We all know the importance of utilizing and preserving scarce resources wisely, and the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance (CFGBA) has set-up  a tour on September 25, 2010 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to showcase several examples in our area of smart and creative resource/energy usage. 

Please check out their site at http://www.cfgba.org/tour2010.html to find out more about the tour and to support CFGBA's efforts. 

In related news, North Carolina ranked 8th among all states with the greatest potential for economic development through energy-efficiency policies, according to a report by a national think tank and an energy-investment firm.

Read more: Study ranks N.C. 8th on jobs potential from energy efficiency - Charlotte Business Journal

New Hanover County is currently under a Tropical Storm Warning for Hurricane Earl.  Although the hurricane is we are expected to get substantial rain fall and heavy winds.  We have been lucky other the past several years as far as avoiding major storms.  If you live on the islands you will want to be sure you get your pass to get back over the bridge if you are not planning on staying for the storm.  As it is projected, Outer Banks of North Carolina are going to take the most damage.

If you are trying to get insurance for a new home or other type of real estate, the insurance providers may be on hold until after the storm.  The good news is that it looks like we will have a nice weekend after the storm moves offshore.  Everyone keep their finger's crossed. 

With the economy the way it is, there have been a lot of foreclosures and bank owned properties hit the market.  Usually this means that investors or home buyers can get great deals on these type of properties.  Purchasing a foreclosure can be difficult if you do not know what you are doing.  It is not the same as buying a home from a seller.  Our agents are very familiar with this process and would love to assist you if you are thinking about making an offer on a foreclosure or short sale property in the area. 

You can visit http://www.coastalcarolinaproperties.com/wilmington-nc-foreclosures/ for a list of foreclosures in Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Leland, and Pender County.

Ocean Dunes is located in a quiet area of Kure Beach, NC just minutes from Fort Fisher, the NC Aquarium, and Carolina Beach.  Ocean Dunes is a short drive to Wilmington has many amenities such as private beach accesses, 2 outdoor pools, an indoor pool, a fitness center, tennis courts, a club house, and shuffle board.  Owners use their units for vacation rentals, second homes and some live there year round.  This community offers both ocean front and second row units.  This is a great community with lots of great rental history.  The HOA is very easy to work with and you can tell they are active in keeping the community in good condition.  Recent renovations include new siding and fresh paint to the exterior of the buildings.

If you would like to schedule a showing to see any Ocean Dunes Homes for sale or Real Estate in Kure Beach please call 910-262-1002.

To see Homes for sale in Ocean Dunes Kure Beach NC please visit

Ocean Dunes Kure Beach NC

University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) has been ranked number 17 in the Country by Forbes for best College Values.  There are four North Carolina colleges in the top 25 and seven in the top 50.  Forbes looked at tuition costs as well as an average total cost of all the fees paid in 2008 to the college by a student.  North Carolina Univerisity in Chapel Hill, which came in at number 13, was the only other school in North Carolina to rank higher than UNC Wilmington.

With tuition prices and the cost of college constantly on the rise, it is nice to know there are lots of greats choices right here in North Carolina.  Other schools in the top 50 include Appalachian State, UNC Asheville, NC State, East Carolina, and UNC Greensboro.  Schools with a graduation rate of less than 20% were not included in the study. 

For more information on UNC Wilmington you can visit www.uncw.edu 

There are a lot of events during the first week of August in Wilmington and Carolina Beach.  Here are a few featured Family events for this week that you may want to attend.

August 3rd - Come out at 9:30 am and join the others at the Walking Club in Wilmington.  Call 910-341-7253 or TTY Relay 711 for more information and the location.

August 4th - At 7:00 pm at the Carolina Beach State Park, come see and learn about theatened sea turtles in the area and find out how to protect their nests.  Call 910-458-8206 for more information.

August 5th - 8th  The Opera House Theater Company is hosting Anything Goes at Thalian Hall.  This is a light hearted comedy about mistaken identities on the high sea. Call 910-632-2285 for tickets

August 5th - Come play Clue, the game, an Interactive Dinner Theater at the Front Street Brewery in downtown Wilmington.  Call 910-232-6611 for more information.

August 6th - The downtown sundown concert series continues with The Breakfast Club, an 80's cover band.  This is a free concert on the historic downtown Wilmington river walk from 6 - 10 pm.

August 8th - Downtown Riverfront Farmers Market - Come visit the curbside vendors for great produce, arts, and crafts from local farmers and artists.

Along with its pristine beaches and beautiful waterways, Wrightsville Beach is located right outside of the hearth of Wilmington.  Wrightsville beach is a great place to live or vacation and with the large number of homes on the market, now is a great time to buy your dream home and make an investment.  While the Real Estate market took a big hit over the past few years, the real estate at Wrightsville Beach managed to hold on fairly tight to its values.  With this being said, the number of high end homes that are being sold is way down, so owners have had to adjust to the current market. 

If you have not had the chance to visit Wrightsville Beach, and see the beautiful homes on the Island, I highly recommend you spend the day there next time you are in the Wilmington area.