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!
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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!
With a Resume This Impressive…
…We Consider it An Honor to Welcome Kevin Aboard!
Kevin grew up in Eastern NC enjoying the outdoors, water sports and athletics as a youth. He graduated college from UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. Upon graduation he successfully completed the CPA exam and joined the national accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co specializing in the real estate industry.
He left the public accounting profession to pursue his true interest of real estate development when he was recruited by Governors Club Development Corp of Chapel Hill to be their Chief Financial Officer. While at Governors Club he worked closely with all aspects of managing residential real estate development including sales, marketing, construction, land development and club management.
After 10 years of success in Chapel Hill, Kevin returned to Eastern NC to work with Pete Murphy and his family, founders of Murphy Family Farms, to create the prestigious 2,000 acre River Landing community in Wallace. While at River Landing, the community generated over 1,300 homesite sales generating 
over $125 million in revenue.
With over 20 years of residential real estate development experience involving over 2,400 real estate transactions, Kevin is excited to join Jim and Troy Kenny at Hagood Homes, Inc. as Vice President with a focus on Sales. His aim? To continue turning owners dreams into reality and having fun in the process.
Please join us in welcoming Kevin into the Hagood Homes fold!
Welcome Home Angel
Not all tears are shed in pain. Some tears are those of appreciation and deep gratitude. Such were the tears from Alice when asked how she liked her grandson’s new room.
Porch being made into bathroom
Tre’s room was recently made over thanks to a generous grant from “Welcome Home Angel” Trepreme, Alice’s 14 year old grandson has been wheelchair bound all his life. His communication is limited but the joy his new tv brings him is undeniable.
Welcome Home Angel, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2007. The mission: “is to bring joy and comfort to children in the Southeastern North Carolina area with chronic and debilitating illnesses or injuries.”
When Welcome Home Angel asked Hagood Homes to oversee the project, we never imagined the response from our subcontractors and vendors would be so benevolent, especially in these tough economic times.
Tre’s room and a porch were renovated to include an en-suite bath with a large roll-in tile shower. Up until the renovation, Alice was lifting the growing child into a bathtub, not an easy task! Shortly, a lift will be installed from trey’s bed to the bathroom to help ease the task further. Hardwood flooring was installed in the hallway and bedroom for ease with the use of the wheelchair.
After the renovation, Mary Virginia and Troy Kenny of Hagood Homes, began the decorating. the walls were painted a soothing blue, a rug with padding and pillows 
placed on the floor for exercise and tv time. And Tre’s favorite feature, a large flatscreen television was hung on the wall for easy visibility.
Welcome Home Trepreme!
Porch turned accessible bath
After
Thank you to the many subcontractors and vendors that so graciously donated their time, effort and resources to such a worthy cause!
Ronnie Cook – Hagood Homes superintendent
Mary Virginia Freeman – Hagood Homes Decorator
Troy & Jim Kenny – Hagood Homes owners
Bonnie Bennett Smith – Florida Tile Company
Perry Mansfield – Mansfield Brothers
Dayton Kayler- C.K. Supply
Larry Lewis – Larry Lewis Painting
Joe Owens - Real Construction & Repair
Ken Tilley – Eastern Insulation
Ron Williams – ACDC Electric
Dave Fortuna – Fortuna Framing
Randy Seigel – Signature Plumbing
Mike Bozik – Professional Builders
Kevin Niebauer – Ferguson Plumbing
Glenn Mobley – Pack Rat
Total Maintenance
J & S Ventures
Ryan Palmer – Creative Flooring
Golf Season is in Full Swing
Get it? Full swing???? Alright, all joking aside, we wanted to take a few minutes to focus on what may be deemed as a retiree’s favorite past time – golf. Yes, that’s right, the weather is now perfect for a round of golf. In fact, with our warm client, golfers in Southeastern North Carolina are able to get a round in through out the year. Neighborhoods such as River Landing, St. James Plantation and Landfall are the perfect venue for a golf enthusiast. Even if you have never swung a 9 iron, but have the sport on your bucket list, the greater Wilmington area may be the place for you! With literally thousands of public and private golf courses within a 100 mile radius of Wilmington, your game is sure to challenged.
Okay, so it’s time for a confession. I’ve never taken my personal golf game past miniature golf (unless you count Tiger Wood PGA Tour on Wii real golf), so I’m not able to share any great tips with the budding golfer. I’ll leave that up to my readers. Where is your favorite course in Southeastern North Carolina? And, what’s the one secret you wished someone would have shared when you started your game?
Quote of the Weekend
If you haven’t heard the buzz, our newly decorated model at The Village at Summerset has been finished for just a few weeks. In order to show it off, I’ve been hosting “open houses” there on Saturdays. It’s a great chance for the neighbors to come and gawk, and for smart people to see the magnificent home their hard-earned money can buy. I enjoy meeting the people that come in, hearing their stories and essentially providing solutions to their problems. Sometimes people say the most interesting things!
For example: last weekend, I had a gentleman that intends to move from South Carolina in the coming months. “I own 10 acres and that’s just stupid,” he confided in me. Like so many of our homeowners, he enjoys the beach, an active lifestyle, and wants minimal maintenance so that he can travel. That’s what buyers find so enticing about the Village at Summerset. The homes in The Village at Summerset are built around a particular lifestyle, not the other way around. It’s a lifestyle that’s carefree and easy going, homeowners don’t need to dread the coming weekend’s to-do list. Instead, the to-do lists are built around going to the beach, going shopping or dining out!
I really liked that quote, “I own 10 acres and that’s just stupid”. But even more I appreciated his next thought, “If you didn’t enjoy today, take stock, because life goes by too quickly.”
Azalea Festival
This coming Wednesday kicks off the start of Azalea Festival in Wilmington. This year marks the 64th year of this time-honored tradition.
Not familiar with Azalea Festival? Think belles donned in beautiful gowns with parasols waving daintily from a float. Now magnify that image ten-fold. Azalea Festival is all about grandeur and celebrating the goodness that is not only Wilmington, but the entire south.
Activities for the whole family abound, including (but not limited to) a street festival featuring traditional fair fare, arts and crafts, and mini concerts and performances. The circus comes to town and headlining concert events. (This year features Darius Rucker and The Avett Brothers). The Home and Garden Tour are, obviously, one of our favorite venues of Azalea Festival. From downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach, each garden shows the pride of their caretakers.
We cordially invite you to this year’s Azalea Festival and hope we have the opportunity to meet with you personally and show you all there is to lvoe about living in the Port City.
Al Fresco Dining Around Wrightsville Beach
It’s the 80 degree days like today when dining al fresco for lunch or dinner is a must. Fortunately, when you live in The Village at Summerset, you don’t have far to go to fill that desire. Here’s just 5 of our favorites.
1. Fish House – Not only can you dine al fresco, but you can dine beside the glistening water of the ICWW.
2. South Beach Grill – One of our favorites on the beach for a fabulous burger or salad on the patio.
3. Brasserie duSoleil – At Lumina Station. (we enjoy treating our buyers for lunch to take a break from their selections meetings) Warning, if you order the make your own salad, prepare to be overwhelmed.
4. Sandwich Pail – locally owned at the Landfall Shopping Center. If you like Egg Salad, try theirs!
5. Pack Your Own! Stop by Robert’s Grocery at Wrightsville Beach and pick up a pint (or two) of their famous chicken salad or pimento cheese. Grab your beach chair and enjoy your lunch at the beach gazing at the beautiful ocean. Now, this is the life!
With so many options, I’m sure if you are local or have ever visited, you’ll have a favorite, too. What is it?
All This and You’ll Think You Stepped Back in Time When You See The Prices
Wrightsville Beach Quintiles Marathon
This Sunday, March 20 marks the second annual Quintiles Marathon at Wrightsville Beach. The marathon (and half marathon) will begin just before the crack of dawn at East Salisbury Street heading east and making its way around “the loop”. The runners will then leave the beach travelling west on Eastwood Road to Military Cutoff past the Landfall Shopping Center, the Forum Shopping Center and Mayfaire Town Center on their left. The participants will then enter Landfall at the Arboretum gate, their path taking them right past Courtyards at Regency before exiting Landfall.
The participants for the full marathon will continue up Military Cutoff to go through Landfall again, while the half marathoners will make their way to the finish line.
The course take those continuing on through Mayfaire before finishing the race.
Hagood Homes is proud to cheer on all the runners participating. We know you have trained hard for this event!
Did You Hear? Clark Howard Says Now is the Time to Buy a Second Home
If you don’t know Clark Howard, allow me to introduce you. Clark Howard is a financial expert with a radio show, and a show on CNN on the weekends. His tag-line: “Save More, Spend Less, and Avoid Rip-offs”, resonates well with his listeners.
Listen to this recent recommendation from Clark:
If you are in the position to consider a second home, allow us to introduce you to several of our homes and neighborhoods that would be perfect!
The Village at Summerset has recently begun selling their final phase. Adjacent to Pointe Summerset and similar in design, these brick villas are low in maintenance and high in lifestyle! Just a short bike ride to Wrightsville Beach, the neighborhood is also conveniently located near over 100 shops and restaurants. Homeowners in The Village at Summerset enjoy having their yards maintained by the homeowner’s association. Many liken living in The Village at Summerset to the convenience of a condominium, but the with luxury of single-family living. The most recent price release of The Village at Summerset is making owning a new home even more appealing. Call today for your personal tour of the new model home! (910.232.3695)
Southern Oaks has just three homesites remaining, with two new plans! Frankly, when we began building Southern Oaks, we weren’t thinking “vacation homes”, but some of our buyers surprised us. The look and feel of the neighborhood screams resort living, with the bright colors, metal roofs, and front yard gardens with picket fences. Its proximity to Wrightsville Beach is also appealing to second home owners. Several of the neighbors have their “permanent” homes in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, and make the the quick two hour drive for a weekend get-away.
Navigation Point is a “no-brainer” when it comes to vacation. The condominiums at Navigation Point are located along the Intracoastal Waterway near the headwaters of the Cape Fear River. Views of Old Baldy, the lighthouse at Bald Head Island, can be seen from the decks of the condos. Each condominium at Navigation Point comes with a 40′ boatslip, adding to the appeal of the lifestyle.
Newly Decorated – Navigation Point
Everytime I visit the condominiums at Navigation Point, I wish I could stay longer. The views of the Intracoastal Waterway from the decks of the condos are amazing. I can never help myself, I always seem to have to take a leisurely stroll down to the dock and sit a while under the gazebo. Even if my time will allow just 5 minutes, I feel as if I’m on a vacation…
The condominiums at Navigation Point are perfect for a second home, or full time residence. The proximity to shops and restaurants as well as the quaint fishing village of Southport, makes these homes ideal!
Although one must really visit the condominiums to appreciate the splendor, we hope this short video will introduce you! Questions? Feel free to leave your comments or call us at 910.256.8284 – we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Regency Lakes @ St. James Plantation
Several years ago we were approached by the developers of St. James Plantation to partner with them to create a pocket neighborhood within St. James Plantation. The location was wonderful, perfectly situated by the rear gate for ease of access, and across from one of the fitness centers.
The concept was wonderful as well, low maintenance, brick cottages. If you aren’t familiar with St. James Plantation, it is an amenity rich community offering 81 holes of golf, a beach club at nearby Oak Island, 2 fitness centers, miles of biking and walking trails, tennis and a full service marina, just to name a few of the amenities. You’ll be so busy feeling like you’re on vacation that you won’t have the time to do yard work. The joy of it? Regency Lakes in St. James Plantation was planned around the busy lifestyle, offering full yard maintenance.
When it came time to plan the interiors of the homes, Troy listened to what the homeowners wanted. We heard over and over again that our homeowners wanted a smaller home, with lots of entertaining possibilities. She did not disappoint! As you view our plans, you’ll notice the open floorplan theme. Dining Rooms can easily fit a 12 person table, kitchens are open to both dining room and living room, ensuring the chef is never left out! Large center islands offer extra seatings. Even the bedroom layouts are designed to be located away from the master suite to encourage privacy for guests. Owners can choose to finish the room over the garage or leave unfinished for extra storage space. Backyard courtyards offer extra space for outdoor cooking, and provide the perfect oasis to sit and gaze at the Lakes around which the neighborhood was designed.
If the low-maintenance lifestyle of Regency Lakes sounds appealing to you, allow us the opportunity to show it to you in person! Call our office today to schedule your appointment – 910.256.8284 or email us to request more information at info@hagoodhomes.com
Southern Speak
Part two in our series “Adjusting to Southern Life”
In the previous post in our series to help those moving south adjust to our ways, we discussed the considerable slowdown of lifestyle. This said slowdown isn’t just reserved for day to day activities. It also plays a role in other facets of life, such as speech. When it comes to speaking “southern”, molasses is the name of the game, as in “slow as….”
Words should be drawn out, often adding syllables, not denoted in Webster’s Dictionary. For example, the word, “mail” to a northerner is just one lonely syllable. A southerner does a fine job of turning the lonely syllable into two, pronounced, “ma-el”. Do you see the distinction?
Proper names receive the same attention. While in the north, the common trend is to shorten a name to one syllable when possible (i.e Robert to Bob, Suzanne to Sue, Michael to Mike). A southerner takes pride in the length of their name. “Bob” would likely be affectionately called, “Robert Lee”. “Sue” becomes Suzanne Clarabelle” and “Mike” would be “Michael Beauregard” . To further extend the name, it’s not uncommon for all three names, first, middle and last to be used.
In addition to the slowdown of speech, there are several terms and phrases it would be useful to know if you are moving south.
Y’all – can be used to refer to a group of people or even just one person
Bless Your Heart – This one is tricky. It could be a true sign of compassion or a blanket statement on the obvious downfall of another, such as, “why isn’t Suzanne Clarabelle joining us for lunch today?” “Oh, well, you know, she had a hair appointment with a new stylist yesterday, bless her heart.”
Might Could – a classic example of adding words when not needed – “Suzanne Clarabelle might could make an appointment with my stylist to fix the mess the other stylist made, bless her heart.” It should be noted that one could also use, “might should”
Comin’ up a cloud – looks like rain
You Know Not – You’re joking
Bar-B-Que – this is a noun, not a verb. In the north, it’s what we are doing on the grill, in the south it’s what we eat.
Pig Pickin’ – this is an event. Y’all will just love this. A pig-pickin’ is when a pig (just about all of it) is thrown on a large cooker. When it’s done cooking, folks pick right from the pig. What comes from the pig is known as “bar-b-que” (see above)
These should get you started. Being hospitable and all, we welcome your comments and observations on the southern vernacular. So leave a comment, ya’ hear?
The Great Slllllooooowwww Down
Part one in our series on Adjusting to the Southern Lifestyle.
There’s not much of a debate when it comes to why people from the northeastern region of the United States choose to relocate to Coastal Carolina. Our milder temperatures, laid back lifestyle, and lower property taxes are just a few of the reasons.
However, moving can be quite an adjustment for those that have lived in the great north all their lives. As a transplant myself, I have a bit of insight into the differences between the land of the “yankees” and the land of dixie. Although it’s been 20 years since I made the decision to change my allegiance, there are some things that never change. This series is designed to help you make the most of your decision to move to the south, y’all.
I still remember clearly my biggest adjustment. I had to learn to stop and smell the roses, to slow down and appreciate the little things in life. One of those little things, oddly enough, was conversation at the grocery store. I can’t tell you how long it took me to get used to the adjustment of what should be a 5 minute trip to pick up some bread and milk, turning into a full blown hour errand. It wasn’t until years later when I felt slighted as I was rushed through a grocery store line while on vacation in New Jersey that I realized I had acclimated to the South in this respect.
A trip to the grocery store, my dear, is an experience. The sweet cashier should be referred to as “sug” (short for “sugar”), or perhaps even, “sugah”. If you don’t go away from the store feeling like you are on a first name basis with the cashier and perhaps their entire family, you’ve probably rushed things a bit. Furthermore,you should keep in mind that the patrons in front of you in the checkout line are also reacquainting themselves with the cashier. At the VERY minimum, no matter your rush, you will be asked how you are and if you found everything okay. Answers should be given in the form of complete sentences, preferably with supporting details.
We should also remember to not neglect the bagger. The idea of a bagger, is in itself, an adjustment. In the north, the general practice was to bag your own groceries and schlep them to the car yourself – rain or shine, sleet or snow. I haven’t tested the theory <yet>, but I have the distinct feeling that if asked, the bagger would go so far as to fetch your car like a personal valet, drive you home and put your groceries away for you, then walk ten miles back to the store, as to not inconvenience you one bit!
The practice of slowing down should be applied to all aspects of life in the south. Whether it’s at a restaurant, taking a neighborhood stroll, or even calling customer service for the cable television.
Have you recently moved to the south? We’d love to hear your take on the change of pace! Leave us a comment and tell us about your experience!
Straight From the Happy Owner’s Mouth
Homebuyers Trading In Their Snow Shovels
Since the majority of our customers live out of town, we make it a habit to send frequent updates on the progress of construction on their new home. Recently we sent such an update to our buyers looking forward to moving from Long Island, New York to the home we are building for them in River Landing. They promptly sent us a return email containing this picture:
Facebook Contest
If you are interested in trading in your snow shovel for the warm Carolina breezes, post a picture on our Facebook page by liking us, get your friends to “like” us, too and “like” your photo. The photo with the most likes will be eligible for $12,500 towards upgrades and customizations to their new Hagood Home! Hurry, the contest will end February 28th!
Our Current Incentive Will Have You Hopping!
We think this incentive speaks for itself! Choose your dream home from one of the fabulous designs already created, or give us a call to design a plan that specific to your needs. But hurry, the offer expires February 28th!
Hagood Homes LOVES technology!
And if you love technology too, you’ll understand what the above image is.
If you aren’t as big of a fan of technology as some of us, just understand that the above image is a tool that we are deploying to give our fans, prospects and buyers an easy way to get the latest scoop on our houses, neighborhoods and news! It’s our desire to reach you right where you are.
So what can we do to help you today?