It was a wonderful event that ended with a fabulous fireworks display showcasing the great holiday spirit of the locals and serving as just another reminder why Wilmington is still one of the most desired places in North Carolina to live.  We hope your Thanksgiving was also a treasured family tradition and maybe next year you’ll consider joining us for the 27th annual North Carolina Holiday Flotilla.  Happy Holidays!

For complete details on all annual events and attractions in the Wilmington NC area, please visit my website at www.cbbaker.com.

Well, Wilmington NC has made the news again!  Google has added Wilmington NC  to their list of “Special Cities” for their new “Street view”.  Realistic  360*  views of streets  at eye level.  Last December the google truck was sited in our area, and one of the locals ran outside to take a picture of the truck with google logo and a camera perched on top, and sure enough he is in the google street view online.

Wilmington NC Real Estate

This is great news for Wilmington NC real estate, as this will give our home buyers and sellers a “real” street view of the neighborhood, to compliment the interest they have in a certain home.  Also for sellers it will add another way of marketing their home.  Click on view larger map to view the entrance to Greymarsh Crossing one of our neighborhoods that we have a listing in View Larger Map .  Stroll down the street to 1300 Old Lamplighter, and you will see this fine home.  If you would like to see what the night sky would like like over the house you wish to purchase, just go to google earth and search address and click night sky vision and presto you can see which stars will be above you. The possibilities are endless. Google really has come forth with what they were seeking when they first named “Google”, which is named after the mathematical number “googol” -  a huge number which is the digit 1 followed by 100 zeros. Their mission was to organize an endless amount of information on the web.  I would say that they are fullfilling their promise.  Thank you Google.

With Christmas approaching, the visitors are arriving. Wilmington NC has so much to offer visitors from the best shopping at Mayfaire to the many Christmas events and attractions. For starters is the Worlds Largest Christmas tree, an oak that is believed to be more than 400 years old and covered with 5,250 bulbs, which was lit last week at Wilmington’s Hilton Park at The 79th Annual Lighting!  Of course Santa & Mrs. Claus made an appearance. The Dolphins are out in Wrightsville Beach, & Pleasure Island is gearing up for their Island of Lights. The Historic Downtown Candlelight Tours, Enchanted Airlie, The Battle Ship Lighting and a Christmas Parade highlight some of the holiday festivities that Wilmington is famous for. And, this weekend, let’s don’t forget the Annual Christmas Choir & Orchestra at First Baptist Church, Christmas in the Country at Poplar Grove Plantation and Holiday Light Tours. Slow down and take time to enjoy and reflect during this busy time. Help others by putting a smile on their face. Need help with real estate, or have a question we might be able to help you with, please don’t hesitate to call us or visit www.cbbaker.com. Search by schools, map, zip codes, neighborhood and more.

For complete details on all annual events and attractions in the Wilmington NC area, please visit my website at www.cbbaker.com.

1. Beautiful Beaches and Waterways

Wilmington NC is situated on the southeast coast of NC and is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by the Cape Fear River. The beauty and charm of Wilmington and the surrounding beaches equal or surpass any on the east coast. The many pristine beaches that we have to enjoy such as Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Topsail Beach, Oak Island and Ocean Isle Beach are sure to captivate your heart.

2. Boating

The area’s many miles of coastline, rivers and sounds offer a variety of  watersports, boating activities, and quite a few harbors, marinas, and yacht clubs.

3. Fishing

Being located within minutes of one of the most protected inlets on the east coast, Wilmington offers bountiful fishing opportunities within minutes. Masonboro Inlet is located between the Southern tip of Wrightsville Beach and Masonboro Island. Also, the many creeks and bays located off banks channel and the waterways are a fisherman’s dream. You will see them fishing for drum, trout, and  flounder in the fall of the year.

3. Masonboro Island

Masonboro Island is an 8 mile long uninhabited island on the southern North Carolina coast between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach and is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve. Masonboro Island, only accessible by boat, is enjoyed by campers, surfers, anglers, and bird-watchers alike. The reserve consists of about 5000 acres, which about 4400 acres are tidal marsh and mud flats. The most northern end at Masonboro Inlet is the most popular area with its sandy beaches and protected waters. Any summer weekend you will see many boaters and campers prepared for a few days on the beach with tents, grills and water toys in tow.

4. Historic Downtown Wilmington NC

Wilmington is blessed with a beautiful and extensive historic district with magnificent and stately oaks, azaleas and oleanders. 230 blocks of downtown are on the The National Register of Historic Districts. The city embraces a lot of history and is fortunate that so much has been preserved.

5. Wilmington NC Real Estate

I cannot speak highly enough about the real estate offered in and around Wilmington NC, from the River to the Sea! Wilmington offers many affordable neighborhoods such as Whitney Pines to move up neighborhoods like Covil Estates with amenities, to luxury gated communities such as Landfall, or golf course neighborhoods like Porters Neck, and waterfront neighborhoods with marinas and boatslips such as Turtle Hall or Shinn Point . The choices are all right here in our great port city of Wilmington NC.

6. Golf

You can truly enjoy golf year round at the many golf courses throughout the Cape Fear Region. Whatever your handicap, there are more than twenty courses in and around Wilmington that are a pleasure to walk. Some of the courses were designed by some of golf’s greatest names including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Fred Couples and P.B. Dye, among others.

7. NC Azalea Festival

For more than 50 years, Wilmingtonians have enjoyed the biggest celebration of the year, The NC Azalea Festival. From the parade, artwork, garden tours, street fair, and rich history, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. This year the Azalea Festival will be held April 1-5th. Come have fun with us!

8. USS Battleship NC

For all the history or military buffs, the USS Battleship NC is located just across the Cape Fear River from downtown Wilmington. You can tour the ship, take a history lesson, visit the museum or the ship’s store.

9. Wilmington NC Attractions

You will certainly never be bored with all the attractions to our area including the Zoo, numerous Museums, Cape Fear Riverboats, Airlie Gardens, Poplar Grove Plantation, Art galleries, live music and performing arts.

10. Churches

Wilmington is known for its many churches and their unique architecture. You will find one on almost every corner from any denomination you prefer.

11. Bald Head Island

Escape to the tropics! That is exactly how a visit to Bald Head Island will make you feel. Bald Head is located right off the Cape Fear River across from Southport, NC and only accessible by ferry or boat. The island is only traveled by golf cart and offers some of the most beautiful beaches and creeks around.

12. Figure Eight Island

Figure Eight Island, NC is located just north of Wrightsville Beach, NC . It is a private island, only accessible by a swing-bridge with a gatehouse and is bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. The island consists of 1300 acres and approximately 441 homes.  Figure Eight Island today is a beautiful coastal community offering the ultimate in privacy and security and just minutes from the conveniences of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, NC.

13. Thalian Hall Theater

Thalian Hall in Wilmington NC celebrated its grand opening October 12, 1858! 85 performances were presented that first year.  At the time, it was the largest Theater South of Richmond, Va. Thalian Hall was known by many names in its early days such as “The Wilmington Theater”, “The Opera House” and “The Academy of Music”. Thalian Hall today looks largely the same as it did in 1858, with its rambling ornate architecture.

14. Fort Fisher Aquarium

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher not only displays an assortment of waterlife, but also focuses on conservation of aquatic environments. The Aquarium is open to the public and is available for private events.

15. Warm Climate

The mild climate of the Cape fear region is a big bonus for residents and visitors alike. Golfing, watersports and a multitude of outdoor activities can be enjoyed year round. However, there are four seasons and their transitions are usually spectacular.

16. Southern Hospitality

You will always be in amazement of the southern culture and hospitality of the Southeast region of North Carolina. It is commonplace for southerners to stop on the street and ask you “how you are doing”. And, the courtesy of drivers will pleasantly surprise you.

17. Vibrant and Diverse Economy

New Hanover county is a good location for comfortable living and a thriving business environment. In fact, the Wilmington area was just ranked in the 6th position for cities with job and economic growth by Milken Institute.

18. Shopping

Shopping is delightful with the many strip centers, Independence Mall, Cotton Exchange in downtown Wilmington and the new Mayfaire Town Center with all the name brand stores like William & Sonoma, J Crew, Pottery Barn, and more.

19. Schools

The schools in New Hanover county are some of the best in the country. The recent ABC scores and AYP results are indicative of our excellent schools.

20. UNCW Wilmington NC

UNCW has been named numerous times “Best in the Southeast” by the Princeton review and one of the top three ‘Best Values” by Kiplinger’s rankings. Wilmington College opened its doors in 1947 and was granted 4 year status in 1963 after moving to its present location on College Rd.  UNCW presently enrolls nearly 12000 students.

21. Museums

Wilmington, NC is blessed with many museums such as the Cape Fear Museum, Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington’s Children’s Museum, Wilmington Railroad Museum and many more.

22. Nightlife

When the sun goes down in Wilmington, the downtown area lights up with neighborhood bars, pubs and restaurants. Not to mention the many restaurants and the like that have opened at Mayfaire Town center near Wrightsville Beach.

23. Events

The Cape Fear region is rich in happenings around the area. You can choose from annual fishing tournaments, crafts shows, festivals like the Azalea Festival, Jazz Festival or Riverfest and at Christmas, the Holiday flotilla.

24. Film Industry

Wilmington or “Hollywood East” has hosted the production of more than 400 movies, miniseries and TV movies. In fact, more revenue has been generated from Wilmington NC productions than any other US city except Los Angeles and New York. Just to name a few One Tree Hill is filmed here, Sleeping With the Enemy, Divine Secrets of Ya Ya Sisterhood and Forest Gump.

25. Airlie Gardens

Gardens by the sea best describes the lush formal gardens, lakes and magnificent oaks draped with Spanish moss. Airlie Gardens is home to the Azalea Festival garden party with its collection of over 100,000 azaleas. Airlie is also a popular setting for weddings, Airlie concerts, Oyster roasts, and enchanted Airlie during Christmas starting in November.

The Art Unveiling Party for the North Carolina Azalea Festival was held Friday night at the Arab Shrine Club on College Road. The event was sponsored by Frame Works and Jim Quick and the Coastline Band was the entertainment for the evening.

62nd Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival

The commemorative art for the 62nd Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival was created by world renowned artist, George Pocheptsov. George is Ukranian, born in 1992 and actually starting painting at age 17 months, when he drew an antique car. George, a self taught artist,  starting painting  6 months before he could talk. George’s artwork is often compared to young Picasso and now sell for up to $100,000.

George presented the 2009 commemorative art and described his inspiration for the painting including an Azalea Festival back in 1948. This very special piece is a collection of many Festivals past.

The 62nd Annual Azalea Festival will be held in Wilmington, NC on April 2-6th. For more detailed information about the Wilmington Azalea Festival and other weekly events in Wilmington, check out my TGIF Scoop.

Thalian Hall in Wilmington NC celebrated its grand opening October 12, 1858! 85 performances were presented that first year.  At the time, it was the largest Theater South of Richmond, Va. Thalian Hall was known by many names in its early days such as “The Wilmington Theater”, “The Opera House” and “The Academy of Music”. Thalian Hall today looks largely the same as it did in 1858, with its rambling ornate architecture.  This entire weekend will be a time for celebration for Thalian Hall starting Friday night with a gala concert by Linda Lavin. A Community Day on the Green Saturday from 10AM-2PM will include carraige rides, antique show, sidewalk art sale, calliope music and more!. On Sunday  the 150th Birthday/ Anniversay Party will be held 1-6PM with a brass band, Toby Tyler performance, and cake & ice cream.

Wilmington NC Culture

Wilmington NC offers is such a diverse cultural center with theater, art, music, history, even the USS Battleship NC and Fort Fisher.  For details on weekly events in and around Wilmington NC, please check out my TGIF Scoop every Friday. Or just email me at kay@cbbaker.com and I will add you to my list of preferred clients to receive my Scoop every week.

In Wilmington NC, we enjoy a host of cultural events around the Cape Fear region including theatre, arts, music, history, even the USS Battleship NC and the Fort Fisher Museum. For all the local information about the area and a list of weekend events, check out my weekly TGIF Scoop.

Good news for the real estate market this week, as contracts and showings continue to pick up, despite the negative comments from the news media.

The one main issue that still remains is the enormous supply of listings and we continue to see that increase. With the competition that sellers have in today’s market, they need to remain very aggressive with their pricing. Buyers are purchasing homes, but they too, hear the news media and are looking for the best price possible. With so much to choose from they may pass right by a home that is priced too high.

Wlmington NC weekly events

But, if you are looking for Wilmington weekend events, look no further. Check out my weekly Scoop for all the events taking place around Wimington this weekend.