Why You'll Love Leland NC

Leland, NC has small town atmosphere, golf, shopping, restaurants & parks - all just five minutes from Wilmington, NC's historic riverfront.

Sean Skutnik with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty calls Leland, NC home. He explains why you'll love it too.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find us on Facebook.

Networking Guru & Sea Coast Associate Shares Tips for Success

Over the last 40 years, Bruce Brown has been a teacher, counselor, freelance writer, real estate professional, business coach and small business owner.

At Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty’s Leland, NC office, Brown puts his talents and experience to work helping home buyers and sellers. He is also vice-president of the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and frequently attends networking events to promote and support other local businesses. His enthusiasm and willingness to share his wisdom energize the business community and Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty.

Brown is also the owner of his own business coaching company. He shares his passion in “31 Days to Networking Event Mastery," a book he's written with a month's worth of daily tips for making the most of networking events. He will share networking tips and plan for business success Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 at the Brunswick County Association of Realtors, located at 101 Stone Chimney Place in Supply, NC.

Check out the Brunswick Beacon for more about the event and Bruce Brown. For more information about Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find us on Facebook.

Short Sales Explained

Alex Paen, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty, has lots of experience with short sales.

What is a short sale? How does it work? Could one be right for your situation? Our expert explains it all.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find us on Facebook.

Help for Haiti

Join Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty in helping the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

Just text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the American Red Cross, through an effort backed by the U.S. State Department.

You can also make a donation by visiting http://www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Why Wilmington?

What's so great about Wilmington, North Carolina?

Michelle Gurrera with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty decided to call Wilmington home more than twenty years ago. She explains that the Port City has something for everyone and why you'll love Wilmington too.



For more information please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Sea Coast Realty Does the Dolphin Dip

An estimated 4,000 people attended the 8th Annual Dolphin Dip event January 1, 2010 in Surf City, NC.

The annual New Year's Day charity event raised an estimated $4,500 for the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center.

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty's own Brian Moxey helped to organize the event. He and lots of other members of the Sea Coast family took the chilly plunge for a good cause or cheered on those who did, including Carolyn Thomason, Tim Milam, Dana Little, and Louise Voelker.

Your Home Loan - The First Steps

You want to buy a home and you'll need a loan. Chris Hutchens with Alpha Mortgage explains how to get started.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Closing Costs Explained

Perhaps you've heard people mention "closing costs" when they talked about buying a home, but never really understood what that meant.

Terry Roberts with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty explains just what those "closing costs" mean and how much you can expect to pay.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Pest Inspections Can Keep Problems From "Bugging" You

You didn't see any creepy crawlies when you checked out your new house, so why do you need a pest inspection?

Sandy Monroe with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty explains that having a professional conduct this inexpensive test now can help you make an informed decision to buy and prevent nasty surprises later on.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Foreclosures: What You Need To Know

You've seen those TV commercials advertising how you can buy foreclosed homes for pennies on the dollar, but buying a foreclosure can be tricky business.

When it comes to experience with foreclosure transactions, Tom Gale with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is a veteran. We asked him what you need to know before you consider buying a foreclosed property.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Why Sandy Monroe Chose Sea Coast Realty

When it comes to choosing which real estate company to work for, real estate professionals have a lot of choices.

Sandy Monroe explains that Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty's #1 ranking in the Wilmington area played a large part in his decision to make the move to Sea Coast, even after he'd had a successful real estate career for more than 15 years.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Getting a Home Inspection Before You Buy

Chris Baynes with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty explains why it's important to have a home inspection performed by a professional before you buy.



For more information, please visit SeaCoastRealty.com or find Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty on Facebook.

Renting to Students Is Good Business

Off-campus student rental housing is surviving the recession nicely, say landlords who rent apartments and rooms to students near campuses all over the country.

"I wouldn't say it's recession-proof, but it's recession-resistant," says Jim Arbury, an executive with the National Multi-Housing Council, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group for the apartment industry. "It's still one of the bright spots in the housing market."

For instance, Brad Hastings, whose company Walk2Campus rents 400 units in South Carolina, has about a 94 percent occupancy rate.

Hastings says it's not a business for everyone because it's management-intensive. "You have a customer base who, possibly for the first time, are living out on their own. There's a certain amount of hand-holding, teaching of life lessons."

Source: Inman News, Mary Umberger (12/30/2009)

Wilmington, North Carolina is home to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), Cape Fear Community College, and a variety of small professional and technical schools. To find income-producing properties near these schools, please visit www.seacoastrealty.com.

America's MOST and LEAST Desirable Neighbors

The neighbor most Americans would choose is the Obama family, according to the annual Zillow Celebrity Neighbor Survey, which asked more than 2,000 U.S. adults to choose who they’d most like to see across the fence.

The most desirable neighbors for 2010 are:

The Obamas
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi
Sarah Palin
Taylor Swift
Oprah Winfrey
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen
Tiger Woods
Robert Pattinson

The least desirable neighbors are:

Nayda Suleman (also known as "Octomom")
Jon and Kate Gosselin
Sara Palin
Richard and Mayumi Heene (parents of balloon boy)
Kanye West
Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt
Britney Spears
Tiger Woods

Source: Zillow.com (12/29/2009)