Are you looking for the perfect beach vacation getaway?  If so, call my rental office at Network Real Estate at 1-877-489-1249.  My rental staff will be happy to assist you in making plans for the vacation of a lifetime.  You can also visit my website at http://www.realestatecarolinabeach.com today.  Don't waste time with those other sites that make you wait until the office is open to request a vacation.  You can submit your request 24/7 at the Network Real Estate website.  You can also view a full range of photos of each property we offer. 01/02/2008

It seems that most of my sales have been to single women.  They are of all ages and feel it necessary to buy a home rather than rent.  I think for some it is an investment and for some it is security that when they are past retirement, they will not have rising rent payments.According to the National Association of Realtor's (NAR) 2007 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, which was released in November, one-fourth of all recent first-time home buyers were single women.  Single women represented 20 percent of all home buyers, up 2 percent from 10 years ago.I think it is empowering to women to own something so substantial.  It makes us feel that we've made it.  It is so important for young women to buy their first home whether it is a condo, townhome or single family home.  If a woman choo... 12/27/2007

I've done a little research to confirm what I already suspected: Marsh Oaks is a great investment. I've looked at 19 of the homes that have re-sold within 2007 and calculated their return on investment. The average return on investment is 30%, the average number of months for the return is 35. (Click here to see the details of the return on investment in Marsh Oaks)So here comes the logic (pause for effect)...If the best time to buy is during a buyer's market, the best place to buy is Marsh Oaks! Imagine what some of these returns would have been if the homes had been purchased in a "buyer's market" and not a seller's market! If there are any questions I can answer for you about Marsh Oaks, please do not hesitate to contact me! Our Decorated Model and Sales & Information Center located ... 12/27/2007

Well, the year is almost over and so are the Christmas celebrations.  I absolutely look forward to December in Wilmington NC every year.  I love the parades, the lights, the events, the parties and the get togethers with friends.I love doing all of those things even more so than the day of Christmas!  My family and I went to the Downtown Wilmington NC parade, the Carolina Beach NC parade, visited Enchanted Airlie with friends, saw the lighting of the Lake in Carolina Beach NC, had a great Christmas party with my collegues, had many Christmas gatherings with friends, and strolled through neighborhoods looking at lights.One event my family and I look forward to is going to our friends house for breakfast with Santa.  She plans this wonderful event for the kids.  Everyone wears their pjs, ... 12/26/2007

The Yahweh Center Children's Village of Wilmington NC has been a healing light in the darkness for hundreds of children in its 20 years of operation. The Wilmington NC community has been amazed at the sucess of their minisry and has been very supportive of their efforts.  Various fundraising activities take place through the year. in aditon to their own fundraising, other organizations will and business will ooffer assistance in a vaiety if ways. They were recently one of the local charities chosen to receive the proceeds for our Keller Williams Fashion Victims Ball. This year The Third Annual Blue Ribbon Banquet  major fundraising benefit for The Yahweh Center Children's Village will take place on January 29th at 7 pm at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside.  Michael Reagan, the son of for... 12/22/2007

The Week in Review....your Wilmington ConnectionDecember 22, 2007I believe that the true meaning of Christmas is different for everyone. For some it means spending the Christmas season with family and friends, remembering the birth of Christ, reliving old traditions, or giving service to those in need. However you spend your Christmas, I hope that you enjoy this time to relax, enjoy and put a smile on your face. Here's wishing you and your family a wonderful Holiday season! The Wilmington Housing market slowed with all the festivities in the air. Here is how the week closed up. Burgaw attracts several new developers this yearBurgaw| Like other municipalities in the region, the town of Burgaw is experiencing a development spurt.The abundance of undeveloped land and the availability of wa... 12/22/2007

The Week in Review....your Wilmington ConnectionDecember 15, 2007What a great time to visit Wilmington, downtown is busy with shoppers, tourists riding the horse and carriage and of couse the smell of Christmas in the air, with the Italian boutique sending aromas out into the street you won't want to resist. The housing market has been making a stir with many interested out of town buyers, Wilmington is desired as a final destination for retirees and families alike. Our home prices are still staying strong, and homes are still selling. Keep up to date here.Fed cuts rate a bit; Dow fallsMarkets were hoping for bigger half-percent cutWashington | The Federal Reserve gave borrowers a rate cut present for the holidays. Wall Street's response: Bah humbug!Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and all but... 12/22/2007

The Week in Review.....your Wilmington ConnectionDecember 8,2007Lovely Week in Wilmington with sunshine and cool weather, the smell of pine trees and egg nog are in the air. A place for memories. Wilmington-area sales have fallen from year-earlier levels, sales were down nearly 28 percent in October, when compared with October 2006.Prices have continued to rise, however, and that is one of the factors that sets Wilmington's housing market apart from others, local real estate agents, builders and mortgage lenders say. Those other markets are severely depressed areas like Florida, California and Michigan, where prices were stratospheric, subprime and jumbo mortgages were dominant, or the job market plummeted.In Wilmington, there is low unemployment, housing developments continue to go up,... 12/22/2007

The Week in Review....your Wilmington ConnectionNovember 24, 2007 This is coming to you late, I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday visiting with family and people who mean the most. Wilmington's cool air brought shoppers of many kind. Home buyers, browsers and serious onlookers.There are many great deals to be had out there, now is a great time to consider buying a home. Some great deals here.New Hanover board studies taxesWould voters OK land-transfer or sales tax in May? Land-transfer tax proposals suffered sound defeats at the hands of voters in Brunswick and Pender counties earlier this month. Could New Hanover voters see the controversial tax on the ballot next year?It might be too early to say right now, but the county commissioners are at least exploring both the land-transfe... 12/22/2007

  Christmas shopping does not have to be drudgery, especially in Wilmington NC!  If you are looking for a unique Christmas gift and a relaxed shopping experience and you prefer to avoid the mall, why not have some fun and at the same support local artists and merchants?  Here are my picks for your shopping pleasure...   The Blue Moon Gift Shop Emporium WOW! The selection of merchandise here will dazzle you.  With over 100 local artists and craftspeople under one roof, the Blue Moon is a shoppers delight. Some of the unique items you may find for that special someone included Hand painted Glassware, Mosaics, and Pottery, Fine Art and Photography open Mon-Friday 10-6 Saturday 10-5 Sunday 12-5                The Cotton Exchange in Historic Downtown Wilmington once the center of Wilmington... 12/18/2007

This was such a great weekend.  My family and I had just such a wonderful time bringing in the Christmas season with the Carolina Beach, NC Christmas Parade!  Every year, we attend this great collection of businesses, community groups, local marching bands, and of course the local fire departments and not to mention Santa Claus.I think my favorite part of the parade is the marching bands.  I just love to hear them play and I get so excited when you see the really talented ones dance while thier playing.  It is amazing to me how they can do that.  My daughter's favorite is getting all the candy that is thrown. We always go to these parade's with some of our good friends.  It's become part of our Christmas experience to enjoy these with each other.  Not only do we see a fun, family parade... 12/18/2007

Wow, I can't believe the Christmas season has started.  It was just summer yesterday . . . right? The summer's in Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach are my favorite times of the year, but Christmas here in Wilmington NC is close to being #1.I just love how the city and the beaches take on this cheerful, Christmas atmosphere.  Everywhere and every weekend there is something going on.  This past weekend was Carolina Beach's Island of Lights - Walking Tour of the Lake and Wrightsville Beach's NC Holiday Flotilla & Day in the Park Festival. We were able to make it to Carolina Beach and had a great time.  The kids enjoyed the caroling and the free hot chocolate!  It is a great walk around the lake and see all of the pretty lights.  The lights are up all through the holiday.I can't name al... 12/18/2007

  Wilmington NC is often referred to as the City of Churches and It seems like there is one on every corner. Form the impressive 19 century architecture of the historic downtown Wilmington churches to the most modern churches built auditorium style. The churches this weekend are offering a variety of concerts, plays and live nativity presentations. Public invited and all are free! Pine Valley United Methodist Church 3788 Shipyard Blvd will have their annual Christmas Musical ''The Wonder of Christmas'' on Saturday, December 15th & Sunday the 16th at 7 pm.  call 791-0353. Pleasant Acres Church 2911 Old Cherry Point Rd in New Bern will present a musical drama called ''The Road to Bethlehem'' on Saturday, December 15th & Saturday the 16th at 7 pm. A nursery is provided. For more informatio... 12/15/2007

The Holiday Spirit is in full gear in our beautiful Wilmington NC Cape Fear region. Why not take some time out from the hustle and bustle to stop and enjoy the sights and sounds of our town town this weekend! Here is a sampling of the best of this weekends Holiday Happenings:   Friday December 14thWilmington Choral Society Christmas Concert The Louise Cameron Art Museum will offer a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the season in song! Tonight’s concert by the choral group will featuring well known  music by George F. Handel, Irving Berlin, Zollene Reissner, John Rutter, Michael Clawson, Donald Fraser, and Theron Kirk.  Concert begins at &pm Dec 14th  7:00 PM By Donations accepted.   Friday Through Sunday Visit Santa! Santa and one of his Elf’s are waiting for your list before he head... 12/14/2007

Leaving Wilmington, travelling north on Highway 17 you'll find Wilmington's premier neighborhood, Marsh Oaks.  Nestled within age old oaks and built around massive conservation areas, Marsh Oaks offers something for everyone!  The much desired neighborhood is in it's FINALphase of construction, with just 25 opportunities to build the custom home of your dreams!  Some of the finest homebuilders in the area have joined together to create our exclusive builder team, suiting every taste and style.  If you aren't quite ready to build, enjoy homesite ownership for up to two years. As a homeowner in Marsh Oaks you'll enjoy its many amenities.  Meet with friends at the clubhouse or enjoy a swim after a vigorous game of tennis.  The new playground tucked behind the clubhouse will entertain the k... 12/01/2007

The Week in Review....your Wilmington ConnectionNovember 17, 2007 What a beautiful week in Wilmington, cool air, sunny skys and that feel of the holidays in the air. The real estate market continues to move with with 21% of the current listings under contract. Look here for more detailed info. Builders Think Green That new home smell that lingers from freshly painted walls, new tiles and carpets won't have the same allure for homeowners in several decades as it does today.They'll be used to green homes that use eco-friendly paints and materials that don't emit those fumes, said Michael Strong, vice president of GreenHaus Builders.Green building refers to construction techniques that produce less waste, use environmentally friendly materials and appliances and make the final product more... 11/23/2007

The Week in Review....your Wilmington ConnectionNovember 10, 2007This week finished up with a bang! With 604 properties under contract. The real estate market here in Wilmington is still moving, would anyone like a new home for Christmas? You have just enough time. Interested have a look at how the real estate market finished up this week. Convention center project nearing start The Wilmington Convention Center is finally on the cusp of construction, provided the much-debated, -litigated and -revised project can clear another hurdle - the concerns of the city council.On Wednesday, the council is slated to vote to appropriate $55 million to build the center on the downtown riverfront and to approve contracts to begin work on its foundation and parking deck.Shovels could hit dirt before C... 11/23/2007

  One more week till Thanksgiving....sometimes I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, we really look forward to the "Trot" more info here.....Wilmington Turkey Trot for Habitat for HumanityThis next week is a real full week for us, and we just love meeting, conversing, and the good cheer that accompanies this true American holiday.  Habitat for Humanity is a great cause for REALTORS as it truly fits in with our dream of helping folks realize the American Dream.  If any AR participants would like to donate, feel free to go to the web site at http://www.wilmingtonturkeytrot.com/ and sign up. I will make sure that you receive an "official Turkey Trot T-Shirt"  and they are sure to become a collectors item, as only 500 will be passed out this year.  It is also a tax deduction, and you all ... 11/15/2007

Wilmington's historic Thalian Hall recently was designated by the state Assembly as the Official Community Theatre of the State Of North Carolina. What an honor for this gem of architecture in historic downtown Wilmington.Listed on the National Register for Historic Places, Thalian Hall is the oldest existing theatre in the country. Built in 1858, it currently serves as both the city hall and our premier Theatre Arts Center.  Thalian Hall has been known through the years by name was the "Opera House" and "Academy of Music". At the time of the completion of Thalian Hall, Wilmington became a major stop for national touring artists. Artists who have graces the stage in include Buffalo Bill Cody, John Phillip Sousa, and Lillian Russell.Close to being demolished in the 1930's and 40's, the l... 11/10/2007

The Week in Review...your Wilmington ConnectionNovember 3, 2007 Wilmington is experiencing the first slight chill in the air. Just in time for those final soccer games, the season is wrapping up click here for pictures of the tinaabraham.com team. Congratulations to a Great Season! The Real estate market is still faring well here, with Wilmington being a southeastern hotspot. Look here for some up to date stats. It sure beats property taxesOn Nov. 6, voters in Brunswick and Pender counties will decide whether there's a fairer way to pay for growth. By saying yes to a land-transfer tax, they'll put some of the burden on those who benefit most directly from that growth.If voters agree, counties can now levy a tax of four-tenths of one percent on the sale of property. That's $400 for every... 11/05/2007