Field notes from
the coast.
Market updates, neighborhood guides, buyer and seller tips, and everything you need to navigate the Wilmington, NC real estate market — written by Tabetha.
Hi, I’m Tabetha. We moved here in 2021 with two kids and a lot of boxes, and I’ve been taking notes ever since. This is everything I wish someone had told us, written from the Riverwalk, the beach and our own kitchen table. More about me
Start here.
The four guides most people read first
01 · Moving here
Is Wilmington, NC a good place to live? An honest guide
02 · The numbers
Cost of living in Wilmington: what you actually need to earn
04 · Storm season
The Wilmington hurricane guide: calm and complete
Moving to Wilmington.
Deciding whether to move, and what to line up before you do
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Moving from Chicago to Wilmington, NC: Costs, Commutes & What Changes (2026)
Moving from Chicago to Wilmington, NC? Home prices, property, income and sales taxes, insurance, seasonal O’Hare nonstops, the drive, and the paperwork,…
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Can You Commute From Wilmington NC? Direct Flights From ILM Make It Work
Keeping a job in New York, DC, or Charlotte while living on the Cape Fear coast? Here’s how the direct flights from…
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Wilmington NC Airport Guide: What to Know Before You Fly ILM
Everything to know about Wilmington International Airport (ILM): the airlines, the 25 nonstop destinations, what parking costs, how early to arrive, and…
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ILM Airport Expansion: What’s Coming to Wilmington International (2026–2032)
A new parking garage opening November 2026, a new entrance and curbfront in 2027, and four more gates on the drawing board…
Costs, taxes & insurance.
What it really costs to own a home on the coast
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Moving from Chicago to Wilmington, NC: Costs, Commutes & What Changes (2026)
Moving from Chicago to Wilmington, NC? Home prices, property, income and sales taxes, insurance, seasonal O’Hare nonstops, the drive, and the paperwork,…
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Hurricane Risk in Wilmington, NC: An Honest Guide for Buyers (2026)
Should you be scared to buy in Wilmington, NC because of hurricanes? How often storms hit, why flooding matters more than category,…
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How Much Is Homeowners Insurance in Wilmington, NC? (2026 Guide)
What homeowners insurance really costs in Wilmington, NC in 2026, why estimates disagree, how the 2025–2026 rate increases hit different ZIP codes,…
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Cost of Living in Wilmington, NC: What You Actually Need to Earn (2026)
Is it expensive to live in Wilmington, NC? Here are the real 2026 numbers — income needed, rent, home prices, property taxes,…
Neighborhoods & beaches.
Where to live between the river and the sea
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New Construction Homes Near Wilmington, NC: Communities, Builders & What to Know (2026)
Where new homes are being built around Wilmington in 2026, builders’ starting prices, the Brunswick County sewer capacity hold, NC warranty and…
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Best Neighborhoods in Wilmington, NC: An Amenity-by-Amenity Guide (2026)
Instead of ranking Wilmington neighborhoods, this guide maps what’s actually near each one: parks, trails, libraries, hospitals and beach access, with official…
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Is Hampstead, NC a Good Place to Live? Costs, Taxes, the Bypass & More (2026)
Hampstead, NC, explained for buyers: 2026 home values, Pender County taxes and the revaluation, the US 17 bypass timeline, schools planning, water…
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Best Places to Live Near Wilmington, NC: A Guide to the Surrounding Towns (2026)
Leland, Hampstead, Rocky Point, Castle Hayne, Carolina and Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach: what each town near Wilmington offers, what to watch…
Buying a home.
The process, from pre-approval to closing day
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HOA Boat Parking Rules in Wilmington NC: 13 Communities Checked
HOA boat parking rules in Wilmington NC are stricter than almost every buyer expects — and nobody finds out until they’re forty…
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What a “Deeded Boat Slip” Actually Means in North Carolina
The listing says “deeded boat slip.” You picture the boat tied up behind the house, and you move on to the photos.…
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Pre-Approved vs. Pre-Qualified: A Wilmington NC Buyer’s Guide
Pre-qualified vs. pre-approved in Wilmington, NC: what each one actually means, how they change your offer, and the exact steps to take…
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Beach Investment Property NC: Primary Home, Second Home, or Investment?
A beach place near Wilmington can be your everyday home, a weekend escape, or a rental investment — and how you’ll use…
Home & renovation.
Our own houses, room by room, with the real numbers
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Building a New Home? 10 Things I Tell Every Buyer (From Our Own Build)
What I wish someone had told me before we built: bring your own agent, plan for selections, never skip the pre-drywall walk,…
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What Building a New Construction Home Actually Looks Like, Stage by Stage (Our Photos)
From a pencil sketch to a finished craftsman home: every stage of our new construction build in real photos, from the snowy…
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How Long Does It Take to Build a House? Our Real Timeline, Date by Date
The national average is about nine months from permit to completion. Here is our own build, date by date from our photos,…
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How to Live Without a Kitchen During a Remodel (We’ve Done It 3 Ways)
We’ve lived through a kitchen remodel, camped in a basement kitchen, and rented during a new build. Here’s what worked, what didn’t,…
Life in Wilmington.
Where to eat, what to do, and the drives worth taking
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24 Hours in Wilmington, NC: The River-to-Sea Itinerary (With Map)
Thinking about moving here? Spend 24 hours in Wilmington getting a real feel for living here: 7 stops from Leland to a…
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A Weekend in Wilmington, NC: The 2-Day Itinerary to See It All (With Map)
Seriously thinking about a move? Spend a weekend in Wilmington getting a real feel for living here: Saturday runs river to sea,…
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Brunswick County Beaches, Instagram Spots & Historic Southport
Find all the local Instagram accounts to save in Brunswick County! Here’s the locals’ guide to the beaches, events, and who to…
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Things to Do in Wilmington NC: An Instagram Cheat Sheet for New Locals
The follow list every new resident needs — Wilmington plus Pender and Brunswick counties — so you never miss a road closure,…
Water quality.
PFAS, GenX and tap water, county by county
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Brunswick County Water Quality in 2026: PFAS History & the Switch to Reverse Osmosis
Brunswick County once had the highest PFAS levels of 44 U.S. water systems tested. Now it’s investing in reverse osmosis treatment. Here’s…
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New Hanover County Tap Water: What’s in It, PFAS Testing & How to Check (2026)
Buying in Wilmington and wondering about GenX and PFAS in the tap water? Here’s what the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA)…
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Wilmington Water Quality: What Every Buyer Asks About PFAS, GenX & Tap Water (2026 Guide)
Moving to the Cape Fear region and worried about the tap water? Here’s the plain-English overview of PFAS, GenX, and Chemours —…
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Pender County Water Quality: Does It Actually Filter Out PFAS? A Straight Answer for Buyers
If you’re moving to Pender County and you’ve Googled “Cape Fear River PFAS” at 11pm, this one’s for you. Here’s what the…
Market updates.
What the numbers show, reported as data, not prediction
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Wilmington NC Housing Market Update: October 2026
Wilmington’s median sale price was $464,779 in September 2026, homes took 55 days to sell (Redfin), and mortgage rates climbed to 7.40%…
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Wilmington NC Housing Market Update: September 2026
Wilmington’s median sale price hit $469,689 in August 2026 with homes taking 56 days to sell (Redfin). Here’s what the latest numbers…
Everything, newest first.
The full archive
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Wilmington NC Property Tax Increase 2026: Why Your Bill Went Up & What to Do
Wilmington property tax bills landed higher this August. Here’s exactly why — the city’s 4.9-cent rate increase, the county’s rate vs. revenue-neutral, what you’ll actually pay in 2026, and how to be ready for the next revaluation. Straight answers from a local REALTOR®.
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Pre-Approved vs. Pre-Qualified: A Wilmington NC Buyer’s Guide
Pre-qualified vs. pre-approved in Wilmington, NC: what each one actually means, how they change your offer, and the exact steps to take before you tour homes.
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Wrightsville Beach vs. Carolina Beach vs. Kure Beach: Which Wilmington Beach Town Fits You? (2026)
Wrightsville Beach vs. Carolina Beach in 2026 — a head-to-head buyer’s comparison of price, location, short-term rental rules, lifestyle, and what each Wilmington-area beach actually offers.
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Buying in Leland, NC in 2026: A Buyer’s Guide to the Boom
Thinking about buying in Leland, NC in 2026? Here’s a buyer’s-eye guide to what your money gets you, and how Leland compares to Pender and New Hanover.
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Brunswick County Beaches, Instagram Spots & Historic Southport
Find all the local Instagram accounts to save in Brunswick County! Here’s the locals’ guide to the beaches, events, and who to follow.
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Moving to Wilmington, NC? The Resource Links You’ll Want Before You Arrive
Relocating to the Cape Fear region? Here’s your friendly, bookmark-worthy list of the utilities, DMV, schools, county, and community links to set up before (and right after) you move to Wilmington, NC.
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Brunswick County Water Quality in 2026: PFAS History & the Switch to Reverse Osmosis
Brunswick County once had the highest PFAS levels of 44 U.S. water systems tested. Now it’s investing in reverse osmosis treatment. Here’s what buyers in Leland, Southport, and Oak Island need to know about reverse osmosis, H2GO, and the tap water in 2026.
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Insurance & Flood Zones in Wilmington: What to Check Before You Buy
Coastal North Carolina insurance works differently than it does inland. Here’s a plain-English primer on homeowners coverage, wind, and flood zones in the Wilmington area — plus the questions to ask before you fall in love with a house.
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Wilmington HOA Fees in Master-Planned Communities: What They Cover & What to Ask
From Brunswick Forest to Riverlights to Landfall, many of the Wilmington area’s most popular communities come with an HOA. Here’s what those fees typically cover and the questions to ask before you buy.
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Beach Investment Property NC: Primary Home, Second Home, or Investment?
A beach place near Wilmington can be your everyday home, a weekend escape, or a rental investment — and how you’ll use it changes your financing, insurance, and taxes. Here’s what to sort out before you shop Wrightsville, Carolina Beach, or Kure Beach.
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Wilmington County Taxes & City Limits: Why Two Nearby Homes Have Different Tax Bills
One of the most overlooked costs in a Wilmington-area home purchase is property tax — and whether a home sits inside city limits can change the bill meaningfully. Here’s how county and city taxes work here, and how to check any address yourself.
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The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Toll Question: What Wilmington Buyers Should Know
A toll could fund the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement. A neutral, factual look at where things stand as of October 2026, including costs, designs, the October 15 comment deadline, and how to weigh it when buying on either side of the river.