http://irenakohler.com/blog/archive_201805/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ The concept of luxury can be different for everyone—how we use our time can be a luxury; luxury can be a matter of space, a matter of material, a matter of finish. Luxury can be a state of mind. At the end of the day, luxury comes down to the details, and in the realm of luxury real estate, we’ve got ALL the details covered. Coldwell Banker Global Luxury is an elite team of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage agents who are trained and equipped to manage and market luxury properties. These unique homes call for a higher level of service and promotion, and require the global reach that only Coldwell Banker Global Luxury can provide. We are honored to have a gorgeous array of thousands of multi-million-dollar properties for sale around the world listed under our Global Luxury brand including a wide variety of $1 million homes right here in Southeastern North Carolina.Whether you’re in the market to buy a luxury home or not, these covetable beauties are most definitely worth a look! 9 Sand Dollar Lane, Wrightsville Beach. Listed by Matthew Costin.10 Dock Street, Wilmington. Listed by MaDonna McMahon.5921 Nautical Isle Court, Wilmington. Listed by Jessica Edwards.621 Dundee Drive, Wilmington. Listed by Jessica Edwards. 215 Creekside East Drive, Wilmington. Listed by Brett Knowles. 5825 Harbor Breeze Drive, Wilmington. Listed by Sherwood Strickland. 413 Dungannon Boulevard, Wilmington. Listed by Shane Register.  http://irenakohler.com/blog/2385/luxury-rundown—over-a-mil!/ Wed, 30 May 2018 12:00:00 -0500 Many view Memorial Day weekend as the kickoff to Summer, a time for barbeques, pool parties, and beach trips, but the true meaning of the holiday observed on the fourth Monday in May is much more somber. Memorial Day was first widely observed in 1868 to commemorate the sacrifice made by those who fought in the American Civil War. After WWI, the day grew to honor all those who lost their lives in American wars. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday in 1971.  As President Ronald Reagan put it, “today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It's a day to be with the family and remember.”   In Southeastern North Carolina, there are many ways to join with our neighbors and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our great nation.  Southport Memorial Day ParadeAt 10:30 a.m. the Southport Memorial Day Parade will begin at the corner of Lord and Tenth streets, ending at the John N. Smith Cemetery, Leonard Street, with an 11 a.m. Memorial Ceremony. Jacksonville Memorial Day CeremonyMGen Robert Dickerson (Ret) will speak at the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in a ceremony hosted by the Beirut Memorial Chapter 642 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Following the ceremony, tour the Lejeune Memorial Gardens, just across the street--visit the second largest Vietnam Memorial in the country, the Beirut Memorial, the 9/11 Memorial Beam, the Montford Point Marine Memorial, and the largest Eagle, Globe & Anchor sculpture in the USA. An informational sheet for a self-guided tour can be found here. American Legion Post 543 Memorial Day CeremonyAt 11 a.m., join American legion Post 543 for a ceremony including guest speaker, Secretary Larry Hall of the N.C. Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, presentation of colors, the National Anthem sung by Lois Moore, and the placement of a memorial wreath, followed by Taps.  New Hanover County Veterans Council Memorial Day ServicesAt 11 a.m. New Hanover County Veterans Council will hold a “Tolling of the Bell” ceremony, naming more than 600 local veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the last 12 months since Memorial Day 2017. Speakers will include Mayor Bill Saffo, Chairman Woody White of the County Commissioners, Bill O’Brien of Veteran Owned, Veteran Grown, and Iris Winter of Gold Star Mothers.  Southport Memorial Day RemembranceAt 2 p.m. The Southport Junior Woman’s Club and the city of Southport Department of Tourism present Southport’s annual Memorial Day Observance, “Days of Remembrance,” honoring the United States armed forces at the Southport Community Building, 223 E. Bay St., Southport, including homemade apple pie and iced cream.  Battleship North CarolinaAt 5 pm, remember those who gave their lives in service at the Battleship’s Memorial Day Observance which will feature a military guest speaker, all-service Color guard, 21-gun salute by a Marine Corps Honor Guard, military band, Taps, and a memorial wreath cast into the waters.These and other events locally and nation-wide on Memorial Day show our appreciation for those who have served, as well as their families, and remind us of the incredible sacrifice so many have made on our behalf. Thank you, American Heroes, for all you do.   http://irenakohler.com/blog/2384/memorial-day-2018/ Sun, 27 May 2018 12:00:00 -0500 The Season is on, and there is SO much to do in the Cape Fear Region this June!Downtown Sundown Concert – Red Zeppelin – 6.1Live Music on the Patio – 6.1, 6.2First Friday Gallery Walk – 6.1Airlie Gardens Concert Series – 6.1, 6.15, Riverfront Farmers Market – 6.2Movies in the Park: Despicable Me 3 – 6.233rd Annual Carolina Beach Music Festival – 6.2 Create & Co-lab Series: DIY & Drinks – 6.3Island Nature Tour – 6.3Boogie in the Park at Ocean Front Park – 6.3 Oak Island Farmer’s Market – 6.4 Birding at Bald Head Island – 6.4Ocean Isle Beach Turtle Talks – 6.4 Backyard Composting – 6.5Ocean Isle Beach Waterfront Market – 6.5 Port City Music Festival – 6.3-6.10 Southport Waterfront Market – 6.6, 6.13, 6.20, 6.27Farmers Market at Poplar Grove – 6.6, 6.13, 6.20, 6.27Summer Fireworks by the Sea & Boardwalk Gazebo Music Featuring Rivermist - 6.7Live Music at the Tiki Bar – 6.7Concert in the Park: Gump Fiction – 6.7Southport Summer Concerts – 6.7, 6.14, 6.21, 6.28Downtown Sundown Concert – Hey Johnn Park – 6.8 Free Summer Concerts at Fort Fisher Featuring Massive Grass – 6.8NC Maritime Museum at Southport, Saturday Night Escapades – 6.9 Free Summer Movies at the Lake – The Secret Life of Pets – 6.10Sunset Beach Turtle Talks – 6.10Island Nature Tour – 6.11 Birding at Bald Head Island – 6.11 Reef Explorer with Gyotaku Fish Printing - 6.12Cash Bingo at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk – 6.13Summer Fireworks by the Sea & Boardwalk Gazebo Featuring Spank – 6.14Jazz at the Mansion – 6.14Sounds of Summer at Wrightsville Beach Park – 6.14Plaid & Lasers: 90’s Alternative Rock Music Laser Show – 6.14 Blueberry Festival – 6.15, 6.16Downtown Sundown Concert – Tuesday’s Gone – 6.15Southport Friday Night Movies – 6.15Bald Head Island Pirate Festival – 6.15 Carolina Beach Farmers Market – 6.16Movies in the Park: Leap! – 6.16Taps on the Waterfront – 6.14 through Labor DayOak Island Adult Camp Day – 6.18Sneaky Lion Fish – 6.18 Lookout Air Raid: The Day Japan Bombed Oregon – 6.19 Sea Turtle Talk at Carolina Beach State Park Visitor Center – 6.20Ocean Isle Beach Scavenger Hunts – 6.20Downtown Sundown Concert – The Core – 6.22Date Night at the Park – 6.23Oak Island Food Truck Rodeo & Jam – 6.23Kure Beach Market – 6.26Howl at the Mood at Bald Head Island – 6.28Downtown Sundown Concert – 20 Ride – 6.29 http://irenakohler.com/blog/2380/june-community-events!/ Fri, 25 May 2018 12:00:00 -0500 You’ve moved into your dream home and everything is perfect; you’re madly in love with every shingle, every molding, every light switch. Then BAM! Your air conditioning unit goes out, and it’s June in Southeastern North Carolina, so it’s approximately one zillion degrees outside. What do you do? Perhaps the only downfall to homeownership is that you are now responsible for the upkeep of your home’s major systems and appliances. That’s where a home warranty comes in! Our friend Pam Hurt from 2-10 Home Warranty dropped by to tell us about how that works:What is a Home Warranty?“A Home Warranty Service Agreement covers major systems and appliances that malfunction or break from normal wear and tear." What do you mean by systems and appliances?“Expensive-to-repair items such as air conditioning and heating units, plumbing, electrical wiring, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers and garage door openers will age over time, and repairs are inevitable. A Home Warranty Service Agreement offers protection for these repairs.” So it works like insurance on the systems and appliances in your house?“That’s right. Unexpected system and appliance breakdowns can happen at the drop of a hat—but that doesn’t mean you have to be caught unprepared. A home warranty helps protect you, and ultimately reduces the overall cost of owning a home. So, when the machines that keep us living in the first-world comfort to which we’ve grown accustomed fail us, our home warranty is there on the front lines to help us get life back to normal.”What happens when something malfunctions? “2-10 sets up the service request and dispatches the contractor. We even have an online Homeowners Portal. All you have to do is log in to your account and select the system or appliance that is giving you trouble. Simply enter your brand and model information and answer a few questions. Then, we will find the closest 2-10 HBW Authorized Service Contractor to your home and dispatch a service call. No hassles, no fuss.” Speaking of first-word comforts, our favorite thing about 2-10 is that you don’t have to run for the phone when things go wrong. All you have to do is hop online and let them take it from there.Are you interested in contributing to your peace of mind with a home warranty? Contact Pam Hurt at 2-10 Home Warranty.  http://irenakohler.com/blog/2379/what-is-a-home-warranty?/ Wed, 23 May 2018 12:00:00 -0500 So you’ve bought an investment property. Congratulations, you’re well on your way to letting your money work for you! But what is the next step? As it turns out, there are A LOT of next steps when it comes to properly (and legally) managing a rental property. Last week we explored why it’s not a great idea to DIY the listing or buying of a home. Today, Justin Ash, President of Sea Coast Rentals dropped by to chat about why working with a property management company can save you more dollars and headaches than you might realize:“There is so much that goes into managing a property, a lot of which is behind-the-scenes work that people don’t even realize is happening. Managing a property isn’t as easy as finding a tenant, putting them into the property and then just sitting back and collecting rents. I like to refer to being a property manager as being a ‘crisis mitigation’ manager. If you are not constantly thinking about the scenario of ‘what if this goes wrong,’ you’re not paying enough attention."Most landlords have a horror story about a tenant who went haywire and created an enormous amount of stress and/or financial strain for themselves or their property. Even just having to deal with an unreasonable tenant who is demanding that you answer your phone at ten o’clock at night because their dishwasher just made a funny sound becomes exhausting. Our homeowners have full time jobs, families and other things that take up most of their time, so we’re here to handle those issues."Not only do you encounter the occasional ‘needy’ tenant, you must also make sure you are up to date with current legal documents and a thorough understanding of what the NC law requires be done so that both parties are protected against any claims. I could give you a long list of things that must be done to keep in compliance with NC law regarding property management, and it seems to change each year. It’s imperative that you keep up with these changes—we stay on top of it so don’t have to."People will pay a third party a reasonable fee to handle their finances or manage their personal assets—why should managing your property be any different? Unfortunately, all too often, people don’t realize how much goes into the details until it’s too late, and they now have a tenant who will cost them thousands of dollars because one step was missed. We don’t want to see that happen to anyone. That’s why we love what we do, our job is to make sure everyone and everything is taken care of the right way, the first time around.” Interested in letting Sea Coast Rentals shoulder the burden for you, so you can sit back and collect the cash? Call 910-202-3673 or visit www.seacoastrentals.com  http://irenakohler.com/blog/2376/why-have-property-managers-handle-your-rental-property?/ Mon, 21 May 2018 12:00:00 -0500