A home buyer has many choices to make when house hunting, from deciding upon a neighborhood, to determining a budget and organizing personal finances for a down payment, closing costs, and various other new home buyer expenses. One of the largest decisions a home buyer makes is selecting the type of mortgage they will use to purchase their home.
Mortgage loans fall into two primary categories: fixed rate and adjustable rate (ARM). There are a few hybrid combinations of both types of mortgages, and some derivatives of each as well. A conversation with a mortgage broker that includes an in-depth review of personal finances will determine which products a home buyer qualifies for, and which makes the most sense for their personal financial situation.
A mortgage is the amount of money borrowed to pay the purchase price of real estate, plus the interest charged on top of the principal by the lender. The interest rate charged by mortgage lender, whether it’s a traditional bank ...

Buyers looking at waterfront property are often motivated by the convenience and caché of owning private, direct access to water. In southeastern coastal North Carolina, this could be property with frontage on the Cape Fear River, Intracoastal Waterway, or the Atlantic Ocean.
Buyers considering purchasing a home on the water need to consider how they intend to enjoy their new waterfront home.
If the view is your primary motivation for living on the water, the direction that the home faces is important. An east-facing home will provide views of the sunrise, and over the Atlantic Ocean, those early morning vistas can be spectacular. For sunsets, west-facing windows and decks will give the optimal perch to enjoy the waning day. Homes that face south often have light all day, and can provide a view of both sunrise and sunset.
Views of the water can be impacted by easements or a community’s covenants, conditions, and restrictions. Waterfront property should be evaluated f ...

Teri Moylan, Broker/REALTOR®, offers her knowledge of Carolina Beach, just across Snows Cut Bridge on the Atlantic Intra Coastal Waterway, and the first town on Pleasure Island.

A Top-Rated Coastal Carolina Beach Town
Carolina Beach is just south of Wilmington, North Carolina, and is a great vacation spot, and a wonderful location for people who want to buy their share of the dream and live at the beach. It's a sportsman's paradise in terms of sports fishing and boating and many other things. If you want to take surf lessons, stroll along the beach, or enjoy a dip in the ocean - which during the summer months can get up to 80 degrees.
"I've lived a lot of places, and I've visited many beaches," say Teri, "but there are not many beaches across the country where you can swim in something that feels like bath water and is still refreshing!"
Local love Carolina Beach for all that it has to offer, from the shops, the restaurants, and Britt's Donuts. The boardwalk helps ma ...

Buyers considering the options between a condo and a townhome need to understand the differences in obtaining a mortgage for either type of home.
Purchasing a townhouse is more similar to purchasing a single family home: you own the structure and the land. Contrast that with buying a condo, where a buyer only purchases the space of the actual unit.
It’s important to classify the property correctly; buyers should confirm the designation with their realtor. Whether real estate is considered a condo or a townhome is a legal designation. Although describing many buildings a condo or a townhouse may seem obvious, there are some hybrid condos featuring detached units, site condos, or other variations. Aesthetically, buyers may not think there is a large difference between a townhome and a condo, but in terms of obtaining a mortgage, there are many differences.
"Townhomes and Condos may appear to be the same as both property types share a roof and walls. However there is a specific ...

Fred Teachey, Broker/Realtor, shares what he loves about the six bedroom single family home - and the ocean views - on the north end of Carolina Beach.
What is unique about this property?
The location is magnificent! On the north end of Carolina Beach, it's a two-block walk to the Carolina Beach Fishing Pier and two blocks in the opposite direction to beautiful sandy beaches. This is a single family home with typical southeastern coastal construction: parking is under the home, with stairs up to the first floor where there are four bedrooms, and then up again to the third floor and two additional bedrooms plus a large open kitchen + living space that is perfect for lounging and entertaining. 
The double porches are awesome, with ocean views and plenty of room for outdoor dining.
This home has a history as a successful vacation rental - it has been BOOKED SOLID from January through September, so if you opt not to live here full-time, your beachfront home will help pay for ...