In North Carolina seaside towns like Sneads Ferry and Topsail Island, local Realtors report brisk business in their areas, largely due to the bargain prices of homes and new development.

Sneads Ferry

"Located on the mainland bordered by Camp Lejeune, New River and the Intercostal Waterway," says Realtor Tracey DeBow, "Sneads Ferry is rooted as a quaint fishing village. While our prices are lower than many areas along the coast, we continue to see an upward trend, and few properties remain on the market for very long. We have a great deal of new construction beginning, and I suspect we will see our need for these homes increase as surrounding areas continue to develop."

DeBow adds, "Camp Lejeune is planning for more Marines in this area, and as they transfer here, support staff positions will require more moves into this area soon. Expect property values to rise."

Says Realtor Linda Blackburn, "Sneads Ferry is a very nice area within minutes of Topsail Island. Some of the properties have views of the Intercostal and some views of the north end of the Island. This real estate market is changing due to the demands on the island and especially for the properties that have access/views to the water. It is currently a strong market with some areas favoring the buyer and others in the seller's market."

Topsail Island

"Topsail Island is a quiet beach area with homes on the ocean and sound," describes Blackburn. "It has not suffered though a hurricane of major impact since the storms of 1996-1999. Many of the older homes are gone and replaced with new construction. Many tourist are flocking to the island each year. Some buy property before they leave and some have eventually moved here. Property values have risen steady over the last two years with no end in sight. One thing has remained...it is a nice quiet area with good schools that focus on academics. There are three different towns each with it's own mayor, town board, etc. These include Topsail Beach, Surf City, and North Topsail Beach, and all of this is in the 26 miles of Topsail Island."

"At the southern edge of the barrier islands, Topsail remains a family retreat where beach walks and fishing prevail," explains DeBow. "This past year has been a booming year for new construction and development on Topsail Island. Home values and land values have escalated dramatically, in part because of improved access to our area. Relative to surrounding islands and ocean areas, our prices are still a bargain, but I do not expect that to last much longer.No longer is Topsail Island "too far away" from major thoroughfares. Last year and the year before, rental properties enjoyed almost 100 percent occupancy, and we expect that to continue."

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Published: September 22, 2004

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