I want to move!  What's it gonna take to sell my house? "Hey, Wrightsville Beach NC real estate expert, I want to move!  What's it gonna take to sell my house?" It's gonna take some work on both our parts, but we can do this!  So, let's get your home SOLD and you on your way to a new chapter in your life! We're going to start with my doing my homework and giving you my most-educated-advice regarding pricing.  This is a moving target, so nothing in stone here.  We'll look at SOLD's, Active's and Under Contract's.  Really, SOLD's are the most important, but currently available homes are important as well -- you want to be competitive. I'll give you a range for pricing your home.  This number may go up or down, depending on how much work you're willing to do to get top dollar for your home... 01/18/2011

40th Annual NC Jr. Sorosis Antique Show & Sale at the Coastline Convention Center Are you looking for a one of a kind item for your Wrightsville Beach NC home?  Hoping to find that antique clock you've been imagining in your entryway?  Or maybe an antique rug to put the finishing touches on your living room?  Your Wrightsville Beach real estate expert has found just the event to help you out! More than 35 dealers from 3 states will be on hand for the 40th Annual NC Jr. Sorosis Antique Show & Sale January 28 ~29, 2011.  So much to choose from; formal and primitive furniture, antique clocks & watches, glassware, Oriental rugs, jewelry (just in time for Valentine's Day!), china and silver.  You may need both days just to see it all! The Coastline Convention Center is located in Downtown Wi... 01/17/2011

Who's your biggest competition?  Maybe I should talk to them, too. Wow.  Interesting question and one I'm actually quite glad you asked. There are some fantastic Agents in the Wrightsville Beach NC area.  That's a genuine statement:  they are truly knowledgeable, capable, intelligent, ethical -- the list goes on and on.  I'm proud to call them colleagues, it's good company to be in.  And in spite of what you may have heard, most Real Estate Agents like one another!  There are only so many homes in Wrightsville Beach NC, and it stands to reason that we vie for the same listings sometimes.  We try to attract anyone looking to buy a home in Wrightsville Beach NC.   And it's the nature of the business that sometimes one of my colleagues will get a listing or a buyer, I was really hoping to ... 01/15/2011

Mr. Buyer, I'm sorry you lost out on your first choice.  But I did warn you waiting could hurt you! Mr. Buyer: I'm sorry you lost out on your first choice.  But I did warn you waiting could hurt you! When we embarked on the search for the "perfect for you" home in Wrightsville Beach NC, we discussed the local market and how properties which were priced right were moving quickly.  Do you remember when I told you, that if you found a home you loved, you needed to keep in mind that you wouldn't be the only Buyer who felt that way? I know it goes against everything you've been told by the media, your co-workers, your Uncle Filbert -- but, REALTORS® are NOT the bad guy!  We are not all in it only for the commission.  Sure, we want and expect to get paid for a job well-done, just like anyone ... 01/14/2011

How long will it take to sell my Wrightsville Beach NC home? I wish there was a simple answer to that question.  It's one of the most frequently asked and hardest to answer.  So many factors come into play when selling your home: pricing, property condition, location, market conditions, the whims of Buyers.  If I promised you I could sell your home in "X" number of days I'd either have a Buyer in my pocket, or I'd be pulling your leg.  The Wrightsville Beach NC real estate market is improving!  In December 2010 there were 11 closed sales.  That's a 120% increase over October 2009.   Let's look at some of the stats from our local Wrightsville Beach NC real estate MLS and see if we can at least come up with a ballpark figure.   As you can see, the average days on market for homes that sol... 01/11/2011

3rd Annual Cold Stroke Classic  Wrightsville Beach, NC  January 15, 2011 3rd Annual Cold Stroke Classic takes place in Wrightsville Beach, NC on January 15, 2011 beginning at 10am.  SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding) is a growing sport in our area.  In fact, until last summer I hadn't even heard of it.  I don't know much more about it now, but I plan on learning more at the 3rd Annual Cold Stroke Classic!  Coastal Urge, a local store owned by Catherine & Jeoffrey Nathan, caters to paddleboarders and is doing their part to increase the sports popularity in the Cape Fear Region.  They host 4 local races a year and have founded a non-profit, SUP Cleanup, to help keep our beaches and waterways clean.  WOO HOO!  CA got in touch with Jeoffrey Nathan and he was kind enough to forward this picture, ... 01/10/2011

I really don't want a sign in my yard.  It's none of my neighbors business if I'm selling my house. With all due respect, you are incorrect.  It is in your best interest to have as many people as possible know that your house is for sale.  No one can buy it, if they don't know it's available.  With over 160 homes currently for sale in Wrightsville Beach, NC, we need to take advantage of any form of advertising we can. First, let's deal with the neighbor issue.  Your neighbor may be just the person to help sell your house.  Think about it:  Since they already like the neighborhood, they are more likely to suggest to friends or acquaintances there's a house for sale in their neighborhood.  You want, and need, all the "advertising" you can get.  Talk to your neighbors, let them know you ar... 01/09/2011

Town of Wrightsville Beach, NC Year Round Programs The Town of Wrightsville Beach, NC is a wonderful place to live, work and play.  And it isn't just a beautiful beach either!   Our Parks Department makes sure there are enough fun activities to keep you busy year round!  Most of the classes take place at the Fran Russ Recreation Center behind the Wrightsville Beach, NC Town Hall.  This is by no means a complete list -- you can find that here.  Along with fees and registration forms. Pilates -- Tuesday and Thursday  7:30a ~ 8:15a                               Pilates 50/50 -- Monday, Wednesday & Friday  10:30a ~ 11:30a Tone & Stretch Classes -- Tuesday & Thursday  8:30a ~ 9:15a Low Impact Aerobics -- Monday Wednesday & Friday  8:00a ~9:00a and 9:00a ~ 10:00a Yoga -- Wednesday evenings 6:... 01/07/2011

Why are you blogging?  You should be prospecting!  What the HEdoublehockeysticks do you think blogging is?!?! Once again, a fellow agent has taken it upon themselves to "suggest" that blogging is a waste of my time.  I always want to respond with, "What the HEdoublehockeysticks do you think blogging is?" So guess what?  I am responding with that exact answer from now on!  And I'm going to back it up with the following facts. 1.  My blog, Selling your Wrightsville Beach home and doing some good along the way, brought me this comment:  Tish, you are SO AWESOME!!!  Thank you so much for your support.  You have helped Sharing Our Bounty  from the beginning with the donation of items, financial pledging, and now ADVERTISING! :)  You are a gem! God's Grace and Blessings, Kerry Fitzgerald  Sha... 01/05/2011

So many resolutions!  Where to start?  How about with going greener a little at a time? I'm like just about everyone else.  I care about the environment and I want to do my part to ensure that my grandchildren and great-grandchildren inherit a world as beautiful as the one I knew.  But where do you start?  There are so many choices and opinions, how do you know which ones are really going to make a difference, and which ones are simply a fad? One of my 2011 resolutions is to find ways to incorporate greener choices into my life.  There's no way I could possibly implement them all at once, so I'm going to start out slow and see how it goes.  I hope you'll join me on this journey, maybe you'll be inspired to go greener yourself! I'm already doing a few things -- not running the water when... 01/02/2011

Why are they selling?       There isn't an agent out there who hasn't been asked this question oh, once or 100 times.   Sometimes, we know the answer.  Most times, we don't.  It's information that the Listing Agent is privvy to, and if I'm working for you as a Buyer's Agent, they're most likely not going to tell me!  I get why a Buyer would ask the question.  If it's a Short Sale you'll know the answer.  If it's not, it might help highlight a soft spot in the Seller's bottom line, or give the Buyer insight into the neighborhood that would help them make a decision about buying that particular home.  A Buyer may simply be curious.  All good reasons.  Personally, unless there is a problem with the home or community itself, I don't think the reason for selling is important.  Sure, if you k... 12/28/2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC! It's finally here, Christmas Day.  A day I hope is filled with Peace, Joy and Love.  Where has the year gone?  Seems I was just doing my business plan for 2010 and here we are with a whole new one.  Hardly seems possible. I know I say it over and over, but I love Wrightsville Beach, NC!  The natural beauty, the friendliness of it's locals, the many things to do and participate in.  If you're looking for a place to not only call home, but to feel at home, I think you'd like Wrightsville Beach, NC.  Give me a call, we'll talk and maybe I'll be fortunate enough to call you neighbor in 2011! Here are a few of my favorite photos from this past year.  It's been a good year, and I'm looking forward to 2011 being even better!           MERRY CHRISTMA... 12/24/2010

Will it be a White Christmas in Wrightsville Beach, NC? There's a chance we'll see some snow this weekend here in Wrightsville Beach, NC.  What?  Did I hear that correctly?  Snow in Southeastern NC?  YIPEE!!!!  This Virginia born and raised girl would love to see some snow for Christmas!  It looks like we won't quite make it for Christmas Day, but Sunday shows promise!  Since we're this far south, and close to the shore, chances are that whatever snow we get won't last long.  We'll get to enjoy the Christmas lights twinkling on the snow from the comfort of our home and then it will be gone before it has a chance to get dirty and ugly.  The perfect snow! If you're in the area, you can follow the forecast here.  This is a picture from the little snow we had here this past February.  It sn... 12/24/2010

I've been a little MIA but I can explain! It's 3 days before Christmas and I'm on a whirlwind showing tour!  I'm working with a delightful couple, they are READY, WILLING and ABLE buyers.  Just the kind we REALTORS® dream of!  And I mean that -- they really are a dream to work with!  And they are in town for 2 days only, on their way from NJ to their home in FL.  So unless we want to wait until May to look, which none of us wants, this is what we have to do.  Now, I'm as big a fan of Christmas as the next guy, and spending the last few days showing property was not high on my list for this week.  I've got shopping, cooking, wrapping, visiting and enjoying to do.  But they are here, they are ready to buy and I have a job to do.  I want to take this opportunity to go on record as saying t... 12/22/2010

Lunar Eclipse Photos I'm afraid I pooped out on CA and Zoe.  Actually, so did Zoe.  With all the Christmas preparations, we were just too pooped to party!  But not CA!  Oh, no, she and my daughter-in-law, Petra, were out on the beach at 2:30 this morning with about 20 other people, taking in the sight of the Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse.  She reports that it was COLD, about 28 degrees, and windy on the beach.  But the sky was clear, with the exception of one little group of clouds, and she took tons of pictures.  Here are just a few -- enjoy! 12/21/2010

Lunar Eclipse will be visible early Tuesday morning.  REALLY, REALLY EARLY Tuesday Morning! I don't have a picture of a lunar eclipse, yet!  After Tuesday I hope to have many! Guess it's my inner geek showing through, but I'm really excited about the Lunar Eclipse coming this week! Tuesday morning, December 21, 2010, at 2:41am is the time.  The beautiful Southeastern North Carolina Sky is the place. Just hours before the Winter Solstice -- what a way to welcome Winter, huh?  Yeah, I know, people in other parts of the world will be able to see it as well, but since I'm partial to my little piece of North Carolina, Wrightsville Beach, this is the place and time that matter to me! The temperature will be between 28 and 32 Tuesday morning, so be sure to dress warmly.  A warm cup of cocoa mi... 12/19/2010

Pay it Forward at your local Animal Shelter I do not recall a time when we did not have a family pet.  From my first puppy, a black cocker spaniel named Lucky, to my current dog, a blue tick hound named Zeke.  Over the years we've had cats, dogs, mice, bunnies, a goat and a horse.  Our pets have brought so much joy and have asked so little in return, they really do become part of the family.  Even our goat, Cecil.  CA taught him to play fetch and she would let him in the house when my husband and I were at work.  Cecil's story is a blog in itself, so I'll save it.  But suffice it to say, our family loves animals! This week, I'm Paying it Forward by helping to fill some of the wish list items for the New Hanover Humane Society.  The New Hanover Humane Society, in Wilmington, NC is a non-... 12/11/2010

"But they said on the news it was a Buyer's Market!" Wow.  Mis-information from the media.  What's the old adage?  Only believe half of what you read, or in the case of television news, half of what you hear.  Believe me, it holds true in today's Real Estate Market. No doubt, some areas are experiencing a Buyer's Market.  Some areas were in a Buyer's Market and have turned the corner.  And some may have made pricing adjustments, but it's never really been a Buyer's Market at all.  All real estate is local and in order to make a smart investment, you need to know what your local market is.  And the best way to get that information?  From a Real Estate Agent who is involved in their local market every day.  In Wrightsville Beach the real estate market is getting stronger every day.  Selle... 11/28/2010

What do you want to know about Wrightsville Beach, NC Real Estate? Maybe you own a home in Wrightsville Beach and are wondering what the market is doing.  Or you've always dreamed of a home at the shore and would like to know how much home you can get in Wrightsville Beach for your money.  Maybe you'd like to know about our quality of life.  Where the best places to eat are.  Or you're wondering about our schools. I can help answer these, and any other questions you may have, about Wrightsville Beach, NC Real Estate and living the dream in Wrightsville Beach, NC.  In my opinion, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place to live than Wrightsville Beach, NC.  We're only 8 miles from Wilmington, NC and all that it has to offer.  Yet, Wrightsville Beach feels like it's miles away from an... 11/28/2010

What a day, what a day!  I'll be downloading, correcting and uploading pictures and video for weeks!  As most of you know, today was the 27th Annual NC Holiday Flotilla, and boy was it fun!  CA & I spent the day mingling with all the great folks that came to Wrightsville Beach, NC for the festivities.  Don't have a count yet, but I heard on the news they expected the number to be above 50K!  Nice turn out for our little island paradise!  Temps were around 58 until the sun went down, then it got a little cool near the water. The traffic really started to pick up at about 4pm when they closed one lane of the bridge over Banks Harbor.  And it remained steady through the Flotilla and fireworks.  Here are just a couple of the boats.  I'll be putting together a much better post about today, b... 11/27/2010