Market Report - Wilmington North Carolina

The 28th Annual Parade of Homes provided a perfect opportunity to see 70 new homes in dozens of master planned communities in Wilmington North Carolina built by the areas top builders such as Trusst Builder Group, Bill Clark Homes, and Logan Homes. Trends we noticed this year:

• White is the color of choice in interior design giving the feeling of spaciousness
• Outdoor living rooms with fireplaces and patios draped in fabric
• Light fixtures commanding attention as works of art and conversation pieces
• Tall base boards, curved wall corners, decorative columns, trey ceilings and beams
• Two story mania which contradicts the requests we’re hearing from our buyers

Wilmington North Carolina is one of the most popular regions on our website so we planted ourself in the coastal city for several days. Here’s our observations from the first group of neighborhoods we visited:

LANDFALL COUNTRY CLUB

In 2014, Landfall received our Bliss Award™ as Best North Carolina Community of the Year. When we drove through the neighborhood, the curb appeal was so beautiful it looked professionally staged. A gated golf community launched back in the 1980’s, there are approximately 1,800 homes built to date of the 2,400 planned.

Our focus was on the new home neighborhood in Landfall called The Regency with 68 homes planned. The Regency at Landfall is surrounded by a wood conservation area with homes featuring Mediterranean, English Country and Colonial architecture. Emerald Homes, a division of DR Horton Homes is offering attractive new homes in the mid $400k’s. We toured the Chestnut model, a 5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths open floor plan priced at $678,310. The house looked deceivingly small from the outside but it was from it.

This award winning master planned community in Wilmington North Carolina’s location is special being just 5 minutes from Wrightsville Beach and the area's best shopping centers, Mayfaire Town Center, The Forum and Lumina Station. 

Folks would never run out of things to day at Landfall. Amenities include a two championship golf courses with dramatic views of the Intracoastal Waterway, two clubhouses, 14 multi-surfaced tennis courts, an Olympic-size swimming pool, fitness center and enoyable walking paths. Property owners are not required to join the golf club. For folks searching for homes in the $400k price range, Landfall is a must see in Wilmington.

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AUTUMN HALL

We were pleasantly surprised after touring Autumn Hall, a new urbanism designed neighborhood with soft pastel colored two story Charleston-style homes and one level cottages with flower adorned porches set around accents lakes, community parks and inviting walking paths. The developer took special care to preserve the live oak and pine trees giving the neighborhood a mature feeling early in development. Approximately 50 homes are built to date of the 300 planned. Autumn Hall new homes start in the mid $400k’s. We toured the Dinardo Cottage built by S and W Home Builders priced at $490,500. 

Autumn Hall’s location is important being 1.5 miles from Wrightsville Beach and 5 minutes from the heart of Wilmington’s best shopping district. HOA fees are low at about $80 a month.

COVINGTON

Built by Bill Clark Homes, Covington wins our ‘big bang for the buck’ award. An intimate 89 new home neighborhood, this master planned community in Wilmington North Carolina has a palate of soft earth tones and one level cottages with bonus rooms. Bill Clark Homes has been building homes in the Southeast since 1977 and clearly in tune with Baby Boomer demands in today’s market. We were impressed with the high level of finishes in homes priced in the low $200k’s. HOA fees are low at around $40 a month. We toured the Henley model which won the Parade of Homes award for woodworking. 

Covington’s location is key and is just 5 minutes from Carolina Beach.

WATERSIDE AT WOODLAKE

Built by Coterra Custom Homes, Waterside at Woodlake is a boutique size new home neighborhood featuring 33 cottage style homes. The community won this year’s award for curb appeal and we can see why. We find Coterra’s home elevations and exterior embellishments appealing. Half of the homes back up to a kayaking lake owned by the Cape Fear Community College. Amenities include a community clubhouse and swimming pool. We toured the River Birch model, a 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths home with a large backyard overlooking the lake priced at $359k. 

TIDALWALK

We’ve been monitoring TidalWalk for a couple years. This master planned community in Wilmington North Carolina is progressing along beautifully. We were drawn to this new home neighborhood because of its convenient location to Carolina Beach and waterfront location on the Intracoastal Waterway. The community is just 5 minutes from the Carolina Beach inlet by boat. 

TidalWalk is a tight knit neighborhood of 197 homes. Approximately 80 homes have been built to date. We toured The Danberry model built by Laurel Homes. The two story Lowcountry cottage had impressive upgrades and decorative features ready to please the most finicky buyers. New homes at TidalWalk begin in the mid $300k’s. Community amenities include a community clubhouse with zero entry salt water swimming pool, community boat docks and a gazebo on the Intracoastal Waterway.

BRUNSWICK FOREST

The grand finale ended at three of the most beautiful homes we’ve seen on this trip! The Trinity model built by Trusst Builder Group, The Adelaide model built by Bill Clark Homes and The Amelia II model built by Logan Homes. All three homes had open floor plans with expansive windows capturing the natural beauty and sunlight from the great outdoors. Brunswick Forest has wonderful nature viewing corridors behind the homes adding privacy and beauty to the backyards. Brunswick Forest has incredible curb appeal with the soothing feeling like that of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

This year, Brunswick Forest is proud to have been named an “Ideal Community” featuring two Ideal-Living Magazine homes. Brunswick Forest was the logical choice because it has already established itself as a debt-free refined coastal community with comprehensive amenities and impressive nature trails leading to community parks, amenities and The Villages 500,000 square foot retail shopping complex at the community’s entrance.

We toured The Adeliade model built by Bill Clark Homes, a stunning open floor plan with seamless paths connecting to all the living areas in the home. Large windows capture the sunlight and the forest. Tall ceilings with decorative coves and mood lighting add volume and depth to the home. The Adeliade (priced at $499,000) has a classic example of an outdoor living room with fireplace and cozy patio with living room-style drapes. The Amelia II model (priced at $482,500) stepped in up a notch and enclosed the patio with floor to ceiling glass windows. Both Ideal-Living Magazine homes are beautiful.

We were also drawn to The Trinity model built by Trusst Builder Group. Although technically the home is square shaped, the rooms felt like all different sizes and shapes. The master bedroom, bathroom and closets are huge. The living room and kitchen connected beautifully. The ceiling work tied the dining room, foyer, living room and kitchen beautifully together. The Trinty is priced at $499,500.

Brunswick Forest has 7 model homes to see on the Parade of Homes and four of them won awards. If you’re considering building a home in Wilmington, you must see Brunswick Forest first and all the community offers. It’s a neighborhood of educated and successful professionals celebrating their achievements through luxury living and an active lifestyle centered around being outside to enjoy the outdoors. Brunswick Forest is located 10 minutes from downtown Wilmington and 25 minutes from the beaches. They offer all types of single family homes and town homes. Prices begin in the mid $200k’s. 

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COMPASS POINTE

Coming from a resort and beach town, we kinda chuckle with the ‘resort living’ marketing campaign by Compass Pointe in Wilmington. However, as you get to know Compass Pointe better, you realize life is centered around The Grand Lania Pavilion and resort-style swimming pool. The 10,000 square foot open air pavilion has a Tommy Bahama feel and is what you would expect to see at a resort in the Caribbean. It’s beautiful! Is it possible buyers are drawn to Compass Pointe who are the party type who dig the social scene and scooting around the neighborhood in their golf carts meeting up for fruit flavored drinks poolside at The Grand Lanai? We do know property owners are very happy at Compass Pointe scoring the community at 91 out of 100.

Since our last visit, the tennis courts are complete and the fitness center grand opening is planned for July. We asked about the progress of the community’s golf course and were informed it should be complete as early as the end of 2015. At the moment, a $10k initiation fee to join the club is anticipated. The staff of Compass Pointe was unable to answer how much the monthly golf fees are expected to be. 

We toured the St. Augustine model built by Trusst Builder Group, an award winning home builder since 1992. This town home featured exterior brick and spacious open floor plan common in Trusst Builder Group homes. Approximately 276 homes have been to date at Compass Pointe of the 2,400 homes planned. There were 40 homes under construction. The community still has a long way to go with development and we wish them continued success. HOA fees are low at $70 a month. Home styles at Compass Pointe include low maintenance villas, cottages, patio homes and custom homes. We applaud the extra mile Compass Pointe has gone to build raised berms in the backyards creating a nature privacy wall between the homes.

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MUIRFIELD TOWNES at ECHO FARMS

We toured real estate developer Mike Pollak’s townhomes bordering the Echo Farms golf course. His two story brick townhomes won the Gold Medal Award during the Parade of Homes for the past two years for his high end interior finishes. We talked with Pollak and he revealed buyers are drawn to his town homes because of low maintenance and his ability to customize the homes easily which most track homes builders won’t do. A smart thing to do. 

There are 92 townhomes planned and about 50% are complete. The HOA fees are $240 a year and include full hazard insurance (excluding contents coverage). Muirfield townhomes begin in the $300k’s. Property owners have the option of joining Echo Farms Country Club to access the golf course, tennis facility and swimming pool. 

WEDGEWOOD AT LANVALE

Built by Stevens Fine Homes, this master planned community in Wilmington North Carolina is geared towards first time home buyers with new homes priced in the mid $100k’s. The St. Augustine model is a 1,405 square foot 3 bedrooms 2 baths home and is impressively priced at $169,900. 216 homes are planned at the project’s completion and approximately 130 homes have been built to date. HOA fees are low at $35 a month. Architectural designs include Craftsman, European and brick-style homes. Amenities include a community swimming pool, fishing ponds, gazebos and children’s playground. Be sure to ask about Seller paid closing cost incentives.

If you are searching for where to retire in coastal North Carolina, ask us for our informative free Wilmington North Carolina relocation information to help you get to know the area better.