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My husband and I are looking to purchase a second home in a coastal area that will eventually be our retirement home. We currently live by the beach in NJ and want to be near the beach/bay in NC but not the outer banks. We prefer a fishing town and would love to be able to scoot around in a golf cart. Any recommendations of where we should begin our search?
We prefer a fishing town and would love to be able to scoot around in a golf cart. Any recommendations of where we should begin our search?
Sneads Ferry still has active shrimping businesses, and some sell directly to the consumer.
However, golf carts have to be street-legal to be driven on the roads. They may be safe inside of a development, but I would not expect to drive them on roads for errands. There are no shoulders and too many fast drivers for safety.
Southport! Definitely worth a "Google"! We are from coastal New England, moved to Raleigh 10 years ago but longed to be closer to the beach. We did a lot of research and since we were already in NC, we were able to make several weekend trips during our search. The Outer Banks is just too remote. Places like New Bern/Oriental were lovely but on the river, NOT the ocean. We also didn't want an actual beach community that was totally dead in the winter.
As soon as drove into Southport, we knew it was the right place. Charming, historic, vibrant walkable town, lots of shops, restaurants, located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, 30 miles south of Wilmington. Lots to do here. As far as shopping, there is everything you need on a daily basis (grocery stores, CVS, Walgreens, specialty shops) and Wilmington is only a 30 min drive for mall shopping, Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, And other major realtors.
Also worth looking into are: Calabash, Beaufort, Belhaven and Edenton, depending on what the OP is really seeking. Calabash and Beaufort are close to the ocean and touristy in the summer. Belhaven has a lot of fishing industry nearby, but is remote. Edenton has some charm and is on the Sound.
My husband and I are looking to purchase a second home in a coastal area that will eventually be our retirement home. We currently live by the beach in NJ and want to be near the beach/bay in NC but not the outer banks. We prefer a fishing town and would love to be able to scoot around in a golf cart. Any recommendations of where we should begin our search?
My wife and I are in the same boat. We are coming from Ct. and looking for the same. Thru my research, Golf carts are OK on any road posted 35mph or less if registered, insured, etc. You can cross over a road with higher speed limits but not allowed to run parallel to it. Some plantations/developments can make local rules restricting carts from roads. Many of the roads are 45 or 55mph once you leave your community. The above advice of Southport is a good one as it has areas that you can drive to IF you live in the downtown area.
We previously purchased a lot in WRP which has a 45mph road bisecting the community so we are restricted to our part of neighborhood only. We will at least be able to go to the pool and clubhouse in the cart so that's not too bad. My advice is to look at areas on google earth and then use "street view" to "drive" the roads and check the speed limit signs.
I’ve seen golf carts only on the golf courses in St. James(maintenance workers drive them on the streets) so there is probably a rule against them for residents.
I agree that Southport is a lovely town. Inside city limits I can’t think of a single franchise fast food or restaurant. They are just beyond the borders but it makes for some great independent places to eat and shop.
1. Wherever you go, please make sure you have the access to medical specialists you might need in the future. Wilmington and Greenville have plenty of specialists, but the smaller towns may have only a Family Physiscian or PhysicianAssistant.
2. Understand that you will need wind and hail (AKA hurricane insurance even if you are inland). I will often be more expensive that your property taxes.
3. If you have need for specialized food or certain cultural or religious services, you may not find them in a smaller town. Coastal North Carolina is the rural south culturally when you go inland from the beach. Places like Southport and Calabash, which have plenty of northern transplants may be more to your liking.
I have a sister looking into North Myrtle Beach and Little River. A few of those communities own a beach house which is right on the ocean that residents can use. We are transplants from southern New Jersey and own a home being built currently in Ocean Ridge plantation. That community can be very expensive though. But they have a nice beach house.We are currently renting in king fish in calabash North Carolina. That is a very nice new community where they also have a beach house right on the beach in Sunset Beach that the residents can use and a shuttle in case parking is bad
I’ve seen golf carts only on the golf courses in St. James(maintenance workers drive them on the streets) so there is probably a rule against them for residents.
I agree that Southport is a lovely town. Inside city limits I can’t think of a single franchise fast food or restaurant. They are just beyond the borders but it makes for some great independent places to eat and shop.
I live in SJP and yes, golf carts are not allowed. With almost 4,000 homes so far (going to 5,000 at build-out), 80 miles of roads, and 6,000 acres, they may have felt hundreds of carts also on the road would be a danger. Also, if you wanted to cruise the plantation on a nice day, may not be enough juice or gas to get back home, lol.
BTW, my wife and I love it here. Southport is picture perfect and Wilmington is only 30 min away.
1. Wherever you go, please make sure you have the access to medical specialists you might need in the future. Wilmington and Greenville have plenty of specialists, but the smaller towns may have only a Family Physiscian or PhysicianAssistant.
2. Understand that you will need wind and hail (AKA hurricane insurance even if you are inland). I will often be more expensive that your property taxes.
3. If you have need for specialized food or certain cultural or religious services, you may not find them in a smaller town. Coastal North Carolina is the rural south culturally when you go inland from the beach. Places like Southport and Calabash, which have plenty of northern transplants may be more to your liking.
As always, excellent information from Goldenage!
I am a nurse practitioner and retired from Duke in August. While my husband and I have no current health issues, medical care was important to us in retirement. Southport has Dosher Memorial Hospital, a small "critical access hospital" with 25 inpatient beds, a 24 hr ED, busy outpatent surgery, excellent wound care center and award winning cardiac rehab. Patients requriring critical care are transferred to NHRMC (New Hanover Regional Medical Center) in Wilmington, an 855 bed hospital and level 2 trauma center or up to Duke or UNC. There is also Novant Hospital in Bolivia, 16 miles away, a fairly new 70 bed facility with maternal child health, acute care and several outpatient subspecialties.
There are quite a few physicans in the Brunswick County area, both internal medicine and family practice as well as specialities such as cardiology, pulmonary, GI, oncology, ENT, GYN. Several NHRMC physicians have opened outpatient practices in Leland, a 15 min drive from a Southport.
The bottom line is, this area is growing and access to health care is certainly improving.
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