There are a varity of home styles and construction methods available in Wilmington, NC. From  fiber cement board, to stucco, cedar, wood, vinyl and of course...brick.

Brick homes are popular for many reasons, including their attractive appearance.

I wanted to share with you some great info on brick homes provided by eHow.com (see reading below).

If you want to look at Wilmington real estate or Wilmington homes for sale, you can search online here at Coastwalk Real Estate, or call us at 910-458-9119

Low Maintenance

• Brick is very low-maintenance. A brick house will never need to be repainted. It won't be in danger of rotting, and termites and other pests will not damage brick. This durability not only makes brick a convenient and worry-free choice, but also saves homeowners money over time.

Energy Efficiency

• Brick is also more energy efficient than other buildingmaterials. It will help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter and also lower your energy bills. According to the Palmetto Brick Company, the energy bills of brick homes are eight percent less than those in vinyl homes.

Appearance

• Brick offers an elegant, timeless look that improves as it ages. In addition, brick comes in a variety of colors, textures and finishes that won't fade with time.

Insurance Discounts

• Since brick is durable, fire resistant and pest resistant, home insurance costs are often lower for brick houses than houses constructed of vinyl or other materials. Over time, this discount can help recover the initial cost of brick.

Noise Barrier

• Brick walls block out noises from outside more effectively than other building materials, which creates a peaceful and calm atmosphere inside your home.

Higher Resale Value

• The elegance and efficiency of brick make it a top selling point in real estate. Choosing brick will ultimately increase the value of your home, making it easier and more lucrative to resell.

Patio homes are popular residences for many in the Wilmington, NC area. Often affordable, patio homes offer low maintenance living. Commonly the HOA takes care of the yard and exterior maintenace. In many patio home communities, there are pools and clubhouses, tennis and more.

Wilmington patio homes can be found in Marsh Oaks, Landfall, Sea Spray Landing and Cypress Island. At the beach, you can find patio homes in Carolina Lake Beach Village.

These are just a few examples.

I thought this was a great sumary of patio homes, provided by Wikipedia:

A patio home is an American term for a type of housing, also called a cluster home. The term tends to imply a suburban setting and a unit of several houses attached to each other, typically with shared walls between units, and with exterior maintenance and landscaping provided through an association fee. Not all of these elements are present in all buildings called patio homes, as the term is used somewhat generically by the real estate industry.

The building may actually be a condo when the building's owner does not own the land, or it may be sold in fee simple. Targeted buyers are primarily those who do not want to be bothered by external maintenance typically associated with home ownership, sometimes because they only live in the patio home for part of the year.^[1]

There is not usually a legal definition of a patio home, and some houses called patio homes may alternatively be marketed as townhouses, garden homes, twin homes,^[2] or carriage homes.^[3] Most taxing jurisdictions do not have a separate classification for patio homes.

The term was first seen in print in the mid-1970s.^[4] In a more generic sense it may refer to a home with a prominent patio, such as some traditional Mediterranean-style homes.^[5]

KURE BEACH TOWN NEWS – OCTOBER 20, 2011

·         Go to the Town’s website www.townofkurebeach.org for meetings, info & news

·         Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kurebeachnc

·         Visit our Business Corner at the bottom of this email for great deals from KB businesses

·         For more events: Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce http://www.pleasureislandnc.org/calendar.asp

Canal Drive in Carolina Beach is a super street that runs parallel to Myrtle Grove Sound, and the Ocean. Its directly on Myrtle Grove Sound, and one block from the beach.

Many of the homes on the west side of the street have boatslips. Depths (drafts) and sizes range based upon location. You can easily fit an 18-20ft boat in most locations, and upwards of 35 feet in others.

Of course the views are beautiful! Imagine sunsets over the water!

For beach lovers, you are just a short walk to the beach from any home on Canal Drive.

You are also close to Joyner's Marina, the Yacht Basin and downtown Carolina Beach!

Condos range in price from the mid $100's to upward of $1,000,000 for nice homes.

Canal Drive is a two lane road the runs from the Carolina Beach Boardwalk to Freeman Park on the North End.

To views homes for sale Canal Drive and Carolina Beach homes for sale, click here!

CONTACT COASTWALK REAL ESTATE FOR MORE INFO ON BEACH HOMES

910-458-9119

Kure Beach Ocean Dunes Condos for Sale

Ocean Dunes is located at the southern tip of Kure Beach, and just steps to Ft Fisher. It is a true resort with several pools, including an indoor pool, a gym, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard and so much more. Ocean front condos with amazing views, elevator access in several of the buildings make this an attractive feature as well. On the west side of Ocean Dunes you will enjoy an abundance of woodlands, with many birds and an abundance of wildlife.

It's a really nice resort, really the only of its kind on the island. Take a stroll on the beach, or down to Ft Fisher. Its a piece of paradise.

Recently the HOA selected The Noble Company to manage the resort. You can access more information on Ocean Dunes from the website, click here to access.

Ocean Dunes in Kure Beach is simply...beautiful. If you would like more info on Ocean Dunes please call Coastwalk Real Estate today! Prices range from about $200,000 to $600,000.

Find all Ocean Dunes real estate on-line at Coastwalk Real Estate, or click here!

With Halloween right around the corner I was thinking about all the customs we’ll see and the one that is used the most being the “Pirate Costume”.  That brought to mind the history of pirates and Topsail Beach North Carolina.  If you’ve ever visited Topsail Island you know it’s located off the coast of southeastern North Carolina and is host to the most pristine waters anywhere.  The Island its self is 26 miles long and its widest point is 1500 feet.  On one side of Topsail Island you have the Atlantic Ocean and on the other you have the Intracoastal Waterway.  Topsail Island is rich in history and folklore from the 1700’s is where it’s said Topsail (pronounced Tops’l) originated its name.  It was during that time that pirate ships roamed these coastal waters in search of ships to attack and steal from.  Thus the sailors getting smart began scanning the dune lines of Topsail Island over their topsails to spot the pirate ships thus the name, Topsail.   

The most notorious of these pirates is a man named ‘Blackbeard’ also known as Edward Drummond, Edward Teach and Edward Thatch.  Blackbeard was said to be over six feet tall and a master of psychological warfare.  He was a scary individual that had no fear said to be the devil incarnate.  Not what we picture when we dress our ‘little man’ in his Halloween costume emulating this notorious pirate.  An example of his wicked nature is that he would tie cannon fuses and sulfur matches in his long beard and light them!  Picturing a man standing feet taller than most with fire in his beard, pistols in hand, smoke around his head would make the most skeptical person take note.  This was not a pirate you’d want to meet in any waters much less right here in North Carolina.

The most interesting part of this story is that Blackbeard left his treasure at Topsail.  Of course over the years many have searched extensively without luck.  Many think that the treasure of Blackbeard was found already but without proof who knows.  Legend has it that Topsail Island waters are still haunted by Blackbeard’s ship which is one of the many “Ghost Ships of Topsail”.  Maybe he’s still waiting for some lucky treasure hunter to find the bounty?  A great new addition to the island is a Pirate Ship that cruises the Island with visitors and give you a real sense of what it was like way back when Blackbeard and other pirates cruised our waters.  If you’re interested in learning more visit this website and get your ticket today: http://www.belleoftopsail.com.  So if you’re like me when I see the ‘little pirate at the door on Halloween my mind will automatically be transposed to a time and place called Topsail Beach North Carolina.     

Want to buy a home? Wilmington homes for sale, Topsail Beach Homes, Surf City Homes & Wrightsville Beach real estate can be found on-line at CoastwalkRealEstate.com, or just click here now!

Coastwalk Real Estate 910-458-9119

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is one of only 26 universities in the nation to be designated as a Bicycle Friendly University at the bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists. Only one other higher education institution in North Carolina, UNC Greensboro, has received this designation. The prestigious honor comes just as the City of Wilmington, which recently received a similar designation, prepares for the grand opening of the campus section of the Cross City Trail, on Friday, Oct. 14.

After careful review of an application and consultation with campus cyclists, the award was granted to UNC Wilmington for encouraging students, faculty and staff to partake in non-motorized forms of travel including commuting to campus on bicycles. This year, UNCW was one of six universities to receive the prestigious honor.

"This award is presented only to campuses with remarkable commitments to bicycling," said the director of Bicycle Friendly America program, Bill Nesper.

The option to buy bicycles and skateboards and have them custom detailed on campus is one of the numerous reasons UNCW was singled out for its commitment to sustainable transportation. Since August, several students, including studio art major Chris Bowen, have custom painted bicycles, skateboards, flip-flops and more for UNCW ECOteal, a unique campus store focused on environmentally friendly retail.

"Although the award is simply a 'designation,' it does have powerful implications in terms of developing a more bicycle friendly campus," said Tamlyn Shields, Obesity Prevention Initiative Coordinator at UNCW. "A 'bike friendly' campus aligns with the university's mission to promote health and develop a more sustainable campus."

The City of Wilmington held an award ceremony for their own designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community on the bronze level in July 2011. The city and university's unified commitment to alternate transportation will shine at the grand opening of the Gary Shell Cross-City Trail at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 in front of Trask Coliseum on Wagoner Drive. The city received $2 million in federal stimulus funding for this section of the trail.

UNCW's designation is current for four years and will be up for renewal in 2015. The League nationally publicized the announcement on Oct. 10 at the Association of Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference in Pittsburg, Pa.

Groups that have been involved through the process include UNCW Obesity Prevention Initiative, UNCW Parking and Transportation, Cape Fear Cyclists, the City of Wilmington Transportation Planning, the UNCW Student Cycling Club, the UNCW Employee Wellness Committee and the UNCW Police Department.

For more information:
Bicycle Friendly Communities – League of American Cyclists
www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/
Gary Shell Cross-City Trail
www.wilmingtonnc.gov/Home/News/tabid/429/ItemID/535/View/Details/Default.aspx
ECOteal Custom Detailed Bikes and Boards
http://uncw-admissions.blogspot.com/2011/08/uncw-eco-teal.html

Media contact:
Joy Davis, UNCW media relations, 901.632.3903 or davisjc@uncw.edu

Wrightsville Beach has some great homes for sale. Ocean front homes, Wrightsville Beach condos, land and partial ownership opportunities.

There are also Wrightsville Beach foreclosures, to see them all click here!

Wrightsville Beach homes range in price from several hunder thousand, to several million dollars. Here are some Wrightsville Beach homes for sale in the $500's.

If you like golf, try Landfall Country Club. Landfall homes for sale are listed here. Landfall is located minutes from Wrightsville Beach!

Wrightsville beach ocean front homes and Wilmington ocean front homes can be found here. There are some great deals on oceanfront homes in Wilmington, including a 6BR/6BA home on Ft Fisher Blvd in Kure Beach.

For those who want simplicity, here are Wrightsville Beach condos for sale!

For more infomation or to look at homes contact Coastwalk Real Estate

910-458-9119