It’s That Time of Year Again….
The time of year when all of our star agents with St. James Plantation and River Landing head north to battle the cold, sometimes snow and sleet just to meet personally with our future homebuyers at the Live South Shows. When you go, be sure to ask about the ease of building with Hagood Homes and how you will be able to customize your plan to suit your lifestyle! Click here to find out when Live South will be in your neck of the woods.
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Christmas Lights and Love!
If you live in the Wilmington, North Carolina area, you won’t want to miss this home in Leland and its display of lights. As the homeowner says, he hopes it’s a chance for your family to spend some time together and forget the stress that sometimes grabs hold of us during the holiday season.
Our wish this Christmas season is that you find peace and joy and are able to help someone less fortunate than you. Our prayer is that you are blessed, not only this holiday season, but throughout all of 2012.
From our family to yours…. Have a Merry Christmas
White Christmas for Wilmington?
Not likely, at least not for Wilmington NC. Check out our 7 day forecast! It’s the perfect weather for golfing, kayaking, beach walking or simply finishing up your Christmas shopping!
Old Wilmington by Candlelight
A lot of the charm that comes as part of living in the Wilmington North Carolina area is due in part to the history of Downtown Wilmington. From quaint historic cottages to the larger “mansions”, there’s a history along with some mystery that can’t be overlooked. This weekend marks the 38th annual Old Wilmington by Candlelight tour, a chance to wander through these beautiful historic homes (and a couple of churches) all decked out for the holidays.
For more information on the tour and where to purchase tickets for the event, check out the Lumina News.
Coming Up! Wrightsville Beach Flotilla
Around the Wilmington area our Thanksgiving holiday isn’t complete until we’ve had a chance to be thankful for the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla. This year marks the 28th annual flotilla. We suggest if you plan to come to the island for the Flotilla, you make a day (perhaps even a weekend?) of it! For all the “official” details be sure to check out www.ncholidayflotilla.org
The Good News of the Week
This past week brought several great pieces of news for our area, as far as real estate is concerned. We didn’t want you to miss the news. Feel free to click the link and discover why buying now in the Wilmington, North Carolina area is a good idea!
Wilmington bucks national trend with forecast of rising prices.
This story actually presented itself last week, but we thought it was highlighting again: Iron Man 3 to film in Wilmington
Beach 2 Battleship
Living in the Wilmington area affords many opportunities to show off your athletic skills. The various and numerous golf courses, the bountiful water sports, as well as jogging and biking trails. Perhaps that is why the Wilmington area has been hosting the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Man triathlon for several years now.
The Beach 2 Battleship competition takes place this weekend (October 29, 2011) bringing competitors from all over the country, and in fact, all over the world. Participants can choose full distance and half distance as well as team up to split the running, biking or swimming among their teammates.
If you are taking part in Beach 2 Battleship in anyway, volunteering or as a contestant – thank you and Good Luck!
Spooky, with a History Lesson or Two
Looking for some fun this Halloween? Have you tried the Ghost Walk in Downtown Wilmington yet? Although tours are run throughout the year, the autumn just seems the right time to take advantage, doesn’t it? Visit their website for exact times, ticket prices and more general information.
*Picture courtesy of www.hauntedwilmington.com
Things to Do & See in Coastal North Carolina
Wrightsville Beach Magazine (the local authority on all things having to do with living near Wrightsville Beach!) recently printed an article on Paddleboarding. Not familiar with paddleboarding? Visit any local surf shop and they’ll be happy to bring you up to speed. What an incredible way to visit the tidal creeks around the Wilmington area, not to mention the exercising aspect of the sport.
photo courtesy of Kathy Knight, Intracoastal Realty
Our Newest Neighbors at Village at Summerset
Hagood Homes and Pointe Summerset (Village at Summerset) are pleased to welcome George and Marguerite Miller as the newest residents to our neighborhood. Moving from Kansas, the Miller’s were determined to spend this winter in the moderate climate of Wilmington, NC were the average winter day time high temperature is over 60degrees. George, I hope you left your snow removal equipment in Kansas because it doesn’t bring much on the used market in Wilmington!
George and Marguerite have had active careers in military, banking, aviation, and not for profit organizations and plan on taking advantage of the great fishing in Wrightsville Beach.
It is not too late to become one of George and Marguerite’s new neighbors and take advantage of all that Wilmington has to offer. Give us a call to get the latest on home site still available.
September’s Maintenance Tip
It looks as though the Wilmington area will see a bit of a relief in the way of summer temperatures in just a few days (can you hear the collective sighs?) which leads us to think of the coming winter months.
Now might be a good time to check the weather stripping around your doors. If it’s cracked or torn, it is generally easy to replace, but if you need help, give us a call and we can recommend a handy man to tackle it for you.
Good weather stripping will help save on high energy costs while providing comfort from blistery winds.
What other winter preparation tips can you think of? Do you have questions on how to prepare your home for the coming months? Leave us a comment!
Things to Do & See on Your Stay-cation: “The Battleship”
If you’ve driven anywhere near the downtown Wilmington, North Carolina area, you’ve no doubt noticed the looming battleship moored in the Cape Fear River.
The USS North Carolina was commissioned in 1941 and at the time considered the greatest sea weapon in the world. Since 1961, the USS North Carolina has called her current berth home.
Detailed history can be learned by a visit and tour of the battleship. While you’re there, you may even catch a glimpse of the infamous ‘gator who is taled to have lived there for many years.
After your tour of the battleship, be sure to cross the river and have lunch at one of the many locally owned restaurants Downtown Wilmington’s known for!
We’d love to hear about your trip to the floating museum. Be sure to stop back to this post and comment with one fact you learned or visit our Facebook page and let us know what you thought of the great ship!
Stay-cation To Do List: Shopping & Eating!
We are often asked by people visiting our area for the first time where they should go to do some shopping and eating. One of the many wonderful amenities in the Wilmington area is the boutique shopping and of course, our area is known for its wonderful restaurants.
Whether you visit downtown Wilmington and its shops along Front Street, along the Riverwalk or in the Cotton Exchange; or closer to Wrightsville Beach at The Forum or Mayfaire Town Center; or perhaps even a visit to the Independence Mall mid-town – you won’t lack for variety! From “big name” stores such as Pottery Barn, J. Crew and Talbots to individually owned favorites such as Monkee’s , Blue Hand Home, and Crescent Moon if it’s on your wish list, you’ll be sure to find it.
All that shopping is sure to make you hungry. In the Wilmington area you won’t have to look far to find the great food you’ve been craving. Seafood, Mexican, or even a fabulous Burger or Hot Dog there are many options right around the corner!
We’d love to hear from you, our readers! Share with us your favorite shopping haunt and/or your favorite place to dine with family and friends!
Stay-cation Things to Do: the Beach (duh)
Yes, I know the beach and vacation (or stay-cation) seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly, but most of us who live in the Wilmington area take the area beaches for granted. From Topsail Beach (pronounced Top-sull, for our northern friends) all the way down to Oak Island, the beaches offer what everyone is searching for on a stay-cation, respite from a hectic day. It’s no secret that when you hit the beach chair with your favorite book, or even sit and watch the ocean, all your worries fade away.
If you’re planning a last minute summer get-away Orbitz named Wrightsville Beach a bargin in this article.
So tell us, which of our many beaches is your favorite escape?
Things to Do and See on Your Stay-cation: Ingram Planetarium
Confession: I have lived in the Wilmington area for well over a decade and until recently, I wasn’t aware that there was a planetarium in our area!
The Ingram Planetarium is located in Sunset Beach and well worth a visit for young or old! Every day this summer (closed Sundays), starting at 12:00pm is a different interactive exhibit. From 1:00pm until 5:00 there are are various shows at various educational levels. During the weekdays there are laser music light shows at 6:00pm and 7:00pm.
While you’re there, you’ll want to plan to spend some time in the Paul Dennis Science Hall. The hands on exhibits range from in-depth scientific theories to coloring pages for toddlers.
For more information and a detailed schedule of events visit them on-line.
What fun things do you like to do in the Wilmington area? Leave a comment and let us know, we’d love to check it out!
Stay-Cation Versus Va-Cation
Another joy of living in Coastal Carolina is the ability to plan a fabulous stay-cation. In fact, it is such a popular idea around here that I’ve heard friends say that they have to force themselves to leave “paradise” in order to find another paradise.
But maybe you’re newer to the area, and want to discover all we have to offer. Or maybe you have family or friends coming to visit you since you moved near the beach. The Wilmington, North Carolina area has so much to offer beside the beaches. Perhaps it’s time to see the area through the eyes of a tourist!
We would love to spotlight each attraction individually and want your input on your favorite haunts, sites and area’s must-dos! If you live in the area, please comment with your favorite space or place. If you’ve visited our area, what attraction did you enjoy the most? Maybe you’ve only read about us and are planning a visit – what’s piqued your interest? We’ll do our best to spotlight it and bring you the facts!
It’s Your Home, Make It Yours…
Not very long ago, we received a call from some folks planning their move to St. James Plantation. They had seen one of our homes in Southern Oaks, fell and love and wondered how they could fit it onto the home site they already owned. That was just the beginning of the conversation.
Once we listened to what they liked about the plan they saw originally, took into account the finer features of their home site, and listened to various aspects of their lifestyle we suggested another of our plans:
Again, not the end of the conversations. You see, one of the features they adored about the original plan they fell in love with in Southern Oaks was the front porch with the french doors:
Adding the front porch, along with tweaking a few other areas of the home to suit their lifestyle and the homesite, we were able to come up with this:
The joy of the redesign? It was done all within their budget! We would love to chat with you about what you are looking for in a home. We have the talent within our company to not only design the home for you from the plan to the finishing touches. Call us today at 910.256.8284 and allow us to show you how easy, fun and stress free the building process can be!
The Joy of Porch Living
There’s something to be said about a porch in the south. Whether it’s the front porch or a covered or screened porch in the rear of your home – it truly adds another space for enjoyment.
With our mild winters and coastal breezes in the summer, a porch can be used virtually year round.
The front porch beckons neighbors, another facet of the southern lifestyle, to sit a spell. It demands that you slow down and enjoy the moment, even as the world around you may be in chaos. Not so on the front porch.
The rear porch is a place where memories are born. Dining al fresco with your family and friends. Front row seats to the smell of coming treats from the grill. A place to sit and relax and catch up on a novel or sip your morning coffee.
We would love to hear how you enjoy your porch – or how you WOULD enjoy a porch – please share!
See You at The Loop?
One of the coolest things about living on or near Wrightsville Beach, or even visiting the area for that matter, is the “The Loop”.
The Loop is a dedicated sidewalk, about 2.5 miles around that is not only a jogging, running, walking, strolling, skating route, but also happens to be a gathering place.
Starting just past the bridge onto the beach, it encompasses the Wrightsville Beach park as well as the downtown area of the beach. Morning or evening, good weather or bad, you’ll always see some sort of activity on The Loop. Residents and visitors alike have shown great respect for the cleanliness and upkeep of The Loop, making it a great place to walk the dog (as long as you clean up) and children (again, clean up) alike.
So popular, we even came across a Facebook Page dedicated to The Loop that shares activities and interests. You can “like” the page at www.Facebook.com/wbloop.
The next time you visit The Loop, be sure to let us know how you enjoyed it!
600 Bedminister Drive – Lower Price, Newly Decorated
Call us today to schedule your personal tour (910.284.1473). You’ll be glad you did!