Real Estate Tools and Marketing Tips From Ward Realty
Buying and selling real estate on Topsail Island is a bit different from buying or selling in a mainland city or town. Why? There are several factors such as North Carolina Wind & Hail insurance, flood zones, dune structures, local laws and income producing investment properties as Topsail Island vacation rentals make using a local realtor critical. That being said, we have provided a few real estate tools and tips for you to help get you started in buying or selling a home. Please use these tips and widgets only as starting points or conversation starters. Do not rely on these as facts; instead, contact one of Ward Realty's experienced real estate brokers to help guide you through the process of residential real estate on Topsail Island.
The experienced agents of Ward Realty can help you with your property search on Topsail Island or the surrounding area. Start your search below for your piece of paradise.
For folks who are considering moving to the Topsail Island area permantly, this website is the best for NC schools: NC School Report Card.
(Topsail Beach, most of Surf City and Hampstead are in Pender County and North Topsail Beach, Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge and some of Surf City are in Onslow County.)
Home staging sets the scene for a well maintained home that is ready to be bought. The idea is to show the buyer that the home is well maintained and will be for some time to come. Consider the competition of homes for sale in our market. Then, make your home more appealing than the rest if you want to sell quickly and closer to the price you want. Vacation rental homes in the peak summer season should not be neglected, and they should be staged as much as possible. Consider these basic staging tips to help prepare your house for sale:
- Cleanliness - pretty much self-explanatory, but it cannot be stressed enough to have a clean home for people to visit.
- Minimize wear and tear - Clean carpets, freshly painted walls and everything else in proper working order is expected when someone purchases a home. A buyer doesn't want to automatically start adding up additional expenditures above the price of the house. If there are two comparable homes with one that looks rundown and another that looks well maintained, guess which one will sell?
- Curb Appeal - start the appointment off right with a freshly mowed lawn, trimmed shrubbery and properly maintained decks, doors and siding. An inviting entrance way will tell the buyer everything they need to know about the overall condition of the home.
- Clutter - by reducing clutter in a home, buyers can see two things: 1) actual space/size of the home and 2) a spot for their personal touches. Covering every inch of a wall with family photos makes the buyer feel that they are at YOUR house and not at a house that they can buy. Remember: less is better.
Currently, national websites that display home values are not very reliable here on Topsail Island. Many of the recent sales are not included and overall "average price" trends are off the mark due to the importance of location on Topsail Island (oceanfront vs. interior). Please contact the Ward Realty sales team to learn more about current real estate trends in and around Topsail Island. Furthermore, to get a basic understanding of our market, feel free to search current Topsail Island homes for sale.
