http://irenakohler.com/blog/categoryname_carolina-beach/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ Coastal North Carolina has received its fair share of accolades throughout recent years for everything from the charming coastal towns, to the exploding craft beverage and food scene, to the recreational opportunities that are unique only to this region. We are big fans of our amazing area, and know that you will be too! We present you with 5 very good reasons to add coastal North Carolina to your next home search!North Carolina’s storied historyFrom tales of swashbuckling pirates (think Blackbeard!) to bustling port cities (Wilmington) coastal North Carolina is steeped in history. Seven National Lighthouses and 2 National Seashores call the coast home. Explorers and adventurers have been arriving on the coast of North Carolina since the 1700s. The Wright Brothers chose coastal NC as the place to take flight. Wilmington, Southport, Beaufort, and Newbern are among the oldest towns in the state. Those people with a passion for history and a desire to walk lands with stories to tell often find that the coast can answer their call!Geography, Weather, and Convenient LocationLocated in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Coastal North Carolina has more than just the beach going for it, though we will be the first to admit that it is by far the largest draw for most families relocating to the area. From the northernmost tip of the North Carolina coast to the southernmost tip, locals enjoy the many barrier islands dotting the coastline. These islands provide a buffer from the Atlantic Ocean. The city of Wilmington, NC has the unique position of being situated between a river (the Cape Fear) and the ocean! How is that for life on the water? North Carolina attracts many newcomers due to its location exactly between New York (for those looking to escape the cold) and Florida (for those looking to escape the heat). Temperatures are mild on the Carolina coasts allowing for residents to enjoy the outdoors for most of the year. Residents to North Carolina also enjoy the very unique situation of being only a 5 hour drive from the stunning NC mountains (some of the oldest in the United States). It really is possible to have the best of both worlds when residing in coastal NC!Outdoor Activities and RecreationDue to the mild weather and stunning surroundings North Carolinians enjoy a variety of outdoor activities unlike any other. The coast attracts surfers, boaters, fishermen, and most recently SUP (Stand Up Paddlers) in droves. It is not uncommon for locals in this region to leave the office at the end of the day and head on into the water. North Carolina beaches are far less crowded than many of the coastal regions located to the north or south or on the West Coast. Unspoiled sands stretch to form over 300 miles of beaches for local enjoyment. When the beach isn’t in the day’s plans, coastal residents enjoy some of the greatest golfing in the world. Most golf courses in our region are played year-round as the weather allows for play any month of the year. Recently newer neighborhoods are capitalizing on this unique environment by creating neighborhoods that creating extensive hiking and biking trails, canals with docks, and parks as the central shared area to the neighborhood. The Food of Coastal North CarolinaOne can not list the unique opportunities that are enjoyed by coastal North Carolinians without mentioning the food! Food is quite possibly the largest ingredient in spending time with family and friends. Coastal North Carolina adorns the tables of its inhabitants with some of the finest and freshest seafood in the world! Oyster roasts are enjoyed outdoors while attendees take in the sights and smells of the coasts. Seafood markets dot the Carolina coasts in numbers rivaling large chain grocers, and are better attended! With North Carolina’s long-standing agricultural history locals also enjoy an abundance of farmer's markets and fresh grown foods. When North Carolina cooks feel like taking the day off from the kitchen there is certainly no shortage of fine dining in this region of the state. Wilmington just celebrated its recent win as the best al fresco dining in the nation and the awarding of a Wilmington restaurant (Manna) with the prestigious AAA 4 Diamond rating. The area is also making huge waves on the craft beverage scene as breweries pop up along the eastern coast, making the area a huge attraction for foodies and beer connoisseurs alike.Arts and Entertainment in Coastal North CarolinaSince the beginning of time the sea has been a great source of inspiration of artists of all genres. This is just as true today as it was 300 years ago on the coast of North Carolina. The art scene is vibrant and growing by leaps and bounds in recent years. From small town potters, to writers attending the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s prestigious writing program, to musicians playing the well attended Greenfield Lake amphitheatre, the Atlantic ocean provides the perfect backdrop. Coastal North Carolina also provides the scenery for some of your favorite movies, as Screen Gems movie studio is located here. Wilmington, dubbed “Hollywood East,” is home to the largest soundstage on the east coast. Almost every local that you meet has an art that is celebrated and explored on weekends if they aren’t lucky enough to create as full-time endeavors. Those who prefer to soak in the art created on the coast are in luck, as Coastal NC hosts an abundance of festivals and events during each of the four seasons. Though they often have the charm of small town events they are often internationally known, attended, and celebrated. Coastal North Carolina even has a dance specific to the region, the Shag, which can be performed best in bare feet on a bed of sand. Music is a part of coastal North Carolina life, from beach music, to bluegrass the music scene in this area is a most popular source of entertainment.If a life on the edge of a continent with the view of the sea and the smell of warm sand sounds like a dream to you you might consider the affordable yet incredible Coastal North Carolina region. Opportunities present themselves at every turn for a life spent enjoying our unique environment. Inspiration and entertainment enrich the lives of everyone who decides to claim the salt air! To speak with one of our many agents or to explore the area in search of your dream home please visit us at http://www.seacoastrealty.com/ http://irenakohler.com/blog/1853/5-reasons-locals-love-to-call-coastal-north-carolina-home/ Thu, 04 Feb 2016 12:00:00 -0500  Fall is quickly approaching, and although we are blessed with mild coastal NC weather and extended summers it is time to start the autumn memory-making process! We have compiled a list of 10 fabulous things to do in and around Wilmington, North Carolina this fall! Explore and enjoy the upcoming months!1. Grill out (preferably S’mores!)What fall would be complete without the toasty shell of a marshmallow cooked over open flames? Heck, anything cooked over an open flame is always better! Bonfires or grilling are immediate ways to get your friends and family bonding. No one can argue the lure of the open flames, and the sense of wonder that they create. Let the story-telling time begin! Topsail, Oak Island, and Carolina Beach (Freeman Park) all offer some way of taking the stories to the beach. You can find their rules and regulations on bonfires or grills on the beach in the following links:http://www.topsailbeach.org/http://www.oakislandnc.com/http://www.carolinabeach.org/2. Take a Hike...or Bike!Our area offers up some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Where else can you bike from a bustling riverfront to the calming waves of the Atlantic Ocean? The cross-city trail is tagged as the upcoming “urban Appalachian Trail.” But, you don’t have to wait for its completion to get your move on. Take the camera and hike The Basin Trail, aka the “Hermit Trail,” at Kure / Fort Fisher. Look at the leaves changing on the campus of UNCW. Or just stroll the sands of Oak Island! Whatever you choose to do, your body and mind will thank you!3. Spend an Afternoon Treating Yourself to a Wine or Craft Beer Tasting!Wilmington, NC has hit the craft beer scene with a bang! Breweries are popping up all over town, and they don’t disappoint. Grab your best friends for an afternoon of talking and tasting. If beer isn’t your thing, try some of our local wines! Nothing like a slow glass of scuppernong wine to warm the soul. Did you know that the scuppernong is our state fruit?! Yeah, we are the fun state!https://www.duplinwinery.com/4. Get Your Party on at any of our Area Festivals!Just because Azalea Fest has rolled on by doesn’t mean that you have to live festival-free for the season! The NC coast is known for its love of a good party. We will find any reason to celebrate...a few of us have been known to throw a hurricane party! To party with the whole community head to one of the plentiful festivals in the area. It is a good way to meet your neighbors, learn a little about the area’s culture, and get your fill of fair food!   Downtown Wilmington will be hosting Slide Fest. Though technically not a “fair food” event, it is an opportunity to slip and slide your way through downtown!http://slidefestusa.com/wilmington-nc/Head to Kenansville, NC for the Muscadine Harvest Festivalhttp://www.muscadineharvestfestival.com/aboutus.php  5. Explore the City from the Cape Fear River with a Riverboat TourNothing is more beautiful than watching the sunset from the bow of a boat. Coastal NC knows it, and is happy to offer up some fun and unique water tours! A fixture of downtown Wilmington is the Henrietta III. The Henrietta has been host to many weddings, private parties, proposals, and even gives Santa Claus a lift from the North Pole!http://cfrboats.com/http://www.wilmingtonwatertours.net/http://wrightsvillebeachscenictours.com/6. Get Ready for Halloween with a Haunted Ghost Tour!!Wilmington, NC was founded in the 1700s. A lot of the previous tenants must have loved it so much that they just don’t want to leave! With Halloween just around the corner, this might be the ultimate fun fall activity! If the spooky stories have your nerves shot, maybe the haunted pub tour is more your speed! Whichever tour you choose, you are sure to appreciate the history of Wilmington and its natives a little more!http://www.hauntedwilmington.com/7. Spend a night at the TheatreThe arts scene in coastal North Carolina is alive and thriving! With inspiring natural scenery and vibrant town life, it's no wonder that on any given Saturday or Sunday you can find a host of theatres offering up some of the area’s best talent! Since its construction beginning in 1855, Thalian Hall has been the premiere stage for watching productions both big and small. We encourage you to soak in the scenery of this magnificent space. At the end of September you can even catch a performance of the Adam’s Family! Get your family ready to rock October!http://www.thalianhall.org/events8. Get your Yard and Home Ready for the Holiday Season!Do you remember all of those boxes taking up space in your attic labeled "Holiday Stuff?" It's time to break those babies out!! Start with all of the orange-colored decor, then work your way to the red, greens, and whites! When you get tired of prettying up your home make your way to the yard! Go ahead and rake that grass down to the sand! Let the kids wear themselves out jumping...and re-raking. The photo ops will be worth it! Then blow the dust off of the top of the board games and declare the winner of the day! You will sleep good after this day!9. Football and ChiliNobody appreciates local football like North Carolina appreciates football! Set the crockpot on and head out for some Friday Night Lights! Throw your team colors on and cheer, cheer, cheer in the crisp autumn air! 10. Fishing!!!What respectable “Things to do in Coastal North Carolina” list would be complete without fishing? None. Say goodbye to summer, but not the ocean! Load your freezer (or catch and release). Locals love the fact that fishing spots are less crowded in the fall. And, we all love the fact that Red Drum, Flounder, Trout, and King Mackerel (if you are off-shore) are biting! Novice or not, there is no memory worth more than the ones spent with family, wrapped in a hoodie, holding a fishing pole!We even have a festival for that!http://www.ncspotfestival.com/schedule.html http://irenakohler.com/blog/1301/10-fun-things-to-do-this-fall-in-coastal-north-carolina/ Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:00:00 -0500 It is no secret that real estate agents like people. It is ingrained in them to like to talk, share, listen, and observe. Real estate agents are extremely social creatures. When my family has dinner out or spends a weekend exploring our town it is often an agent that we end up talking to at the table beside ours or on a walking trail at the park. Agents are movers and shakers. They are the people about town.Last week our agents (over 100 of them) participated in Realtor Action Day. Agents from many offices and many different real estate companies gathered to perform different services for the benefit of our community. There were projects such as building 18 community garden beds at Devon Park United Methodist Church. These beds will be used to grow fresh foods for the community surrounding the church. In just 2 hours, an empty space was transformed to a working garden space. Many Realtors headed out to the beach to plant sea oats. For visitors to our area, it is often questioned why we need to plant sea oats? The answer is pretty simple and one that locals can give quite quickly. The sea oats prevent erosion of our beautiful beaches. More sea oats equal more sand and protection. Sea oats have extensive root systems that oftentimes are the “glue” holding sand dunes together. There were crews of Realtors cleaning our local Azalea Festival parade route, crews picking up trash and pinecones in one of our beautiful parks, there were crews crews everywhere! Every person that helped that day had one goal, to better the best community in the world!My most favorite moment came when I visited the Autumn Care nursing home. I had hopped from site to site all morning watching all the good take place, but I was ill prepared for the beauty of people just connecting with people. The moment that touched me so deeply came when I was witness to some elderly women being pampered by some of the volunteers.  What I believe was the craft room at the facility had been transformed into a  “spa” for the morning. The residents waited with the nail polish of their choosing for their turn at having their fingernails painted. One elderly lady was so excited. She was animated and gestured wildly while telling stories. Everyone sat in rapture of her. I couldn’t help but think that she must have been so fancy as a younger woman. This spa treatment seemed 100% up her alley. I felt so proud watching as my co-workers made human connections and gave someone a reason to smile. Community is an extension of family. I am grateful for my community. My community supports me both emotionally  and financially, through the jobs that I have worked. The pride that I had for Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage during the 2015 Realtor Action Day was almost palpable. Many friends were made, many environments were beautified, and there was so much good!We have amazing Realtors here at Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. They are people who care. If you are looking to buy or sell your home we would love to share our skills with you!http://www.seacoastrealty.com/ http://irenakohler.com/blog/1321/so-much-good-2015rad/ Fri, 10 Apr 2015 12:00:00 -0500 Have you heard about our “Coast In & Win Open House Weekend”? Here’s how it works:Enter To Win $1000 CashAttend any of our open houses during our “Coast In & Win Open House Weekend” (every THIRD weekend of each month) to be entered to win a drawing each month.  One lucky winner will take home $1000! This is open to ALL of our open houses, from Southport to Jacksonville and everywhere in between. Our open houses range from oceanfront homes in Carolina Beach and Oak Island, to sprawling ranches in Hampstead and Jacksonville. Here at Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, we’ve got a home for everyone!Some of our previous “Coast In & Win Open House Weekend” winners include Casey Purcell, Tommy & Marty Younts, Anthony Craig, Rick Pearce and Lisa Brown.YOU could be next! Come find your dream home with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage!(Oh, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ to stay updated in real time!)Official Rules for Coast In & Win Promotion1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.2. Drawing will be held and the winner announced on the following Thursday after each Promotion (the “Promotion”) at the offices of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage – 1001 Military Cutoff Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 28405 – at or about 2:30 EST.3. Drawing is open to all individuals who are residents of the U.S., are 18 years of age or older and who are registered in the Promotion. Employees and Agents of Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotions agencies involved in the promotion and their immediate family members and persons residing in the same household are not eligible.4. You must be registered in the Promotion no later than 5:00 P.M. on the date of the Promotion to be eligible. For the purpose of registration and winning, each individual date of the Promotion shall be deemed a separate event so that registration for a prior promotion will not automatically register for the current or future promotions.5. Only one entry per family per promotional property per promotional date. Registrants must provide either a daytime telephone number or email address to qualify for the prize drawing. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for lost, late, misdirected or incorrect entries, for malfunction of electronic equipment, computer hardware or software, problems related to transfer of registration information or other technical problems. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned.6. Winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries actually received. The drawing will be conducted by Sponsor or its designee, under the supervision of Sponsor, the judge of the Promotion, whose decisions are final and binding in all respects. The winner will be announced at or about 2:30 p.m. EST. Winner will be notified by either telephone number or email address (or both) provided on form by winner. Initial notification will be deemed to have occurred at the time of any one or more of the following: a) 12 hours have passed after initial email transmission and Sponsor has received no delivery failure notifications from Winner’s email provider; b) time of voice message on any recording device used by Winner at phone number provided. Winner has seven (7) calendar days from initial notification attempt by Sponsor to accept prize. Acknowledgement of notification by Winner is deemed to have occurred when Winner notifies the Sponsor’s contest administrator at 910.799.34357. Winner will be required to appear in person at Sponsor’s corporate office (1001 Military Cutoff Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 28405) to accept prize and to sign an affidavit of eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release (except where prohibited) within ten (10) calendar days of prize notification but before receipt of prize or risk forfeiture of the prize. Winner agrees to be available for photography purposes at time of prize acceptance. Winner is responsible for all travel expenses incurred in appearing to accept prize. If winner is 18 or older, as required, but a minor in his or state of residence, winner’s parent or legal guardian must sign all required documents.8. Prize: each Promotion event will award a prize of One Thousand Dollars and no cents ($1000.00). Odds of winning depend upon number of eligible entries received. Taxes, fees and all other expenses are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prize is not transferable. No prize substitution, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. If prize become unavailable, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a prize of equal or greater value. Winner will be issued a 1099 tax form the value of the prize.9. By accepting a prize, winner agrees: (i) to be bound by these Official Rules; (ii) that the decisions of the judges are final and binding; (iii) to use winner’s entry, name, likeness, photograph and any statements regarding the Promotion’s giveaways and prizes attributed to the winner for editorial, public relations, promotional and advertising purposes on behalf of Sponsor in all media worldwide, except if winner is a resident of Tennessee or otherwise prohibited by law and (iv) to release Sponsor, their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, the service agencies and independent contractors of any of the above organizations and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents, including advertising and promotional agencies, from any and all liability, loss or damage arising out of their participation in the Promotion and with respect to the awarding, receipt, possession, use and/or misuse of any prize. Sponsor reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Promotion, in its sole discretion, for any reason whatsoever including but not limited to, in the event it becomes infected by a computer virus or is otherwise technically impaired or in the event of any fraud by a participant or any other party. Subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. This Promotion is governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, with venue in New Hanover County, North Carolina, and all claims must be resolved in the state and federal courts of Wilmington, North Carolina.10. For winner’s name, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope for receipt not later than 10 calendar days after the award of any individual Promotion to:Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage 1001 Military Cutoff Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 28405 Attn: David Benford11. Sponsored by Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, 1001 Military Cutoff Ste 101 Wilmington, NC 2840512. These Official Rules are available at www.SeaCoastRealty.comMeghan Riley http://irenakohler.com/blog/1355/january-2014-coast-in-&-win-weekend!/ Wed, 15 Jan 2014 12:00:00 -0500