Southport is one of the most beautiful and charming small towns in North Carolina.  During warm weather, visitors flock to Southport’s picturesque tree-lined streets to explore its many restaurants, shops, marina, yacht basin and historic attractions.

Hundreds of years ago, pirates and explorers visited the area.  Today, it’s convenient location, where the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway, and Cape Fear River meet, is still very popular with mariners.

Ginger Harper with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty has been a Southport resident for 27 years and shares some of her favorite things to do there.  Photos courtesy of Jim Harper.

For more information, please visit www.seacoastrealty.com or become our fan on Facebook.

Normally, the winter months are a pretty slow time in the real estate business.  While the weather has been cold outside this year, the real estate market has been getting hotter and hotter. 

In January 2009, homebuyers toured Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty listings 2,757 times!  That’s a whopping 72% increase from the previous month.  The number of showings is expected to grow even more over the next few months.

Our real estate professionals say that there are lots of homebuyers hunting for homes earlier than usual this year, so that they can take advantage of the homebuyer tax credit before the April 30, 2010 deadline.  First-time homebuyers are eligible for an $8,000 tax credit.  Homeowners that have been in their current home for the last 5 years are also eligible for a $6,500 tax credit.  In addition, real estate agents say that there are lots of investors and folks looking for second homes out looking for great properties at a bargain price.

If you are considering selling your home, it’s smart to contact a Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty agent today.  Our real estate professionals in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Onslow counties will expertly market your home, so that it will get the attention it deserves and sell for the most money.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty has been southeastern North Carolina’s top home seller for the last 10 years!  Find out more at www.seacoastrealty.com.

Sea Coast Realty can assist you as you explore Southport real estate, Oak Island real estate and Bald Head Island real estate. Contact us today, and we’ll work with you to find a place you can call home.

Southport real estate is great for people who would like to slow down and control the pace of their lives. It’s not so much sleepy as calm. It’s a boating village, so if you are attracted to the ebb and flow of the water it’s a place you should investigate. Oak Island real estate is a good buy for you as well. We’re talking long stretches of unspoiled beach. It’s a real paradise, with a mild climate and beautiful scenery.

If you’ve ever wanted to live on or close to the beach, Carolina Beach in North Carolina offers the best of both worlds.  There are homes right on the beach for the true beach lover’s living - sand is not optional.  Or if you prefer to live a little further inland, the are also many great properties in this area.

Bald Head Island is an island and village located on the east side of the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. Compared to the city of Wilmington to the north, the village of Bald Head Island is a small and somewhat remote. It is only accessible by ferry from the nearby town of Southport. Cars are not allowed; instead residents drive modified electric golf carts. The village is revered for its picturesque nature and is a popular location for retirement. To find out more on these and other area real estate in NC visit www.seacoastrealty.com.

Bald Head Island Marina and Light House

The best part about Wilmington NC real estate is that not only does it offer great bargains in the area but also many hot properties in surrounding areas. One such town is Bald Head Island. it is a small town in Brunswick County on the east side of Cape Fear River. Residents use electric golf carts to move around the town as cars are not allowed. Bald Head Island real estate offers very picturesque and quiet retirement home options for everyone. This is a great time to buy a house there as prices are at record low levels and sellers outnumber the buyers, always a good thing for the buyer.

Figure Eight Island is a private island in North Carolina near the Wrightsville Beach and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway. It has very few homes (approximately 450) and is very popular among rich celebrities and politicians. Figure Eight Island’s real estate market is also a great place to invest. If you are an island fan, you can also look at Bald Head Island real estate. It is a small island near the Cape Fear River. It is a very popular retirement location. It can only be accessed by a ferry and residents use electrified golf carts as cars are not allowed.

Located two miles from historic Southport real estate, Bald Head Island features 12,000 acres of beach, marshland and forest preserves.  Accessible only by ferry through the Cape Fear River, you are required to leave your car behind and enjoy the relaxing, down-to-earth, nature-filled island community.  Fishing, sailing, kayaking, hiking, golf and tennis are just a few recreational activies this island has to offer.  Walk miles of trails in the maritime forest or sit back, relax and enjoy the semitropical envrionment as you canoe the serpentine tidal creek.  Bald Head Island real estate features every island setting a person could desire.

As one of the oldest areas in the state, Brunswick County is also the fifth largest county in North Carolina. Home to Oak Island real estate, the beach lies on the southern part of the NC coast facing to the south, rather than the east. Known for its Blue Crab and North Carolina Shrimp, Oak Island is the coastal community for seafood as it can be found in both restaurants and local markets. As seafood is big in Oak Island, there is an abundance of fishing activity from piers, surf fishing, and deep sea fishing. Standing 169 feet tall, the Oak Island Lighthouse can be seen flashing every 10 seconds from 24 miles offshore.

Also located in Brunswick County is the Old Baldy Lighthouse, North Carolina’s oldest lighthouse dating back from 1817. Unique of Bald Head Island, cars are prohibited on the island as it is only accessible by ferry. Golf carts, bikes, skates and walking shoes are universal as the island reveals a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Bald Head Island real estate has an abundance of deep roof overhangs, tradition cedar siding and wide porches, as designers attempt to preserve the “Architecture of the American Summer” style.