People choose where they live for hundreds of reasons. Being close to work, family, or education, top the list of why people buy a home in a specific location. Weather, affordability, and lifestyle are also important considerations in narrowing down the places home buyers opt to purchase. 

For those who are devoted 5K, 10K, or marathoners, water sports competitors including SUP and swim, and bike riders, the Cape Fear region offers year-round athletic challenges. Living in the Wilmington area means that a race, walk, or water sport is always just a short distance from your home base. Training is a pleasure at the numerous parks with walking/running paths and greenways.

Many of the Wilmington area's events are so popular that competitors register and travel from other state to participate. Race devotees living in Wilmington and the beaches have these races right at their doorstep.

An advantage of living in southeastern North Carolina are year-round weather conditions that ...

You've finally found your dream house. It has all the features you are looking for, from shiny hardwood floors to a walk-in closet and an amazing location - all for an irresistible price. But those aren’t the only factors that go into getting your perfect home. Here are ten crucial questions to ask your real estate agent before you sign on the dotted line.


Handy Checklist of Questions for Your Agent
How old is the roof?

This is one of the most important things to ask your real estate agent. The price of asphalt roofing replacement is extremely pricey and is more common in beach towns like Wilmington. So ask your real estate agent how old the roof is, because the last thing you want is to buy a home with a damaged, weathered-down roof.

What are the parking restrictions around the house?

Here are a few more questions about parking: How many parking permits do you as the homeowner obtain? And can you get more if you decide to throw a party? If you have a large fam ...

Breaking Through the Confusion Regarding Home Warranty HVAC Inspections
Armed with clear information on Home Warranty HVAC inspections, many buyers and sellers opt to contract for this service. The upfront payment for an HVAC inspection is usually in the range of $85, and considering the potentially hefty cost of HVAC repairs, clients may find this warranty pays for itself.


Repairing Your Home's HVAC Can Be a Big-Ticket Item
What is an HVAC?

HVAC stands for "Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning." Your home's HVAC is the entire system that regulates the cooling and heating of the interior, making the indoor environment comfortable through the changing seasons.

There are four different types of HVAC systems. The four HVAC systems are designed to suit the size and interior specs of a home or commercial building.

Heating and Air Conditioning Split System

A "split system" has an outdoor unit that houses both the condenser and the compressor, and an indoor unit w ...

Sarah: She lay awake thinking about the Bungalow on Magnolia Street which had apparently accepted an offer shortly before she called the listing agent to schedule a showing earlier that day. She was so disappointed to miss out on that home. So many of the homes she called about were already sold or had a contract on them. This was in spite of her intricate (albeit time-consuming) process of checking all the real estate websites on an almost minute by minute basis.

Jacob: He had a big smile as he hung up the phone to tell his wife they had the winning offer for the Bungalow on Magnolia. It had been a crazy afternoon starting when their real estate agent texted to tell him about the new listing that had come on the market within the hour. Their agent scheduled a showing immediately and they were able to get an offer in before the end of the day.

Why was Jacob’s experience so different from Sarah’s?

Jacob had an agent who has a competitive advantage over unre ...

One of the best ways to get the feel of a new community or neighborhood is to pickup a local lifestyle magazine. If you have just moved to the Wilmington area, there are many magazines to get you up-to-speed on local personalities, business news, entertainment, arts events, and dining trends.

Thinking about relocating to Wilmington or one of the area's beautiful beach towns? Visit a handful of lifestyle magazines online, or snag a long distance subscription. Event calendars, stories about local attractions and cultural events, and profiles of business influencers will give you a great sense of what these communities offer.

Wilmington and the beaches offer a rich selection lifestyle magazines. Many of these are free. They can be found in the magazine racks at busy intersections, in shopping areas, and at the entry to most grocery stores.

All of Wilmington's lifestyle magazines maintain online editions. Many of the magazines offer out-of-state subscriptions, so people who are ...