an incredible accomplishment.

I was debating/discussing recently with a buyer about the positives and negatives of waiting until the "market hits the bottom" before buying. My point was that there is a difference between "cost" and "price" when buying a home. The price is what you pay while the cost are the expenses associated with the purchase (interest rates, discount points, etc.). Unless you are a cash buyer, interest rates can have a dramatic effect on your buying power and bottom line costs. With continued talk of the economy improving, we will most likely start to see interest rates rise. And with that rise, your "Costs" increases and your "Buying Power" is reduced. Coupled with the fact you don't know the bottom of the market has arrived until it has in fact passed and prices are back on the rise, looking at the cost of a home vs. the price may be the best decision.

If you have any comments, questions or would like to discuss your "costs," just let us know. We are here to help.

Have a great week!

Public Policy Polling announced today that Wilmington is the most popular city in North Carolina according to a survey of 804 voters. Wilmington got top honors, because only 4% of the voters had an unfavorable view of the city. Charlotte was next in line with 11%. Interestingly, voters of the 919 area code (Raleigh) favored Wilmington over the city's own 910 area code voters 75-72 percent. Needless to say, we think the results are great!

See the results on PPP's blog.

Quote of the Week:

“The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.”-Robert Cushing

Featured Home for Sale

7016 Finian Drive, Windward Oaks

Don't miss out on this custom home in desirable Windward Oaks. Home sits caddy cornered on cul-de-sac lot. 4 bedrooms are on the 1st floor. Large master suite has cathedral ceilings, duel closets and sinks, and Jacuzzi tub. From the master is a spacious sunroom with a fireplace and wet bar. Attached to the sunroom is a screened-in porch for additional entertaining. Kitchen has Corian counter tops, gas cooktop, and a dinette area. Upstairs is a large FROG, plus additional space that can be used as a play area or office. There is a HUGE walk-in attic for all your storage needs. Attic can be easily converted into additional living space. Beauty awaits you outside where you will find mature trees and shrubs, custom flower boxes, a white picket fence, and a playhouse built above the custom storage shed. Shed can be used as a workshop with electricity and lighting. This home has it all - extensive molding, hardwood floors, surround sound, wet bar, duel fireplace, Anderson windows and doors, and a home warranty.

Listing info courtesy of Mary Rayner.

Visit the listing page for a full description and more pictures – 7016 Finian Drive.
View other homes in Windward Oaks.

In Case You Missed It

The New Hanover Wildcats Varsity Boys Basketball team won the 4A state title against West Charlotte in Reynolds Coliseum in Raliegh this past weekend. West Charlotte was defending its title, but New Hanover started and ended strong beating them 67-56. This is their 14^th win, the most of any program in North Carolina.

Also, the homes for the Azalea Festival Home Tour have been announced. Every year, the Wilmington Historic Foundation hosts a tour of historic homes in Wilmington giving visitors a special peek into some of the beautiful architecture that makes Wilmington so special. This year, ten homes, one church and a former fire station will be open to visitors from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 14, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 15. For a full list and ticket info, visit the StarNews.

Coming Up

3/16/12: Book Sale - New Hanover County Northeast Regional Library
3/16/12-3/18/12: Cape Fear Wildlife Expo – Wilmington Convention Center
3/17/12: St. Patrick’s Lo Tide Run – Carolina Beach
3/17/12: St. Patrick's Day Cruise – Wilmington Water Tours
3/17/12: Coastal Living Showcase – CFCC Schwartz Center
3/17/12: Zumbathon® Charity Event for ALS – Hoggard High School Gymnasium
3/19/12: Story Time at Wilmington Railroad Museum – Wilmington Railroad Museum
3/20/12: Power Breakfast: Time to Play Ball? – Wilmington Convention Center
3/22/12: Gym Class Heroes – UNCW Kenan Auditorium
Now – 4/1/12: Murrinis Within a Crystal Matrix: The Poetic Glassworks of Richard Ritter – Cameron Art Museum
4/13/12: Ghost Hunt Battleship NC - Ghost Hunters International – Battleship North Carolina
4/14/12-4/15/12: Azalea Festival Home Tour – Various Locations
4/20/12: Drive By Truckers W/Megafaun – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Gina Martin, Buyer Specialist, 910.619.1987

Meghan Riley, Client Care Specialist, 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, North Carolina, and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw, Rocky Point

Happy Monday! Hoping you had a wonderful weekend. What great weather. Spring is definitely in the air. We love this time of year.

February continues to show signs of improvement in our local market numbers...very good news. Numbers improved for listings, sold units, sold and median price. There are currently 886 pending units in our MLS. That's already exceeding the 2011 pending index.

February showed at 10.4% increase in the average sales price over January and sold units were up 37.2% over January (and 31% over last February). There were 23 transactions over $500,000 that sold that equated for 6.4% of area sales. Under $140,000 represented 30% of sales, homes sales in the $140,000-200,000 represented 21% of the market and homes in the $200,000-$500,000 had 32% of the market. There were 358 sold units in February which was 97 more units than January.

There are currently 3,884 homes on the market which equates to a 10.8 month supply of homes on the market. The average list price stands at $353,423, the average days on the market for February was at 175 and the list to sale price ratio was 93.5%

With current interest rates for a 30 year mortgage at 3.88%, it continues to be a great opportunity for buyers. Want to explore your options? Give us a call.

Have a great week!

In the heart of Hampstead near the Intracoastal Waterway is a new 140 home site community called Majestic Oaks that is sure to please many home buyers. Lots are wooded with sidewalks and lampposts adding to the charm created by the Craftsman and European style homes. These beautiful homes are built by Stevens Fine Homes, a reputable Southeastern North Carolina builder, and all are reasonably priced starting at $199,900. Heated square feet ranges from 1,820-4,014 and all homes are made with energy efficient materials.

Majestic Oaks is located in a wonderful area near Hampstead’s 80 acre Kiwanis Park, multiple golf courses, and boat ramp access to the Intracoastal Water Way. It’s only a short drive from Topsail Beach, Wilmington, and Jacksonville's Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune. Be away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to enjoy area attractions.

View Homes for Sale in Majestic Oaks

If you are interested in viewing property in Majestic Oaks or would like guidance in buying new construction, we would be happy to help! Fill out our contact form or give us a call at (910) 202-2546.

Melanie explains the 7 mistakes to avoid when selling your home, so you can net the most money possible.

Read the full report: 7 Mistakes to Avoid when Selling Your Home

We love feedback! Share your comments below.

Our Room by Room series is all about getting the most out of your rooms when selling your home.

Work What You’ve Got!

1. De-clutter. It’s easy to build up a collection of movie discs, compact discs, books, toys, and other items that often populate a living room. However, they can hide the room’s true dimensions and deceive buyers into thinking that the room is smaller than what it really is. So, it’s important to remove items, including unnecessary furniture, during the selling process. Just think of it as a way to get an early start on packing.
2. Clean. This may be a given, but wipe down EVERYTHING, including lampshades, vases, molding, door frames, etc. If you have electronics in the living room, don’t forget to wipe them down at least once a week. They have a tendency to collect the most dust.
3. Highlight the best parts. Have a fireplace? Arrange the furniture so it’s the focal point of the room. Draw attention features with accent walls and wall paintings. Balance out built-in shelving by putting together items of similar bulk, focusing on everything at eye-level first, and making sure no shelf is empty. Remember, it’s human nature to find symmetry appealing.
4. Add color. A painting or a few brightly colored frames and vases can really cheer up a room. Just make sure that they’re from a similar palette.

Upgrades That Pay

Living rooms are pretty basic. Unlike kitchens that house a lot of features like appliances and cabinets, living rooms don’t have much space for projects that will provide a large return on investment (ROI). But there are a few things to keep in mind when determining if you should do anything to the living room before listing.

Painting is probably the cheapest investment with the highest return. If the room hasn’t been painted for many years, likely the color is faded and there are marks on the walls. Take a look around on a nice sunny day and assess the state of the paint. It may be a good idea to put up a fresh coat.

Fireplaces are often sought after by buyers; however, a dirty and outdated fireplace can make a room look dingy and imply a certain amount of work for the buyers. Consider giving your fireplace a thorough cleaning and a fresh coat of paint where required. If your fireplace has brass screens and accents, consider removing them or replacing them with black or brass. If removing or replacing seems to be too costly or impossible, you can also paint them grill or auto paint by using a heat resistant primer.

Discolored, stained, and damaged flooring can also be a big drawback for buyers. Steam cleaning usually takes care of carpet, but anything that irreparable should be replaced. Hardwood is preferred by many buyers, but a low-cost and easy to install alternative is laminate.

Remember to do your homework before completing any upgrades. You could potentially over-improve the home pricing it outside of the potential selling range. Melanie is always happy to stop by to take a look at your home and give you an idea on what improvements, if any, you should complete. Choosing which improvements to make before listing your home depends a lot on how other homes in the neighborhood are selling and she constantly has her eye on the market. Feel free to give Melanie a call at 910.202.2546 or send us an email at CameronTeam@seacoastrealty.com

Have tips to share? We welcome comments below.

You make money when you buy a home, NOT when you sell it!

Save money when you're finding, buying and financing your next home by knowing these 8 Secrets. Check it out and let us know what you think.

See the Full Report

Quote of the Week:

“Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” -Nido Qubein

Featured Home for Sale

4128 Berberis Way, Rivers Edge

Impeccably maintained brick home with marsh views of Barnard's Creek offers 3-4 bedrooms (FROG is 4th), 2 baths, sunroom, and attached garage. Meticulous landscaping accented with decorative edging makes for great curb appeal. Home has natural gas heat, hot water heater, and gas log fireplace. Highlights include open floor plan, hardwoods in main living areas, wide baseboards, crown molding, and arched doorways to guest bedrooms. The vaulted ceiling living room offers a fireplace with dental molding and surround sound with built-in speakers. The cheerful sunroom has 6 large windows and lovely views. Formal dining room has large arched window and chair rail. The kitchen details granite countertops, stainless appliances, and sun-filled breakfast nook with bump-out window. Master Bedroom offers huge window with ledge and luxury bath with jetted garden tub, block window, and double vanity.

Listing information courtesy of The Strickland Team.

Visit the listing page for a full description and more pictures – 4128 Berberis Way.
View other homes in Rivers Edge.

In Case You Missed It

Last week, the North Carolina Azalea Festival Committee announced that the second concert for the festival will be headlined by Kenny Loggins, who is known for his ‘80s hits “Footloose”, “Danger Zone”, and “I’m Alright”. He is joining Scotty McCreery of American Idol, who has already been announced as a headliner. Tickets are already on sale. They can be purchased online or at the festival ticket office.

Coming Up

3/8/12: E-Waste Recycling Rally – Verizon Call Center
3/8/12: Artists for Charity – Caffe Pheonix
3/10/12: Heath Brothers Homecoming Concert Event – Thalian Hall
3/17/12: St. Patrick’s Lo Tide Run – Carolina Beach
3/22/12: Gym Class Heroes – UNCW Kenan Auditorium
Now – 4/1/12: Murrinis Within a Crystal Matrix: The Poetic Glassworks of Richard Ritter – Cameron Art Museum
4/13/12: Ghost Hunt Battleship NC - Ghost Hunters International – Battleship North Carolina
4/15/12: Azalea Festival Home Tour – Various Locations
4/20/12: Drive By Truckers W/Megafaun – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

The Cameron Team

Melanie Cameron, Broker 910.233.2840

Susan Harkins, Buyer Specialist, 910.431.2362

Gina Martin, Buyer Specialist, 910.619.1987

Meghan Riley, Client Care Specialist, 910.202.2547

Diligently working to exceed real estate expectations in Wilmington, North Carolina, and surrounding areas including Ogden, Porters Neck, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Leland, Burgaw, Rocky Point