Southport NC - North Carolina's Official 4th of July Celebration

If you live in Southport, it's that time again....time to hang the buntings, replace that faded "Old Glory," clean off the front porch for visitors, and get ready to sit back and watch another 4th of July festival in Southport unfold. Is it really almost here? You betcha... the Fireman's Competition will kick things off today! It seems early but it's not. The town never looks better than it does right now. If you feel like I do, that there seems to be a serious lack of patriotism in our Country these days, then this is just what the doctor ordered.

Tomorrow at 5PM, bring your chairs and come to the Garrison for the 2nd Marine Division Band Concert. There's not a better spot to enjoy a Sunday evening, with the mouth of the Cape Fear as your backdrop. Another highlight of Southport's 4th of July festival is the Naturalization Ceremony that also will take place at the Garrison on Friday, July 3rd at 4:45. If you've never attended one of these, you'll just have to take my word for it ... you just can't help but walk away feeling a little misty eyed and moved by the earnest exuberance of these brand new Americans who have gone through so much to get here so they might have the opportunities that we all take for granted.

Oak Island always hosts a pre-4th day of activities called Beach Day at the Cabana and Middleton Park. This year it is on Wednesday, July 1st and is a jam packed day of family fun ... horseshoe competition, kids games, live music, volleyball and bocce tournament, and topped off by their own fireworks display at Ocean Crest Pier.

On Thursday, the 4th of July festivities hit wide open, and for the next three days, Southport will transform itself into a virtual sea of red, white, and blue. The smells of funnel cakes, bloomin' onions, curly fries, and philly steak are surely gonna draw you in even if you had planned to be good this year. The Arts and Crafts Fair gets started at 10AM at Franklin Square Park, as well as the National 4th of July Art Show next door at Franklin Square Gallery. The Dennis Walton Band kicks off an afternoon of music and entertainment at the Waterfront Stage starting at 1:00PM. And I just found out today that the Brunswick Big Band is headlining the evening slot from 7-10PM. Normally it's the Wilmington Big Band fills this slot so I know our local musicians are all fired up about the chance to wow a big festival crowd. And I'm sure they will! Note that many of them will be pulling "double duty," as there'll be little time to rest before the Brunswick Concert Band performs on the Garrison Lawn at 4PM on Friday, just prior to the Naturalization Ceremony.

Southport's 4th of July Festival continues full throttle on Friday, starting out bright and early for the much-anticipated Kid's Games at the Waterfront Park. Registration is at 8:30. I know it's hard to get up and get your kids there at that time of morning in the summer...I remember...but it's always worth it and the three-legged races and the watermelon rolls won't wait. They might just get lucky... the smile on the face of your little one being handed a blue ribbon... priceless.

The fun in the sun continues throughout the day and is capped off by the Street Dance from 7-10. This year's dance is hosted by the Peace and Love band from Charlotte playin' your favorite oldies and dance classics. This is where you go when you want to see all the people you haven't seen since last 4th of July!

It's been a long time since the 4th finished up on a Saturday ... well, seven years to be exact. It'll be nice cause then you still have Sunday to relax in much needed peace and quiet. So Saturday morning you might as well come on in to town real early and find you a shady spot to put out your chairs. Then you can go over to the Methodist Church, who's been having a pancake breakfast on the 4th for the masses as long as I can remember. North Carolina's largest and oldest 4th of July parade starts at 11AM and no matter how many times you see it, it is ALWAYS a huge crowd-pleaser.

Down on Bay St. in front of the Garrison, will be a classic car show, and at the Waterfront Park, Civil War re-enactors will provide a chorus of cannons to keep us awake. The Saturday night band this year is Carl Newton and the 5th Avenue Band. I'm not familiar with them but from the sound on their website, they'll get the crowd out of their seats, and on the dance lot with their unique brand of classic soul. Of course, no 4th of July celebration is complete with fireworks, and fireworks there'll be alright. Having lived in downtown Southport for 25 years now, I can say for sure the fireworks are still my favorite part...lying on a blanket by the water...watching the bobbing of boats out in the river until the launch barge fires that first missile in the air. Then it's just time to relax and enjoy the show. Happy Birthday America.

My only real advice for getting out of Southport after the fireworks, is to park on the East side of town facing out. Here's a map I made last year...hope it helps.

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Southport NC - We're Rockin' and Rollin'

Southport's event calendar is starting to heat up for real, along with the temperatures in what has been a very cool May. I finally said "uncle" Sunday night and turned on the AC for the first time, much to the relief of the family. I held off as long as I could, partly for energy savings, and partly because I know that once you turn it on, that's it. No more cool breezes blowing through the house early in the morning and late at night, no more sound of the rain and the birds, dogs barking, and cars going by. In short, I feel encapsulated. But it is almost June.

There's some fun stuff happening the next couple weeks so before we all get distracted with the upcoming 4th of July calendar, let me hit the high spots. First off, if you missed Brunswick Little Theatre's "Beehive, the 60s Musical" at Franklin Square Park last weekend, you have another chance. It's a musical review featuring a real vocal powerhouse of female singers and a collage of hits from artists like Petula Clark, the Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and more. This is a free show ya'll ... Fri, Sat, and Sun at 8PM.

Also this weekend, the Cape Fear Yacht Club kicks off its season with its annual Leukemia Cup Regatta. This is North Carolina's featured race in a nationally sponsored event featuring over 35 sailboats and powerboats racing from the Cape Fear River out to sea and back. Saturday night, Gary Jobson, a 6-yr lymphoma survivor, world-class sailor, and ESPN commentator, will speak at the dinner/live and silent auction event. For more info email cfyclcr@aol.com.

On Saturday, if you have been itching to get out on the water, there is no finer paddling companion than Emma at Southport's Adventure Company. She'll be leading a kayak trip on pristine Rice's Creek, a tributary of Town Creek. Cost is $45/person and includes kayak and gear. It's $25/single and $40/double if you bring your own boat and gear. Part of the proceeds go to the NC Coastal Land Trust. Call 910.454.0607 for reservations. Space is limited.

For the kids, both big and little, head over to the Brunswick County Airport Saturday, the 30th, where Communities in Schools is hosting a "BIG Toy Day." See guys who operate bulldozers, drive big rigs, and control fire ladders. The Coast Guard will be there, along with Police and their utility vehicles. Kids 8-17 can join the Young Eagles Program and get a free airplane ride. Free helicopter rides for the family. Admission is only $5 and kids under 5 get in free. Call 457.3434.

Now this looks like a sure-fire winner... Downtown Southport, Inc is hosting "Home Sweet Home Southport Kitchen Tour" on June 7th from 2-6. Lewis Hardee, a local historian and author of "Classic Southport Cooking" provides the dessert recipes for a roving tasting party in the kitchens of seven unique Southport homes. Tickets are $10 and available at the Southport Visitor's Center. 910.457.7927. Proceeds stay in house benefit Downtown Southport, Inc, who does a fantastic job promoting local merchants and sponsoring many of the things we love in Southport like the Waterfront Market, movie night at the Garrison, Summer Sundays concert series, and much more. The success of this grassroots organization should be credited to Director, Randy Jones, a Southport native who shares his love of his hometown so many tangible ways, and to Executive Director and founder Peggy McDonald, who has turned a great idea into and even greater reality.

And just a few more things in brief, tonight Where We Live is hosting its Third Thursdays open mike night at 6:30 at the Pepperoni Grill in BSL. Bald Head Island celebrates the much anticipated grand opening of its new ferry terminal and restaurant at Deep Point Marina on June 2nd at 10AM - public welcome. On Friday, June 5th is the annual fish fry at the Pythagoras Lodge across for the Post Office. This is lunch and not dinner so don't come late like I always do and miss it. Plates/$6. Then on Saturday, June 6, St. Philips Episcopal holds its annual Lobster Sale. The deadline for ordering has passed but there my be a few extras available the day of the sale.

In a surprise visit, the up and coming, Ryan Montbleau Band from Boston, will be performing at the Amuzu in Southport on Wednesday, June 10th at 7PM. Ken Perrin of Circle Entertainment is a local music lover and music promoter who managed to get these guys to add a night to the launch of their acoustic solo tour. I was not familiar with this band but after checking them out on MySpace, I am buying my tickets this week. This is a benefit show to help with further restoration of the Amuzu as a wonderful space for Stage II Productions as well as an intimate live music venue. Tickets are $15 or $25 for couples. Please come out and support this event, even if it is a week night, so that it might be possible to bring more shows to town. Call Ken for tickets: 910.274.3971. Here's more from the Star News.

As I sit here pecking away at my computer, I am enjoying the most beautiful smell in the world, the first gardenias of summer. My Mom brought them to me last night, packed lovingly in a large cool whip container for the ride. They are now sitting in a glass bowl right beside me and filling me with sweet lazy memories of childhood...crickets, frogs, swimming under a full moon, cane pole fishing, sharks tooth hunting, minnow seining, bean snapping and pea shelling, and card playing way past a little girl's bedtime. Thanks Mom.

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Southport NC - Spring Activities Abound

I am behind in my reporting of local events here in Southport NC. Easter Weekend is upon us and with it, the beginning of "tourist season" and the abundance of activities that comes with it. We've had our share of winter this year, and even a couple rare dustings of snow, but nothing compared to the wrath of "Old Man Winter" that was felt in many parts of the country. We are ready...and with the smell of jonquils in the air, it's time to sit back and have a look at all the opportunities for fun and frolic in and around Southport.

Getting on with it, Southport Parks and Rec will hold its annual Easter egg hunt "extraordinare" on Saturday March 28-10AM at the Garrison lawn on the Waterfront. So as not to get a "sneak peek" beforehand, all kids 7-12 will meet at Franklin Square Park. For anyone visiting the area who has not experienced this much-anticipated Southport event, do not be dismayed when you arrive with your kids and see several hundred children. There will be literally thousands of candy eggs (malted chocolate) plus numerous prize eggs. I remember one year my oldest daughter found an egg with a $20 bill in it. It was "a very BIG deal." In addition, on Saturday before Easter, I believe, is the only "adult easter egg hunt." Stewart Hardware has been having one every year as long as I can remember. You can call them at 457-5544 for details. I also hear that their Spring shipment of baby chicks and ducks has arrived!

For the grown-ups, on March 29th at the Southport Community Building is a "Red, White, and Brew" wine tasting, sponsored by the Friends of the NC Maritime Museum at Southport. Time: 2-4. Call 457-0003.

Whenever you're in Southport, you owe it to yourself to check out the the latest collection of local art at Franklin Square Gallery. I am always amazed at the talent in our midst. If you're not familiar with any of our artists, here are a few favorites. (I have a weakness for watercolors.) I love the whimsical works of Susan Dade, the haunting Empty Porch series by Susan Mauney, the unique jug art/pottery of Betsy Sellers, and the nostalgic coastal scenery of Suzanne Ellett. From now until May 1, you can see the budding art work of Brunswick County High School students.

To officially kick off the upcoming season, and welcome the arrival of warmer weather, Southport will host its annual Spring Festival hosted by Downtown Southport, Inc and the Southport-Oak Island Kiwanis Club. It will be held on Easter Weekend, April 10 and 11 at Franklin Square Park. There will be over 100 craft booths, lots of food vendors, live music, kid's games, plant sales, and much more. This festival gets bigger every year and honestly the attendance is staring to remind me of the 4th of July. It seems like everyone vacationing on our area beaches makes a point to get to Southport for at least one of the days. And Saturday only, is the not-to-be-missed Robert Ruark Chili Cook-off. Ruark spent much of his beloved childhood under the salty eye of his colorful Grandfather whose home has recently been converted to fabulous bed and breakfast. I was a little skeptical when I saw the white clapboard seaman's home turn to gold, but I have to admit, it is absolutely striking. The new Robert Ruark Inn is on the corner of Lord and Nash St. I wrote about Ruark's Old Man and the Boy in another blog. It's a wonderful book.

Where We Live is a local grassroots organization in Boiling Spring Lakes which gives testimony to the "can do" attitude of its founders of Jen Iapalucci and Eleanor Erickson. They saw a need to build communities and provide outlets for children and families, and boy have they taken the bull by the horns. When there wasn't a good playground for their children to play, they raised the money for one through many a creative endeavor. Now the Grand Opening of Muse Park Playground is April the 18th! When local kids were having to drive to Wilmington for music and art lessons, they started of offering Kord Music and Pint-Sized Picassos. Check out the calendar and other offerings. You'll be amazed. So the BIG thing they have coming up is their 1st Annual Live Green Music and Arts Festival, "a celebration of music, art, and Mother Earth," in Bolivia on April 11th. Click here to view the flyer or print one to put up in your neighborhood.

For the theatre go-ers among you, you know that Spring means the "Spring musical" for local theatre companies. For Stage II Productions, it means Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, which will be performed at the Amuzu April 24-25, and April 30-May 3. Shows at 8:00, Thurs. - Sat and also matinees Sat. and Sun. at 3:00. Founder of Stage II, Briton Campbell was a pirate in Brunswick Little Theatre's 2000 run of Pirates. Now she has a chance to direct and I'm looking forward to seeing it inside the historic walls of the Amuzu. Tickets on sale at their office on 807 Howe St. and Ricky Evans Gallery...or call Briton at 540.2801. You'd better hurry....opening night has already sold out!

In what has become a popular outdoor event every year, Brunswick Little Theatre will present Beehive, the 60's Musical at Franklin Square Park. It is a retrospective of the great female acts of the 60s and 70s including the Shirelles, the Supremes, Petula Clark, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, and more. The show has just been cast and word on the street is that the voices in this show are unbelievable! I'm excited just hearing about it. This is a free show folks...donations appreciated of course. It will run two weekends, May 22-24 and May 29-31. Bring your chairs or blanket and a bottle of wine and enjoy an evening under the stars. Co-sponsored by the Southport Department of Tourism.

Now here's something new and different .... on May 12-16, the City of Southport and the Cape Fear Audubon Society are sponsoring Ibis Fest, celebrating the unique ecology of the Lower Cape Fear. Besides classes and presentations on topics such as birding, nature writing, photography, and native plants, you will be transported to various study sights by van, bus, or boat. For those who aren't familiar with Southport, right across the river lies Battery Island, North Carolina’s largest breeding rookery for ibises, egrets, and herons. It is a welcome sight around here each spring when the ibis fleet arrives. Every morning at sunrise you can view thousands of white ibises overhead as they leave the island for a day of inland feeding. Then the last couple hours of sunlight brings them back to roost. I can sit on my porch in the evening and watch them heading home, flock after flock, in well-rehearsed migration.

And finally, something that has really caught my eye.... on April 26th is the Sweet Tea Jamboree from 3-6PM at Orton Plantation Gardens. Everyone knows how much I love Orton...and sweet tea...it's pretty much a done deal. Oh and I forgot, there will be bluegrass music....check.... And speaking of bluegrass, we will miss our annual Spring trek to Wilkesboro and Merlefest this year. This is mostly due to belt-tightening but I can promise you it is the most phenomenal gathering of musical talent you're ever apt to experience in one place spread out over a four-day weekend. Just ask the 80,000 who come back year after year. You may have never heard of it but it is a very big deal. Music is such a blessing.

Well that's about all the damage I can do in one blog. There's plenty more on the calendar. I've just hit the high spots. If you want to know more, I'll be happy and try to steer you in the right direction, just email me or give me a call at 910.540.0551.

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Southport NC Real Estate - February Market Wrap

It's still too early to tell, but those who are following the real estate market in Brunswick County will find this February report similar to January's, but with a much broader mix of properties. Again, I am offering details of single-family site-built homes that have gone under contract in February. And staying with the same communities of interest in my January Report, my search includes the communities and developments I consider "my neck of the woods" including Southport, Bald Head Island, Oak Island, Arbor Creek, St. James Plantation, Sunset Harbor, Sea Watch, River Run Plantation, Winding River, River Sea, Lockwood Folly, Supply, Winnabow, Town Creek, Bolivia, and Boiling Spring Lakes.

Starting the furthest South here are the results: (33 total)

Bald Head Island had the highest listed price home under contract at $1,995,000 on Cape Fear Trail.

In Southport, there were eight. In town, one on Herring and one on Long Leaf were 129,000 and 199,000 respectively. On Spikerush in Indigo Plantation ... a real beauty for 499,900. In Harbor Oaks there was a foreclosure with an asking price of 290,000 ... wow. A new construction in Price's Creek went under contract at 399,000 as well as a home on Brenden Court for 395,000.

Oak Island had by far the most activity with 14, including two foreclosures in the mid 300s. Five interior homes priced between 169,000 and 178,000 went under contract. There were three more on the ocean side of Davis Canal in the 289,000-445,000 range. On the Yaupon end there were also three....one on Live Oak at 320,000, one on Trott at 849,000, and a great deal on Quail Hollow on the golf course at 399,900. Finally, on Caswell, was another golf course home in Ocean Greens at 499,000.

St. James Plantation had 3 homes under contract ... one on Ascot at 365,000, on Fairway Village at 399,000, and a fantastic home at the marina on Midshipman...990,000.

One of my favorite communities, Lockwood Folly, also had 3 homes ... A great home on the golf course at 235,000...crazy, a 3500 SF home on Genoes Point also on the golf course for 419,000... unbelievable, and finally another on Genoes Point but this one waterfront with dock on nearly an acre ... 1,350.000.

And finally, Boiling Spring Lakes had 4 go under contract ... two on Sycamore at 99,000 and 122,900, a foreclosure on Greensboro at 152,500, and one on Springdale at 156,000.

I continue to have strong leanings towards the more well-established communities here in coastal North Carolina. Now it seems the Brunswick County real estate market is leaning that way as well. When the market was hot, investors flocked to every new community trying to take advantage of creative financing incentives by developers and "first pick" opportunities. Now many of these are struggling. Lots are not selling well and spec homes sit vacant, victims of a market slowdown that no one ever expected to hit in second fastest growing county in North Carolina. Because we are such a strong retirement destination, I believe that recovery will come here a bit faster than most places. It's hard to imagine finding much better deals than are out there right now. I love finding them. Just give me a call.

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I ask you to consider the many advantages in having a Buyer's Agent assist you if you are considering a real estate purchase in Brunswick County. A Buyer's Agent represents YOUR best interests at all times, and at NO cost to you. I will show you ALL properties that meet your criteria, including the entire MLS, and For Sale By Owner. No pressure, no steering..... just helping you find the very BEST properties, uncovering material facts, negotiating the BEST price, and facilitating a smooth Closing. It's that simple.

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Southport NC - January Market Wrap

OK. It's the end of January and I'm just as curious as you are as to how things are starting out in the real estate market in Brunswick County. There are so many types of searches at my finger tips, I have to decide what is the best barometer. I'm not looking at SOLDs because anything sold in January, went under contract sometime last year, so they don't reflect this year's activity. First off I searched all of Brunswick County to see how many single-family site-built homes went under contract, either 'active contingent' or 'pending'. As of today, there were 55, county-wide. Next I decided to narrow down the listings to "my area" of the county , which in essence are the areas I know the best and work the hardest. That area is eastern Brunswick County, which includes the towns and communities of Southport, Oak Island, Caswell Beach, St. James Plantation, Sunset Harbor, River Run Plantation, Sea Watch, Winding River, River Sea, Lockwood Folly, Supply, Bolivia, Town Creek, Winnabow, Mill Creek, Orton, and Boiling Spring Lakes.

That's a big area, and about half of Brunswick County. So I refined my search, this time to the areas mentioned and there were 34 results. In looking closely at these, here's what I've come up with:

Arbor Creek near Southport - 1 PENDING listed at 318,000

Bald Head Island - 3 PENDING - a Villa listed for 675,000, a cottage at the marina - 1,100,000, and a foreclosure for 399,000. (a beachfront home with erosion issues)

Beaver Creek Plantation - 1 ACTIVE CONTINGENT listed at 799,000

Boiling Spring Lakes - 6 PENDING or ACTIVE CONTINGENT all listed under 190,000

Harbor Oaks in Southport - 1 PENDING listed at 307,000

Lockwood Folly - 1 ACTIVE CONTINGENT listed at 589,900

Oak Island - 12 PENDING or ACTIVE CONTINGENT listed between 119,900 and 649,000 with 8 under 250,000.

River Sea - 1 PENDING - listed at 239,900

Southport - 4 PENDING - none Downtown - all listed under $200,000

St. James Plantation - 4 PENDING - 1 in Sanderling listed at 335,000, 2 in the Members Club section - at 474,000 and 579,900, and 1 near the marina at 589,000

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So what to gather from this? There are still buyers out there! The majority listed here are the category of "affordable housing" which makes sense because first-time home buyers still have numerous options available to them in qualifying for a loan. There were 4 in the 300's, 3 in the 400's, and 5 homes above 500K. That leaves 22 ranging in price from 119-299K, with the majority of those near or just below 200K.

Banks are still loaning to those with good credit scores. I had been saying credit scores of 725 and up but now I'm hearing it's closer to 750. Either way, you'll be amazed at the value you'll see when you start looking around at available properties. It is truly a unique opportunity for those either able to borrow, or the lucky ones that can negotiate a cash deal.

And finally, out of curiosity, I looked at residential lots that have gone under contract this month. Wow, a very small number ... only 6. Two in Boiling Spring Lakes, one out in the country in Winnabow at 29,000, one in Winding River at 115,000, and 2 on Oak Island...one an interior lot for 90,000, and one on Yacht Dr. for 145K

If you're interested in what's happening in the real estate market here, I'll be happy to provide you with all sorts of information. And I'd be especially happy to show you any available properties. Feel free to look yourself using my no sign-in Brunswick County MLS search. Understand that a Buyer's Agent can show you the entire market and represent your best interest at all times, without the conflict of interest that can arise when you call the Listing Agent, who represents the Seller. I think you'll be excited to see the value in the market. I get excited every time I'm out. Come see for yourself!

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Southport NC - A Snowy Surprise

Normally you don't mention Southport and snow in the same sentence, but every once in awhile the snow gods smile down upon us and send us a little white stuff to crow about. It was just a dusting but it sure does show up pretty on our coastal flora. Most times our snow comes up from the South and East as this one did. The dominant weather pattern of West to East here on the North Carolina coast will dump snow in the mountains and piedmont and about as far as the I95 corridor, and then we always just miss it by a few degrees. We've learned not to get our hopes up.

So even a little snow is a BIG DEAL! Schools were already closed for Martin Luther King day and a teacher workday so I dare say some young ones got their first ever glimpse of the white flakes. Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley, sledding and snowball fights and fort-making were as much a backdrop for my childhood as the beach life has been for my kids. It's in their blood. We moved to Southport 28 years ago and I have loved it all the while. We just have one still at home now and she'll be gone before you know it. We have a little place in the mountains and if we can figure out a some way to live and work in two places, I'll be a happy girl.

On the home front, I've been amazed how empty the town seems, and wondering where the tourists are. Normally they're here in good numbers, even in winter, strolling the streets and hitting the shops. I was blaming the economy until a local merchant mentioned the fact that the Southport - Ft Fisher Ferry is closed for repairs, has a lot to do with it. Well duh... I forget sometimes how much of an impact the ferry has on Southport and its retailers, funneling travelers right through downtown, every hour. The repairs and improvements are supposed to be completed by the end of this month. I know for our shop owners and those who depend on it to commute to work, it'll be none too soon.

It's finally gotten cold enough around here to have a fire. Thank goodness! I mean I loved those 70 degree and even 80 degree days in December, but I need a change of seasons. And my plants have to go dormant so they'll be ready to go again come March. We have plenty of firewood to go with all the basketball heating up in the ACC this year. Add a little popcorn and I'll fight ya over the couch. 'Tis the season....

On a more somber note, the latest unemployment figures in Brunswick County are 8.8% for the month of November, up from 7.1% in October. Service sector jobs, particularly those that depend on "new construction," are the hardest hit as you might imagine. I have to point out that the self-employed, which includes a large percentage of various building trade workers, aren't included in the unemployment numbers. I know many who are hurting right now. Surprisingly, there are still folks looking at real estate in Brunswick County. Not that many are buying, but those who have the funds available are once again choosing real estate over the stock market. I am invested in both and I can tell you I sleep more soundly at night with my real estate holdings than I do my current investment portfolio, which I now actively manage. My faithful mortgage broker, Pat, keeps me updated. She's my role model 'cause she has actually found a way to work two markets, one in the mountains where her family is, and one here in Brunswick County where her husband's business is. In spite of what the media is telling us, lenders are actually lending money. First time home buyers have a real advantage as well as anyone with a credit score of 725 or more.

So I'll leave you with a few pictures...as pitiful as they are if you live in REAL snow country. But we'll take whatever white stuff we can get...and keep dreaming... of those "sleigh bells in the snow."

Bay Street frosting....

A Coastal Cottage....

On the Banks of the Cape Fear

My Neighbor

And lastly, the great Christmas Eve blizzard of 1989, which delivered upwards of 18" of snow to the NC coast.

Southport NC - Halloween Happenings for All

With Halloween just a couple days away, I thought I'd do a quick run down of some of the options available to kids as well as adults who still love a costume party or a haunted carriage ride.

I can't resist starting out with Old South Tour and Carriage Company's Haunted Ghost Tour in and around Downtown Southport on Halloween night. Something tells me that the Old Smithville Burial Grounds will be involved. Learn about Southport's history and be scared out of your wits...a perfect combination. Tickets available starting at 7pm on Halloween night at the Whittler's Bench at the foot of Howe St. on the water. Tour starts at 7:30. Advance tickets also available at Stewart Hardware. $12/Adults - $5/under 12.

The City of Southport and Downtown Southport, Inc. is putting on a Fall Festival. Among the many activities planned are Stories Beneath the Silent Stones with Pat Kirkman of Southport Historical Society at the Old Smithville Burying Ground from 5-7. Stage II Productions will host a "Monster Mash" with music and entertainment at the Waterfront Park from 6-8. Also don't miss Southport's last outdoor movie of the season! Bring a chair or blanket to the Garrison lawn and watch Monster House at 7:30. Looks like the weather will be clear ... highs/60s ... lows/mid 40s ...put on your woollies!

Don't miss Brunswick Little Theatre's production of Dracula to be performed Halloween weekend only at Odell Williamson Auditorium. This is not the campy Dracula of the 1931 Bela Lugosi movie. It is rather the story of a man's undying love with his dead wife, who had died almost 500 years earlier. It is a story of obsession and passion. Portion of the proceeds will go to the Cape Fear Red Cross. Tickets $15/adults - $6 students at the door or by calling the Odell Williamson box office. For more information call Ron Lee at 294-2184.

The Brunswick Co. Sheriff's Office is having it's 1st annual Halloween Carnival at the Government Complex in Bolivia. It will be held on Halloween night from 6:30 - 9pm. The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce will be co-sponsoring the carnival and helping with donations, games, and various booths. It sounds like there will be a multitude of activities offered ... hay rides, cake walks, a pumkin decorating contest, fishing, bag tossing, ringing the bottle, and more. Goodie bags for all kids plus hot dogs, popcorn, clowns, and pony rides. Sounds like a winner!

Sponsored by the Benedict Foundation, there is even a Halloween event for dogs to be held Friday, Oct. 31 from 2-4pm at 1013 E. Moore St. Bring your dog and a box of dog biscuits to be donated to local animal rescue. Prizes awarded for best costumes. For a $5 donation, have your pooches picture taken with a scarecrow. Sound like fun? For more info call 200-2244.

Boiling Spring Lakes Parks and Rec. is once again sponsoring a "Trunk or Treat" as a safer alternative to traditional trick or treating. Come out and register your vehicle and give out candy between 5:30 and 7:30. Click here for detailed information and registration form or call 845-3693.

Southport Baptist Church Women's Group's Holly Days, will be at the Southport City gym on Saturday, Nov. 1st. It is their annual arts and crafts fair to get you in the spirit for the upcoming holiday season. For more information, call Kathy Holbrook at 278-3134.

And finally, having nothing to do with Halloween, but one of Brunswick County's best Fall traditions is the Dixon Chapel Oyster Roast in Varnumtown. I'll admit it's been years since we've been but if you don't mind the crowds and enjoy the warm comradery of hovering over a table of of steaming, hissing oysters cooked over a slow wood fire, with your fellow man ... then by all means grab a mitt and an oyster knife and head that way. The ladies of the church provide all the "fixins." You won't be disappointed. Call Carson Varnum at 842.6425.

For me, this is the start of the very best time of year in Southport, no doubt about it. Come out and enjoy! And the sunsets just can't be beat ..... James Taylor says it best "Hey babe the sky's on fire, I'm dyin' ain't I ... I'm gone to Carolina in my mind."

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Southport NC Events - October Starts with a Bang

SOUTHPORT - There is so much happening locally and in the area this weekend that I feel the need to hit the high spots for those deciding what they might like to do. The biggest of the events snuck up on me this year. The 30th Annual US Open King Mackerel Tournament got underway in Southport yesterday. With over $100,000 in prize money given to 55 winners, the tournament easily attracts 400 boats every year. I haven't done it in awhile, but it's well worth it to get up before dawn and head down to the the Waterfront and watch the boats head out to hallowed fishing grounds. Don't forget the fish fry on Saturday night at the Marina. The public is welcome and plates are $7.

As a sidekick on Saturday at 10:00, there's Captain Charlie's Kid's Fishing Tournament for kids 16 years of age & under at the City Pier. A free t-shirt & food goes to the 1st 100 children to register. Bring your own rod & bait. Co-Sponsored by: Southport Parks & Recreation & Southport Lions Club. 910-457-7945

Backing up a day, tonight Downtown Southport hosts its First Friday Gallery Walk from 5-7. Enjoy refreshments and special events at each participating gallery: Franklin Square Gallery, 130 E. West Street; The Ricky Evans Gallery, 211 N. Howe Street; Lantana's Gallery & Fine Gifts, 110 E. Nash Street & Cape Fear Coppershop, 111-B S. Howe Street. And it's FREE!

Back to Saturday, from 9AM - 2PM is the 16th Annual Street of Shops -Fall Craft Bonanza. It has become quite an event that is held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church every year. It benefits both in and out-reach programs, offering a wide range of locally hand made goods. Bake Sale, raffle and light lunch available.

From there you might want to head over to Stage II Production's first ever Oktoberfest - "Celebration of Beer, Brautwurst, and Ballyhoo" from 3-7:30. It's in Southport behind Smithville Commons at 807 N Howe. (Behind the Adventure Company) The Harbour Town Fest Band will perform. 910-363-4274.

If you're still in the spirit, a benefit concert with Anne Haley and Friends will be at St. Peter's Lutheran Church just north of Long Beach Road on Highway 211. It starts at 7:30 and includes a former resident of Oak Island, Anne Haley, who has an extensive performing history. Friends and fellow musicians, singers, and songwriters John Golden, Catesby Jones, and Mark Teachey will join the show. Two special guests included phenomenal mandolin player, Gerald Hampton, of Franklinville, NC and Wilmington's Kent Knorr and his ukulele talents. Proceeds will benefit the Southport-Oak Island Food Pantry. 910-842-5160.

And finally, last but not least is this weekend only's run of the spectacular Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The Sunday matinee will be the perfect time to see Brunswick Little Theatre's ambitious and infectious rendition of this timeless classic. With shows at Odell Williamson Auditorium, the curtain goes up tonight at 7:30, followed by a matinee on both Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. I am helping out with tech on this show and I can say unabashedly that kid's of ALL ages will LOVE is show. The special effects will have everyone on the edge of their seats. Amazing set and lighting designer from New York, Paul Bertelsen, elevates the show, bringing 25-years of professional work to our local stage. Director Debbie Skillman has once again put together a terrific show with a talented bunch of kids. All tickets/$6 ... don't miss it!

Contact: Thom Clemmons - 910-524-4869

The weather looks to be absolutely perfect all weekend. Let's get out and enjoy!

*** Results are in ...Southport's native son Buck Smith, on Second Time Around, takes the $25,000 top prize with a 40.2 lb.fish. Chris Edens from Wilmington takes second, and Bryan Rowley from Southport reels in third place. Nine Southport boats placed in the top fifty ... 18 total from Brunswick County ... best local showing I remember.

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Up the Road to Orton Plantation - The Day of ALL Days

When you drive through the gates of historic Orton Plantation, you are immediately taken aback by the shear beauty of the place. Take a giant step back in time ... we're talking early 1735, when Roger Moore established what would become the most significant Colonial plantation on the lower Cape Fear river. Ten miles upriver from Southport and the Cape Fear's confluence with the Atlantic, Orton has a rich and colorful history. Orton's notoriety in the region came in part because of its success as a rice plantation. It's elaborate system of dikes and levees built in the marshes along the Cape Fear River provided the necessary flushing with the rise and fall of every tide. Rice was still being produced at Orton as late as the 1920s. Mr. James Sprunt purchased Orton in 1904 from his father-in-law Col. Kenneth Murchison, who was responsible for extensive restorations following the Civil War. Orton has flourished ever since through the faithful guardianship of Sprunt's children and grandchildren. Yesterday I was honored to attend the 100th birthday of Mr. Clarence Jones, a man who not only worked in those rice fields, but would spend the next 70 years planting and nurturing the beautiful gardens of Orton Plantation.

I guess I've really never known a real live Centenarian. I've only seen them pictured on Willard Scott's 100th birthday wishes on the Today Show. My great grandmother, "Granny Vic," that I was named after, lived to be 99. She was out late playing cards the night before she died so I grew up knowing it's at least possible to live a very long an active life. As for Mr. Clarence, he still drives, he still comes by every Thursday to check on things,and to greet visitors and tell a story or two. This is a man with a lot of stories.

He got to tell a few of those stories yesterday, to a very large and attentive audience of family and friends, all there to share in celebration of a true "living legend." His legacy most notably is Orton Plantation Gardens, a breathtaking 20 acres of azaleas, camellias, crepe myrtles, dogwoods, magnolia, colorful perennials and seasonal annuals. It was told yesterday that Mr. Clarence can identify the variety of azalea by feeling the leaf. This seems believable, seeing as he either planted or propagated most all of the azaleas and camellias in the garden.

So back to the birthday party .... it was a grand and fitting affair. Both Wilmington news crews came to cover it and interview Mr. Jones. Local barbeque, fried chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, hushpuppies, and sweet tea were served...what more do you need? There were touching tributes, letters from various dignitaries, heavenly singing voices, colorful storytelling, and earth-shaking cannon booms. It was the day of ALL days indeed. From here I'll let the pictures do the talking.

From the beginning ...

Guests arriving ...

A colorful party ...

The man himself ... Mr. Clarence Jones ... 100 years old on 08-08-08

With a little help blowing out the candles ...

The final exclamation ...

Echoes of the past, present, ...

and future ...

Orton Plantation Gardens are open seven days a week March-November.

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Southport NC 4th of July Festival- Let the Party Begin

On the eve of North Carolina's largest 4th of July celebration, Southport readies itself for a swell of visitors that you'd just have to see to believe. I say this after experiencing this colossal event first-hand for over 20 years. We're talking 50,000 festivarians in a town of less than 3,000 residents! Our home in Downtown Southport thankfully gives us a front-row seat. Once I get the groceries packed in tomorrow, the car stays put until Saturday. There are so many events and activities packed in the next few days, I'll have to let you look at the schedule for yourself. Under the canopy of ancient live oaks, Franklin Square Park will hold a hundred or so artist and craftsman booths, and enough food vendors to keep you satisfied until you can make your way down to the bottom of Howe St. There you'll find everything from the crowd-pleasing funnel cakes and bloomin' onions, to Thai food and fried grouper bites.

You'll have three days to take it all in, but the BIG DAY is the 4th, starting with the enormous crowd-pleaser of a parade at 11:00, and ending with a BANG at 9:00 PM as fireworks over the water put the suitable exclamation point on the entire celebration. I'll admit after all these years, I skip a lot of the festivities. But nothing can compare with sitting on a blanket looking out on the water....watching local boaters gather 'round in the twilight....seeing the launch barge with its pyrotechnic buffet slowly pull up and anchor right in front of you.....and then finally, just to lie back in the company of thousands and witness the glory of the deep cannon-like booms followed by cascading bursts of iridescent glow. I swear they are falling right on top of you!

It seems like everything started early this year. The annual Fireman's Competition, which used to be on the 3rd, is now held the Saturday before....no doubt as a favor to all the visiting firemen who can get in and out of town without fighting the traffic that ensues during the festival. I don't think I've ever seen as big a turn-out of fire engine red, spit-shined with pride, and the will to win. I'm not sure which stations took home a prize but just to see the camaraderie and the fight for bragging rights under sunny 90 degree skies, was plenty to get my respect, not just for the competition, but what they volunteer to do for us on a day-to-day basis.

One event I have missed the last few years but plan to catch on Thursday, is the annual Naturalization Ceremony, on the Garrison lawn on the Waterfront. Not a lot of people know about it, but it is a partnership between the NC 4th of July Festival and the US Department of Homeland Security and its Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration. This year a record number, 96 individuals from 48 countries and all six continents will take their Oath of Citizenship and become United States citizens. At a time when our patriotism and values are battling a media blitz seemingly intent on undermining our sense of pride in being Americans, this I promise, will move you. These often tearful and grateful new citizens, are experiencing the culmination of a life-long dream, and in watching them take their oath, you can feel the weight of their words. And if that's not enough, cannons, military salutes, and community choirs join together to top off the welcoming event.

With 17 straight years providing technical support for our string of daughter's 4th of July lemonade stand, we no longer carry the burden of anything that even remotely has to do with responsibility. We can sit on the porch and watch the steady foot-traffic of families with their strollers, coolers, chairs, and blankets. We can smile and say thankfully, "been there, done that."

So if you fancy a simpler time......if you still like parades and pageantry, music and street dances, the smell of good greasy food, kids and parents in their finest red, white, and blue.....well you might just like what Southport's 4th of July festival has to offer. I'm pretty sure there's not a birthday celebration anywhere quite like it. One little insider tip for the visitors. Park on the EAST side of Howe St. facing out of town and you'll find your traffic time cut in half when you leave after the fireworks. Be safe and "let freedom ring."

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Southport NC Fishing - "Did You Hear the One About....."

I couldn't help but share my amazement when I read about about the lucky local fishermen who landed a prize-winning blue marlin, worth 386,750 in the early going of The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. No, my comma is in the right place. That is the prize for bringing in the first marlin over 500 lbs.For those of you unfamiliar with the "big booty" world of South East coast fishing, this is SERIOUS BUSINESS. And Tuna Trappe III still has 3 more days add to its catch. Right now with aggregate and daily prizes, the Wrightsville Beach Captain and his crew are on their way to winning a half million dollars. In its 50th year, "The Big Rock," based in Morehead City, continues through Saturday, as all 176 boats have the option to fish any 4 days of the 6 day tournament. Now keep in mind that the "a la carte" entree fees range anywhere from $2500 to $17500. And the gas... you don't want to know. High stakes make the rewards great and keep a lot of the same boats coming back year after year. The largest number are from North Carolina but they come from all over. They come to fish the the fertile expanse of blue water that encompasses three North Carolina capes..... from Cape Hatteras, the furthest north, to Cape Lookout in the middle, and finally Bald Head Island's Cape Fear to the South.

With no chance of getting much of a breather, these boys will be back in their fighting chairs in just a couple weeks. And they won't even have to leave home to participate! Yet another big marlin contest on the circuit, the Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament brings 35 years of tradition to Wrightsville Beach on June 26th-29th. It's a smaller, more intimate gathering of sports fishermen, usually around 50 boats averaging in size anywhere from 35' Bertram to a whopping 68' Hatteras.

While all the big tournaments have a light seasoning of lady anglers, the sport remains a venerable "boys club" evoking all the "boys and their toys" asides you could come up with. But this is an activity for that's not for sissies. It attracts a small group "manly men" who seek the dangers, thrills, and fortunes of life on the high seas.

And for those who, like myself, prefer to fish in shallower, calmer waters, early summer is a great time to get out in the surf, on the piers, in the creeks and tidal flats that abound in and around Southport and Brunswick County's beaches. Bluefish, trout, kings, spanish, flounder, and my favorite the pompano are hitting hard in good numbers. I had to laugh as I was looking at a fishing report for Holden Beach and Ocean Isle. I have to show this photo of a black drum caught by an Oak Islander in the Lockwood Folly River. The few of you that read my posts know that I wrote at length in a blog last fall about my first introduction to a black drum. Never will I misidentify one again! photos courtesy of fishermanspost

And in case you're wondering how the real estate market is in Brunswick County, I wish I could say that it's really picking up. It's a tough market for everyone....except for buyers. There aren't the once-in-a-lifetime deals out there that some buyers come down expecting, although there are a few. Most sellers are hanging tough, but I can say I haven't seen home prices at these levels in five years. I think were in for a rough summer as "the financials" begin reporting another round of earnings next month. Wall Street has been dreading the mortgage industry's second quarter earnings so much, that I believe we may well find a bottom in it's aftermath. I'm cautiously optimistic that Fall will bring "cooler heads" along with cooler temperatures, and we'll begin our journey towards market recovery. If gas prices don't turn around, the second-home market will continue to suffer. Still our big market here in Brunswick County is geared towards retirees. For those waiting in the wings for a sign to make their move, I think you want to be looking now. Once the floodgates open again, the best deals will get gobbled up quickly and we could move into a seller's market rather quickly in our prime communities.

Southport's tourist activities haven't slowed a bit that I can tell. It seems that all families vacationing at the beach take a day off from sand and sun to spend the day in Southport....with tons of unique shops, good food, carriage rides, walking tours, art galleries, and more, you'll see right away what all the fuss is about. The "Home-grown/Home-made" Farmer's market has started back on Wednesdays on the Waterfront at the Garrison. With various local musicians performing every week, and the Cape Fear River as its backdrop, the market has taken on a festival-like event with a great following. Friday night brings "Jaws" to the same waterside location, with Southport's unique movie night reminiscent of the drive-ins of our youth....except you don't drive in....you walk in. Bring chairs or a blanket and I promise you will love the experience.

Summertime.............

and

the

livin'

is

easy..............

Enjoy!

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Southport, NC - A Spring Welcome

Down here in Southport, it's just starting to feel a little different. Even though we've had our share of warm spells and 70 degree days this Winter, last weekend conjured up that unmistakable feeling of anticipation that has less to do with temperature and more to do with the primordial wake-up call that's being played all around us. You wouldn't know it by looking at my yard....all is still asleep including the bud-swelling, free wheeling wisteria that has a conceded stranglehold around my front porch. We have attempted to guide and foster this determined plant which has muscled its way around pickets and rail. It's a lot like the kids we've reared up right along side it....you admire it, you think you've got control over it, you nip it regularly, you give it a much needed cutting back every once in awhile, until the day finally comes when you just have to throw up your hands and say...."Have at it...it's all yours."

With Easter coming early this year, its about time to give the tourists the 'mon back signal, not like we have any control over the matter. It's just a part of life, something that all locals have to learn to deal with, along with the sand gnats that arrive at about the same time. We all understand that tourism is the heart and soul of our service industry-centered economy around here. Besides, our tourists are cool. They wear Provision Co tees instead of Hawaiian shirts!

The Southport Spring Festival is on tap for Easter Weekend under the oaks in Franklin Square Park. Lots of local crafts,food, and music give this gathering a much "cooler," laid-back feel than the Southport 4th of July Festival. It is anchored by the Robert Ruark Chili Cook-Off honoring the author of the part-autographical "Old Man and the Boy," inspired by summers and holidays spent at his grandparents house near the Southport Waterfront. If you've never read it you should...told from the boy's perspective with a keen eye for observation and a pure knack for local vernacular. Set back during the Depression and days of Prohibition, Ruark speaks right to the Southern heart of life spent outdoors; fishin', clammin', oysterin', duck huntin', all embellished with a crusty cast of characters, and warmed with Southern coastal cooking traditions and forbidden corn "licker."

I feel the need to speak out about a recent issue that has to do with our three newly elected Aldermen and one of their first and certainly most highly publicized vote. If you're a local or you've read my earlier blogs, you know that in November, three long-time incumbents were ousted by three candidates running on the platform of change, tighter restrictions on development, and heightened measures to preserve the unique small-town character that we all love about Southport. At issue was the unanimous recommendation from the Planning Board to rezone the undeveloped 106 acre parcel called Southport Crossing from multi-family/ office/ industrial to Residential single-family. Reducing maximum density from 11 to 4 units per acre seems like common sense to me, in this environmentally sensitive area with growing traffic concerns already. So with a "standing room only" crowd there to speak out in support of the Planning Board's decision, the motion was still defeated 4-2. All three of the surviving incumbents voted with the developers as everyone expected. The surprise came when Jwantana Frink, among the newly elected, stuck a fork in the motion with nary a comment. A 3-3 vote would have required a vote from the new Mayor Spencer and I'm reasonably sure the outcome would have been different. I'm disappointed in ALL of our Aldermen who completely ignored the entire Planning Board AND the citizens of Southport. Frink, after winning in November had this to say, "I kept my campaign short and sweet - to the point - (as) the people's voice." Wilmington Star 12-12-07

Politics as usual...........

There are a ton of local events on the calendar for this month. Anyone visiting Southport over Spring Break will find plenty to do. Brunswick Little Theatre’s production of A. R. Gurney’s “SYLVIA,” a poignant comedy about a couple facing mid-life changes and a stray dog named Sylvia, will be performed at Odell Williamson Auditorium on the campus of Brunswick Community College in Supply at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. Ten percent of the proceeds from these performances will be donated to Paws-Ability, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to animal welfare. Performances will also be held at Brown Coat Pub and Theatre (Guerilla Theatre’s new location), located at 111 Grace Street in downtown Wilmington at 8 PM. Thursday through Sunday, March 13th-16th.

Looking ahead to Memorial Day Weekend in Southport, Brunswick Little Theatre will be bringing a FREE outdoor show to Franklin Square Park. Bring a chair....enjoy a 25 year retrospective of BLT's musical history under the stars. Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 8PM.

Stage II Productions will present “Guys and Dolls,” a broadway classic for sure; a fast-paced, romantic musical comedy set during Prohibition in New York City. If you haven't seen a show in the old Amuzu Theatre in Downtown Southport yet, you'd be hard pressed to find a more authentic theatre experience. The show opens Friday, March 14. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Sundays through March 30. Tickets are available at Ricky Evans Gallery, located at 222 North Howe Street. For ticket information, call 457-1109.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Silver Coast Winery will celebrate everything Irish during the third annual Irish Festival on Saturday, March 15, from 11 am to 5 pm Irish Soda Bread Baking and Irish Jig contests and do some shopping with arts and crafts vendors. Prizes will also be given for best Irish costumes. Arts and crafts vendors are also scheduled. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children age 12 and younger.

Finally for a little something different, boaters unite for the annual Blessing of the Fleet on March 20th at 2 PM at the Waterfront. The event is organized every year by the Cape Fear Yacht Club. If you have a kayak, shrimp boat, cruiser, or sailboat, come on along. It is a day to look forward to a safe and pleasant boating season and to remember those we have lost to the sea. All boaters are invited to bring their craft out to the Southport waterfront where the Fleet Chaplain, will be ready to provide you and your vessel with a blessing for a safe and pleasant boating season. If you do not have a boat, come down to the Southport Waterfront anyway and watch. It's a beautiful sight to behold. I'll save you a seat.

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Southport NC - Gettin' Back into the Swing

I think blogging is a lot like exercising. It's pretty easy when you're in the routine. But if that routine gets interrupted, as was the case over the Holidays, boy it sure is hard to get back in it! I haven't posted in a month and it's not like I don't have a gazillion things to write about. I'm swimming with thoughts and ideas for the New Year. I am battling with my firm commitment to get in shape in '08. I turn 50 in November and there's a lot of incentive to get into a serious exercise regime. I quit smoking a little over a year ago, not long after leaving my 25 year landscaping business to give real estate a try. My market timing was way off but it was the right time for me. My aching body was showing signs of wear and tear and I could never be happy supervising a job. I've always done physical labor. I cropped tobacco in the summers and planted thousands of pines for a paper company while in high school. I interned with a landscaping company while finishing up my Horticulture degree and worked with them a couple more years after graduation, before moving to Southport. I led a landscaping and maintenance crew for the early developer of Bald Head Island.

Seeking flexibility and independence, starting my own landscaping business seemed like a no brainer. I'd been able to stay home for a year with my first-born, but our finances demanded I get back at it. What started as a part time business, turned into a small but sustaining enterprise for me, and later my husband too. Our girls, eventually all four of them, contributed many days of contested labor, that is until they were old enough to get a real job. They all came to the conclusion very early on that they knew for sure what they didn't want to be when they grew up!

I have always had a fascination with real estate. Back in the days when directional signs weren't on every corner, I could never manage to pass one without a quick u-turn, just to see what was for sale. We were never in position to actually buy anything but I just loved looking. For years, without fail, I read every real estate ad in the Sunday paper. Finally there was an ad in the paper that real estate licensing classes would be taught in Southport for the first time. Not having to drive to Wilmington was just enough motivation to get me to sign up. This was 1990 and I was thinking ahead for a possible second career.... way off in the distant future somewhere. I became an inactive Broker in 1991 and kept it on the back burner until the summer of '06. The real estate market in Brunswick County was already showing serious signs of correction after two years of unprecedented growth, along with a huge surge in property values. My timing... well I admit it... sucks. In truth, though, I'm happy as a clam with my new career, although the side effects are obvious. A year and a half and 20 lbs. later, glued to a computer screen instead of a shovel, I find that I can now search out real estate deals in earnest...with a purpose....with potential positive results....and with all the FUN tools at the fingertips of todays' Realtor! Working as a Buyer's Agent kind of brings to fruition all the elements of exploration, discovery, and fact-finding I think I was born to do. I'm optimistic for the start of a market recovery later this year. We have personally invested in this "buyer's market," and would go so far as to say, that anyone waiting for an illusive bottom signal may miss a great opportunity to buy at wholesale prices. Much has been written about the investment strategies of Warren Buffet and his unparalleled long-term success rate. The one that seems to apply the most to both the financial and real estate markets right now is the one about, "when fear is at it's highest level, the buying opportunity is the greatest." I think everyone is fearful right now, and in many cases for good reason. But even with our negative Media, that never seems to sleep, or get tired of its own dismal voice, spamming our consciousness with doubts and wariness about the future, I am hopeful and excited for what the New Year will bring.

Sure to bring the most excitement will be the highly anticipated arrival of our first grandchild. Our oldest was married last year and wasted no time in stepping up production. So once again we find ourselves in uncharted territory, and welcoming what it will bring.

I swear, I had no idea I was headed for this long-winded foray into a self-indulgent confessional when I started. I got up this morning, poured a cup of coffee, checked my email, and got inspired by my brother's new blog post. "Just stop procrastinating and sit down and write something, for Pete's sake. How hard can it be?" says me. So here it is. I vow that my next blog will be more informative, useful, and on point ........ maybe. And Tuesday..... I'm saying it right here in public..... I'm starting my gym membership.

A little slice of heaven we call Turkey Knob Farm

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Christmas in Southport and "....... All is Calm"

This is a case where the picture and not the event pulled me out of my writer's slump. I admit I get pretty caught up in the Fall trying to capture the perfect sunset. There are just so darn many of them. I usually start sizing up the clouds for potential around 4ish when I'm headed home. Sometimes the perfect sky comes out of nowhere but normally the late afternoon sky offers a "heads up" you can count on. The tranquil scene above doesn't fall into the spectacular category but to me it speaks of that perfect stillness of fading light. As I stood there last night, listening to rare quiet, smelling the richness of the marsh, it reminded me of why this is my favorite time of year in Southport.

Christmas in Southport is full of traditions, some old and some relatively new. This past weekend was a busy one with the Southport Tour of Homes followed by the Holiday Boat Flotilla. The historic home tour, in it's nineteenth year, sold out its 1200 tickets before the event. It's hard to imagine a day in December any more pleasant than Saturday, sunny and bright with temperatures in the mid 70's. It's been like this for nearly a week but not to worry.....a blast of cold air is a-comin' and it'll feel more like Christmas by the weekend.

One new tradition in-the-making may just be the upcoming world premier of "Winter Nightsong: The Christmas Eve Wanderings of One E. Scrooge Esquire." It is Stage II Productions' Briton Cambell's ambitious musical adaptation of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" to be held at the old Amuzu theatre in Downtown Southport. With a fresh script and an original score, I for one, can't wait to see what our local talent has come up with. For more info call Briton at 910-540-2801. To see what else is on the calendar.............

I've been thinking of the possibility of a new family tradition. Last Christmas we had all the girls home and we celebrated Christmas Eve in the hidden nook of our back yard we call "Camp Burton" around a big fire. We roasted some sweet,salty oysters, ate clam chowder and cornbread muffins, and counted our many blessings. This year I'm hoping by some miracle, drawing on old Southern tradition, to garnish our Christmas day table with..........a Christmas Flounder! A stuffed whole flounder, that is. My research on this coastal tradition hasn't turned up much but here's a simple recipe I found.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole flounder, 3 or 4 pounds, scaled, cleaned, head removed
• 2/3 cup celery
• 2/3 cup green onion w/ tops
• minced garlic (optional)
• 1 stick butter (saving enough to brush the outside)
• 1 cup medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
• 1 cup crab meat
• 1 cup homemade bread crumbs (or not)
• salt,pepper,and Old Bay to taste

PREPARATION:

Cut slit in center of brown side of flounder and use a filet knife to make a pocket. Saute celery,onion, and garlic in butter until soft, add shrimp, crab and croutons to make stuffing. Fill pocket of flounder with stuffing mixture, brush with melted butter and salt. Bake at 350 for about 30 min. or until flesh feels firm. Sadly I am allergic to shrimp and crab so maybe substitute chopped bay scallops, that is if I actually score a fresh flounder. Wish me luck!

Lastly, I want to mention a really good cause that I'm sure many are familiar with, Heifer International, with its whole different kind of approach to world hunger. Individuals have the opportunity to donate various species of farm animals which are delivered to villages in need. Before any Heifer animal is brought to a project partner, the recipients are trained in very specific guidelines and must share their first offspring with a neighboring village and thus, the gift continues and self-reliance can grow. Heifer International also teaches them environmentally-sound agricultural techniques that help rejuvenate the land, water and other natural resources. My Mom was the first one to introduce me to Heifer at Christmas several years ago. She set up a jar on the mantle for all her grandchildren, great-nieces and nephews who were all together. She managed to get them all to give up a little of their Christmas money, and as I remember, she donated a flock of chickens, and a goat in their behalf. We've been giving as a family at Christmas ever since. This year I decided to set up a Registry on Heifer's web site in Mom's name and I'm calling it Betty's Animal Gifts. I haven't told her about it just yet but I know she'll be tickled about it. I'm just now sending out a link to family and friends so if anyone wants to join in, please do. I'm hoping we'll pull together a whole barnyard!

"Merry Christmas to All

and to All a Good Night!"

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Southport Real Estate, Blogging, and Fishing - A Common Thread?

Not so much, really, but here goes:

Southport's 2007 election came and went and the "writing on the wall" turned in to an accurate prediction. Southport residents were indeed ready for a change and voted decisively in that direction. All of the incumbents up for re-election were handed their hats. Now we'll see if Southport's new Mayor and Board of Aldermen can buckle up and put some teeth in the UDO and work towards further protecting the historical integrity of Southport and the little bit of working and public waterfront we're clinging to.

I've gotten a little side-tracked lately, as I've been writing about the various goings-on around Southport NC. I guess I've never really written anything for public consumption and certainly have never considered writing a pleasure, at least until now. It must go back to school days and deadlines for book reports, term papers, and essays. I was always a procrastinator, so although I got some satisfaction when I was able to come up with a decent paper at the last minute, it was always a chore. The funny thing is that now I look forward to putting this Southport blog together. There are SO many things to write about. The technology to add pictures and manipulate text makes process more fun as well. And the kicker is that I've been able to express some of my personal opinions out loud, and nothing bad has come from it, at least that I know of. I come from a long line that has strong views on just about everything. My mom likes to say about herself, "Often wrong, but never undecided!" I'm not as outspoken as she is....not many are. I tend to keep a lot of my ideas and opinions to myself but believe me, they're in there! And I see them starting to come out here, and I'm getting a little braver as I go along. So what started out as a Southport real estate blog seems to be evolving into something I didn't expect.

So what is really going on with the Southport real estate market? When I say Southport, I'm really talking about the Brunswick County real estate market in general. Are we at the bottom? I don't think so but we're getting closer. Is this a good time to buy real estate in Brunswick County? Absolutely, if you're buying unique property that can't be readily duplicated. What if the market does go lower? Well it could and it might in the short term. But as a potential buyer, if you're waiting for somebody to blow the horn and say "here you go...here it is... the absolute bottom," you're gonna miss it. Warren Buffet and other successful "value investors" don't get caught with their pants down waiting for an exact bottom. They simply look for strong companies with good numbers that have disproportionately been beaten down in contrast to their relative strength and potential for growth. The exact same thing applies to real estate in Southport, Brunswick County, North Carolina, and all across the nation. There are so many great buys here in Southport right now, it makes my head swim. I know that market recovery will come, however slow it may be. There is a tremendous amount of inventory right now, in both land and housing. Buyers are watching on the sidelines waiting for a sign. Certainly the woes of the mortgage industry, which stuck a knife in an already weak real estate market, will have to reach a level of stability before we can turn around. I had planned to insert a Brunswick County Market Report here, and if anyone would like one, just email me and I'll send you one. I look at them and have a hard time discerning a real trend. Yes, there is real estate selling in and around Southport...a little bit. Brunswick County is still ranked as the 16th fastest growing county in the US. The new road and second bridge to Oak Island is finally underway and will certainly help in getting their market jump-started and back on track. ALL of us who travel the "Beach Road intersection" will benefit when traffic to Oak Island can be split between two roads instead of just one.

On a lighter note, I've been doing a little fishing in the evenings when the tide is right. It is Fall here after all and it just gives me a chance to get out there and enjoy the exquisite afternoon light that blesses us here in Southport this time of year. I have a couple backwater areas I can get to, as we don't have a boat anymore. One is on a creek in a friend's backyard. I've probably been 5 or 6 times with no luck...getting bites so I know there's something out there, but no fish. Finally last week I hooked one with my first cast. It felt like it might just be too big for the light tackle I was using but I loosened my drag and let it run out a few times before finally pulling in my mystery fish. I'm not an expert by any means but I know most of the fish that are caught inshore. There's flounder, whiting, spots, grey trout, speckled trout, puppy drum, croakers, bluefish, pompano, spanish mackerel, and sheepshead. Well the latter is what I thought I had, as it kept surfacing as I was bringing it in. The black stripes looked like a sheepshead but as I looked more closely, the body shape wasn't quite right and it didn't have a forked tail. As I was studying it, it let out the deep tell-tale sound of a common croaker. Then my friend came out and I yelled, "I think I've just caught a world-class croaker!" He said, "that looks like a sheepshead. "But LISTEN" I said, and right on cue she let out a monstrous "CROOOAAKK!" We were both perplexed and I headed home and held it up for my husband and said, "Look at this HUGE croaker!" (they don't get very big) He looked at me like I must be dumb or something. "That's a sheepshead." he said. "But it CROAKS...just listen," I said. "And I know it's not I sheepshead cause the body and tail aren't right." Well THANK GOODNESS for the internet. It didn't take long searching Google images to make the proper identification. It was a BLACK DRUM. I'd never seen one. Once I figured it out, I should have looked at his little chin whiskers, and his little round fins underneath and seen it was a drum of some kind. Anyway, I'd brought it home, so I had to clean it. I got two nice fillets out of her. Then I put them in a bowl of milk with a little salt and hot sauce added. After letting it sit for about an hour, I took the filets and lightly breaded them with cornmeal and Old Bay Garlic and Herb. Then I just fried them (I know, I should have broiled them) in my cast iron pot I use for just such occasions. Then I made a dipping sauce out of mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, course black pepper, and one secret ingredient. Mmmmm....Mmmmm good is what it was! Drum are not everyone's favorite fish to eat but I'll tell you, when nearly any fish is that fresh, it's mighty tasty.

I was out of town earlier this week. It might be worthy of telling about in another blog if I get up enough nerve to talk about it. But now I'm playing catch-up with email, following up on a couple leads, working on one closing, and actually hoping to sell a little real estate in Southport, the Good Lord willing.

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Who Needs a Buyer's Agent Anyway?

Say you’re in the middle of a property search in the area of Southport, NC.

You’re out riding around on a Sunday afternoon and you run across my sign here next to a parcel of land in the area you are looking. Should you call me at the number given? Is this a trick question? Yes it is, for my answer is, “No.”

I’m serious. The reason is simple.

Why would you call the Listing Agent if you are a Buyer? The Listing Agent represents the Seller. By you, the Buyer, calling the Listing Agent, you involve yourself and the Agent in what is called “Dual Agency.” The Listing Agent can no longer represent the interests of the Seller exclusively. He must offer you “skill, care, and diligence” but his primary loyalty must be to the Seller, and he must try his or her best to work impartially for both of you. To put this in perspective, if you hired a lawyer to represent you in a legal matter, and agreed to pay for that representation, and then found out that this same lawyer was also representing the other party involved in this legal matter, you might not be so happy.

So can a Listing Agent represent both the Seller and Buyer equally? Ideally not, because the Listing Agent’s primary allegiance is with the Seller. He cannot disclose anything about the Seller's situation that would be to the Buyer's advantage, or advise the Buyer at what price to make an offer. You get the picture. So why even enter into that quagmire of “dual agency?” Why not work with a Buyer’s Agent who will have 100% loyalty to you? A Buyer’s Agent will find and disclose to you all pertinent information about the home or property you are looking at, what the current owner paid for the property, how long they’ve had it, how many days it’s been on the market, etc. A Buyer’s Agent will also disclose relevant known facts that may affect the investment potential of the property.

And all of these benefits are of NO cost to the Buyer. What’s the catch? There is no catch. It’s that simple. So the sign you see here is for a piece of commercial property I own. Should you call me? I will treat you fairly and with complete honesty, but it would still be in your best interest to work with another Buyer’s Agent. Then please give me a call if you see something else!

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Southport NC - Nov 6 Election is HOT, HOT, HOT

What has been my biggest obstacle in the picture-taking mode I've been in lately? Well here in Southport NC, and I'm sure in many other towns across America, we have been overtaken by an outside invader, that clashes badly with picturesque persona we have become famous for. OK, I'll just come right out with it; "THE PROLIFERATION OF ELECTION SIGNS HAS GOTTEN OUT OF HAND!" Now you're probably thinking, "How can a Southport Realtor possibly have the nerve to write a blog complaining about local election signs?"
This really opens up a can of worms and I'm not sure where I want to go with this. First I guess I would like to back up a minute and say that we have, I believe, an extremely important election coming up in both Southport and in Brunswick County. In Southport we actually have a real honest-to-goodness Mayoral race. Norman Holden the current Mayor, who has held the office off and on again for 22 years is ready to step down. This important contest is between two Southport natives, Paul Fisher,a current Alderman of a dozen years, and Sandy Spencer, a 6-year member of the Planning Board. Southport, and its fabled charm is at a crossroads, trying to balance its historic waterfront assets with the many big growth issues the Town is facing. Fisher may have served Southport well, but the public interest in bringing in "new blood" favors Spencer. Sandy's biggest concerns for Southport, are heightened scrutiny on development with a push towards lower density, reducing the current allowable building height, and controlled limitations enacted and enforced on potential "permitted uses." I say, "Here, Here" to that. In the Aldermen race for Ward 1, three candidates are vying for one seat. The newcomer is Wendy Long. I don't know her but I very much like what she has to say about the issues facing Southport. She may not stand a chance but hopefully she'll stay involved with local issues and continue to speak out. So it's down to multi-term incumbent Meezie Childs, and Donnie Potter, a life-long resident and former Planning Board member who has serious issues with the current Board of Aldermen. Both are Downtown Southport business owners and have personal and professional reasons for protecting Southport from unregulated growth.

Over on the other side of Southport, in Ward 2, five are running for two Aldermen spots. The two incumbents, Stuart Callari, and Jim Powell are speaking out adamantly to convey their accomplishments. And in many areas, they have made great strides. At the same time, they, along with the other members of the current Board, are fighting back to dispel accusations placing responsibility on their collective shoulders for the awful "shoe box" condos, that are near completion on the old American Fish property. Easily the most talked about topic around the "water cooler" for months now, the finger-pointing continues to proliferate. That these out-of-place structures could be built on Southport's picture-perfect, low-profile water skirt is a travesty. Aldermen say they never voted on it. They point to the Planning Board giving the developers no choice. Since I haven't read the minutes, I guess I don't know the full story. But common sense tells me that the Aldermen saying "it's not our fault" may fall flat when it comes to voting on Tuesday. Vying for their seats are Jawantana Frink and Ed Boguskie, speaking the rallying cry of much needed change, which seems to be a universal platform of every election, whether local, state, or national.

The other high profile issue to be voted on is the highly publicized "Brunswick County Land Transfer Tax," a proposed .4% tax on real estate sales to be earmarked for roads and schools. I wrote at some length about this in an earlier blog. I would welcome anyone to read it and comment if they wish. I'm still leaning against the seemingly unanimous Realtor tide on this.

Now all the above being said, I admire and respect anyone who runs and serves in public office. It's so easy for the rest of us to sit back and be critical. For our local officials, the work is tough, and subject to relentless public scrutiny. But when it comes right down to it, we all want the same things. We all want growth management in order to protect all the things the love about Southport, its charm, its historic homes and small businesses, its magnificent live oaks, and its beautiful waterfront. It sounds so simple. Can we rise to the task? Please vote. Oh yeah, about those election signs.......

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Southport, NC - Halloween Cape Fear Style

It just doesn't seem possible that Halloween is right around the corner. Here in Southport, Fall has been a tease.... at best, for it seems to have disappeared. It's October 19th and it's 85 degrees, hot and sticky, and once again I'm in denial wearing a long-sleeve shirt.

Signs of Halloween are beginning to appear, and I had a
good time last evening riding around and taking a few pictures. I don't have trick or treaters living at my house anymore. I sure do miss those days. I remember one year, when lacking a proper costume, we wrapped my daughter Kate up in a sheet, pinned a bunch of seashells on it, and sent her out dressed like a "beach!" She was too young to protest and really.....it's all about the CANDY.

Some folks here still go all-out with their decorations. I'll have to update with my "best Halloween decorations award" when it gets a little closer. Downtown Southport really is the perfect neighborhood for trick-or-treating with the closeness of the houses, and the "everybody knows everybody" feel to it. I don't know if kids still go door to door in other parts of the country. It does seem as though our newer residents as a whole choose not participate and leave their porch lights off on Halloween night. I think it's just not a tradition they are accustomed to and they are wary of strangers coming to their door. And some of ghosts and goblins can can be awfully scary!

To get you into the spirit, there's "Fall-O-Ween," a community festival to be held at Bill Smith Park on Fish Factory Road on Saturday the 27th. There'll be kid's games, family entertainment, arts and crafts, and food booths, and more. Then Saturday evening at 6:00, if you have a taste for the paranormal, you can head to the Battleship North Carolina and board the "Ghost Ship. While you're exploring the bowels of the ship you'll hear about the tales of voices and apparitions frequently encountered on the ship and discoveries from an episode of "Ghost Hunters" aired last year on the Sci-Fi Channel. On a lighter note, also Saturday evening, a Halloween Hay Ride will be held in Boiling Spring Lakes. BSL will also be hosting Trunk or Treat on the 31st at the Community Building.



Everyone seems to be enjoying our Indian Summer. The local piers and surf are full of fisherman, the shops and local restaurants are full of late-season tourists, and for those of us who call Southport home, the days are full of promise, for our favorite time of year has arrived. October is one of the "R" months and it has a lot of us thinking about that first oyster roast in the backyard.

Last, but definitely not least, Southport's BIG Fall bash, the STEDE BONNET REGATTA is on the 27th. This is a major-fun combined event put on by the Provision Co. and the Cape Fear Yacht Club. Decorated boats of ALL shapes and sizes race in and around the Cape Fear between Southport and Bald Head Island captained by pirates, swashbuckling mates, and wenches of course. The rum-running race finishes up around 5:00 and a huge pirate-themed block party ensues at the end of West Bay Street.

One of the first thing out of anyone's mouth after they've been to Southport for the first time is, "I LOVE THE PROVISION CO!" This little waterfront restaurant still feels like a "best-kept secret" even though it's not a secret any more. There's much that has already been written about the utterly unique "little restaurant that could." read more You'll just have to come on down and experience it for yourself. You won't be sorry!

H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N ! ! !

One late addendum for your Halloween pleasure is the Halloween Festival at Poplar Grove Plantation in Poplar Grove. They are promising the biggest ever annual event with a HAUNTED HAYRIDE, a HAUNTED BARN, A FUN HOUSE, MAZE, CARNIVAL RIDES, FOOD, GAMES, and more. This has got to be pretty tempting if you have kids. Historic Poplar Grove Plantation itself is in a beautiful setting and a perfect venue for any small event. Now that there's the new super highway that runs from 421 just North of Wilmington straight over to Highway 17N right at Poplar Grove, you can make in about 45 minutes from Southport with NO traffic. It runs til midnight Friday and Saturday night and til 6 on Sunday.

Be Scareful out there!

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All photos by Vicki Burton except "Halloween Dogs" courtesy of funnyville.com

Fall Fishing Arrives with a Bang to Southport, North Carolina

This weekend sets the tone for the upcoming Fall fishing season in Southport, NC, as the 29^th Annual US Open King Mackerel Tournament starts Friday, October 5th.

Always the first weekend in October, this Grand Slam event offers one of the biggest purses in sports fishing, with the winning fish fetching $25,000. Over $100,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. With over 500 boats competing, the tournament brings an estimated 2 million dollar impact with it to Southport and the Brunswick County area. This is a pretty big deal for a little town with a population of less than 3000 people. But Southport is no stranger to big-time events, as it hosts the largest and longest running 4^th of July Festival in North Carolina, welcoming 50,000+ visitors every year. The event is sponsored by the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce. One of the unique aspects of this tournament is the fact that most of the winning fish are caught within 15 miles of shore, with some caught much closer inshore. This allows the guy (or gal) in a 16’ skiff to compete with the big rigs of a 40’ offshore monster. And to make the whole thing family friendly, there’s the Captain Charlie’s Kids Fishing Tournament running Saturday from 10-4 at the Southport City Pier. Sponsored by the Southport Parks and Rec, and the Southport Lions Club, kids 16 and under compete in a “catch and release” format. A free tee-shirt goes to the first hundred kids, and it’s free hot dogs and drinks all around. Prizes are donated by local merchants.

If you’re visiting the area but not into fishing, there’s plenty of other goings-on locally and within an easy drive. The biggest draw is Riverfest. This huge annual event, is held in Historic Downtown Wilmington, on the banks of the Cape Fear River. The weekend-long event offers river races, live music, lots of arts and crafts, food booths, and a children’s carnival. Don’t miss the big-time fireworks display on Saturday night. If you love theatre, there’s the musical biography Hank Williams: Lost Highway playing at City Stage, and Jekyll and Hyde, at Thalian Hall. Both of these venues are fabulous in their own right and offer a very unique theatre experience. By then you'll be ready to head back to the slower, gentler, pace of Southport.

Back at home, shoppers can have a hay day. With antique, boutique. and unique gift shops scattered all about town, it's hard to see it all. To top it all off, there’s a maritime museum, a variety of walking and bike tours, a super art gallery, great restaurant choices, all within easy walking distance of downtown. Fall is the perfect time to travel just about anywhere in North Carolina. We are blessed to live in a truly beautiful State with much diversity and opportunities galore.

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I'm Thinking "Yes" - Brunswick County Real Estate Transfer Tax

I am a Southport, NC real estate broker and the subject I’m offering up for discussion deals with the real estate transfer tax. I know, I know, all real estate agents, builders, and developers are collectively opposed to them. Pardon me for being the repugnant here but I’m not sure what my vote is going to be come November. At 4:00 today the Brunswick County Commissioners will hold a public meeting to discuss the proposal of a .4% real estate transfer tax. Brunswick is one of 16 North Carolina counties to get approval from the State legislature to add this tax referendum to the November ballot. So far the NC Realtors Association has spent $600,000 to fight this tax proposal in the General Assembly.

I admit to having been on the sidelines on this issue up until now. It seems that Realtors are nearly unanimously opposed and set to do battle here locally and across the Country. Brunswick County Commissioners say that a new source of revenue is sorely needed for the building of local roads because of short funding in the State’s Highway Trust Fund. It seems that money from this Fund has been used to help balance the State budget.

That being a whole other story, the Brunswick County Commissioners are taking a pro-active approach and trying find another source of funds for, not only badly-needed road improvements, but also schools. Evidently, the idea of a real estate transfer tax scares us Realtors and our symbiotic counterparts to death. I tend to see the glass half full and maybe I’m being naive, but I just don’t believe folks are going to stop coming to Brunswick County if this proposed tax were to go through. I hate taxes as much as the next person. I’ve been self-employed for virtually all of my working life and have always felt frustration in what little I get to keep after the government(s) get theirs. I will say, however, that I would prefer a transfer tax over the further raising of property taxes for all. Yes, yes, you’ve got the poor first time home buyer that would have to come up with an additional $800 on a 200K home. My two oldest children are now self-supporting but not able to afford their own home. When the time comes and they are able, I don’t think that what amounts to one month’s rent, will keep them from achieving their goal. Most of our buyers are retirees that are moving down from the North where property taxes are at least double what they are here so I don’t think the proposed tax will slow the migration. And besides, it’s the huge influx of new retirees that brings the need for new roads to accommodate their being here! And indirectly, the building and service industry growth needed to sustain the wants and needs of these newbies brings families into the area, that increase the load on our schools. Raising property taxes is hard on everyone, especially the old-timers who are finding it hard to keep up with the increased expense of owning property in Brunswick County.

A .4% real estate transfer tax doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. I promise to listen to both sides of the argument and when November rolls around, I’ll try and vote with my head, and not my pocketbook.

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Southport to Pinehurst - Highway 211 Bookends

A short drive reaps big rewards......NC Getaways

Two small towns, "both alike in dignity," In fair Carolina, "where we lay our scene..."

Highway 211 begins where the Piedmont meets the "Sandhills" as it intersects Highway 220 in Candor. It ends quite abruptly in Southport, NC at the mouth of the Cape Fear River as it greets the Atlantic. As two small North Carolina towns experiencing huge growth and growing pains, both are top retirement destinations for "snow birds." Their size and demographics are remarkably similar. If you take Highway 211 from here in Southport, 130 miles up the road, a quick jaunt on Highway 5 will bring you into the Village of Pinehurst, to a land of golf and its fabled Pinehurst #2, towering pines, top-notch equestrian facilities, fine dining, and legendary Southern Charm.

I had the opportunity on Sunday to get a taste of the best local food offerings in the Pinehurst-Southern Pines region. The Chamber of Commerce held its 1^st annual Culinary Showcase at the Fair Barn. This fundraiser gave 16 local chefs from the areas' finest restaurants show off their talents. One of these chefs just happens to be my future son-in-law, and the new Head Chef at the recently renovated and reopened "One Fifty West" at The Jefferson Inn in Southern Pines. I had a chance to get a quick peek at The Jefferson while I was in town. It was dark and muscular and truly stunning. I'm hoping to return for a Fall getaway while the outdoor bar and courtyard are still open.

Meanwhile, back at the Fair Barn, we dug right in and had more than our fill, sampling the many delectable offerings in three categories, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. My boy Chris, a young talented chef, with a keen sense of culinary adventure, entered two dishes. First, was a rum shrimp flambé over lump crab meat and coconut risotto. His second entry, a dessert, was an eye-popping and groan-inspiring "Roasted Pumpkin Napoleon."

The first annual event, deemed an immediate success, secured its future. Four hundred tickets were sold at $50 a piece and all participants lazily departed with that well-worn feeling of just the right amount of food, wine, and song. I have a feeling we'll be back next year.

Southport has a busy calendar of its own the next several weekends. This weekend is the Silver Coast Winery's Purple Feet Festival. Also, The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf, brought to you by the Stagestruck Players of Brunswick Little Theatre performs this weekend only at Odell Williamson Auditorium. Coming up next weekend is the Fall Gardener's Showcase at Franklin Square Park which is also the location for the 10^th Annual Strut Your Mutt dog show and walk on the 29^th. October starts off with a bang with the 29^th Annual US Open King Mackerel Tournament with prizes topping over $100,000.

One could argue which area, Southport in Brunswick County or Pinehurst in Moore, is the biggest golf mecca, or who has the best restaurants, or which is tops in Community offerings. One thing that can't be challenged, however, is that the waters around Southport offer some of the finest fishing anywhere on the East Coast. And October and November are as good as it gets. So hurry on down while the gettin' is good!

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Mountains or Turtles

I am going to renew my license plate. I've never had a specialty plate or a personalized plate. I don't have my name or the firm I work for on my car. The car is an '01 Subaru Forester. All this probably says a lot about me. First, I'm not comfortable driving a billboard on wheels. I like to fly under the radar. Second, I'm cheap. I can't justify changing vehicles. We're in a slow market and "if it ain't broke,......." It's not the greatest for showing clients around, but so far I haven't lost anyone because of it. At least I don't know about it if I have. So back to the license plates.

Here's my quandary. I've been wanting to get the Blue Ridge Parkway plate ever since it came out a few years back. I've traveled the distance of it, a part of it runs through the opposite corner of the State where we bought a little farm awhile back. I've always thought of myself as a mountain girl at heart but somehow ended up at the coast where we've spent the last twenty-five years raising up a bunch of girls in the "up until lately" sleepy little waterfront town of Southport at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. If you live far away, you've probably never heard of it, unless you like watching The Weather Channel when there's a hurricane lurking. They love to come ashore RIGHT HERE and follow the river up to the center of the state, then work their way back out to sea in time to carry a little wallop up to the Northeast. We've been through lots of 'em. Maybe it's Jim Cantori's fault but about the time he started showing up, so did all the people.

Nothing has slowed down the influx of folks moving here from all over until the price of real estate spiraled so high that bubble had to burst. We're two years into this slow down and it looks like we're in it for awhile longer. I waited fifteen years after getting my Broker's license to get into real estate. Now, focusing as a Buyer's Agent, I am fortunate to work at a place I love, Loggerhead Realty, named after our native giant sea turtle that crawls up on our island beaches on summer nights to lay her eggs. The turtles are endangered and the nests are patrolled and protected by several State and Federal entities. So it should be a "no brainer" that I select the "save the turtles" plate instead of the Parkway one for my car. I think my mind is made up though. So if anyone out there sees a light green Subaru Forester with a Blue Ridge Parkway license plate that says KBHR on it, please introduce yourself. If anyone can guess what the KBHR stands for, I'll have to come up with a little prize of some sort.

I have much to learn but there's plenty of time. It's all about the journey.


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Dog Days Relief

A cage-rattling line of thunderstorms came through Brunswick County during the night last night, the likes of which we haven't seen in quite some time. I was driving home on Goodman Road fairly late last night after seeing Brunswick Little Theatre's hilarious performance of Nunsense. Debris was flying through the air and there was a constant rumble of the storm a comin'. It held off thankfully but when it finally hit, it hung around ALL night! I expected to wake up this morning to some cooler, fresher air-but nooo-August and its dependable dog days of summer will be with us just a little while longer.

I've read a lot of blogs this week, most of them real estate related, and I'm extremely impressed with the thoughtful insights offered up to the masses with a genuine dose of generosity. I'm not sure if I'll be capable of offering up anything of merit to readers other than to close friends and next of kin. Self-promotion doesn't come naturally to me. My comfort zone lies outside the box for the most part so I will trudge forward with this exercise. Already I am more plugged in to the community, keeping my eyes and ears open for news and happenings. And in this age of text messaging, the act of writing an unabridged piece of anything feels a bit daunting. Next blog I want to write about why I will continue to prioritize my focus as a buyer's agent. For me personally, it makes perfect sense.

Here is an interesting lead story from this week's State Port Pilot about our very own Cape Fear River Pilots, a coveted but perilous occupation that you pretty much have to be born into. And even if you have the right bloodline, the apprenticeship takes years, the hours are long, and the pay?..........I've heard rumor it's WELL into six figures. We see the Pilot boat pass the Southport waterfront on daily basis and rarely stop to think about their responsibility in bringing these huge ships to Port and back. Does everyone already know that the Pilot on duty pulls up beside the incoming ship out at the sea buoy, another Pilot climbs a rope ladder up the side of the mammoth ship, and then takes over the helm from the ship's captain and guides her all the way to the Port of Wilmington. The same thing happens in reverse after the ship unloads and heads back out to sea. Only eight all-local Captains share in the duty of providing safe passage to ALL ship traffic. Salute!

And finally, here is a link to a blog I randomly picked out of the many I read this week. It's analogy-focused and I'm always a sucker for creative analogies. For now I'll keep sending the best of what I'm reading, that is until the market picks up and I'm just too darn busy to do this.


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It's a Start.......

My first post and the big news is that I got my brand-new website up and going yesterday. It's a work-in progress but I was pretty fed up fooling with it so I just hit the "Publish" button and off she flew. The message said it would probably take 24 to 48 hrs before I could log on but after about 5 minutes, I couldn't resist. I typed southportsoundings.com in my web browser and BAM!.... there it was........amazing. My feelings of satisfaction didn't last long, as I was on to "traffic" setups....keywords, metatags, robots, spiders, and the like.
I don't have any well thought out aspirations for this blog. It may end up as nothing but a personal log, cause who has time to read this stuff, and frankly, who cares? If I can strike up a few conversations with fellow Southportians about the "goings on" around town, the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly, I'll be happy.
Ann and I caught the next to the last show of Children of Eden at the Amuzu last night. The Stage II Production's cast gave stand-up performance before an overflowing crowd. The Cambell/Bridgers troupe carried the show solidly as expected. And Morganna Bridgers once again stole the show in the difficult-to-pull-off gospel number "Ain't it Good." And it was.
And Leesa, happy landings......I'll do my best to hold down the fort.....and I'll be listening to my favorite music station all cranked up....and selling lots of real estate of course!