Tax Credit Extension

Tax Credit Extension + Low Rates = Win-Win Great news! The government has just extended and expanded tax credits for home buyers - and not just those buying for the first time. First time home buyers can now receive an $8,000 tax credit through April 30, 2010 Home buyers who have lived in their residences for five years may now receive a credit of $6,500 The tax credit is now available to individuals earning up to $125,000, or $250,000 for couples .

Call Brett Knowles to learn more! 910 279-3000 brett@brettknowles.com

UNDER CONTRACT

Another Brett Knowles listing goes under... Congratulations Robo and Tara in Linden Ridge!

June Real Estate Stats

Hello Everyone,

Just though a few Wilmington Real Estate States (encompassing the tri-county region) would be in order.

There are currentely 5056 active listings on the market. In the past 30 days, 358 listings have gone to pending (under contract) status. And year to date the we have seen 1,390 homes sold. Things are picking up and summer is in full swing!

For more information on Wilmington, NC Real Estate click here!

Traveling Vietnam War memorial arrives in Wilmington

A traveling memorial for those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War has made its way to New Hanover County.

On Tuesday, "The Wall That Heals" arrived at Ogden Park.

Veterans ushered in the memorial by motorcade.

The 250-foot wall honors the nearly 59,000 American service men and women who died during the Vietnam War.

The wall is a replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.

The Disabled Veterans Chapter 11 in Wilmington were on site to see the wall back in Wilmington for the first time since 1991.

"I’ve got a lot of my friends on that wall that I served with two tours in Vietnam,” said Gary Ledbetter.

The memorial has been to over 300 towns across the country as well as Canada and Ireland.

The unveiling of the wall and a memorial service will be held in Ogden Park on Thursday.

Want to know what your home is worth? Click here for a free market analysis of your home!

Current Tri-County Real Estate Stats

In the tri-county region (New Hanover, Pender & Brunswick) there are currently:

• 5,126 active single-family listings
  
• 1,222 sold year-to-date
• Average list price: $398,936
• Average sale price: $248,365
• Average days on market: 184

It's a great time to be buying real estate in the region, so call Brett Knowles at (910) 279-3000 or visit www.brettknowles.com for Wilmington, NC Real Estate Information!

Bands battle at boardwalk in Carolina Beach

Great activities at Carolina Beach, NC!

The first ever Battle of the Bands was held as part of the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Makeover Program on Saturday.

Six groups competed in the first of three preliminary rounds.

Area music professionals will choose the best two groups to compete in the finals and have the chance to win several prizes.

“We have some great prizes… 20 hours of studio time from Cape Fear Studios, gift certificates from Varno Equipment, The Beat magazine has sponsored, as well as Modern Music has given some gift certificates,” said Brett Keeler of the CBBMP.

The Carolina Beach Boardwalk Makeover Program is a campaign to improve the boardwalk area with entertainment events, and construction projects.

For information on local events and real estate visit www.BrettKnowles.com!

Surfing the Web on the Intracoastal Waterway

A Wilmington company called icwifi.net provides high-speed wireless internet access to boaters. Now checking the forecast on the water is just a click away.

Year round, boats stroll up and down the Intracoastal Waterway in Wrightsville Beach. Many have laptops on board, but couldn't get a connection…until icwifi.net came along.

"If you're out in the water and you don't have a good radar and you've got a storm coming and you're deciding do you go in for the night, or do you stay out hooked up for the rest of the night, you have to be able to see that and with icwifi, we'll allow you to do that,” said marketing manager Anna Hoggard.

If you're in the Motts or Banks channels of the ICW, you're in the coverage zone. When you click on the internet, a screen will pop up prompting you to sign up for icwifi.

The service costs $3 per day, $10 per week, or $30 per month.

You'll get a code you'll punch in to surf the web. "You can be in your house with the same code, and get on your boat with your laptop and go over to Masonboro Island and get on the internet there, so you can sit on the beach, sit on the dock, or sit on the porch," Hoggard explained.

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People on shore can use the connection too, as icwifi.net has several antennas along the ICW like on top of Mott's Channel Seafood.

"It's good reliable high speed internet, we use it everyday,” said Motts’ manager Tom Franz who uses the connection to check the weather so he knows when to expect boats coming in with fresh seafood.

The company just started in March. In the coming months, icwifi.net hopes to expand their service to the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington, as far south as Myrtle Beach, and north to Morehead City.

For more information on Wilmington, NC and Real Estate in Wilmington, NC visit BrettKnowles.com