Update on Leland area! ( Brunswick Forest!) (Wilmington, Westport: attorney, relocating, homeowners association)

[jmarquise]

you are talking about the real estate market in wilmington. I am referring to the real estate market in places like DC, NY, and NJ. that is where people are getting 60% of their asking price. when that get that offer, wilmington becomes less attractive. I sold my condo in DC for $265,000 two years ago. right now, they are listed at $140,000. if I was only able to sell my condo for that much, I wouldn't have moved here. also, since the job market here is so horrible and non diverse, I am being forced to look elsewhere for work. wilmington is good for college students and retirees. that is it.

Originally Posted by raylebrun

Wow, Let me start by saying I am a real estate broker in Wilmington and
I don't see the exodus you describe at all, I also don't see the 60% of asking, really more like 90-94% and time on market of 120 days...there is the exception where a seller thinks their home is the the absolute end all and prices it unrealistically, the contacts and inquiries I see weekly from folks looking to Wilmington for their next move continues to grow and grow,, no sales pitch here just a note from someone who lives it daily and after living all over the country, here in NC for the past 20 years tho, feels that Wilmington is a great location.... again not a sales pitch I spent 18 years in IT and based in RTP... escaped from there alive and with my sanity...and my flip flops

[RDSLOTS]

Originally Posted by raylebrun

In Leland/Brunswick Recommend looking at Waterford as well, especially with the 4 and 6 year olds, Waterford is a bit more built, about 5- 6 years along has the pools, clubhouse and quite a few families... same price range as Brunswick... good luck

There are several new neighborhoods along HWY 33 towards Southport, too, that are nice -- Westport is one, I seem to recall, and its price range is the same as Waterford. I would imagine there are some nice resales in Waterford, too, unless you absolutely have to have a brand-new home.

Good luck in your search. The whole area is slated to explode.

[BeachLiving]

Yours is just one story, others have been able to move here and make a nice livelihood for themselves and their families. It can come down to luck, one's skill set or one's drive. Bottom-line, the opportunity is present, you just have to make it work for yourself...just like anything else.

Originally Posted by jmarquise

you are talking about the real estate market in wilmington. I am referring to the real estate market in places like DC, NY, and NJ. that is where people are getting 60% of their asking price. when that get that offer, wilmington becomes less attractive. I sold my condo in DC for $265,000 two years ago. right now, they are listed at $140,000. if I was only able to sell my condo for that much, I wouldn't have moved here. also, since the job market here is so horrible and non diverse, I am being forced to look elsewhere for work. wilmington is good for college students and retirees. that is it.

[jmarquise]

no, actually mine is the story of a lot of people. people who are being forced to stay put up north because the value of their home is 1/2 of what it was two years ago, while prices here have doubled. that is the reason for so many dead projects in brunswick county. that is why so many builders have gone bankrupt. this isn't my story, this is the reality. I am not saying that it is impossible to come down here and make a living, I am just saying that there are MUCH better places to do that. wilmington has had a steady decline in quality of life over the last ten years. I think if people have a choice to pay $200,000 for a 2000 square ft. house in raleigh and a job making $65,000, or to pay $200,000 for a 1300 square ft. house in wilmington and a job making $30,000 per year, they would chose the raleigh option. it's just a quality of life thing. good jobs are very hard to find here.

Originally Posted by BeachLiving

Yours is just one story, others have been able to move here and make a nice livelihood for themselves and their families. It can come down to luck, one's skill set or one's drive. Bottom-line, the opportunity is present, you just have to make it work for yourself...just like anything else.

[jmarquise]

I actually try to paint an accurate picture of the area. it's not waaa waaa. it is this area through the eyes of someone who isn't a real estate agent. did you even read the original post, or did you read what I wrote and decide to reply to me? the original post was totally off base.

I did toss around a bunch of numbers. they were arbitrary and generic. I checked the average salaries and wilmington was in the $32-34k per year range, while raleigh was $48k per year. wilmington also has the second highest cost of living in NC. second to the outer banks. the facts I know are these. the person I moved here with was making $26.50 per hour in VA. the highest offer she got down here was $12 per hour. I don't think she looked around hard enough. I actually got a pay raise to come down here, but the company went bankrupt. also, you have to look at the competition of the jobs. any good jobs that pay anything usually receive around 50 resumes. there are more people than good jobs.

I would like to know more of these "unlimited" recreational activities. things you can't do anywhere else that is. other than the beach. I have never stated that I don't go to the beach. I went yesterday. you are trying to create an image of me that is incorrect. what I have said is that most people don't go as much as they think they will. see, I live in wilmington, you live in carolina BEACH. see the difference? I live near the beach, you live at the beach. that is why you go so often. I tried to go to wrightsville twice last year and I couldn't park. had to go to topsail, which is 45 minutes away.

you say you live in a neighborhood with nothing but $300k+ houses and people enjoy the water in one form or another. that tells me that you live in a community where a lot of people have a lot of money, and a boat, and a guard out front. that seems a little out of touch with the rest of wilmington. you say they all have homes that cost that much, and jobs in wilmington that pay for them. I don't believe you. I would wager that the majority of the people in your neighborhood are retired and working 2ND jobs. but they had the money for the house and didn't really need the job. if they are truly a working couple, they only were able to afford the house because they had $200,000 from the sale of their house up north for the down payment.

Originally Posted by BeachLiving

If your assumptions were valid, I'd agree with you. However, you are just tossing around random numbers and doing false comparisons. Personally, I'd rather live in a 2000SF, $200k house in Wilmington rather than in Raleigh. Wilmington, for me and many other people, has an excellent quality of life and there seems to be an unlimited choice of recreational activities. And I know you have said on many occasions that you don't go to the beach and generalize that most locals don't either. Well I couldn't disagree with you anymore. Virtually everyone I know makes regular use of the water in one form or another. It is just one of the HUGE benefits of living here.

I am sure that the rant has become tiresome to you. after all, you capitalize off people moving down here with no sense of the area.

And what specific job pays $65k in Raleigh and only $30k in Wilmington?

And another point, everyone in my neighborhood has a nice home (at least $300k+). And guess what, they all have jobs in Wilmington to pay for their lifestyle.

Sorry for the rant people, but some of the non stop whining on this board by a select few is very tiresome. I just want to slap them awake and tell them to either move away or take control of their lives. But either way, give us a break from the waaaa, waaaa, waaaa's.

[highart]

I would like to add that when selling here in NC or any part in the north you cannot forget that staging a home can determine how long it sits on the market as well. I mean for a buyer to walk in a home and imagine the walls a neutral color and the wallpaper taken down, by them, and updated cabinets as well as counter tops is almost a deal breaker. I know HGTV is mundane to most but the keys to getting more for your home is to make it appealling to the masses. Let's face it - take all the clutter out and give your home a face lift with paint and clean floors you will get most if not all of asking if like Ray was saying it is priced right.
Good luck to all looking to move down, remember staging is most important!!

[highart]

Waterford has new homes for sale and lots to build a plan of your choice from a couple builders, Westport has been sold out for a little while. Waterford also has tennis courts and an awesome play area for the kids.

[seashellbelle]

Originally Posted by jmarquise

no, actually mine is the story of a lot of people. people who are being forced to stay put up north because the value of their home is 1/2 of what it was two years ago, while prices here have doubled. that is the reason for so many dead projects in brunswick county. that is why so many builders have gone bankrupt. this isn't my story, this is the reality. I am not saying that it is impossible to come down here and make a living, I am just saying that there are MUCH better places to do that. wilmington has had a steady decline in quality of life over the last ten years. I think if people have a choice to pay $200,000 for a 2000 square ft. house in raleigh and a job making $65,000, or to pay $200,000 for a 1300 square ft. house in wilmington and a job making $30,000 per year, they would chose the raleigh option. it's just a quality of life thing. good jobs are very hard to find here.

Geez Marquise,
I've been reading these posts for quite a while now, and it seems you are always painting such a negative picture of Wilmington and Brunswick County, what can we do to help you get a more positive attitude? CNN has ranked Wilmington, NC as the 7th fastest growing area in the country. Anyone can dispute reports, but I haven't seen any builders shutting down, maybe holding back, until demand catches up to supply, but all in all we are in a terrific area, compared to FLA, NV, AZ, and CA. The Raleigh, Charlotte areas are doing fine, but quite honestly, I don't feel like dealing with all the traffic. I lived in DC too, loved it, don't miss it though. We will get through this recession, just please stop trashing this area. I know jobs aren't as plentiful here, but Corning, GE, Progress Energy and PP&D, are doing a great deal of hiring, which is not the norm throughout the rest of the country. PLEZ let us know how to help you, and PLEZ stop griping, it isn't helping you or this thread, nor are you painting a realistic picture.

[Maximmmm]

Brunswick Forest has something like $175 monthly association fee. Most are $175 a quarter

[Florida15]

$175 a quarter? I don't think so. Ours started out at $90.00 a month when we moved here which was $270 every three months.Now it's $407 every three months.They are all different depending on what it covers,but they all seem to be overpriced. Anyone moving here,make sure you know what yours will be and the services it covers and what the rules and regulations are.