Real Estate Agent Southport Archives - Page 2 of 2

Posts Tagged ‘Real Estate Agent Southport’

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!!!

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

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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Wilmington Shows Signs of Continual Economic Growth

Posted February 11, 2015 by Donald Howarth

William “Woody” Hall, senior economist at University of North Carolina Wilmington, predicts the Wilmington area will grow 3.5% this year and 3.8% in 2016. According to an article printed in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, 3% is a key figure as it is the rate the economy needs to grow to keep the unemployment rate stable. Mr. Hall has been a senior economist for 41 years at UNCW.

The growth prediction is good news for the Wilmington area. His evaluation of the economic condition from the local economic indicators he uses show that with the exception of airport passenger traffic, there is a good outlook for 2015 – unemployment, residential real estate, retail sales, tourism and State Port activity show signs that the sectors have fully recovered or are on their way back from the Great Recession that crippled the economy about seven years ago.

Hall maintains that retail sales and tourism have rebounded completely from what was considered one of the worst economic downturns since The Great Depression. Furthermore in an economic outlook for 2015 released by a Wells Fargo analyst indicate recovery is gradually building with areas such as Raleigh and Charlotte leading the way. Asheville, Wilmington and Durham were specifically mentioned as growing areas. Most other areas in the state will grow at a slower pace than the stars mentioned above, according to the analyst.

A number of factors will contribute to the continual growth one of which is the possibility of increased interest rates. Taking advantage of the growing economy to purchase property now may save buyers increased interest rates and guarantee buyers a better selection of properties. As the economy continues to improve real estate “deals” of the past seven years are disappearing. Let us at Coastal Realty Connections help you take advantage of today’s market!

Top Five Reasons to Buy Coastal North Carolina Property Now

Posted May 5, 2014 by Donald Howarth

From the places that draw crowds to the places that help you escape them, when you are in North Carolina you will find it all. Those of us who call it home experience its beauty daily. For others that #visitnc and wish to return time and time again, consider purchasing this year.

CNN Money reports home prices are climbing. Wilmington is expected to rise 8% through third quarter 2014.
CBS Money Watch predicts 2014 will be another year of gains for the real estate market.
The National Association of Realtors indicated in their March report that a shortage of inventory is proving problematic.
Albeit still low, according to Forbes, the average mortgage rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is expected to rise the most recent year’s 3’s to 5.5% this year.
The coast of North Carolina is gaining in popularity. New Hanover and #Brunswick Counties in particular continue to get national exposure on film and are experiencing growing awareness through national publications. CNN Money Magazine listed Wilmington, NC real estate as the #7 city to invest in and #Brunswick Forest located in Leland just outside of Wilmington and near Southport, NC has been given the Bliss Award Winner designation, Best North Carolina Community of the Year for the Coastal Southern North Carolina area.

At Coastal Realty Connections we understand buying is often an emotional choice. So more than the statistics, it is about finding the place that matches your natural rhythms, provides activities that bring you joy, and above all brings you peace of mind.

From #golfing and #sailing in the isles of Brunswick County and #antiquing in New Bern to soaking up the sun’s rays see why the Coast of North Carolina is the place to be.

Read more about locations in Eastern Coastal North Carolina and begin your property search now.