Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Does size Matter in the Wilmington NC Luxury Home?



Price per square foot has long been equated with defining a home’s value or degree of luxury. Pre-2008, many luxury communities experienced sales of more than $800 per square foot, while tract homes, or houses in so-called less desired areas, would sell for less than $100 per square foot.

Size does matter in Luxury Homes.  Where we are seeing the size of homes shrink to the average buyer as they take into operating costs.  The Luxury Home buyer typically does not have the majority of their wealth invested in their home. The amenities that come in luxury homes vary by area. In Wilmingont NC, the Luxury homes typically feature vaulted, cathedral, or high ceilings with extensive crown molding, hardwood or stone flooring, and incredible views or an expansive lot. Other items they include media rooms, wine cellars, and security systems, as well as zoned heating and air. The accompanying garages house three or more cars. Kitchens are a big deal,” Tina Abraham says. Luxury home owners expect granite countertops, custom cabinets, double ovens and micro-waves, and top-of-the-line appliances. “It’s all Viking, Thermador, or Bosch” .

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Viewings Increase for Wrightsville Beach Homes

Wrightsville Beach Luxury
During economic times buying a beach home was put on the back burner for awhile. They were not seen as a must have.  In the last three months there has been an increase in viewings; and more importantly solds in the Wrightsville Beach area.  These Luxury homes are at there lowest in nine years.  Buyers in the luxury market have realized now is the time to get off of the fence and purchase these magnificent homes. 

In the last 3 months there have been 120 homes sold in the Wrightsville Beach area.  With the most expensive one being sold at $3.2 million. Beach property continues to be a great investment in the Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach area!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Are Landfall Courntry Club in Wilmington Homes Selling?



While Landfall offers one of the only private, member-owned equity clubs on the North Carolina coast, Wilmington offers a combination of urban and rural luxuries not easily found anywhere else in the Southeast.
The incomparable Country Club of Landfall maintains 2 golf courses with 45 championship holes designed by Golf Legends Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus.

So how does Landfall real estate stack up 2012?  Landfall Real Estate Stays Strong–Latest Numbers Buyers and sellers are on the same page….Homes are selling for 95% of the list price.  Currently there are 118 Landfall homes for sale ranging from $350,000 to $3.5 Million.  In the last year there have been 77 homes sold with the lowes being $273,000 and the highest being $2.8 million. Last year this time we only had 59 homes sold about a 30% increase!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Luxury Homes in Wilmington Selling.

Luxury Homes are they moving in Wilmington?
In the last 6 months we have seen 21 homes sell that were priced above 1 million. 13 of those were in Wrightsville Beach. Some great deals are being had with some of the higher priced homes seeing a 25% decrease in pricing. Many who have been sitting on the fence are finally getting off.
My Listing on Fig 8 Sold Aug 30, 2012

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Luxury Real Estate Market "Capitulation"


Why are they calling this the"Year of Capitulation" in the Luxury Home market?
Even the rich aren’t immune to the pressures of the housing market.
Prices for homes priced at $1 million or more have fallen a 20 percent this year, according to RealtyTrac. The average sale price for top-tier real estate has fallen to just over $2 million, from $2.5 million in 2011.
Those prices cuts stand in stark contrast to the broader housing market, which is seeing early signs of price stability and even price increases for the first time in years.
All that price-chopping at the top, however, has sparked a wave of sales as buyers scoop up deals and sellers accept the new reality of lower prices.
The number of transactions for homes priced at $1 million or more has jumped 18 percent this year, one of the strongest increases since 2008, according to Realtytrac.
Brokers for luxury real estate are already calling 2012 the “The Year of Capitulation” for wealthy sellers.
There are several factors behind the price drops. The high end of the market didn’t fall as much or as early as the broader market, since there weren’t as many distressed sellers that were forced to sell. Those wealthier sellers have hung on to their properties, waiting for prices to approach 2008 levels.
Now that they see that the prices of 2008 aren’t likely to return anytime soon, many are deciding to drop their prices just to get a deal. The increase in sales has itself spurred sales, as wealthy sellers see a larger number homes in their neighborhoods trading at lower prices.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Ocean Front in Wrightsville Beach Do You Own the Ocean?

For much of North Carolina’s history, the rights of oceanfront property owners have been loosely defined. This was due in part to the slow pace of development of much of the state’s
oceanfront shoreline. Consequently, there were fewer opportunities for conflict between oceanfront property owners, the state and the general public. All that changed in the past 50
years, the barrier islands and ocean beaches have seen a marked increase in development. This has occurred in conjunction with severe erosion caused by hurricanes, nor’easters, sea level rise and man-made activities, such as dredging and building jetties. The waters of the Atlantic now are lapping at the foundations of million-dollar oceanfront homes, condominiums, hotels and businesses.

 As a general common law rule, when natural cycles and processes result in additions (accretions) to the beach, the increase belongs to the oceanfront owner to whose shoreline
the accretions adhere; if the cycles result in erosion of the shoreline, then the oceanfront owner sustains the loss. In other words, the oceanfront property owner’s boundary is never fixed, but is always a shifting, ambulatory boundary line — moving as the natural process changes the shoreline.

So when buying that Million Dollar View in Wrightsville Beach or anywhere on the coast remember your lot could increase or decrease.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Trying to sell a Wilmington NC Luxury Home in this market? What are the Key Elements.

VALUE--Due to current economic times, the inventory of Wilmington NC Luxury Homes is huge, and the buyer pool is certainly smaller and much more selective. Is your home considered a value in comparison to your competitors
EXPOSURE--Not just the MLS, cutting edge exposure using social media websites and viral marketing.

MOTIVATION--Buyers are sitting on the side-lines, watching prices fall and waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in to get a "deal."

As we have seen in the last 4 months homes are starting to move. Remember only the best priced, best in condition wins!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What Makes Luxury Wilmington NC Homes Sell?

Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle Photography is about adding life, perspective and emotion to photos and telling a story about your home and its personality. It creates a mood, sets a scene and opens a window for buyers to see into your world, letting them experience what you’re the qualities of your home and enticing them to find out more.
The outcome, to translate and advertise their home through engaging Lifestyle Photography. Here at Coldwell Banker Previews we aim high! There are many luxury homes in Wilmington NC. We need to make sure they stand out from the crowd!


Sunday, March 11, 2012

Wilmington NC Luxury Homes Statistics


Wilmington NC Luxury home market statistics from year on year.

Annual Luxury Homes Sold priced above $750,000 in the Greater Wilmington area.

  

· 2007  there were 189 homes sold.

· 2008 there were  128 homes sold.

· 2009 there were 39 homes sold.

· 2010 there were 85 homes sold.

· 2011 there were 74 homes sold.

· So Far in  2012 there have been 10 homes sold with the highest being $3.1 million.




Friday, March 9, 2012

Luxury Home Features Underwater views? Not in Wilmington NC



Looking for somthing like this in Wilmington NC?  My friend you will have to build your own luxury retreat with underwater views in Wilmington NC.

This distinctly contemporary design features a long, deep swimming pool that extends beneath a raised portion of the house, while lower floors enjoy underwater views through portals. In the living spaces this means filtered blue light, a welcome alternative to the harsh desert rays. The interiors are spacious, if a bit austere, with three bedrooms and six bathrooms spread over 4,300 square feet located California.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Luxury Home Sales Rise in Wilmington Area


Since January, five local Luxury residential properties have sold for $1 million or more, according to the Wilmington Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Only one property sold for over $1 million during this period last year.

This is an indicator for a recovering Luxury real estate market, buyers are finally starting to realise the potential of fantastic home prices and incredible interest rates. We are on the way to a recovering market.

The first home sold for over $3 million in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties since October 2010; it was the first $3 million-plus sale on Wrightsville Beach since September 2009, according to local MLS data.

The three-story house, located at 14 Southridge Road on Wrightsville Beach, sold for $3.15 million.  It was built in 2007 and orignally listed for $5.25 million. At the time, that was the peak of the market and almost impossible for someone make an profit with a market decline of 28 to 33 percent and carry it for five years.

The last $3 million-plus home sold in the area was a Piper’s Neck Road listing on Figure Eight Island, which sold for $3,495,000 on October 25, 2010 The last sale above $3 million on Wrightsville Beach was a Parmele Blvd. listing, which was sold for $3.2 million on September 15, 2009.

Now is the time to get into a luxury home at a mere fraction of what it used to cost.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Luxury Home Specialist to Find your Next Luxury home in Wilmington NC


There are many benefits to using a Realtor to find your next luxury home. With a little bit of research, you will be able to use the right Realtor to get you the luxury home you want at the price your dreamed of.

A Realtor has the ability to watch for the best luxury home that is available, and get that information to you. This is usually before the home is listed in any public form. The way that a Realtor can do this is with the right connections and tools.

The Realtor you go through works closely with other Realtors, and real estate agents. These other professionals are also trying to complete real estate transactions. These transactions are the sales of homes.

 Buying your next luxury home is a little like having your suit tailored to fit you. The home you want will need to fit you, your family and your life. Some lives are filled with fine art and literature.  Some lives are filled with elegance and delicacies. While others are filled with the fast paces lives of sports and exercise. What ever it is that you have in your life that your home will need to fit, a good Realtor can fit that for you.

 When you are buying a luxury home you are not just purchasing the wood, dry wall and paint. You are looking at the location, the amenities, the school district and much more. When you work with your Realtor, given the right information your Realtor will be able to bring these expectations to the table for you to view and decide what will work for your needs.

The best thing to do is to find a Realtor that will work for you. The easiest way to do this is to do a couple sit down interviews. Ask some questions about credentials. Finally, set good expectations with your Realtor.

In the meeting with your Realtor, it is important to set the expectations of what you will need. The Realtor will also need to set the expectations of what they can provide.

 When you discuss the needs and wants that you and your family are looking for in a luxury home, the Realtor will be able to use the tools they have to find the right homes for you to view. This will save you time, and hassle.

 The tools a Realtor can use to make your search easier are MLS and home listing services, private contacts, the Internet, and much more. You will be able to receive the listings for you to review in a couple different ways.

 You can get these through your home computer on the Internet, or through hard copy. Most of the time these listings can be updated every day. A good Realtor will review the listings they have on a daily basis and get this time sensitive information over to their client. This makes it possible for the best deal to be caught quickly.

 Using a good Realtor can make all the difference when it comes to purchasing your luxury home and making sure the transaction is completed correctly. The sellers will have a Realtor on their side. You will want to have a professional handling the transaction from your side.

The reason this is important is because there are many mistakes that can be made. In addition to hidden issues that could occur if the buyer is not made aware of the conditions of the home and title of the property.

Even with luxury homes there have been issues with poor conditions of homes creating a money pit for the new owner. Your Realtor will provide the research, legal structure and finally negotiation power it will take to make sure the purchase of your luxury home is completed as smooth as possible.



Tina Abraham is a well-known <a 
href="http://www.tinaabraham.com/">Wilmington North Carolina realtor</a>. To 
learn more about how Tina can help you sell your house or buy the <a 
href="http://www.tinaabraham.com/">Wilmington NC real estate</a> of your 
dreams click here or call us at (910) 6198931



Tuesday, February 21, 2012

How do Figure Eight Homes Sales stack up?


How did the luxury market stack up in 2011? Figure Eight being one of the exclusive areas in New Hanover County to shop for Luxury Homes. In 2011 there were 10 homes sold on Figure Eight Island a jump from 2010 where there were only 7 homes sold. The highest price one being $2.8 million. Most of the homes sold between 85 and 90% of their list price. Look at this home I have listed on Figure Eight Island. This home is one of a kind located in the middle of the island on the intracoastal on one of the most coveted lot on the island.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Million Dollar Mansions

Are there as many Million Dollar Mansions around?  Amazingly those million dollar homes are not so and could be $800,000 dollar mansions. Looking to move into the luxury market? If those are your plans there is so much to offer in the Wilmington Luxury Market. The luxury market in Wilmington NC has taken a bit of a beating.  Figure Eight and Landfall top the list for Luxury homes.  There was a time where you couldnt buy anything under $2.5 million on Figure Eight Island.  Now the island wrestles with homes under the million dollar range and what used to be $4million is now $3 million. Landfall used to be the oasis for Golfers and Northerners looking for their million dollar retreat. Homes used to be priced no lower than $500,000.  Now you can pick a bungalow up for just under $400,000.

Price isnt the only qualifyer. Here at Coldwell Banker we have a list of qualifyers, and only if you have 10 of those is your home considered Luxury. Thinking of listing you luxury home drop me an email and I can send you those qualifyers.

Click this link and I can show you what is available in that million dollar range, and if you like any of them, you know what to do.  Give me a call and lets shedule an appointment. Time to buy that Million Dollar Mansion at a fraction of what it used to be!