The Wilmington area is filled with so many great options when it comes to finding family friendly things to do.

North Carolina Aquarium

900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach NC 28449

Not only can you view a diverse assortment of aquatic animals, at the NC Aquarium in Kure Beach there's a touch pool where you can actually pet a stingray. Other exhibits include an albino alligator, sea turtles, free flying butterflies, & of course sharks. There are also behind the scenes tours, kid camps, & outdoor adventures available.

www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher 

Children's Museum of Wilmington

116 Orange Street, Wilmington NC 28401

For a completely hands on experience, bring the family here. From the minute you step inside you are greeted by a huge pirate ship & then a sand pit. There's so much to explore and children have a blast running around to all the different activities. No matter what your child prefers, you'll probably find a center that's perfect for them. There's a long train area, a cool space exhibit, tree house room that's perfect for toddlers, "shopping/dining" center, an adorable Teddy Bear Hospital, & an outdoor courtyard filled with more fun activities. I can personally tell you that this is a great place for birthday parties too!

www.playwilmington.org 

Cape Fear Serpentarium

20 Orange Street, Wilmington, NC 28401

This is the place to go if your kids like reptiles. Visitors can watch live feedings & view several species of venomous snakes and constrictors. There's also varieties of crocodiles plus exotic lizards & dragons. It's an indoor zoo so it is a good place to go if it's raining outside but come prepared for cash only admission.

www.capefearserpentarium.com

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park

5320 Oleander Drive, Wilmington NC 28403

Rain or shine, Jungle Rapids provides several options for fun. There's a huge water park, mini golf, a sky tower ride, go karts, laser tag, rock climbing wall, bowling, tons of arcade games. There's also a "jungle room" where little ones are welcome to climb, bounce, & slide to their hearts content in the indoor jungle gym. This is another great spot for birthday parties!

www.junglerapids.com 

Tregembo Animal Park

5811 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington NC 28412

South Eastern NC's oldest zoo, the Tregembo Animal Park has been open since 1952. There are over 100 animals to visit including two-toed sloths, a llama, alligators, a giraffe, prairie dogs, & several monkeys.

www.tregemboanimalpark.com

Wilmington Railroad Museum

505 Nutt Street, Wilmington NC 28401

The Wilmington Railroad Museum is a must visit place for any train enthusiast. There's a fun Thomas the Tank Train play area, several operating model trains, plus a real caboose, boxcar, & 100 yr old steam locomotive to check out.

www.wrrm.org

Does your family have another place in the Wilmington area that you love to visit? Let me know! I'd love to take my daughter there to experience it and share it with others!

If you're thinking about making a move in the Wilmington area, let me know. I'd love the opportunity to help find the right home for your family.

Brittany Allen

There is no such thing as a perfect house. I know first hand that even a new construction house or a home that has been extremely well maintained will have items that come up during a professional home inspection.

Here are the top 10 most common items found on home inspections that buyers typically ask to be repaired.

1. Windows that are broken, cracked, or have bad seals & are cloudy
2. Faulty GFCI outlets or any exposed wiring
3. HVAC
4. Water spots on the ceilings
5. DIY jobs not done to code or with proficiency
6. Plumbing defects. From dripping faucets to polybutelene pipes
7. Roof including any missing or broken shingles
8. Grading, if the yard slopes back towards the house - water needs to drain away from the house not to it
9. Structural damage - any cut or broken trusses
10. Termites - especially a prevalent concern here in the southeastern North Carolina area

If you're thinking of buying a home, even if it's a new construction home, it is critical you get a home inspection. A good home inspector will catch concerning items then advise you on how serious the concern is & their recommendation on improvement.

If you're thinking of selling your house, it might be a good idea to have a trusted contractor explore your home and then address concerns that come up. Most likely the buyer's home inspector will find the concern anyhow & the buyer will require you to fix it in order for them to continue with the purchase of the home. Sometimes a buyer gets scared off by repairs and terminates the contract even if you agree to fix everything found. Avoid the stress & address any known concerns before putting your house on the market to sell.

If you're thinking of making a move let me know. I'd love the opportunity to speak with you and see how I can help.

Brittany Allen

Once the boxes are packed & you're about to transition to your new home, there are some people you need to notify of your move.

Current Landlord

If you are renting, make sure you notify your landlord in writing that you are moving out. Reference your lease to see how early of notice you must provide and turn in your notice before then so you do not risk penalty.

Insurance Providers

If you've sold a home, do not cancel insurance on that home until your real estate agent has advised you that it has been Closed & Recorded. It is also important to notify your health, life, & car insurance companies so any important documentation can reach you & you don't run into an issue if you need to file a claim.

DMV

Even if you're not moving out of state you need to notify the DMV of your new address and get an updated driver's license. If moving out of state you will need to also register your vehicle.

Work

Tell your employer you are moving & give them your new address. Even if you're staying local and your work will not be affected by the move, they need to have an accurate address in your file.

Utilities

Contact your utility providers (electric, phone, internet, water, sewer, etc) to let them know you will be moving & set up service at the new address. You don't want to be held responsible for paying for the utilities at a home you no longer live in & don't want to be without the services at your new home either.

Post Office

Don't risk missing important pieces of mail! You can go into any U.S.Post Office & fill out a change of address form or it's easy to do online by clicking here.

IRS

Fill out an IRS change of address form to update your information. You do not want to get sent an important tax document but never receive it or be audited & they can't reach you. Get the IRS's Change of Address form here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822.pdf  & read more about the IRS & moving here: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Moving-Soon%3F-Let-the-IRS-Know!

Veterinarian

Call your pets vet & let them know of your new address so you don't miss any important reminder cards that are sent out.

Subscriptions

Call those you have a subscription with (newspapers, magazines, automatic deliveries) & let them know of your new address so you receive your items in a timely manner.

Friends & Family

Most likely those close to you will know that you are moving. Sending out a notecard or an email with your new address to extended family & friends will be helpful to them & sometimes you get surprise house warming gifts in the mail!

Banks & Credit Card Companies

Updating your address with your banks & credit card companies is extremely important. Typically when you use your credit card you have to provide your current billing address & zip code. Plus there are important statements & notifications that could be mailed out to you that you need to receive from them.

Doctors

It's a good idea to also notify your address with any medical care providers. This way you can be sure to receive any important correspondence, notifications, & bills that come.

Others to consider checking with:

• Voter Registration
• Gym
• Charities you're affiliated with
• Religious organizations
• Reward programs

Want more tips on moving? Thinking about buying a home or getting your current house on the market to sell? Give us a call at 910-679-6525. We'd love the opportunity to help and to earn your business.

Brittany Allen

1. Learn everything you can about a house's history

Ask what the average utility costs are. Find out about past problems or any improvements. Look up to see if there were permits for work. Check DOT maps to make sure there are no impending roads coming nearby.

2. Drive by the house during rush hour

Can you hear road noise from outside the house? Are there a lot of cars parked out on the street? Are there neighbors out walking & kids playing?

3. Even if you're purchasing a new construction house, have your own agent representing you

An experienced agent will be able to negotiate on your behalf and look out for your best interests, not the best interests of the builder.

4. Think about resale value

Look at the desirability of the home to the common buyer. Is it neutral enough to appeal to most buyers? Is there a master downstairs? Is there a garage? Is it the most expensive home in the neighborhood? How is the lot? Is there a busy street nearby? Does the neighborhood hold a positive market trend?

5. Don't ever neglect your due diligence

Always get it a professional home inspector to walk through the house. Don't cut corners, get the full inspection. This is a long term asset you're buying, you need to know what you're getting into.

6. Step outside the home

Is there a yellow center line in the street? That often indicates higher traffic on the road and would typically be less desirable. Are there community street lights keeping the neighborhood well lit? Do the neighbors seem to have a good "pride of ownership" about their yards & homes?

7. Don't be afraid to rent for a year

Get to know the area of town & where you want to live. Is the area convenient to where you will frequent. Maybe you prefer to be closer to your job, shopping centers, or medical facilities. Or maybe you think being further away from town will be nicer. Try it out for a year before you commit. Make sure you like the commute & the area works for you.

8. Write a personal letter to the seller

Try to make a personal connection with the seller. If you have a family, add information about your children and how you envision raising them in the house & having them play in the backyard. Pull at the seller's heartstrings a little bit and they typically are more willing to be understanding in negotiations and with repairs.

9. Ask your agent to find out the seller's motivation

Does the seller need extra time to move or would a quick close be more beneficial? Even if you are negotiating on price, get the other terms to match up to the sellers needs if possible. Selling a home is never easy for a seller, this shows you care about the seller's well being & want to make this an easy transition for them.

10. Make sure you're buying what you can't change

Before purchasing, make sure you love what can not be changed or easily changed. That includes the location, the views, the lot size, height of ceilings, & the general floor plan of the home.

Want more tips on how to impress a buyer? Thinking about buying a home yourself or getting your home on the market to sell? Give us a call at 910-679-6525. We'd love the opportunity to help and to earn your business.

Brittany Allen

Thinking about selling your home? The first step is to get prepared. You get one chance to impress a buyer & have them fall on love enough to make them think it's THE one for them.

Your first opportunity to impress is online. 2nd opportunity is person at the showing.

The pictures have to show amazing to entice them to want to even step inside your house in person. Make sure your real estate agent is hiring a professional photographer to showcase your home & its assets.

Go through the house with a critical eye.

Eliminate as much as possible. Less is always better. Even if items are something that you have emotional ties to or you personally love displaying, think about a model home. Would that item be displayed in a model home? If the answer is no, pack it up.

Store packed up items.

Neatly store them in boxes or bins along the garage wall. Home buyers expect boxes - you're moving! Make sure they can still see that you have a garage & more than just boxes can fit in there.

Don't have a garage?

Check with family or close friends who do have garages, ask if you can store boxes in their garages temporarily. Perhaps you give them some rent for taking up room in their space or make trades, offer to babysit their kids when needed in return or to watch their pets when they go out of town. Another option is getting a storage unit temporarily.

Make repairs before going on the market.

Yes, most buyers will get a home inspection & will probably ask you to fix the items but if there are known items in need of repair - go ahead & fix them. When a buyer spots just one item in need of repair they begin to look more critically at the house. It suddenly is not a "move in ready" house but a house that "needs work" even if it's something minor, that's an item that would go on their "to do" list and moving already comes with a long enough "to do" list. Items needing repair might scare off a buyer from making an offer at all. There's also a good chance they are going to ask you to fix it after the home inspection so be pro-active and get it done now.

Be flexible with showings.

Often you have at least overnight notice before a showing but occasionally a buyer changes their mind & it's a last minute showing request. Be flexible. As a seller showings are an inconvenience but you can not sell your home unless you allow it to be shown when its convenient to the buyer. Keep in mind that the buyer is also taking time off of work or out of their lives to see your house, they also had to make arrangements to do that showing. The buyer's agent too had to make special arrangements to make the showings line up & timed. There's a reason for their day & time request, try to work with it.

Hide the animals.

I'm one of the biggest animal lovers there is. When it comes to showing off your house to a potential buyer though, you do not want them to know a animal lives there. Fold up their crates & tuck them and any animal beds under your bed where they are out of site. Hide their toys & food/water bowls. Hide any leashes. Most importantly - remove the animal(s) from the home before the showing. Take them on a drive or a trip to the park during the showing. If you can't leave work to get them, ask a dependable neighbor if your animal can hang out with them or in their fenced yard during the showing.

When a prospective buyer knows an animal lives in a house they get critical and start looking for pet damage or pet odors. They wonder if the pet has had accidents in the house. Eliminate these potential buyer red flags by hiding your furry family members during showings.

Want more tips on how to impress a buyer? Thinking about buying a home yourself or getting your home on the market to sell? Give us a call at 910-679-6525. We'd love the opportunity to help and to earn your business.

Brittany Allen

We’re a Disney family.

Having gone for the past 2 years, we are hooked & hope to make it a yearly tradition to visit the “happiest place on earth.”

Our first year we stayed at the Art of Animation Resort.

Pros: It’s a great resort with spacious suites, perfect for large families. There’s an awesome pool with a Finding Nemo themed zero entry pool & a splash pad area w/ Finding Nemo characters that is so much fun for toddlers. The entire resort was very clean & modern. Our daughter also loved the Lion King Boneyard “playground” (not really a playground at all but she enjoyed it anyhow).

Cons: The pull out couch as well as the murphy bed were NOT comfortable for the adults to sleep on… at all. Cell signal didn’t exist inside our room & wifi was barely existent despite repeated requests to the front desk. We’re a tech family & have to work even when on vacation… having no wifi is not an option in our lives.

This year, at the suggestion of our Disney Travel Agent, we stayed at the Port Orleans Riverside.

Port Orleans Riverside = a girls dream resort.

Pros: Charm galore. It is gorgeous throughout the resort. Inside the hotel room is just as fun… there are hidden aspects to Disney movies throughout the room to be found. From Aladdin’s magic carpet to Chip the teacup, it’s a fun game to find all the hidden characters that our daughter loves. The beds even had “fireworks” lighting as a headboard which our daughter was fascinated with and they helped her fall asleep every night. The room also had a convenient mini fridge.

Cons: The overcrowded buses. They stopped at several other resorts and on multiple occasions we were on very crowded buses. To me it is a safety hazard for young children to not have a seat on a bus & have to stand. There were a few bus rides when we were unable to get seats and our toddler had to cling to her father’s legs while he struggled to hold onto our stuff plus her & keep himself upright at the same time. In a perfect world Disney would have more buses with fewer resorts on their routes to help prevent overflowing buses. Nothing bad to say about the Port Orleans Riverside resort itself, just wish Port Orleans had buses devoted to only Riverside & French Quarters.