Starting today, the legendary seafood chowder from Michael’s Seafood Restaurant in Carolina Beach, NC is available at your local Harris Teeter!

Pick up a pint today!  A portion of the proceeds benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

The seafood chowder at Michael’s Seafood Restaurant is famous with locals and visitors.  In fact, just a few weeks ago, it took first place in the Knorr Great Chowder Cook-Off in Newport, Rhode Island.  Michael’s staff regularly ships the tasty treat worldwide to chowder lovers.

Michael’s chowder won the Pleasure Island Chowder Cool-Off in Carolina Beach for many years.  This year the gang from Michael’s bowed out to give the other great chowder cooks a chance and judged the competiton.

Many hardworking North Carolina families don’t earn enough to afford an average-priced home in their community.  Real estate professionals with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty recently earned the North Carolina Workforce Housing Specialist certification and learned about programs that can help teachers, firefighters, nurses, and other service workers in our community achieve the dream of home ownership. 

Brett Adams, Cathi Anderson, Carolyn Dunwell, Paul Dunwell, Tom Gale, and Amy Whetsel from Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty’s Wilmington office earned the certification.  Homes4NC, a housing foundation created by the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, offers the certification to REALTORS® who take extra steps to learn about the federal, state and local housing programs specifically designed to help buyers that earn less than the area median income.  They also work within the community to increase housing affordability for all citizens.   

“My wife is a teacher, so I hear from her colleagues all the time about how hard it is to find affordable housing,” said Tom Gale.  “With the training we received, I know about more lending programs that can help them.”

According to Homes4NC, wages in North Carolina are not expected to keep pace with the cost of housing.  Half of the state’s future jobs are expected to pay 60% of the state’s current average earnings.

To earn the certification, REALTORS® must complete sixteen hours of educational courses that focus on national, state, and local affordable housing resources. For more information about the North Carolina Workforce Housing Specialist certification, visit www.Homes4NC.org.

Readers of Wilmington’s Encore magazine have voted Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty as Wilmington’s Best Real Estate Company in their “Best of Wilmington 2010″!

Thanks go out to everyone that voted for for us.  Though this isn’t our first “Best of Wilmington” award, we’re still thrilled by this honor.  Our more than 300 agents and staff take great pride in the fact that every year for the last decade, we’ve sold more homes in southeastern North Carolina than any other real estate company.

Check out the nice things Encore had to say about us:

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY

The local and national housing markets may have taken a hit due to the recession as of late, but Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is soaring high above the rest with their win for Best Real Estate Agency. Serving the cities of Wilmington and Jacksonville; the coastal communities of Carolina Beach, Topsail Beach, Surf City, Wrightsville Beach, Figure Eight Island, North Topsail Beach, Kure Beach, Bald Head Island, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach; and coastal communities, including Porters Neck, Southport, Sneads Ferry, Leland, Scotts Hill, Hampstead, Holly Ridge, Camp Lejeune, New River, Bolivia, Shallotte, Boiling Spring Lakes and St. James, Sea Coast is without a doubt a leader in its industry. In fact, it is the number-one real estate company in southeastern North Carolina, selling more properties than any area firm for the past eight years.

With 300-plus agents and seven convenient locations (two in Wilmington, on Military Cutoff Road and at Porters Neck) Sea Coast is more than equipped to satisfy anything their customers desire. They can handle relocation needs, from start to finish, and even offer a 100-percent Satisfaction Guarantee. In an ever-changing real-estate climate, Sea Coast has remained true to its roots and continues to offer first-class service with a reputation clients have learned they can trust. Their easy-to-navigate Web site, www.seacoastrealty.com, only adds to what Wilmington recognizes as dependable, up-to-date and quality service.

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, or Onslow County, North Carolina, shouldn’t you have the “Best of Wilmington” working for you?  Visit us online at www.seacoastrealty.com or call us at 1-800-522-9624.

Marla Vail

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is proud to welcome Marla Vail to our Carolina Beach NC office.

Marla has a been a real estate professional since 1997 and is proud mother of two sons.  Marla loves helping her customers with their real estate needs and all the the ways to enjoy the outdoors in Carolina Beach NC.

If you owe more on your home loan than you could sell your home for today, then you’re “upside down” or “underwater.”  What are your options?

Explore Alternatives
Consider whether or not you really need to sell your home.  Can you wait a few years to sell?  Could you move in with friends or family & rent out your home?  The ideal time to sell your home is not while you’re “upside down,” so explore your alternatives.

Loan Modification
First, call your mortgage company and try to get a loan modification done.  A loan modification will adjust your rate lower & make your payments lower.

Short Sale
If a loan modification isn’t possible or isn’t enough to keep you out of danger, short sale is always an option.  A short sale is when your lender or mortgage company agrees to accept less than the amount you owe on your home.  In some cases, the lender forgives the difference.  In other cases, you must make arrangements to settle the remainder of what you owe.

Real estate professionals advise that you should contact a qualified agent that has experience working with sellers that are in upside down loans.  Not all real estate professionals have experience with short sale situations.  This is imperative, so make sure to ask when interviewing an agent to market your home.

Bankruptcy & Foreclosure
Short sale is a much better option than foreclosure & bankruptcy.  A short sale can reduce your credit score by about 120 points & it will be 2 years until you are able to qualify for another loan.   Foreclosure will lead to a 250-point to 300-point drop in your credit score & then it will be 7-12 years until you are able to qualify for another loan.  Bankruptcy will lead to a 350-point drop in your credit score & it will be 12 years until you are able to qualify for another loan.

Get Help Before It’s Too Late
“By all means, try to get out.  That’s the key,” says one Sea Coast Realty sales associate.  “I’ve seen so many houses that were short sales & now they’re foreclosed on.  It’s because they’re not getting what they need to get done.  It’s all about time.”

For more information, please visit www.seacoastrealty.com or find us on Facebook.

The New Hanover County town of Carolina Beach has a laid-back attitude, dozens of restaurants, and countless ways to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty’s Greg Barber is a Carolina Beach resident. He shares some of the great things to do and see in Carolina Beach, NC.

If you’re in the market for a beach property without the hefty price tag, Greg says you’ll want to check out Carolina Beach.

For more information, please visit www.seacoastrealty.com or find us 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.

Beyond the marinas, the beach, and the waterfront condos is a whole different Wilmington awaiting.  The charming historic area is home to many families, and host to many visitors.  Wilmington is known as “The Port City for Progress and Pleasure.”  The city has much to offer, including shopping, a nightlife, theatre, golf, and  many coffeehouses and exceptional restaurants.

Historic Wilmington, NC, real estate comprises more than 200 blocks of prime property that is perfect for history buffs and those who prefer classic homes. There is nice selection of these homes, throughout the Historic District., with real estate that offers everything from restored residences to beautiful bed and breakfasts to live in, rent, or invest in.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty and their knowledgeable agents can help you find the coastal, historic or beach home of your dreams.

Downtown Wilmington

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

Kure Beach is located at the southern tip of North Carolina’s Pleasure Island. It is known for peaceful crowd less beaches and its family oriented community. It is a great place for you to spend some time with your family. You can enjoy activities like NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and the Southport Ferry ride. If you time your trip right, you can also attend many events that are planned for tourists. Kure Beach real estate offers great houses that can also be used as vacation homes. If you enjoy beaches and are looking to buy a coastal property, you can also consider Carolina Beach real estate. Prices are still very low and you should take advantage of the deals out there.