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Developing Meaningful
Connections with our Clients

Meet the  Coastal Realty Connections Real Estate Team

The Coastal Realty Connections team has spent more than 20 years specializing in intracoastal realty sales and rentals in the coastal Carolinas, developing a vast knowledge of the area, and lasting relationships with clients and the brokerage community.

If you’re looking to buy property, we’re committed to doing the research and legwork it takes to connect you with the ideal home or homesite. If you’re looking to list property for sale, we approach each listing individually, developing a marketing strategy that is customized to bring you results.

At Coastal Realty Connections, it’s not our goal to be the biggest real estate agency in the area, just the best. Our boutique intracoastal realty firm limits the number of clients we take on to ensure we can provide the high service level and attention you expect. The Coastal Realty Connections Team currently has North Carolina locations in Southport, Wilmington and New Bern.

Donald Howarth

Broker-in-Charge & Owner

The first thing you notice about Donald Howarth upon meeting him is his Scottish brogue, followed quickly by his wit and good humor. What’s also immediately evident upon introduction, is that this is a man who enjoys what he does—using his incredible background and understanding of the intracoastal real estate market to assist, guide and serve clients.

While Donald has spent more than 25 years in senior real estate positions in the coastal Carolinas, his career as a real estate agent began 30 years ago in his native Scotland, where he was part of the team that managed the reconstruction of a ruined castle whose rich history dates back to the 1200s. Fully restored, Kilconquhar Castle with its newly added resort amenities was offered on an interval ownership basis. Donald’s work exposing international clients to the ownership opportunities at the castle brought him to the U.S., where he was offered a position with Fairfield Communities, a leader in residential and vacation development. At Fairfield, Donald quickly worked his way up through the ranks to serve as Sales Manager in New Bern, North Carolina and then Vice President of Sales in South Carolina, concentrating on the Myrtle Beach region. It was in New Bern that he met his wife Trisha who he married in 1991.

Donald Howarth, Coastal Connections Realty Real Estate AgentAfter seven years with Fairfield, Donald took a position with the developer of Bald Head Island, overseeing the company’s resale brokerage. Following record-breaking results within the resale division, Donald was asked to serve as Director of Sales for the entire sales operation, including the company’s new products division, comprised of homes, homesites and interval ownership cottages, where he achieved historic sales in all categories.

Following a 10-year tenure with Bald Head Island Limited, Donald served as Vice President of Sales for The Coastal Companies, a corporation with beach, marina and golf-themed developments located throughout Brunswick County. During his nearly seven years with the company, Donald was directly responsible for the operations, sales, administration and marketing functions for various company holdings. Concurrent with his time at The Coastal Companies, Donald served as president of Amscot Incorporated, a consultancy offering extensive expertise in all aspects of real estate, from sales force recruitment and training to start-up community sales, marketing and development.

Coastal Realty Connections represents the culmination of 30 years of real estate agency experience and the opportunity for clients interested in better homes and homesites in coastal North Carolina to be offered the highest levels of service and attention. Donald leverages his vast personal experience and his extensive network of sales, construction and marketing associates to bring an unmatched understanding of the area’s real estate market conditions and offerings. Coastal Realty Connections is proud to be a preferred referral firm for Landfall Realty.

Donald has served on board-level positions with multiple homeowner associations, and his professional memberships include the Brunswick County Association of Realtors, Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors, the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Donald and Trisha are active supporters of the Brunswick Community College Foundation, where Trisha is a past president,  and they are active members of the local Chambers of Commerce.


 Coastal Connections Realty Affiliate Real Estate Agency

Charles W. Buck

Broker-in-Charge –  New Bern 

Charles Buck began his realty career in 2001 and opened his own successful company in 2008. A lifelong resident of Pamlico and Craven Counties, Charles is an expert on the area’s land and home listings. As a Board of Realtors member with an established broker network, Charles has the working relationships and area knowledge to help place clients in the right location. Charles believes that getting to know a client is the most important part of his job. By taking the time to engage others, he has made lasting friendships throughout his real estate career.

Prior to his work in real estate, Charles worked for DuPont for 35 years, where he was responsible for bringing products to market, an experience that serves him well when listing a property and developing a strategy for bringing it to the market place. Charles also served for 22 years in the Army/Army Reserves, where he retired as a Lt. Colonel.

Well known in his community as a trusted civic and church leader, Charles devotes much of his free time to volunteering in the Tabernacle Baptist Church soup kitchen in New Bern, teaching Sunday School, and ministering to prison inmates.


Testimonials

“Moving from Atlanta to Wilmington, NC to retire was a challenge for me and my husband having no friends or family in the area but a desire to live in this beautiful city. We are forever grateful to Donald for his expertise and guidance from the very first day of our search for a home through our closing. After several trips to down, continued long distance communications, and Donald’s ability to accurately interpret our wants and needs, we found the perfect place to retire. Donald is by far the best realtor we could ask for. He is well known in the area, knows the market, and is respected by those involved in the home building industry. Most important though, he always put your best interests first. ~Marv & Patty Rowe

“..your participation was invaluable and very helpful to me. You’ve done an outstanding job as our realtor. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you and getting to know you.”  ~Dale & Debbie Todd

“Working with Donald was wonderful.  He researched properties and made spot-on recommendations, found answers to every question that came up, and inspected every home as if he were buying it for himself.   I have no doubt he’d treat a transaction for his own home the exact same way.  Donald was easy to communicate with and always available.  The thing that stands out most, though, is that his goal is to ensure that you are happy.  Having worked with other realtors, the difference between (them and) Donald couldn’t be more stark.”  ~Jamie, Wilmington, N.C.

“.. let me thank you!  In our 30 + years of marriage, James and I have purchased 7 different properties (a fair bit of moving) and you are the most professional, well prepared, helpful, thorough realtor that we have ever, ever dealt with!  We really, really appreciated the information, help and insight.  Especially as we do not know Caswell Beach (or Oak Island) very well. ” ~James & Janet M. 

“We were fortunate to have Donald as our buyer’s agent. Donald was professional, knowledgeable about the area, and he ably guided us through the long and sometimes complex process of lot selection, home design, and construction. ” ~Mary & Walter Palmer

“The idea of moving from the Boston area to Southport was daunting.  Working with Donald could not have been more delightful.  He has expertized in the local market, history of the area, insights on best properties for our special needs and general can-do attitude really came through for us.  We were especially grateful for his building design suggestions, all of which we adopted.  His communication was flawless and timely.  We have worked with many buyer’s agents in the past and by far Donald is superior.  He always put our needs and wants first and found the best solution for us.  You won’t find a better person to look after your needs and his confidential thoughts were really appreciated and useful.” ~Doug & Kim Livolsi

 

Contact us to find the best homes for sale in Coastal NC.