When you’re looking for real estate in the Leland area of North Carolina keep Carolina Plantations in mind as your Leland Realtor. We know the Leland area well and have many outstanding properties we’d be happy to show you.

This charming custom cape-style brick cottage is located in the gated community of Waterford of the Carolina in Leland Towncreek. When we say it shows like a Pottery Barn model that’s exactly what we mean. With an open and airy floor plan and abundant wood flooring to stainless appliances and oil bronzed fixtures and hardware, you’ll have to pinch yourself to know you’re not dreaming. Enjoy the large breakfast area complete with built-in home office desk and cabinetry. The spacious living room is accented by classic white built-in units and a gas fireplace. An elegant master suite has a tile shower and separate whirlpool. Open and bright bonus area over garage is perfect for a family den or playroom and has wrought iron stairwell railings.

Second and third bedroom sizes are tremendous, custom plantation shutters, 20 x 15 unfinished room designed for future 4th bedroom and third full bath, 16x13 screened porch, 16x12 deck, unobstructed view of Magnolia Greens golf course, serene cul-de-sac, large fenced yard, move-in condition. There’s also an attached two-car garage, pond, and irrigation system. Amenities in this neighborhood are a bbq and picnic area, club house, exercise facility, outdoor pool, playground, tennis and walking trails.

Give Carolina Plantations a call today and we’d be proud to be your Leland Realtor.

If you are a first time homebuyer this is your opportunity to realize your dream of owning Calabash NC Real Estate now while the prices are so low. With the housing market flooded there are plenty of homes to choose from so we’ll surely have something to meet your needs. Purchasing Calabash NC Real Estate at this time just may be the best decision a first time homebuyer will ever make.

While a house so close to the ocean is itself already a prized possession, owners of Calabash NC Real Estate have scenic views of the water, and a variety of activities that come with it, to enjoy all year long. From fabulous fishing to surfing, kayaking or biking, Calabash beguiles not just seasoned locals but everyday visitors as well.

If you’re purchasing property in hopes of one day retiring here full time you’ll find that rental properties in the area are easy to keep filled. You can add yours to the list, never worrying about finding renters. Who wouldn't be excited to spend a relaxing vacation in a home on coastal North Carolina?

Owning property here, you can arrange your own vacation for whenever suits you best. No more vacationing around other people’s schedules. You will never have to think about rental expenses and what to bring for that needed vacation. Your own vacation house is fully stocked and at your disposal whenever you want it.

Vacation property so close to the ocean makes for a wonderful retirement home. Health benefits of living here can include the relaxation that comes from living near the ocean, the healing effects of salt water, and enough sunshine to boost your immune system and your mood.

The premier gated golf community of Landfall is located within Wilmington, NC. It’s North Carolina’s largest and most diverse coastal community just 5 minutes from Wrightsville Beach.

Landfall of Wilmington NC consists of approximately 2,200 acres with nearly 4 miles of that being waterfront property on the Intracoastal Waterway and Howe Creek. Over the past 15 years nearly 2,000 homes -- from grand estates to smaller, more intimate homes – have been part of developing this ideal setting with lakes, ponds, and a wide variety of land and natural environments.

Amenities for residents at Landfall of Wilmington NC range from nature trails and community recreational facilities to the Landfall Country Club with championship courses designed by Jack Nicklaus (27 holes) and Pete Dye (18 holes). Both courses have their own clubhouse and pro shop, and include practice facilities, driving ranges, sand bunkers, and chipping and putting greens. In addition, the Drysdale Complex offers 14 tennis courts with a variety of court surfaces, a fitness center, 8 lane Olympic pool and dining facility.

The homes here are beautiful and something you have to see to fully appreciate.There are currently 114 residential listings and 100 land listings available for purchase. Pictured here is a stunning one-story patio home in the highly desirable Turnberry Community on Landfall's Dye Golf Course. This 3 bedroom and 2 bath home features a spacious floor plan, formal dining room, panoramic view of the golf course, fireplace, garden tub, and a two car garage. Living in this Landfall of Wilmington NC home you'll be just minutes to the beach.
 

At Holden Beach, North Carolina, you’ll find a coastal lifestyle that you’ll fall in love with. Here you’ll experience beach living — a peaceful, laid back way of life. There are great deals on Holden Beach NC real estate all over the area whether you're looking for a retirement home, investment property or a vacation retreat. Our large selection of Holden Beach NC real estate includes residential homes, town homes, cottages, and villas, all at reasonable prices. Find one you like and we’ll be happy to show it to you.

This charming cottage located at 131 Swordfish, Holden Beach, sits right on a canal. With 1,700 square feet and its 3 bedrooms and 2 baths it’s large enough for your family and having guests stay over, too. Enjoy the beautiful marsh views from your dining room table. Two bedrooms are upstairs with bath. Large family room is downstairs with 3rd bedroom and bathroom. There is a fenced backyard. Enjoy fishing and boating from your own private dock. This property is sold as is and priced to sell. Located in the city limits, on a paved street. Just bring your boat and you’re all set for a lifestyle of fun living at this location.

If you’d like to see other Holden Beach NC real estate similar to this property give Carolina Plantations a call at (910) 575-0075 or contact us through our website.

If you’re headed out from Brunswick Forest North Carolina this New Year’s Eve there are plenty of places to take advantage of to bring in the new year. This is your last opportunity to see the City of Wilmington's annual downtown Christmas tree lighting. The Lighting of the Ship has been illuminated from the bow, up to the masts and down to the stern. It’s lit up from dusk until 11:00 p.m. on Dec. 31, with the best view from downtown Wilmington.

Another end of season event is Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland — a one-of-a-kind drive-through Christmas lights and music spectacular from 5-10 p.m. nightly through December 31, 2011. Guests can drive through a maze filled with hundreds of thousands of LED lights performed in synchronization with Christmas tunes on their radio. Presented by Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland Organization at Pelican's Stadium Parking Lot, SC.

Closer to Brunswick Forest North Carolina an event you won’t want to miss is the 2012 Ocean Isle Beach Bridge Run For Food 5K Run/Walk & Half-Marathon will take place on Saturday, January 7, 2012. In its ninth year, the race is a major fund-and-friend raising event for the South Brunswick Interchurch Council Food Pantry. The course will take runners over the scenic high-rise Odell Williamson Bridge to the mainland and back to the island. Views of the Intracoastal Waterway on one side of the island and the Atlantic Ocean on the other makes the journey even more pleasant and exciting. Check in at Town Hall, 3 West 3rd St, Ocean Isle Beach, NC on Friday January 6 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Race Day Packet Pickup at Town Hall Saturday January 7, 7:00 – 8:45 p.m. Race start time 9:00 a.m. Runners and walkers of all ages are also invited to register on-line at www.active.com no later than 1/03/11 for this event.

We'd like to wish everyone a happy and safe New Year's celebration. Don't forget, there's plenty of firework displays up and down the beachfront on New Year's Eve.

Everyone wants to pay the least they can when buying insurance and homeowner's insurance is no exception. The more safety measures you have in place throughout your home the less likely you'll have major disasters occurring so the less your insurance will cost you.

The following list are some protections you'd be wise to install prior to taking out your homeowners' insurance policy — or soon after you begin coverage. Some insurance companies offer discounts for these protections, and some don't. So it's in your best interests to shop around and find out who will make you the best offer for your efforts.

• Security system
• Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
• Sprinkler system
• Dead-bolt locks
• Heat detectors
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire escapes (if present) that are easily accessible antenna(e)
• Backyard pool (if present) surrounded by fence with a securely locked and bolted gate
• Sidewalks outside the house are and contain no large cracks, chips or holes

Before you meet with an insurance agent following the purchase of any Leland homes for sale or anywhere else for that matter, make a list of all of your home's features. List anything and everything you can think of as you have nothing to lose but money.

In today's competitive market, it's particularly important to shop around, because it's quite possible you'll receive widely varying quotes on policies that offer essentially the same coverage. Whether you’re looking for a policy for one of our  Leland homes for sale or you have an existing home you’re insuring, you’re bound to get a better rate by adding some of the features we’ve mentioned here.
 

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings — These are the magical words that fill the air this holiday season. We start using them just after the Thanksgiving holiday. It is believed that an English admiral first used the term "Merry Christmas" in an informal letter, way back in 1699. Merry means pleasant and we are happy to wish all a pleasant Christmas during the happy celebrations. What better way than to gift our family and friends a reminder of these wishes.

Christmas is the most widely celebrated festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and is the season for giving. It is the time to spend with family and friends, for sparkling lights and brightly decorated gifts. Christmas is for love and sharing gifts and cards has become a sort of universal way to communicate joy and good wishes. Let us freely express the love and best wishes this festive season to all of those around us.

Those of us at Carolina Plantations wish you and yours a delightfully Merry Christmas this year. May Santa be good to you! All decorated for the holidays, we invite you take a drive to see the holiday decorations at the beautiful homes in Brunswick Forest Wilmington NC. If there are any homes for sale in the Brunswick Forest Wilmington NC area that you’d like to take a closer look at, we’d be happy to show them to you. Until that time, have a lovely holiday with your family.
 

For some parents, a handwritten check with a lot of zeroes just isn’t good enough as a graduation present. It seems so insubstantial and unoriginal. So how about a piece of North Carolina in the form of Oak Island condos? A fabulous idea!

Real estate brokers say that in the last year, they have seen more parents shopping for condominiums for their grown children, hoping to take advantage of low mortgage rates and prices that are still about 20 percent down from the market’s peak.

These congratulatory condos are often small one-bedrooms, but on occasion they are bigger-ticket items because the parents see it as a long-term investment and a good place to park their money.

In many cases, brokers say, the parents often don't live in the area and view Oak Island condos as a potential second home for themselves when the child decides to move on. Some buy it as a straight-out gift, a gesture of affection sweetened by the present generous tax exclusion. Others buy it as an investment and retain ownership, and still others acquire it through a family trust for joint ownership.

There are mundane issues to be figured out, like who pays the maintenance and for any work that needs to be done, and who gets any profits when the condo is sold. Make an agreement preferably in writing.

In one of the simplest scenarios, the parents buy and keep a condo in their name and agree to pay the monthly carrying costs, and the child lives there as a family member, not a renter. Condos permit this, but some co-ops allow only owners to be residents and may require that the child’s name be put on the proprietary lease.

If you’d like us to show you some Oak Island condos don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at your earliest convenience.
 

The phrase “Universal Design” refers to a wide range of architectural and construction ideas and products aimed at producing residential homes that are optimally accessible to both the able-bodied and the physically disabled.

Universal design elements include such things as:

•    No-step entry doorways
•    Homes without stairs
•    Wide doorways (32"-36") and hallways (36"-42")
•    Pull handles instead of knobs on cabinetry
•    Under-cabinet lighting
•    Closets with adjustable rods and pullout shelving
•    Lever door handles instead of knobs
•    Walk-in showers and bath tubs

The “universal design” concept evolved from earlier “barrier-free” concepts, the broader accessibility movement, and adaptive and assistive technology. Universal design seeks to blend aesthetics as well as functionality into products.

As life expectancy increases and modern medicine increases the survival rate of persons with significant injuries and illnesses, there is a growing interest in universal design by many forward-thinking architects, home builders and remodelers.

More homes are now being built with “universal design” features that will help baby-boomers stay in their homes as they age. Perhaps the most interesting facet of the “universal design” concept is how quickly younger families are beginning to ask for such “ease-of-use” features in the homes they are considering building or buying.

We have some beautiful Oak Island real estate in North Carolina. Give us a call at Carolina Plantations and we’ll show you available properties. We’re sure to have Oak Island real estate that will meet your needs for now and for long range.
 

Not everyone who relocates to the coastal area of North Carolina has the luxury of buying a home while they are here during the summer when the appeal of our coastal lifestyle is most obvious. If you need to sell a home or condominium during the off-season, there will still be buyers. You just may need to put a little more effort and creativity into the task of selling your home during this time.

Everyone who has ever sold a home has heard the usual advice: Find a good agent, be aware of local home values, remove personal items and de-clutter the home. Touch up the paint, remove old wallpaper, be out of the home during showings, and keep your pet out of the way. That is all good advice, but it’s not always enough. You may need to go a few “extra miles” to achieve success, however if you’re selling a home in the off-season.

Keep these five things in mind from the moment you start planning to sell your home:

1. Know Your Bottom Line: If you need to sell quickly, stay ahead of the market by pricing your home a bit lower than the comparable homes.

2. Get Involved: Just because you’re working with a realtor doesn’t mean you can’t do some of your own leg-work. Internet-based social media sites have opened limitless new strategies to sell your home. Consider using sites like Craigslist, Facebook, Flickr, Zillow and YouTube.

3. Accept Outside Services: Take advantage of a wide range of services, that could help you streamline the buying and selling process such as a home “staging” service that can help you show your home at its best.

4. Sweeten the Deal:  Sometimes it takes some out-of-the-box ideas to seal a deal. You might sweeten the pot by offering to pay some or all of a buyer’s moving expenses, for example.

5. Be Flexible: Home sellers should be willing to make concessions, especially in the off-season. That means not haggling over minor repairs or refusing to leave behind the chandelier your potential buyer loves.

If you have Southport real estate that you want to sell or you’re interested in looking at Southport real estate give us a call at Carolina Plantations and we’d be happy to talk over your needs and desires in detail with you.
 

Beautiful North Carolina and its Carolina Shores real estate has become the retirement destination for many. The comfortably moderate winters and warm summer climate are delightful alternatives to the harsh Northern temperatures. Famous nearby Sunset Beach and Myrtle Beach, plentiful state parks and of course the fisherman’s dream — the Atlantic Ocean — are close by. Close proximity to the numerous entertainment attractions found in Myrtle Beach make Carolina Shores real estate very appealing to investors the world over.

Owning property in Carolina Shores is desirable for anyone who wants to see value for their dollar while escaping the harsh, cold weather experienced elsewhere in the U.S. However, North Carolina real estate is also attractive for astute, real estate investors. While other investment vehicles like stocks and bonds have been battered in recent years, keen individuals rightly still consider real estate a prime investment avenue.

You may have searched elsewhere in the state and found that the buying opportunity is truly great for Carolina Shores real estate. If you have chosen this perfect slice of North Carolina for you and your family, then you should consider a number of different factors related to your convenience and quality of life. Whether you are looking for frontage on a golf course or good schools and shopping in quiet neighborhoods, this is the town to live in. Whatever your style and passion you will find the perfect home to compliment your standard of living right here in Carolina Shores, North Carolina, where the sun shines brightly thus making Carolina Shores real estate also a shining investment for you.

 

Fannie Mae’s latest version of Desktop Underwriter (DU), their automated-underwriting engine that must be used by every lender to approve loans if they want to be able to sell them to Fannie, requires you to increase your income and pay off your debt to have the best chance at mortgage approval.

This year’s release dropped the maximum debt ratio allowed from 50% to 45%. This is significant because it drops the home price for which a buyer will qualify. In the case of a lower-end buyer with 10% down (and at the debt ratio limit) it takes roughly 11% off of the home price they can consider. There can be a huge difference between homes at $350,000 and those available for $300,000.

For a buyer at 50% debt ratio who considered putting 30% down on a $400,000 home in early December and decided to wait until after the holidays to make an offer, they now need to get the seller down to $300,000, because that is what they now qualify for. Unless they received an 11% pay raise as a Christmas bonus that is. The good news is that this change does not apply to FHA loans.

Fannie has also changed the way revolving debt is treated. Previously, if a borrower was pushing the debt ratio limit, and had a balance on their credit card that they were willing and able to pay off, they could do so and the monthly payment that went with that card balance would not be counted in their debt ratio.

Now, if a borrower needs to pay off a revolving account to qualify, they must also close that account and provide documentation that they have done so, or the payment will still be counted against them.

If you’re interested in seeing Sunset Beach real estate in North Carolina give us a call at Carolina Plantations and we’ll show you some properties. We’re sure to have Sunset Beach real estate that will meet your needs and desires.
 

In the last few years, the average time it takes to sell a home has increased dramatically. Many make a blanket statement and blame the economy but it’s specifically due to credit lines tightening up and unemployment rising. At this time, sellers need to be more competitive and flexible than ever before to get their home sold in a reasonable amount of time.

What affects the average time of a house on the market?

Price: An asking price that is too high can drastically impact your ability to sell your home quickly. Your real estate agent can provide you with the most recent comparable sales in the area and information on the local market so that you can make the best initial decision on list price.

Condition: Fix all nail holes, carpet stains, get rid of odors and pet stains. Clean your house from top to bottom, windows and doors included and de-clutter. The less of your stuff buyers have to look at in your home the more they are able to envision themselves in it.

Location: Where your home is located will go a long way to determining how quickly you may be able to sell. Homes that are adjacent to or back up to busy streets, power lines, commercial property, etc. are going to have a more difficult time selling.

Take all of these factors into consideration and remain as flexible and patient as possible and you will get your home sold. Just remember that it only takes one buyer!

If you’re interested in looking at Calabash real estate in North Carolina give us a call at Carolina Plantations and we’d be happy to show you some properties. We have Calabash real estate to meet the needs of just about any potential homebuyer.
 

If you love golf then you’re going to really love our Brunswick Forest NC real estate. Brunswick Forest's Cape Fear National® offers 18-holes of championship golf in a setting of unmatched beauty. Magnificent forests of mature oaks, maples, pines and magnolias create an old-world feel experienced only on the most seasoned courses. This Tim Cate-designed course features several bridges cut through the wetlands, three waterfalls, beach bunkers, native grasses and wildflowers, all adding to the aesthetic beauty of the golf course.

Renowned architect Tim Cate has designed this course as dramatic as the landscape itself. The layout winds through heavily undulating land and sweeps past breathtaking expanses of cypress, pines, maples, oaks and magnolias. Visually strong with abundant water features, each of the holes is laid out to dazzle the eye and challenge the golfer of every level.

A 7,000 square foot clubhouse features locker rooms, a pro shop, indoor and outdoor dining and related amenities, making the overall golf experience as gracious off the course as on.

Premier golf course home sites along Cape Fear National® are now available. Pick out the Brunswick Forest NC real estate home site of your dreams today overlooking this spectacular course. From their front doors, the half- to one-acre home sites overlook Cape Fear National's sixth hole, which requires a challenging shot between two large ponds. A natural area behind the building sites provides a private backyard setting with views through to the course beyond.
 

Many times when people purchase Holden Beach real estate the first thing they want to do before moving in is to paint the walls a color that will reflect their personality and what they dream of. Here are some things to consider before you paint your new Holden Beach real estate.

First, take into account the size of each room you will be painting. A bold wall color with a warmer tone can make a room feel much more intimate and cozy, especially if the room is larger. A cooler shade of color can push out the walls of a small room, making it appear larger than it is. Don't be afraid to use a bold shade in a smaller room. A vibrant shade can bring dimension to the smallest space.

Secondly, think about the mood you want to create when you use a bold wall color. Certain shades typically evoke specific reactions from people. For instance, most people find green shades calming and yellow energizing. If you are painting a bedroom, you probably want to create an atmosphere of rest and retreat. In a kitchen, you may prefer a vibe that says lively and energetic. Your choice of wall color can communicate many different feelings.

Thirdly, when you go to look at paint samples, take an accent or accessory with you that you would like to use in the room. Then choose several paint samples that work with the colors in that item, whether it is a pillow, vase or piece of artwork. This is a great starting point for picking bold wall colors if you aren't entirely sure about the colors you want.