As professionals in the field of Real Estate, we know and often say that "All Real Estate is Local." The national media doom and gloom of course tends to effect everyone. The psychological aspects of an economy in trouble and needing recsucitation and intervention can not help but take a toll on everyone. However, the economic growth reports and projection for our Wilmington NC local economy have been promising and bright. NC is the top state nationally for relocation.
In addition more jobs are being created in Wilmington NC as the local economy grows. See my recent article:Wilmington NC Jobs: Good News for Our Local Economy!! We have one of the loveliest locations and attractive lifestyles anywhere in the country. Our area is the destination of choice for buyers relocating from colder climates or those seeking an affordable coastal lifestyle.
All that being said, we have a lot of inventory currently on the market, as seen by the Inventory Level number below. Competition for buyers is a huge factor in the market today. Homes are selling... those that are priced right and in top showing condition.
Now more than ever is the time for buyers and sellers to hire a Professional REALTOR® to be on their team who listens intently to their needs and who will advise and consult and continually communicate with you on current market conditions and trends.
Professional Home Staging is also a must in today's competitive real estate market. Our sellers get the edge.. We offer FREE professional Home Staging services with every listing!
Take a look at a Market Snapshot of the greater Wilmington Area. For this report I covered up to 500,000. The next report will cover luxury homes $500,00 plus
Price Range $100-125,000
Active 82
Pending 34
Pending/Active Ratio 41%
Failed to Sell/Expired (6months) 30
Sold 50 (past 6 Months)
Inventory Level 9.8 months
Avg. List Price $123,196
Avg. Sold price $116,680 Avg. Days On Mkt. 68
Price Range $125-150000
Active 220
Pending 102
Pending/Active Ratio 46%
Failed to Sell/Expired 56
Sold 167
Inventory Level 7.9 months
Avg. List Price $144,712
Avg. Sold Price $139,607 Avg. Days On Mkt. 86
Price Range $150-175,000
Active 342
Pending 52
Pending/Active Ratio 15%
Failed to Sell/Expired
Sold 81
Inventory Level 9.3
Avg. List Price $167,695
Avg. Sold Price $161,984 Avg. Days On Mkt. 69
Price Range $200-250,000
Active 420
Pending 54
Pending/Active 13%
Failed to Sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 108
Sold (past 6 mo's) 252
Inventory Level 9.9
Avg. List Price $231,974
Avg. Sold Price $224,802 Avg. Days On Mkt. 95
Price Range $250-300,000
Active 324
Pending 42
Pending/Active 13%
Failed to Sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 96
Sold (past 6 mo's) 196
Inventory Level 9.9
Avg. List Price $278,979
Avg. Sold Price $271,816 Avg. Days On Mkt. 97
Price Range $300-350,000
Active 184
Pending 36
Pending/Active 20%
Failed to Sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 66
Sold (past 6 mo's) 102
Inventory Level 10.8
Avg. List Price $334,735
Avg. Sold Price $324,303 Avg. Days On Mkt. 88
Price Range $350-400,000
Active 166
Pending 24
Pending/Active 14%
Failed to sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 41
Sold (past 6 mo's) 104
Inventory Level 9.6
Avg. List Price $389,369
Avg. Sold Price $375,709 Avg. Days on Mkt. 130
Price Range $400-450,000
Active 115
Pending 19
Pending/Active 17%
Failed to Sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 34
Sold (past 6 mo's) 61
Inventory Level 11.3
Avg. List Price $438,159
Avg. Sold Price $422,514 Avg. Days On Mkt. 93
Price Range $450-500,000
Active 111
Pending 18
Pending/Active 16%
Failed to Sell/Expired (past 6 mo's) 31
Sold (past 6 mo's) 44
Inventory Level 15.1
Avg. List Price $495,916
Avg. Sold Price $475,960 Avg. Days On Mkt. 106
* Data compiled from most current WRAR MLS figures 01/15/2008
Ginger Sala Broker/REALTOR® /ASP Home Staging Professional Relocation Specialist
www.CoastHomeNorthCarolina.com contact :gingersala@kw.com 910-431-7075
If you love good ole Southern cookin' with all the fixins' like Grandma made, you will surely love the pickins at Casey's Buffet Barbecue & Home Cookin' on Oleander Drive Wilmington NC. Only open 3 years, Casey's has developed quite a following and has been voted the "Best Buffet" and "Best Soul Food" in 2 categories by Encore Magazine.
The casual Buffet Style Restaurant is decorated with a "Down Home Country" feeling that will make you feel 
cozy and comfy. Adding to the down home charm and home again feeling is Casey's owner, and Hostess extraodinaire, Gena Casey, who will most likely greet you when you enter, unless she is strolling about getting caught up with the regulars, or getting to know the newcomers.
Gena's Husband Larry will be manning the kitchen, and keeping watch on the buffet serving line may be one of their two sons, if it's not school time. Their teenage daughter is often on board too with a helping hand.
Come Hungry because at Casey's Buffet it's all you can eat! Main Dishes Served Daily: Fried Chicken, BBQ Pork, Baked Chicken, Catfish, Whiting. Side dishes Served Daily include: Chitlins, Rutabagas, Sweet Potato Souffle, Turnips, Hushpuppies, lima Beans, Mashed Potatoes and of course Okra and Collard Greens!
Desserts Daily include: Blueberry, apple and Peach Cobblers, Banana Pudding, Cherry Cheese Cake, Ice Cream and often Brownies, Strawberry Shortcake
Casey's is open for Lunch: Tuesday through Sundays. Dinner is served on Wednesday through Saturday till 9pm. They close early on Sunday 6pm. Mondays they are off.
Phone 798--2913 to reserve for large parties. Take out is available. Casey's is also open on Thanksgiving and serves a terrific traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Casey's Current Daily Specials
Tuesday ~BBQ Pork~Spare Ribs
Wednesday ~Meatloaf~ Chicken Gizzards & Country Sausage~ Ham
Thursday ~Brunswick Stew~ Spaghetti~HAMBURGER~ Deviled Crab
Friday~ BBQUE Pork Ribs w/red sauce~Fried Shrimp~Deviled Crab~Carved Roast Beef
Saturday ~Hot Wings~Fried Pork Chops~Hamburger Steak~Fried Shrimp~Deviled Crab~Carved Roast Beef
Sunday ~Turkey~Ham~Roast ~BBQ Chicken~Dressing~Over-baked Cornbread~Homemade Biscuits
You will surely leave Casey's Buffet filled to the brim with nourishment, "good feelings" and maybe a even a big hug!
Casey's Buffet Barbeque & "Home Cookin" 5559 Oleander Dr. Wilmington NC DIRECTIONS: Click here:
Antique Lovers of North Carolina mark your calendars! Next weekend, starting on Friday January 25th, the North Carolina Jr. Sorosis Club presents their 38th Annual Jr. Sorosis Club Antiques Show at the Coast Line Convention Center located in Downtown Wilmington.
There promises to be something for everyone as 35 Antique Dealers from North Carolina and surrounding states offer their wares, which will feature primitives, oriental rugs, jewlelry, clocks, silver, glassware, formal antiques, furniture and china.
Admission is only $5 and is good for all three days! The proceeds from the event will benefit local charities. This is the 38th Year the show has been sponsored by The North Carolina Junior Sorosis, a local woman's club which supports area charities.
Where: Coastline Convention Center 501 Nutt St Wilmington NC.
When: jan 25th-27th Friday and Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 12noon-5pm.
Posted by Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Realtor/Relocation Specialist
www.CoastHomeNorthCarolina.com
Wilmington NC is a great place to live not only for our wonderful 
climate, area attractions, the Arts, and our beautiful beaches, but also for the spirit of giving and reaching out to others. Our local community spirit is strong in the Cape Fear NC region. There is a spirit of giving here as in no other place I have seen.
For those who feel called to serve the community in some capacity, there is surely a volunteer position available to fit your talents and interests. Perhaps you are new to the area, recently retired or recently lost a loved one or have family members that have moved away, well there’s no better way to meet new people or forget your troubles than by bringing joy to another by voulunteering!
There are volunteer activities available in Wilmington NC to meet every level of skill, talent and time. Some positions may require a little pre-volunteer training or orientation. Some well just require you and your helping hands to simply show up!
Volunteer positions are available in our local schools such as mentoring a child, or helping out in the library. Do you love Pets? Pender Animal Rescue is a wonderful organization staffed entirely by volunteers. Computer savvy ? You might enjoy helping seniors learn computer applications, at one of our local senior centers.
Perhaps you like working outdoors, there are opportunities at the New Hanover County Arboretum or you may enjoy helping to build homes for the needy or serve meals to the volunteer crew with Habitat for Humanity. Other ways are serving the downtrodden in a soup kitchen, or if you have clerical skills, volunteering to help with fundraising activities or mailings.
A great way to explore the p
ossibilities and to match your particular skills and interests to an organization in need is to visit the website Wilmington NC Volunteer Match . Their site will introduce you to a myriad of opportunities including volunteering for local charities and civic groups, in addition to some of our areas most popular attractions like the NC Aquarium, Airlie Gardens and Thalian Hall. Even Wilmington International Airport utilizes volunteers at their information desk and to assist with passenger needs.
Another good resource to search for Volunteers positions open is The Cape Fear Volunteer Center which has a list posted of positions that need to be filled.
As you can see the spirit of Volunteerism is alive and well in our Wilmington NC & the Cape Fear Coast, and there is always room for one more helping hand!
These are some wonderful local organizations that I am personally aware of that have opportunities opportunities for service:
Help the Homeless feel cared for and cared about: Good Shepherd Ministries
Show love and bring joy to children in crisis: Yahweh Center Children’s Village
Use your time and talents in a variety of ways as a member of: Retired Seniors Volunteer Program
Provide emotional physical and spiritual support for families in crisis: Wilmington Interfaith Hospitality Network
Facilitate nourishment for the Hungry at by volunteering at the local Wilmington Food Bank
Whatever you choose to do, even if it is something as simply stamping envelopes, know that you will be filling a need, and be enriched by the spirit of giving, while making your community a better place for all.
Happy Volunteering!
Read More Blogs highlighting local Wilmington NC Charities
Trot Nixon Will be Special Guest at The Wilmington Interfaith Hospitality Network 2007 Gala
"The Festival Of Trees" Glows For a Good Cause In Wilmington NC
Yahweh Center Children's Village Wilmington NC, Welcomes Michael Reagan to Annual Fundraising Event
Ginger Sala Wilmington NC Area Relocation Specialist
For more information on life in Wilmington, NC or the local Wilmington NC Real Estate market
www.coasthomenorthcarolina.com
Friends, so many hearts have been touched by all the love and support our group has shown to our members who are struggling with heavy burdens right now in their lives. So many we know here on the Rain and in our other relationships that are weighed down with serious illnesses, financial hardships, the loss of loved ones, family problems, marriage breakups, depression, loneliness and fears.
Some reading this right now may have lost faith or hope of a brighter future. Believe me, I have been where you are, I have experienced some seemingly impossible dark situations, I have been discouraged, despaired, and cried until there were no more tears.
I have been in that place where all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and never see the light of day again. But my God had other plans for me.
And I know He has other plans for you... plans to restore you and to give you a brighter future. He who put the stars in place knows every pore on your face and every hair on your head, He knows the number of your days, and He know as what you are going through right now. He wants to lift your burden and carry it for you he wants to hold you in His arms and comfort you. He wants to wipe away your tears.
Just lay all your burdens at His feet.
He will see you through…I know it, I promise you!… He lives!
Listen to this beautiful, inspiring song, I pray it will bless everyone as much as it blesses me, and lift you all to a Higher Place.
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Wilmington NC Real Estate Relocation Specialists serving Wilmington, Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach, Carolina Beach, Leland, & Surf City, "Coast Home to North Carolina with Us!"
When you team with us as you Real Estate advisors, you can count on us to treat your transaction as if it were our own. We are not interested in "selling" you, but in facilitating transactions that are rewarding to you! Our mission is to offer you our in-depth knowledge of the local markets and current trends, open communication, honest feedback, diligent work ethic, genuine caring, and joy in the journey!
BUYERS: When we work together you can depend on us to provide the same V.I.P. treatment whether you are investing a million, or purchasing a starter home, we will work diligently to find the right home for you.
SELLERS: When you list with us you reap the benefits of The Sala Team’s Complimentary Professional Home Staging® Service! Ginger is one of only a handful of Accredited Staging Professional™ Realtors in all of Southeastern NC! As seen on HGTV, the practice of Staging Homes for sale is a hot commodity in California, and helps sell homes more quickly for a higher price. And now we are offering it with every listing as a value-added service!
INVESTORS: We are on top of the market trends and We can help find you the properties that best fit your personal investment goals!
RELOCATING to our awesome Cape Fear Region? We know about that first hand since we relocated to this amazing place from the cold and snowy Northeast. We feel so blessed to call Wilmington our home, and we would truly welcome the opportunity to share with you all that we know and love about our "Little Corner of Paradise!"
Wilmington, Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Figure Eight Island, Surf City, Ogden, Porter's Neck, Leland, New Hanover County, Pender County, Brunswick County
It is truly a blessing to live here in Coastal North Carolina! We thank God every morning for the joy of living here. We love the Cape Fear Coast and all the wonderful people who make it their home. When people ask "Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world"?, we have only one response... our "hometown" Wilmington, NC! If you are thinking of moving here, come on down, you will love it as much as we do! And if you are living here now, then you know what we are talking about!
Thanks for visiting with us today, we look forward to talking with you! 
Wilmington Area Resources
Wilmington NC Real Estate Blogs by Ginger Sala
The $8000 Tax Credit for New Home Buyers just got better!
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development today announced that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will now allow home buyers to apply the $8,000 first-time * home buyer tax credit toward the purchase price/closing costs of a FHA-insured home. Housing Secretary Donovan was very hopeful that this new rule action will help to stabilize housing markets by across the country by an increase if future home sales.
New Tax Credit Rules Can Help More Buyers
Originally the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 offered First Time Home Buyers a tax credit/refund of up to $8,000. The "old" guidelines allowed this credit to be received as a refund only after the Home Buyers filed tax returns with the IRS. The FHA's new rules allowing state Housing Finance Agencies and certain non-profits to "monetize" up to $8000 of the tax credit (which depends on the amount of the mortgage) so that borrowers can apply the funds toward their down payments.
Lower Monthly Payments Possible... Sound good?
First Time Home buyers * using FHA-approved lenders can apply the tax credit to their down payment in excess of 3.5 percent of appraised value or their closing costs, which can help achieve a lower interest rate.
Down Payment Requirements & Guidelines
Remember, Borrowers applying for an FHA-insured mortgage are still required to make a minimum 3.5 percent down payment on the purchase of their home. Current law does not permit approved lenders to monetize the tax credit to meet the required 3.5 percent minimum down payment, but, under the terms of today's announcement, lenders can now use the tax credit immediately as additional down payment, or for other closing costs, which can in effect create a lower interest rate & monthly payment. In addition to the borrower's own cash investment, FHA allows parents, employers and other governmental entities to contribute towards the down payment.
Projected Home Sales Expected to Climb with New Tax Credit
According to estimates by the National Association of Home Builders, the home buyer tax credit will stimulate 160,000 home sales, 101,000 of which will be first-time buyers who will receive the credit. Another 59,000 existing sellers will be able to buy another home because a first-time buyer purchased their home.
Buyer Beware! Scammers are on the Prowl!
Potential buyers should beware that their are all kinds of mortgage scammers out there, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting. It is crucial to consult with seasoned, respected financial services provider. The local Wilmington NC Area mortgage professionals that we recommend have the outstanding reputation, expertise, integrity & diligence, that every buyer deserves, and they are also FHA approved lenders.
Wilmington NC Homes for Sale
Are you ready to go shopping for your Wilmington NC area home with some Governments money? There are some terrific buys out there! Sellers are eager, prices are down, interests rates, according to the experts will not be going lower, and free money will only be available for a few more months!
Want to get moving??? Call us for more details & to see if you would like to team with us to help you achieve your goals! We'd love to show you what your money can buy. You just might be very surprised!
*Remember definition of first time home buyer is anyone who hasn't owned a home in the past 3 years!
©Ginger Sala, Keller Williams Realty, Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation Specialist: serving the Coastal North Carolina areas of Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Hampstead, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Topsail Island, Surf City & Leland. "Relocating from the cold Northeast to the sunny coast of Wilmington NC has been a dream come true for our family! We love Wilmington's beautiful beaches, outdoor lifestyle, vibrant cultural scene, friendly atmosphere, & down home, yet sophisticated environment. Wilmington NC Living truly has something for everyone!" Visit our website CoastHomeNorthCarolina.com for Wilmington NC Area Information, Wilmington NC Schools, Wilmington NC MLS listings! Click here to contact Ginger
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