Holden Beach Views

Just a few pictures of beautiful and peaceful Holden Beach, NC. Great beach weather is upon us, so pack your bag and we'll see you soon!

Give Me 20

If you're like me I'm sure you've heard that before. Raising children in today's world is not easy. It's a world of instant gratification and gotta have. I consider myself "cost conscientious". My husband says I'm cheap. I'm the girl who watches for sales and "clearance" is my best friend. I believe in getting the most for my money and saving as much as I can. Teaching my children this is not always easy.

www.giveme20.com is a great website offering tips and worksheets for children and teens. It has great suggestions to help teach them about waiting for sale prices and not falling for impulse buys.

Little Shop of Horrors?

Did you know the Green Swamp of Brunswick County is home to the Venus flytrap? This endangered plant is native to Southeastern North Carolina. I believe the plant became well known as the star of the 80’s movie Little Shop of Horrors.

Of course there are no 8 foot plants eating steaks for dinner, but they can be found in the wild eating on spiders and other insects. Individuals can purchase them from nurseries or may easily see the unique plants at the Ft. Fisher Aquarium.

Bald Head Island, NC

Old Baldy, N.C.’s oldest surviving lighthouse is the picture of Bald Head Island. The lighthouse itself has served many purposes throughout the years. Its original goal was to light Frying Pan Shoals which it never was able to do since the Shoals extend about 30 nautical miles. Since early 1865, it has served as a low intensity light and a radio beacon to direct ships into the Cape Fear. Today, Old Baldy makes her presence known with a long steady beam.

Bald Head Island can only be reached by ferry or private boat and no vehicles are allowed on the island. Residents and visitors get around on golf carts, bikes or walking. The island is truly an escape from city life into a quieter gentler time.

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Before the mid 1950’s Ocean Isle Beach, called Hale’s Beach by the locals, was nothing more than dunes, birds and a fishing shack. Odell Williamson purchased the island and the first full time residents moved to the island.

A lot has changed over the years. Now, Ocean Isle is a town filled with full-time residents and welcomes vacationers all year long. Many locals have set up shop along the causeway while the island continues to maintain the ability to escape from the rush of everyday life.

Holden Beach, North Carolina- Mary's Gone Wild and Tree House Art

Folk Art, tree houses, and children are Mary’s passion. Her unique little shop sits right on Holden Beach Rd. Miscellaneous items have been turned into tree houses and her folk art is displayed out back. There is no admission to view the art, tree houses or antiques but all donations received are sent to Feed the Children.

Money Island

The North Carolina Coast is full of history and Brunswick and New Hanover counties are no exception. The area is full of settlement and battlefield stories but it also carries many exciting and intriguing stories of piracy.

Captain Kidd is said to have second only to Blackbeard. Both spent a great deal of time around our area but Kidd is said to have left something behind. Ever heard of Money Island? Today, it is a privately owned small wooded island just off Masonboro Inlet.

According to legend, Kidd had done very well for himself off the Wilmington Coast. He made a deal with one of his seaman to watch over the buried treasure until he came back for it. After five years the seaman could take half of the treasure if Kidd had not returned and the same in another five years.

After burying the treasure, the seaman built a home on the island and a larger place on the mainland. After being married in Charleston, seaman Redfield returned with his wife. A year had past when a few of Kidd’s mate’s returned to steal the treasure. Redfield would not give up the location. They were taken to Charleston for supplies and during a drunken rage, the authorities learned of the kidnapped Redfield’s.

The mate’s were arrested and Redfield and his wife never returned to Money Island. Kidd was executed in London before he could return. It is believed the buried treasure is still there today.


The Coastal Chronicles, Volume I Jack E. Fryar, Jr. Editor

Sundae on Sunday's

My son checked out an interesting book this week from the library. "The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Surprising Stories About Inventions" has short summaries of how many different items came about. From the Popsicle, microwave, pockets, underwear to sundaes, this book is full of interesting facts.

Just for fun I thought I would share the sundae. In 1875 in Illinois there was a law which prohibited the sale of ice-cream sodas on Sundays. Apparently it was the soda water which caused concern. The local soda jerks became creative and served the ice cream and syrup with out the soda water on Sundays. People began asking for it by calling them Sundays. City officials objected to the treat being named after the Sabbath, so they simply changed the spelling. Thanks to the Evanston, Illinois city officials we love our sundae's!

Reach out and touch someone

Remember the old telephone slogan "Reach out and touch someone"? That was back when people were starting to use the telephone more and more to contact people. I remember growing up, my grandmother used to write to her sisters each week and place it in the U.S. Mail. And each week she would receive a letter from them. The unique thing is they only lived about 45 miles down the road. But back then, long distance was not an option and computers hadn't quiet caught on.

Sometimes I long for those days. The quiet evening we would sit on the front porch and swing or better yet the Sunday afternoons we would spend on the back porch. The whole family would come over (my grandmother had 7 children and they would bring all their children) and the kids would line the steps and let our feet dangle off the porch and eat slices of watermelon.

Flash forward to today. People just don't gather together except maybe at Christmas or Thanksgiving. Everyone is too busy. And forget, getting a hand written letter in the mail from a friend. Today it's text message, cell phones, my space, and facebook.

I can't deny it. I am a facebook addict. I started my facebook page about 9 months ago just as a networking device. But before I knew I was being contacted by old friends that I grew up with and even a few childhood boyfriends. It's nice to see their faces and even better the faces of their children. Sometimes you remember someone as the bully or class clown and never stop to think they have probably changed as much as you have. And my how some have changed.

Another high tech gadget I have become a fan of is the web cam. My mom bought me one several months back. We live 4 hours away and she wanted to be able to see me and the children more often and thought this would be a good way to do so. This weekend we had our first web cam video call. And I have to say it was fun. She had a rough 2008 with health issues and is now on the road to recovery. This was great because I was able to actually see her and how she was looking not just guess by her voice. Not to mention my ear was not red at the end of our talk. You see my mom is a talker. When she calls I'm on the phone for at least 45 minutes to an hour. So not having to hold the phone that long was a nice added benefit.

I guess my point is the "good ol' days" were just that and it never hurts to sit down with pen and paper and drop a note in the mail to a friend or invite family/friends over for watermelon. But with today's technology we now have many ways to stay in touch and really we have no excuse not to check in with friends/family.

Who will you contact today?

Home Mortgages

Lately I have been asked many questions about mortgage loans. Who has the best rate? Where should I go? When should I go to the bank? Do you think I could get a loan? Are there any special programs available that I qualify for?

I give everyone the same advice. Mortgage loans, rates, and company policy change daily and some even a couple times a day. My best advice to you is to see about a mortgage before you ever start your home search. This way you know exactly the right price range in which to search. I also recommend you talk to at least three different companies. Start with your current financial institute and/or mortgage company. Sometimes banks/lenders will offer specials to current customers.

Be prepared with last years tax return, pay stubs, and current debts. This will get you started and the lender will let you know what else they need. Credit score plays a big part in todays mortgage arena. So take care of it! Nuture and protect it like it was one of your children.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Well, I'm back from my long weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC. My sister and her family came down and we spent the weekend at The Dunes Village. During the winter, the rates are very cheap and include the 2 indoor water parks. It was a great weekend just hanging out by the pool and shoting down the water slides. We were all big kids.

Now, back to work and snow is in the forecast. All across NC they are calling for snow. Some areas like Raleigh are already seeing some accumulation. Here? I'm listening to the rain as I blog. But they are calling for flurries this afternoon and evening with a slushy accumilation of less than an inch. What fun is the snow if you can't go out and play in it?

The thing about snow in the south is it is usually gone as fast as it comes. Growing up in the Piedmont of NC, I remember it snowing 4 or 5 inches but it was all gone within a matter of a day or two. It hung around long enough to sled on the trash can lid, build a snowman and make a snow angel.

It will be nice to see the flurries and enjoy a warm day inside with the children. No school because it's a teacher workday so we'll sit by the fire, sip hot cocoa and watch the Presidential Innaguration.

Changes in the weather and changes in the real estate market have come about over the past week. The office has property under contract, two more offers coming in and two listings. I am excited and really looking forward to 2009.

I hope you have a warm day and if snow is in your yard, build a snowman for me!

BURRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I at the beach? You could have fooled me! We are having an Arctic cold front bringing temperatures to lows which we haven't seen since 2005. This morning it was 23 degrees when I took the children to school. The high today is only around 36 degrees. And tonight is no better! Lows around 19!!!

The good thing is, it will pass as quickly as it came and our mild temperatures will return. Sometimes I wonder, what are we complaining about? Parts of the Northwest are experiencing 40 and 50 BELOW and snow upon snow.

I guess that's why I love living in the south. We have mild winters with average temps around 52. Cold spells come and go quickly and warm days are always around the corner. Like last week, it was 70 degrees. Christmas Day was a perfect day for a relaxing walk on the beach with temps in the upper 60's pushing 70.

I will not lie. I am a summer girl 100%. I LOVE warm weather and being able to get out and enjoy the sunshine. So for today, I'll wrap up and try to stay warm by the fire but this weekend it's water slides and pools and a local indoor water park. A perfect weekend to escape the winter.

Hope you all have a great long weekend!

First Time Homebuyer Tax Break

I'm sure by now you have heard of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Break signed by President Bush. But what basically does this mean for you and who is considered a first time buyer? Take a look at this simple break down of the bill. As always, please be sure to talk with your accountant and/or financial advisor to verify your situation before hand.

As of 1/13/09 the credit is this:

Signed by President Bush under Housing Assistance Tax Act 2008

Applies to home purchased after 4/8/08 and before 7/1/09, purchased is defined as closing and exchange of titles.

Taxpayer cannot have owned home in prior three years; if Married Filing Jointly, then neither spouse could have owned jointly/severable in this time period

Max amount of credit is $7500; since a credit much more advantageous than deduction

Ratably phased out for higher wage earners: (Married File Joint Mod Adj. Income 150k-170k; Single: Mod. Adj. Income 75k-95k) If single and income is above 95k or married file joint and above 170k, then ineligible

Credit repaid "interest free" over 15 year recapture period. If home is sold prior to 15 years, then accelerated recapture schedule. If divorce or involuntary conversion, accelerated recapture will not begin. If death, then surviving spouse can elect to skip that year and pick up the next year after death.

Credit will appear on separate line on form 1040; may need to fill out additional required schedule as advised in instructions on 1040 form.

This information was taken from National Association of REALTORS Government Affairs Update. Again, please consult your accountant, financial advisor, or attorney to make sure you are eligible for this program and to verify all details.

Wow! This weekend was busy. One of my sellers received an offer and another seller is currently working out a deal with another offer. This should be the trend for 2009. Interest rates are still very low (check with your mortgage broker or current lending institute for quote) and inventory is high. Most sellers have become realistic in their asking price and are now pricing aggressively.

With the New Year comes renewed hope. Face each day with a positive can do attitude and remember "Tomorrow never comes".

Please contact me if you have any questions about the market in general, buying or selling, investing or looking for a second home. I will be happy to help.

Sunset Beach Bridge

The new $32 million bridge currently under construction is ahead of schedule. The Brunswick Beacon reported this week that if workers keep on this schedule the bridge will be complete by mid 2010, about six months ahead of the scheduled December 2010 date. The old pontoon bridge which is still being used is set to be removed in December 2010.

BCC Fitness & Aquatics Center

I wrote yesterday about how NC and Brunswick County are growing fast. My next few blogs will prove just that.

The Brunswick Beacon reported this week on the new Brunswick Community College Fitness & Aquatics Center scheduled to open by February 1, 2009. This is very exciting for all residents in the county. The center will include a 9,000 sq. ft gym with seating for 1,500 spectators and 3 lane elevated track will be above the gym floor. Runners/walkers can make about 12 laps to get a mile. This new center will also include a fitness center with aerobics studio, classroom space, 2 pools, drop in child care and much more.

Memberships are available for residents and non-residents of Brunswick County. This facility will also be used by area swim teams and volleyball teams. This is a very exciting opening for us since there is no local YMCA or housing of such equipment.

Check back tomorrow for the Sunset Beach Bridge update. It's ahead of schedule!

Growing Fast

I recently read that North Carolina is the fourth fastest growing state in the country. Brunswick County is about the eighth growing county in the country. Wow!! This is the place is be!

I have always lived in North Carolina and always appreciated the vast variety the state has to offer. There are beautiful mountains which offer many experiences all year round. The spring and summer offer cooler temperatures and attractions for all ages. Tweetsie Railroad is a family experience with an old western train ride, The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful, peaceful ride and perfect for picnics, historic Asheville and then Cherokee offers a Native American experience. In the fall and winter, visitors come to enjoy the changing leaves and the many ski resorts filled with sleding,skiing, snow boarding, ice skating, etc. Or you can enjoy a quiet relaxing get-a-way in a mountain cabin.

The Coastal area offers many beaches for all preferences. From quiet Holden Beach to Historic New Bern and Morehead City to Kitty Hawk and the Outer Banks. Whether you are a fisherman, surfer, history buff, or avid shell collector, Eastern NC is filled with something for everyone.

North Carolina offers a taste of every season without extreme conditions for long periods of time. It is an old southern state still filled with tobacco farms, Christmas Tree farms, shrimpers, large corporations and state of the art health care facilities. And lets not forget good southern hospitality and cooking.

If you've never visited our beautiful state, I encourage you to come for a visit and stay awhile.

I'm Back!!

With the new year comes New Year Resolutions. I've never been one to make New Year Resolutions, thinking why do you have to make resolutions at the beginning of the year. I always resolved to do things as needed. Whether it's to drop a few pounds, volunteer more or spend more time with family, I try to take care of those things as they come to me throughout the year. Well, I do have a New Years Resolution for 2009 and it is to Blog several times a week. I know everyday would be best, but lets start with something that is a little more attainable.

So there you have it a new year and new blogs. I hope you will check in daily and check out the information set to come your way. This year will be filled with Brunswick County happenings from events/festivals, to the new hospital and many other things going on to real estate and mortgage news.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year!