Wilmington NC Real Estate Guide

Good news for Wilmington NC real estate – Total units sold from Feb 11 to March 11 showed a 52% increase.  The average sales price showed a 22 % increase.  Total dollars showed an 86% increase.  Hopefully this upward trend will continue.  The market has showed an increase this past month and the number of people looking at real estate on our website has showed an increase as well.  We are looking forward to an active spring and summer.  The rates have held steady which has helped spur the interest in the area.  To search all of Wilmington NC real estate 24/7 please visit www.cbbaker.com

The azaleas are blooming and the weather is perfect.  Please join us in celebrating the 64th Azalea Festival in Wilmington NC April 6-10, 2011.

” The mission of the North Carolina Azalea Festival is to be nationally recognized as a showcase for our community’s rich array of artwork, gardens, history and culture through recreational, educational and family-oriented events. The Festival encourages volunteerism and civic participation as it contributes to the region’s economy and promotes the unique qualities of Wilmington’s river-to-the-sea community.”

Sponsors and volunteers spend all year planning the weekend.  See the schedule here.

The National Association of Realtors have released their “For the Record” Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Real Facts about NC real estate.  Topics covered were Economy, Homeownership and Foreclosures.

NC unemployment rate has dropped steadily with NC being 3rd for declining rates.  September retail sales rose for the 3rd straight month.  Housing starts hit a 5 month high in September, 4.1% higher than September 2009.  Foreclosure rates fell and the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund assistance will start being available in December to struggling homeowners.  Read more here…

The National Association of realtors has posted that the existing home sales rose again in September.  This affirms that a sales recovery has begun. 

The NAR states that the “existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, jumped 10.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.53 million in September from a downwardly revised 4.12 million in August, but remain 19.1 percent below the 5.60 million-unit pace in September 2009 when first-time buyers were ramping up in advance of the initial deadline for the tax credit last November.”

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market is in the early stages of recovery. “A housing recovery is taking place but will be choppy at times depending on the duration and impact of a foreclosure moratorium. But the overall direction should be a gradual rising trend in home sales with buyers responding to historically low mortgage interest rates and very favorable affordability conditions,” he said.

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to a record low 4.35 percent in September from 4.43 percent in August; the rate was 5.06 percent in September 2009.

The national median existing-home price2 for all housing types was $171,700 in September, which is 2.4 percent below a year ago. Distressed homes3 accounted for 35 percent of sales in September compared with 34 percent in August; they were 29 percent in September 2009.  Ten years ago, the mortgage rates were twice what they are today and the home prices were at least 20% more, making this a great time to purchase Wilmington NC real estate.  Please visit www.cbbaker.com to search all Wilmington NC area homes, land and boatslips.

Rendering by Creative Illustration Media, INC. LS&P Architects

Wilmington NC is going to get it’s own state of the art  Convention Center.  After waiting for approvals and site plans, an opening date has been set for the Historic Downtown Wilmington Convention Center on the Cape Fear River. 

The grand opening is set for Thursday January 13, 2011 at 9:30 am.  The public is invited and there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with the mayor and other community leaders.  Following the ceremony, there will be a BizTech Expo with technology and business vendors.  On January 15 a black tie event will be held by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, with proceeds benefiting the Cape Fear Future initiative.  

A couple of big companies have signed contracts to hold their conventions here for the next couple of years.  This will bring added revenue to Wilmington NC and expose our area and all it’s natural treasures and great Wilmington NC real estate opportunities.  

Please explore our website for the most up to date listings of all Wilmington NC real estate and waterfront properties.  www.cbbaker.com or call us and we will personally select properties that will fit your real estate needs or portfolio.