Topsail Island,Wilmington, Hampstead, Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge,Jacksonville

I suppose we shouldn't be griping here on the coast of North Carolina, at least not so far as the weather is concerned anyway. Most of the state has experienced true winter weather, either in the form of snow or ice over the past few weeks. More is forecast for this coming week end. We here along the coast in Wilmington, Topsail Island and Hampstead, have not had the pleasure of even a snowflake. At least not that I have seen, anyhow!

Yesterday, we went to Wilmington for the sales meeting and then on to a broker event at Bellingham, a new home condominium community. One of our colleagues at Sea Coast, Buddy Blake and his team hosted the event. Let me set the stage. Yesterday was a miserable, cold, grey and rainy day along the coast. It was pouring as we drove to Bellingham. The temperature was maybe 40 +/-. I would expect that the water temps were in the high 20's, after the severe cold we experienced over the week end. The capper to the realtor event was a plunge into the pool by members of Buddy's sale and listing team for Bellingham. It was just too good to pass up the opportunity to see Buddy (a new Dad, by the way), and anyone else he could cajole into jumping into the pool. Believe me, it was worth the trip. 'Course, we were served some excellent food by the Sawmill Grill (if you have not eaten there, it is located in Hampstead, just up the road from Topsail).

Real estate wise, we have been scheduling a number of showings on our correctly priced properties. We closed three in January and have six slated to close between now and mid March. Our new home communities in Sage's Ridge and our new homes (with club membership) in North Shore Country Club are attracting a lot of attention.

We are having fun here on the coast. Come and join us!

Each Fall, I am always amazed by the changes that take place on Topsail Island and, I would expect, in communities and neighborhoods up and down the coast. School reopens, vacationers head home and Harvest Festivals, county fairs and the North Carolina State Fair become the topics of conversation. It is a great time of year!

Real estate in coastal North Carolina began its recovery starting in November of 2008. Jacksonville and Wilmington have led the return to more normal market levels. Homes priced $300,000. and under move from listed to sold quickly. We continue to work our way through short sales and foreclosures out on the beach, so there are still some excellent opportunities. Our new home community in Hubert, The Highlands at Queens Creek and the homes that we have under construction in Richlands are generating sales and presales. Our community in Holly Ridge, Sage's Ridge has one of the best price points in the area, and is located midway between Wilmington and Jacksonville and only ten minutes from the beaches of Topsail Island. Prices there begin at $154,900. Sales are being driven by the $8000. tax credit, various builder incentives and an increase of military into the Jacksonville/Swansboro/Richlands/Hubert/Holly Ridge area.

So, whatever brings you to southeastern North Carolina, be it service to your country, retirement, relocation, a vacation or second home on the beach, we hope you'll consider us as a resource.

Soon we will be celebrate Fourth of July on the coast of North Carolina. The tents selling fireworks are dotted along the roadside, the farmers markets are in full swing with watermelons, sweet corn, squash and tomatoes. All of the beach shops are crowded with tourists making their summer beach towel, sand pails and umbrella purchases. There is a strong scent of coconut oil in the air. The flags and bunting are already up!

As we begin our patriotic pilgrimage through the Fourth, with flags flying, picnics and family, we are going to take a few moments to remember why we celebrate the holiday.

More than a year after the start of the American Revolution, the legal separation of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain ocurred when Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence. The resolution stated that the thirteen colonies currently at war were now independent states and no longer under the rule of King George. The Declaration of Independence, a formal statement explaining that decision, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. A majority of delegates did not sign the document on July 4th, most signed on August 2nd, 1776.

There were a number of state and local declarations that took place prior to July 4th, 1776. North Carolina was the first to explicitly authorize its delegates to vote for independence, in a document called the Halifax Resolves, on April 12th, 1776.

The flag of the United States now has thirteen stripes, representing the original thirteen colonies. Fifty stars, one for each of the fifty states. The colors of the flag have meaning as well. Red represents hardiness and valor, White symbolizes purity and innocence and Blue, vigilance, perserverance and justice. Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first flag.

So, wherever you are over the Fourth of July, salute the flag, say a prayer for our military men and women and thank your lucky stars! Enjoy!

"As she came up to the arch Elizabeth saw with a start that it was written on. She went closer. She peered at the stone. There were names on it. Every grain of the surface had been carved with names; their chiseled capitals rose from the level of her ankles to the height of the great arch itself; on every surface of every column as far as her eyes eyes could see there were names teeming, reeling, over surfaces of yards, of hundreds of yards, over furlongs of stone.
She moved through the space beneath the arch where the man was sweeping. She found the other pillars identically marked, their faces obliterated on all sides by the names that were carved on them.
'Who are these, these ...?; She gestured with her hand.'
'These?' The man with the brush sounded surprised. 'The lost.'
'Men who died in battle?'
'No. The lost, the ones they did not find. The others are in cemeteries.'
'These are just the ... unfound?'
She looked at the vault above her head and then around in panic at the endless writing, as though the surface of the sky had been papered in footnotes.
When she could speak again, she said, 'from the whole war?'
The man shook his head. 'Just these fields.' He gestured with his arm.
Elizabeth went and sat on the steps on the other side of the monument. Beneath her was a formal garden with some rows of white headstones, each with a tended plant or flower at its base, each cleaned and beautiful in the weak winter sunlight.
'Nobody told me.' She ran her fingers with their red-painted nails back through her thick dark hair. 'My God, nobody told me."

-Sebastian Faulks, 'Birdsong' p. 264.

I am sure that you, like the rest of us here on Topsail Island and in Jacksonville are happy to finally see sunshine and warmer weather! This has been a glorious first week end of Spring! Our home on the island looks out over the Intracoastal Waterway. Over the past month, the sun has begun shining through our windows (illustrating, I might add, that those windows need their spring cleaning) and letting us know that spectacular sunsets will soon be visible. We are beginning to see the return of the sailboats and motors to the ICWW, as they make their way back to their summer homes. Bald Head, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Figure 8 and Topsail are busy ports of call throughout the repositioning of boats and yachts during the spring and early summer.

Our phones are ringing at Sea Coast Realty. Since last November, we have seen a steady uptick in the number of properties going under contract. There has been an increase month over month, an indicator that our market may have reached its bottom four months ago. Combined with the $8000. first time home buyer incentive, the historic low interest rates and the well priced listings currently on the market, it is an opportune time to purchase a home.

Our Topsail Landing Condominiums are 1.5 miles from the beach and only 40 minutes from Jakconville and the same from Wilmington. Pool, clubhouse, business center, gameroom, playground and pet friendly, Topsail Landing offers our residents shopping, restaurants, dentist and doctor's offices within walking distance. Pricing for for a two bedroom, two bath patio home begin at $164,900.

Visit www.topsaillanding.com and take our video tour or call 1.853.0414 and enter extension number 1154.