LOOK BACK TO THE FUTURE!

Life has been described as a path, a direction in which we travel over time - rather than a single event. Each of us gets to choose the direction our path will take us. By making those choices, we also clear the way to achieving the objectives we've set for ourselves.

When we fail to choose the path we will travel, that is also a choice. In that case, the path we travel becomes less distinct with more twists and turns than we would have liked. Each side path we encounter tempts us to change direction. Lacking any roadmap of objectives we might have chosen, we often end up somewhere - else.

Regardless of the quality of our choices, we can get a clear understanding of where we are likely to end up - just by turning around. By simply looking back at the path we have been following, much can be learned. For example, is the path behind us straight, or filled with curves and detours taken? Is it paved with solid, masterfully laid stepping-stones, or filled with muddy ruts that zig-zag around every obstacle?

Chances are that, as teenagers, most of our paths seemed to have had many twists and turns. As we matured and learned from our mistakes, however, it is also likely that we began improving the direction and quality of the path we traveled. The more attention we paid to the path, the more enjoyable the journey became.

Want life to be a most pleasant journey? Build your own roadmap - then start paving!

Experience is the teacher of all things. – Julius Caesar

Local Market Statistics

There are currently 4815 single-family homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.  In the last 6 months (8/29/09-2/28/10), 1905 homes have sold.  These numbers indicate that if NO other homes are listed for sale that there is approximately 15 months worth of inventory.

During the last week (2/21/10-2/28/10):

• 227 Homes were listed FOR SALE
• 115 Homes went UNDER CONTRACT
• 102 Homes SOLD
• 152 Homes FAILED to SELL (Withdrawn or Expired)

 These numbers reflect the seasonal “pick-up” in the real estate market.  March generally marks the beginning of our Spring season.

Please note all of these statistics are based on single-family residential homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.

Area Happenings

March 7^th:  Battleship 101 and New Hanover County Resident FREE Day

March 12^th:  Bob Russell Quartet @ Cape Fear Museum Winter Jazz Series

 Thru March 15^th:  American Images @ Wilmington Railroad Museum

April 2^nd:  Battleship Easter Egg Hunt

The 63^rd Annual Azalea Festival (April 7^th – 11th)

It is Azalea Festival season again in Wilmington, NC.  The beautiful azalea lined streets and southern homes on the garden tour are just a few of the wonderful things to see during this event.  The Cole Brother’s Circus comes to town – my boys have already reminded me to buy tickets!  This year the concerts are featuring Goo Goo Dolls and Montgomery Gentry.  My favorite part is the street fair – there are bands, vendors and of course wonderful street food! 

If you are looking for a great family time, you are sure to find it at the Wilmington NC Azalea Festival.

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THROW AWAY THE BAND-AIDS!

What do Scotch Tape, Post-It Notes, and paper clips have in common? Each apparently has a different function, is made of a different material, and serves its own purpose. Oh sure, you can say they're all office supplies - and you'd be right - but look a little deeper for their common purpose.

Scotch Tape pieces are placed along the edges and on the ends of holiday gifts - for a short period of time. Post-It Notes are stuck to documents suggesting that a signature is needed, or some action be taken. Once the action is complete, the note is discarded. Paper clips hold two or more things together for a few hours or days, and are then returned to the desk drawer.

Figured it out yet? They are all just a temporary "fix" - a momentary solution to a temporary need. They are used in "reaction" to a short-term need. They are also similar to our daily personal lives. When feelings are hurt and the tears come, we automatically reach for a Kleenex. We might, on the other hand, have taken time to determine the source of those feelings and concentrated on resolving a difference before tears were necessary.

When our children misbehave, we react with a 15-minute (or 3-day) "time-out." We might have avoided that temporary fix by listening to their concerns and teaching appropriate behavior before the fact. Then, there are all the excuses we make, used like Band-Aids, to temporarily cover the flaws in our own behavior. Wouldn't a more permanent solution like performing to expectations, learning from past experience, or practicing excellence be more appropriate?

Yes, we live in a very fast-paced world. Quick solutions are the order of the day, yet we must eventually realize that we continually seem to need a fresh supply of Scotch Tape, Kleenex, or paper clips. By taking more time to look ahead, it is possible to eliminate many of the situations that require those one-minute Band-Aids. Avoid future "boo-boos." Search for, learn, and practice a more permanent and proactive life. That's right - "No more tears!"

During 2009,Sea Coast Realty maintained it’s rank at #1 Real Estate Company in Southeastern NC for Closed Sales Transactions more than doubling the #2 company’s closed transactions. Sea Coast was also #1 in Closed Sales Volume leading the #2 company by over $125 million. Sea Coast has continued to grow during this difficult time thanks to forward thinking management and the fantastic group of real estate brokers they choose to fill their offices with.

The Sea Coast mantras of “Put People Before Profits” and “Attitude is Everything” are discussed at almost all meetings and again were a very large part of the discussion at the awards breakfast. This focus on our customers and taking care of their needs before our own is nothing new; it is part of the oath we all take when we become REALTORS®. Sea Coast has simply found a way to nurture that and keep it at the forefront of our thought process.

I am honored to be a “Sea Coaster” and look forward to another great year in real estate. We are honored to be recognized in the $9 – $10 million dollar sales volume category. Thank you Sea Coast for bringing me aboard and giving me the tools that helped make 2009 a fantastic year.

Experience is the teacher of all things. – Julius Caesar

Local Market Statistics

There are currently 4719 single-family homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.  In the last 6 months (8/22/09-2/21/10), 1876 homes have sold.  These numbers indicate that if NO other homes are listed for sale that there is approximately 15 months worth of inventory.

During the last week (2/15/10-2/21/10):

• 177 Homes were listed FOR SALE
• 72 Homes went UNDER CONTRACT
• 42 Homes SOLD
• 95 Homes FAILED to SELL (Withdrawn or Expired)

Please note all of these statistics are based on single-family residential homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties. 

Area Happenings

February 20^th:  17th Annual UNCW Intercultural Week & Festival

February 26^th:  4^th Friday Gallery Walk @ Downtown Wilmington

Thru March 15^th:  American Images @ Wilmington Railroad Museum

 What Are the Benefits of Annexation? 

All the talk about annexation in the Wilmington, NC area, has many people asking what are the benefits?

Some Benefits are:  

• A stronger voice in State and Federal Government
• A stronger voice in land use planning
• Residents will receive enhanced law enforcement and fire response
• The opportunity to have urban water and sewer services
• Enhanced code enforcement
• The opportunity for upgraded maintenance of streets and sidewalks
• City zoning and stormwater requirements for new developments
• Weekly trash service, including curbside recycling, yard waste removal and bulky item disposal at no additional charge
• The opportunity for neighborhood traffic management programs.

(Information gathered from http://www.wilmingtonnc.gov)

Most of us are aware that the Monkey Junction area is being annexed however some other possible areas are:  Gordon Road/Dutch Square, Kings Grant, Masonboro South, Ogden, Silva Terra, Arrowhead, Springview and Churchill Estates.

Click here to view the draft presentations and maps. 

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Christina Block and Tammy Barnes
chatting with other Realtors.

I believe the current market makes these types of events more important than ever. It was great to talk with other agents, discuss the obstacles we are facing and brainstorm about how we can move forward. Just realizing that we are all in this together makes a huge impact on overall attitude. These interactions also go along way in getting houses sold, when real estate agents work a deal with another agent whom they know and like it is a much smoother transaction from start to finish.

Kathleen Passanisi speaks about how humor
can have a positive influence on your health.

You could feel the mood in the room change as Kathleen Passanisi discussed humor and its impact not only on our attitudes but our health and physical well-being. Kathleen talked about how humor can put a new perspective on almost any situation, she also pointed out that new perspective can be good or bad. In other words, use humor appropriately! This is easier said than done, we have all put our foot in our mouths or laughed at the worst possible moment. The evening ended with good food and conversation. After all, we (real estate agents) do like to talk. Thank you WRAR for a great event and fantastic association! 

Tammy Barnes and Michelle Roberts
checking out Kathleen's books.

To see more pictures of the event, visit my Wordpress blog.

Quote of the Week:

 “Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.” – Unknown

Local Market Statistics

There are currently 4685 Single-family homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.  In the last 6 months (8/15/09-2/14/10), 1897 homes have sold.  These numbers indicate that if NO other homes are listed for sale that there is approximately 14 months worth of inventory.

During the last week (2/7/10-2/14/10): 

• 187 Homes were listed FOR SALE 
• 82 Homes went UNDER CONTRACT
• 27 Homes SOLD
• 144 Homes FAILED to SELL (Withdrawn or Expired) 

Many people have told me they are surprised to see the number of homes that are selling each week.   This is good to hear, it seems that the news and media have many believing that we are lucky to sell one house a month!  I would like to point out that the homes that are selling are well priced and well maintained.  As you can see by the numbers, there is a lot of competition and you have to stand out from the crowd if you want to sell your house.Please note all of these statistics are based on single-family residential homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.

Area Happenings

February 17^th:  “Kid”Cademy @ Cameron Art Museum 

February 20^th:  Cape Fear Skies @ Cape Fear Museum

February 20^th:  17th Annual UNCW Intercultural Week & Festival

February 26^th:  4^th Friday Gallery Walk @ Downtown Wilmington

Thru March 15^th:  American Images @ Wilmington Railroad Museum

3 to 6 Inches of Snow on Saturday – 60 Degrees and Sunny on Monday!

Friday evening into early Saturday morning brought the first real snowfall Wilmington has seen in years.  Most of the children in this area have only seen snow on television.  The snow started falling Friday around 8pm, my two boys ran out on the porch and proclaimed that their inside out pajamas had done the trick!  They could hardly sleep; they couldn’t wait to build their first snowman. 

Saturday morning, William and Hudson were able to build the, “Best Snowman Ever” – my oldest son says it was the best because it was the first!  They rode around in their homemade sled, pulled behind their Papa’s golf cart.  I am pretty sure that Papa had more fun than the boys.  It was a fantastic snow day and possibly the only one we will see for many years to come.

Two days later all the snow is gone and it is 60 degrees and sunny, back to the mild beautiful weather that attracts and keeps many of us living in the wonderful area of Wilmington, NC.

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The Wilmington, N.C., housing market ended the year on a good note, despite the region’s tough economic times.Home sales rebounded from a slow start when a boost from the first-time home buyer tax credit kicked in. The buyers who took advantage of it accounted for 34% of home sales last year, says Mary Martin, president of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors.

Now that the tax credit has been extended and expanded to include repeat home buyers, agents hope it will keep sales moving. But beach property sales are still lagging: Loans are much stricter for vacation-home buyers and investors, Martin says.

CLOSE TO HOME: A look at real estate markets across the USAHOUSING MARKET: Track the rise, fall and … rebound?

•Sales status. Last year, Wilmington home sales were down 16.2% compared with the previous year. But in the last quarter of the year, sales reversed. In December, sales were up 19.8% from December 2008. The improvement has raised hopes that the market has hit bottom and may be turning around, Martin says.

•Price points. The median price of houses sold was 5.6% less than a year earlier. Home foreclosures are declining. “Prices seem to be stabilizing, which is good,” Martin says.

New homes are being concentrated in the $200,000-to-$250,000 range, because those are selling, Martin says. The price range is not just desired by first-time home buyers: Older empty-nester couples are moving into such smaller homes, too.

•Local economy. The unemployment rate was 10.2% in November, slightly higher than the national rate of 10% at the time.

“We’ve been more hard hit with this downturn than any of the five that I’ve experienced as an economist,” says William Hall, professor of economics at University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

The real estate development industry in particular is suffering.

“That is more than just construction. It includes finance, insurance, real estate leasing, architects and others,” Hall says.

About three years ago, economic analysts estimated that one out of five people in southeastern North Carolina had a job related to real estate development. The numbers are closer to one in 10 now, Hall says.

•Hot ‘hoods. Wilmington is a historic port city. The downtown area has cobblestone streets, boutiques, restaurants and the Cape Fear Riverwalk. Many people love the historic charm, Martin says. And of late, more of them can afford to live downtown because condominiums have been built there.

The new buildings are not modern-looking on the outside, because the city requires them to fit in downtown. The price for a one-bedroom condo ranges from about $160,000 to $180,000, while a two-bedroom starts at about $200,000, Martin says.

 Original Article: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/closetohome/2010-02-08-Wilmington-Delaware-real-estate_N.htm

There are currently 4836 Single-family homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.  In the last 6 months (8/1/09-1/30/10), 1964 homes have sold.  These numbers indicate that if NO other homes are listed for sale that there is approximately 14 months worth of inventory.

During the last week (1/31/10-2/6/10):

• 220 Homes were listed FOR SALE 
• 83 Homes went UNDER CONTRACT
• 34 Homes SOLD

 The number of homes available for sale is up by 287 units.  This could be due to a large number of sellers beginning to put their homes on the market in preparation for the Spring market.

 Please note all of these statistics are based on single-family residential homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.

Area Happenings

February 10^th:  “Kid”Cademy @ Cameron Art Museum

 February 10^th:  Behind the Scenes Tour @ Fort Fisher 

February 17^th:  “Kid”Cademy @ Cameron Art Museum

Must Have Features in New Homes

As many homeowners begin to purchase smaller homes, some features seem to be more popular with homebuyers. 

A few of these are:

• Large kitchens that open up to the family room.
• Energy efficient appliances, insulation, windows and more.
• First floor master suites.
• Two car garages.

“What we’re hearing is ‘harvest’ as a home theme — the feeling of Thanksgiving. It’s all about family togetherness — casual living, entertaining and flexible spaces,” Lavender said.

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Local Market Statistics

There are currently 4549 Single-family homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties. In the last 6 months (8/1/09-1/30/10), 1964 homes have sold. These numbers indicate that if NO other homes are listed for sale that there is approximately 14 months worth of inventory.

During the last week (1/24/10-1/30/10):
• 154 Homes were listed FOR SALE
• 91 Homes went UNDER CONTRACT
• 91 Homes SOLD

These numbers show that homes are selling; buyers simply have more choices and are picking the most aggressively priced homes in the best condition. Due to the number of homes for sale, many buyers are overlooking the handy-man specials and homes that need a little TLC and opting for well priced homes that are move-in ready.

Please note all of these statistics are based on single-family residential homes for sale in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties.

Area Happenings

February 5th: Toddler Time @ The Wilmington Children’s Museum
February 5th -7th: Wilmington Chocolate Festival
February 6th: Private Lives Pippa Lee @ Thalian Hall
February 10th: “Kid”Cademy @ Cameron Art Museum

Bank Owned Properties

With the growing number of foreclosures on the market, many buyers are interested in purchasing bank owned property. Here are a few of the things you need to know/do when purchasing bank owned property:

• Get a home inspection. The bank owned property may actually cost you MORE than a conventional listing. Many homeowners that have lost their property have not done the general maintenance and necessary repairs to the property. In addition some homeowners damage the property.
• Work with an experienced real estate broker. Negotiating and working with the bank can be complicated. Banks will make some concessions, however you need to know what to ask for and how.
• Mortgages may be hard to secure on bank owned properties. Aside from damaging the property many homeowners may take necessary items from the house, such as kitchen sinks, toilets even the heating and cooling unit. Many lenders will not finance a home without these items. Working with a lender familiar with foreclosure sales will be very beneficial.
• Slow down and really access the house and situation, make sure that is in YOUR best interest to purchase the property.

FREE EMAIL ALERTS OF NEW BANK-OWNED PROPERTIES.

3 bedroom, 2 bath townhome located in Lincoln Place. This well built home features vaulted ceilings, sky lights, private patio, an open kitchen and so much more! HOA covers exterior maintenance, including landscape maintenance and homeowners insurance. Qualifies for the USDA Rural Development up to 102% financing. SELLER WILL PAY UP TO $4000 towards closing costs.

See site plans and pictures, and learn more about the area at the Lincoln Place web site.

Morgan Cove Plantation. Meticulously maintained one owner 3 bedroom, 2 bath home boasts vaulted ceilings, ceiling fans in all bedrooms, large laundry room with window, and so much more. Huge eat in kitchen with large center island, all white cabinets 2 bay windows and a breakfast nook. The master bedroom features vaulted ceilings, master bath with walk in closet, double sinks and large linen closet. The over 3/4 acre lot has a wired storage building, large carport/outbuilding with welding receptacle, 60 amp service and a garden.

Chadwick Acres. Beautiful 2800 sqft brick home features rocking chair front porch, large back deck with gazebo and fully fenced back yard. This great home boasts hardwood floors, a formal dining room, large kitchen with dishwasher, free standing range, refrigerator and built in microwave. The central vacuum system makes cleaning a cinch. The master bedroom has a luxury bath with whirlpool tub, oversized shower and dual sinks. No HOA dues, quiet street, established community and so much more. ***Home was extensively remodeled in 2000, including all brickwork, plumbing and electrical.***

3 Bedroom 2 Full Baths over 1700 sqft. This almost completely renovated home sits on a large cul-de-sac lot down a private road. This home is centrally located close to everything and features a relaxing rocking chair front porch with mature landscaping throughout. The fenced in back yard has a deck and fully wired workshop/office, plus storage shed. The interior boasts hardwood floors, crown molding, 2 gas fireplaces, a wet bar, formal dining room and sunroom. Both bathrooms have been remodeled complete with new bath tubs, toilets, cabinets, fixtures and flooring. All new paint inside and out, new roof, new water heater. Garage has been enclosed and insulated, the current owners use it as a sitting room. The garage door is still functional and could be easily converted back if desired.

Wooded 1/3 acre lot, located in the growing community of Boiling Springs Lakes. Just minutes from Southport and Oak Island. MOTIVATED SELLER BRING ALL OFFERS!

Brand new 3 bedroom, 2 bath townhome located in Lincoln Place. This well built home features vaulted ceilings, sky lights, private patio, an open kitchen and so much more. All of this with no exterior maintenance-yes that means no yard work. Spend your free time enjoying the nearby beaches or historic downtown Wilmington. This house is being sold for less than tax value and qualifies for the USDA Rural Development up to 102% financing. SELLER WILL PAY UP TO $4000 TOWARDS CLOSING COSTS!!!!

See site plans and pictures, and learn more about the area at the Lincoln Place web site.

Quaint bungalow nestled in downtown Wilmington, features include off-street parking, rocking chair front porch, fenced backyard, eat-in kitchen and more.