Today’s Hottest House Trends May Surprise You

Posted October 17, 2015 by Donald Howarth

When most people think about housing trends, they think about wall colors, cabinet styles and materials. As lives become more complicated, priorities shift and the definition of family has changed significantly. In response to these shifts in society, the housing trends change and adapt. The economic situation for many homeowners has also caused adjustment to future housing plans.

Location, Location, Location! Yes this has always been the most important aspect of choosing a home. In the past, people focused on a location because of family, job or cost of living. Now the number one priority in regards to location comes down to the walkability of restaurants, shopping and services.

We are all familiar with “green” building however the shift to “well” building is right around the corner. “Well” building continues the avoidance of harmful materials and the highlight of water and energy conservation with a new focus on design that enhances the life of the occupants. “Biophilic” design involves window and door placement to strive for a seamlessness between the home and the great outdoors. Increasing natural light and adding LEDs with dimmers and colors that can be changed according to time of day or weather. The lighting can simulate circadian rhythms in the body to improve sleep patterns which in turn is a boost to your health. In similar terms, a “well” home is all about being healthy in your body and in your mind.

In one of our early posts, we discussed the ever growing sustainable movement which has thousands of yards adorned with edible landscaping, backyard chickens and even bee hives. Going a few steps farther is a new housing trend called “Agrihood”. These are planned communities with a “nod” to communal living. The idea is to incorporate farming into planned neighborhoods where homesites are larger, community gardens and livestock herds cover the common areas and neighbors work together maintaining the needs of the farm. You may even see community kitchens and dining rooms instead of tennis courts and pools. The shared work and “fruits of labor” create a sense of pride and connection between neighbors. We expect to see more of these communities popping up as the sustainable movement spreads.

Managing power usage continues to be a top concern for home owners. In addition to solar panels there has been a huge boost in the number of “smart homes” which help to manage usage by automatically adjusting heating/cooling settings and lighting to accommodate time of day as well as weather. Most of the “smart home” technology can be accessed and manipulated by a cell phone app.

Consumers are demanding low maintenance features and materials as they no longer want to spend their weekends mowing grass and painting the deck. The focus has shifted to materials and systems with a greater longevity and durability. A good example is hand built brick walls, they will last for centuries rather than just one owner. This goes along with the push to build structures to withstand severe weather. Many builders and homeowners are “opting to go beyond what is required” says Philadelphia developer Nino Cutrufello.

To further to the low maintenance push, folks are choosing to build smaller, more open floorplans. Including creative use of space and smaller bedrooms allow for overall smaller structures. Since the bedroom is typically where we spend the least amount of time it makes sense to make these rooms smaller. This also is the case for families housing multiple generations. Private entrances offer a feeling of separation and independence while still being cost effective and family oriented.

With such a shift in housing trends it will be interesting to see what effect if any these changes have on the resale market. We may start to see more and more renovations to retro fit homes for the “new style” of living.

Waterfront Home Open House September 30

Posted September 28, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Open House Wednesday September 30

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Pizza and pasta lunch will be provided

Also enjoy a tasty treat from the Side Street Bakery

**Register to win 1 of 2 $50 Visa Gift Cards

5952 Dutchman Creek Road

This beautiful, meticulously maintained marsh front home has panoramic views of Dutchman Creek, tidal marshes, ICW and distant Caswell Beach. Architect designed plan with full living quarters, kitchen, dining and master suite on the first level. Direct access to the open deck, spacious screened porch and a relaxing sunroom completes the spa package. Two further bedrooms and bathroom on the upper level create a totally private family or guest area, complete with a study area and ample storage.

MLS# 686658
Listing Agent: Donald Howarth
Cell: 910-279-9398
Email: Donald@coastalrealtyconnections.com

See more about this home.

Best places Entertaining Dogs

Posted September 18, 2015 by Donald Howarth

If you are “owned” by a dog, then you know how important it is to have the perfect home for your four legged friend. Everything from the number of stairs to a fenced back yard can come into play when looking for the ideal home for your furry family members. Most homes can be modified to accommodate special needs for pets but more importantly is the neighborhood pet friendly? Some planned communities are thinking ahead and including dog parks as an amenity for residents to enjoy while some provide sidewalks and trails where you can exercise your dog on-leash. Once you have pinpointed your area of interest, stop by a park or pet store and ask pet owners if they recommend any neighborhoods or communities that they know to be dog friendly. Other pet owners are usually very happy to share information like their favorite pet store, veterinarian, groomer and their favorite place to take their own dog. You can also drive around a specific neighborhood taking note of the number of homes with dogs or if there are folks out walking their dogs. This is often a good indicator of a dog friendly neighborhood. Keep in mind if you are considering a planned community or neighborhood with a Home Owners Association, you will want to obtain the Bylaws and Restrictions to make yourself aware of any rules that might not work for you and your pet. Fencing for example, may be required to be constructed of certain materials or may have height restrictions. Just make sure you know what is or isn’t permitted.

If you are relocating to a whole new town, make sure that you inquire about local ordinances and license laws. Since animal welfare laws are different in every city, it will be important to know before you buy or rent, what is expected from you as a dog owner. Certain cities in the country even have bans on particular breeds which may prevent you from living in city or county limits. As always it is important to be informed! Hopefully you are working with a REALTOR who should be able to help you navigate your pet friendly quest.

If you live in Brunswick or New Hanover Counties and are looking for a fun new place to take your dogs for some exercise and play time, there are a surprising number of options! If you dog is considered part of the family, then you know how hard it is to leave them at home sometimes. Along the south eastern coast of NC, Oak Island is a year round, dog friendly beach. Other area beaches allow dogs on leash only during certain times of the year, deemed as “off season.” You might also be surprised to find out there are dog-friendly restaurants and bars too! Here are some of our favorites!

Dog Parks

Bald Head Island
North Bald Head Wynd

Oak Island Dog Park
Dolphin Street, between 47th and 46^th Streets>

Holden Beach Dog Park
146 Scotch Bonnet Dr
Holden Beach, NC 28462

Shallotte Dog Park
5550 Main St,
Shallotte, NC 28459

Town Creek Park
6420 Ocean Highway East in Winnabow

Abbey Nature Trail
10200 Hwy 17 N
Wilmington, NC

Ogden Dog Park
Market St and Gordon Rd
Wilmington, NC, US
(910) 798-7620

Hugh McRae Park-Dog Park
1799 S College Rd
Wilmington, NC, US 28403
(910) 798-7630

Wilmington Dog Park
3405 Park Avenue (Within Empie Park)

Dog Friendly Restaurants and Bars (outdoor seating)

The George on the Riverwalk in Wilmington,         Front Street Brewery, Wilmington
Java Dog Coffee House, Wilmington                                     Rucker John’s on Carolina Beach Rd.
Brusters Real Ice Cream-Wilmington                                    Dairy Queen Wilmington
Lazy Pirate-Carolina Beach                                            Gibby’s Dock and Dine-Carolina Beach
Casa Matta-Carolina Beach                                           Seawitch Café and Tiki Bar-Carolina Beach
Fishy Fishy Café-Southport                                            Calabash Deli, Calabash
Fibber McGee’s-Sunset Beach                                           Shagger Jack’s-Oak Island
Inlet View Bar and Grill-Shallotte                                San Jose -by Lowes Foods in Shallotte

Now get out there and have some fun with your furry friends!!!

Why we have the Cape Fear River Pilots

Posted September 9, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Since Europeans first viewed the area, the river known ominously as the Cape Fear has been vital to the fortunes of both buccaneers and businessmen. History shows it was the pirate Stede Bonnet – by most accounts a poor sailor who already had been convicted as a pirate and pardoned – who may have realized the river’s name. After returning to piracy, he tried to escape capture in the early 1700’s by hiding up the Cape Fear. But he forgot the first rule of pirates – always have more than one escape route. Bonnet was caught as soon as the British reached the mouth of the river.

Union vessels didn’t have as much luck with the blockade runners of the Confederacy, who continued to escape capture and bring needed supplies back to the port at Wilmington during the Civil War. In fact, Wilmington was the last port open to blockade runners. When it finally fell in early 1865, it signaled the end of Confederate hopes.

Since then, though, most seagoing traffic hasn’t needed an escape route – merely a North Carolina berth. That meant the Cape Fear River in Wilmington, and the deep water harbor at Morehead City. When North Carolina’s first major port development began in the 1850s at Morehead City, harbor pilots began bringing in ships through Beaufort Inlet.In Wilmington, the river pilots became crucial during the Union blockade of the South during the Civil War. They would steam down the coastline and bring back needed supplies to the port, making Wilmington the last port open to blockade runners. Graphic Cape Fear Pilot Assoc (2)

In the years before modern dredging and channel deepening of the river, known ominously as the Cape Fear, captains used local pilots to maneuver the sandbars at the entrance of the harbor and of Frying Pan Shoals, more than 20 miles offshore. “Think of the captain of a large ship at Cape Fear as a blind man entering an immense, strange house, cluttered with unfamiliar furniture and other hazards, with only one entrance and one exit,” writes Jim McNeil in Masters of the Shoals.

Because of the pilots’ daring runs and narrow escapes, they often were romanticized in publications as “dandies of the town,” according to an article excerpted in Masters of the Shoals. “They wore fine ruffled shirts, tight fitting boots, long black coats and plug hats,” the author writes. “Every boy hoped someday to become a pilot.” “Without pilots, captains would be burdened. There is so much paperwork involved in every port visit, and (captains) go to so many ports around the world that they can’t know each river and port,” says Kirby. Federal regulations say that all “coastwise seagoing vessels propelled by machinery and subject to inspection” must be under the direction of a qualified pilot, along with vessels “not authorized by their certificate of inspection to proceed beyond (a specified) boundary line which are in excess of 1,600 tons, propelled by machinery and subject to inspection.” In more understandable terms, that means: “Every freighter, every big ship you see coming in this port has got a pilot in it,” said Scott Aldridge, river pilot and former president of the Cape Fear River Pilots Association.

In the Port of Wilmington 90 miles south of Morehead City, eight river pilots guide ships from a sea buoy in the Atlantic Ocean, past Bald Head and Jaybird shoals, and up the Cape Fear River.
“You have to navigate all the turns and bends in the river,” said Wes Kirby, then president of the Wilmington/Cape Fear Pilots Association. “Every bend has localized shoaling.” As river pilots bring the ships close to their berth in the Wilmington port, the docking pilots take over and use tugboats to push the vessel alongside its berth. Docking pilots also use tugs to undock vessels and turn them around so they can head down the river and out to sea.

Pilots have been around North Carolina ports for hundreds of years.

“Without pilots, shipping would come to a halt.”

sourced: Cape Fear Pilots Association – Wilmington,NC

When Empty Nesters Downsize

Posted September 2, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Graphic for Empty Nester Blog (2) Life is a journey. Couples buy the big house when they start their families. But when their kids fly the coop, they’re stuck with a too-big house that no longer meets their needs or fits their lifestyle. The thought of starting over can be daunting.

Over the years after helping scores of empty-nesters downsize, we’ve found that folks sometimes lose their way during this phase. Here are our top three tips to help keep everyone on track:

• No one loves your stuff as much as you do.
The first three things we tell empty-nesters to do to get their home ready for market is to de-clutter, de-clutter, de-clutter. It’s amazing how many things one can accumulate over a lifetime. As we age, we also tend to hold onto things as they connect us with our past. We know first-hand. We lost our dad almost 20 years ago, and to this day, our mom still refuses to throw out any of his belongings. Unfortunately, things that we think are important to our children may not be, and things that we think are disposable may have tremendous intrinsic value to our loved ones.

Here’s how you can fight the urge not to purge:

• Hire a professional. If you have found excuses for the last 25 years not to purge, it’s unlikely that you can do this alone.Many of our clients work with professional organizers and/or estate sales companies to help them get through this process. A professional organizer can help you sort through decades of paperwork and belongings in an organized and systematic way. A professional estate sales company can help you sort through which items have value and which do not, and then sell them for you.
• De-clutter on the front end. If you get something new, throw something old out. One in, one out. If you have too much stuff, change the ratio. For example, if you buy a new shirt, get rid of two or three old ones.

The good news is that de-cluttering is a cathartic process. While the journey of de-cluttering can be emotionally difficult, our clients routinely feel free and less burdened when they are done. In fact, the vast majority of our clients tell us that they wish they had done it years earlier.

• Move when you can, not when you have to. Don’t stay too long.
It’s easy to do. You’ve raised your family in a home, and have a lifetime of memories there. It’s a growing trend for empty-nesters to modify their homes — by installing elevators and creating wide spaces to accommodate wheelchairs, for instance — to meet their needs as elderly people. Unfortunately, not every house can be adequately modified. And modifications can’t erase all the unneeded space in the family home.

It happens way too often — elderly homeowners start to lose the ability to maintain the house, whether for financial, physical or other age-related reasons. That’s when bad things start to happen. Some people refuse to leave their multi-level homes, despite the advice from their doctors and often, their spouse and/or grown children. It usually takes a calamitous event — such as a tumble down a staircase, an illness or injury or financial ruin — to force the issue. By then, it’s far more difficult, painful and almost always financially sub-optimal. If your loved ones are raising these issues with you, take them seriously and be honest with yourself. After a certain point, being stubborn is not just about engaging in an existential conversation with your grown children, it can be downright dangerous.

Have the tough conversations while everyone is healthy. No one likes to talk about estate planning. It brings up very tough conversations and intergenerational differences and conflicts. We get it. However, it is infinitely easier to have these conversations when everyone is healthy and the conversations are more “hypothetical.” Once someone is diagnosed with a terrible illness or has their health deteriorate, the last thing anyone wants to do is to talk about estate planning.

Bottom line: Have meaningful conversations with your loved ones while everyone is healthy, and understand who really wants what. It’s much more fun to gift things while you’re alive and healthy, then after you’re gone.

NC Sea Turtle Nests Numbers Rebound in 2015

Posted August 25, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Graphic Sea Turtle Rebound (2) SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Following a disappointing 2014, sea turtle nests along the North Carolina coast are making a comeback. At the end of the nesting season last summer, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reported a 58 percent decline in nests on the state’s beaches with only 565 recorded. The previous year had seen 1,303. But this summer, local beaches are reporting quite the opposite.

Patrick Amico, a ranger with the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, said nesting numbers along the 7-mile stretch of beach he oversees at the southern tip of New Hanover County are at a record-high 83 as of this week. “So far, we are 31 nests higher than our previous record within last 30 years of data collection,” he said, noting they expect to see a few more before the season is over. Each year, sea turtle nesting is a cyclical occurrence, when nest numbers vary from years of diminished numbers followed by dramatic turnarounds. “Last year was very low, so we expected a rebound,” Amico said. “But we are definitely surprised by how much of a rebound we have seen.” Eileen Ramsdale with the Oak Island Sea Turtle Protection Program said the Brunswick County islands have seen 96 nests so far this season and nearly 40 have already hatched. That number is reminiscent of 2013, when Oak Island saw 93 nests, and is more than triple the 31 nests seen last year. “It is a banner year and a record year for us,” Ramsdale said. “But it is not outrageously high compared to the year before last. It comes in cycles.”

The fluctuation in nests can, in part, be attributed to female turtles’ tendency to reproduce every two to three years, causing some years to be less fruitful than others. This summer Carolina Beach has seen 14 nests — already a dozen more than the New Hanover County town saw all of last year, said Nancy Busovne, coordinator of the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project. Kure Beach, meanwhile, has seen 11. On Topsail Island’s 26 miles of coastline, Terry Meyer, director of the island’s nesting program, said they began this year with a bang and brazen prediction that they might hit 100 nests after only seeing 53 last year. As of Wednesday, they had 64.

While that is up from last year, Meyer said DNA results from the nests have shown that some of their local turtles are sharing their nests with other beaches. “The DNA results have been interesting,” she said. “Each turtle nests multiple times, but some use other habitats.” She said there have been indications that turtles nesting at Topsail Island have also nested at Camp Lejeune, Wrightsville Beach and Cape Lookout.

And it isn’t just loggerhead turtles that are visiting the Tar Heel State’s beaches. Just adding to their record year, Amico said Fort Fisher played host to a Kemp’s Ridley nest this summer and tests show it had a 100-percent success rate for its hatchlings. Kemp’s Ridleys are the smallest marine turtles in the world, and one of the most endangered. “That is rare for North Carolina and we think it is the only confirmed nest of its kind this year,” Amico said.

Female sea turtles have returned in force to the state’s beaches in 2015. Here are the number of nests recorded at some local beaches so far this year:

Fort Fisher State Rec.
2015* – 83
2014 – 18

Bald Head Island
2015* – 98
2014 – 33

Oak Island
2015* – 96
2014 – 31

Carolina Beach
2015* – 14
2014 – 2

Kure Beach
2015* – 11
2014 – 3

Topsail Island
2015* – 64
2014 – 53

*Nesting season generally runs through August

Sources: N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission; local turtle nesting projects; Bald Head Island Conversancy
Star News: Hunter Ingram
Photo Courtesy Tobi DeFalco

Do North Carolina Residents Like Cats or Dogs Better

Posted August 13, 2015 by Donald Howarth

There are cat people; there are dog people. Well, guess what? States divide along those same furry lines. The majority of Americans love their pets—56% of U.S. households have one. So enough already about all of this red state vs. blue state nonsense: Do you live in a dog state or a cat state?
Which beloved domestic animal reigns supreme by state? To find out, we took a deep dive into pet population data from the American Veterinary Medical Association. Check out our map to find out if your pet preference falls on the right side of your state lines. (Note: Data for Alaska and Hawaii were not available. Sorry!) And for those who really want to know where Fluffy stands, check out the detailed cat and dog population data at the bottom of this article.

OK, let the house-trained beast battle begin!

Crossing the Mason-Dixon pet line

Our findings revealed plenty of interesting cuddly animal-specific trends. Example: Roughly speaking, Southern states are more Fido-friendly than Northern states, which tend to be the cat’s meow. Massachusetts is the biggest feline state with nearly 2 times more cats than dogs. Arkansas ranks No. 1 in ratio of dogs to cats.

Nationwide, though, cats outrank dogs 74 million to 70 million. Though dog owners are a larger number than cat owners—due to multiple cat ownership by household.

Bottom line: It’s no surprise Americans lavished $30.4 billion on all those furry family members last year, up from $17.8 billion in 2000, according to The Wall Street Journal. Luxury buildings are offering upscale amenities such as rooftop dog runs and spa “pawdicures” in order to lure those free-spending pet lovers.

“More people are shopping for homes and cars with the needs for their pets in mind,” said pet health and safety coach Arden Moore.

Doggy amenities win

But Realtor.com wanted to dig deeper. So the data team scratched its way into our 2.6 million active and recently sold home listings to tease out the most popular dog- and cat-friendly home features. There were fascinating revelations for Rover: Despite a prevalence of cat owners, we didn’t find a significant pattern of cat-friendly features in our home listings. That’s probably because the most common cat features such as cat trees, scratching posts, or self-cleaning litter boxes are portable rather than built in. And none of these features are things people want to brag about anyway.

dogcatchart

Read more over at Mental Floss about Washington Posts’ Wonkblog article on the state divisions which shows North Carolina as not being a divided state, but a Dog State —- Cats or Dogs, we love them both!

source: Realtor.com & MentalFloss

North Carolina Marinas

Posted August 7, 2015 by Donald Howarth

In a recent article by the Southport Stateport Pilot‘s Staff Writer Lee Hinnant, he highlights the ways in which marinas contribute to the local economy.

More than just places to tie-up and buy fuel and ice, marinas are substantial contributors to the economy and gateways to some of the nest spots on the Cape Feat coast.

With thriving restaurants, an inn, real estate sales and other businesses, Bald Head Island Marina is like a second village square. Everyone who visits the island passes through, wither on private boats or the large passenger ferries.

At South Harbor Village in Oak Island, the marina helps support two large restaurants and several small businesses overlooking the water. Just up the Intracoastal Waterway at St. James, the marina anchors a market, restaurant and Tiki hut. One of the area’s top seafood restaurants and a motel overlook Blue Water Point Marina. At the heart of it all is Southport Marina. During the past decade, Preston Development has turned what was an aging marina into a first class facility that has garnered numerous awards. There are 10 full-time employees and two part-time workers. Businesses based at Southport Marina include a boat brokerage, a boating club, a boat rental company, a sail supplier and an American Sailing Association-certified sailing academy. Seven charter Companies and Zimmerman Marine Service also call the marina home.

There’s a waiting list for the boat dry stack and manager Hank Whitley said that’s no happy accident. “We’ve put a lot of effort, headache and heartache to do it right,” he said. “It’s a big deal for us and a major revenue stream to bring folks from elsewhere.”

The boaters who stayed at Southport Marina less than a month increased by about 150 last year to more than 1,500. Whitley estimates that one-quarter of the marina’s business is with transients. “We think of ourselves at concierges,” Whitley said. “The biggest thing about the impact is that just about every single one of them want to go out and eat somewhere in town.” The visitors who boat to Southport also need provisions, fuel and marine parts and services.

“It’s the same thing as a hotel,” said Cindy Brochure, tourism director for the City of Southport. “If they like you they will come back.” Brochure said the marina’s awards and favorable mention in publications such as Sail Magazine have helped introduce Southport to many newcomers. “We have big-city amenities in a small town. It’s an economic boost when these people come in.” Brochure called the area marinas “a year around economic development tool” and said her office enjoys handing out information about the community. “It’s like having a stop on the interstate highway” she said.

A 2008 study of the southeastern region of NC stated that marinas employed 783 people and had a secondary economic impact of $305-million in sales.

Real Estate Trend – Mancaves versus Woman Caves

Posted July 30, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Southport Real Estate, mangaves, Coastal Realty, Coastal Realty Connections.

Move over Man Caves, “She Sheds” are taking storm now! Alright ladies, if you’ve just about had it with the man cave trend that’s been taking the industry by storm the last few years, it’s time to put your foot down and demand your very own space. And no, we’re not talking about your bedroom sanctuary that hosts a reading nook where you can go to escape the daily grind and lose yourself in a good book. We’re talking “she sheds.”

It may sound silly, but she sheds are popping up in backyards across the nation as women look outside the confines of their own home for a space that’s all theirs. It’s the (totally acceptable?) grown up version of claiming a space and then posting a ‘no boys allowed’ sign prominently on the door.

Much like pub sheds, “she sheds” are the latest craze in the battle to add a touch of personality to any and every space. Whether you’re looking for a tranquil environment to practice yoga, a quiet space to work on your writing or just a place to get away from the stresses that come with your day-to-day routine, “she sheds” run the gamut from rustic to extravagant.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the pictures that we found on the Lighter Side of Real Estate site and start planning what your “she shed” will look like today!

Lighter Side of Real Estate

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STATE’S FIRST COMMUNITY BASED TERMINAL GROIN SLOWLY MOVES SEAWARD

Posted July 29, 2015 by Donald Howarth

Contractors have built about 150 feet of Bald Head Island’s terminal groin, an arm-shaped pile of giant rocks designed to trap sand and reduce erosion on South Beach.

Crews are digging a 32- to 40-foot-wide trench in the sand, then placing rock-filled geotextile mattresses on the leveled surface. After that, they’re stacking large boulders on the specially constructed mattress pads.

Work is going slowly because the contractors have to pump water from the excavation and make sure the construction area is perfectly flat and at exactly the correct elevation, said Chris McCall, shoreline protection manager and assistant village manager.

“The terminal groin is moving along,” McCall said. “They are putting the rocks in place.” Orion Marine Group crews place a six-by-20-foot mattress on the construction centerline, then place additional pads on each side of the center mattress.

The mattresses go down first so that the heavy boulders won’t subside into the sand.

McCall said the crew was averaging eight to 10 mattresses a day. They are staging mainland operations just east of American Marine Co. on the Intracoastal Waterway at Oak Island.

When finished, the terminal groin will be 1,300 feet long and reach into the Atlantic about 300 feet. It is designed to capture some, but not all, of the sand that washes by in the longshore current.

Four community-based terminal groins are allowed in North Carolina under a 2011 law. Other beaches seeking to build groins are Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach and Figure Eight Island.

Construction is expected to wrap up in October. Technicians will monitor the groin’s performance for at least two years before the project engineer decides whether to add another 600 feet to the structure.

Source State Port Pilot