Labor Day Weekend is a really fun time of year in and around Wilmington, North Carolina. After all, who doesn’t get excited about a three day weekend? There are plenty of free local events and activities, going on. You are invited to visit some of the area’s most popular attractions, or plan a beach day on one of our beautiful beaches. Here are several local events happening over Labor Day Weekend. Have fun!

Fireworks by The Sea & Eastbound
Friday August 31 at 6:30pm
A FREE fireworks show near the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Gazebo Entertainment begins at 6:30PM and the fireworks show is scheduled for approximately 9:00PM. Eastbound will provide a free, live performance of modern country and blues music for the Gazebo Entertainment. This is the final Fireworks By The Sea show of the season, so do not miss your chance to participate in this incredible Wilmington event!

Downtown Sundown presents Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi Tribute)
Friday August 31, 6pm
Shows are held in Riverfront Park, located on North Water Street between Princess and Market Streets. Beer, wine and food are available for purchase during the performances. The event takes place either rain or shine. www.WilmingtonDowntown.com

Coastal Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
Friday August 31-Sunday September 2
From the best local talent, to regional and nationally recognized artisans and craftspeople, the finest works of art will be juried in for presentation and sale at this special three-day event at the Coastline Event & Conference Center. Art collectors and enthusiasts can preview the show during an opening reception Friday evening. Enjoy light bites and refreshments as you peruse the array of arts and crafts in mediums from paintings to photography, glass to jewelry, mixed media and more.

Go Jump in the Lake Fun Run/Walk, Boiling Spring Lakes
Saturday September 1, 8am
5k and 1.5 mile fun run/walk follows a course through Boiling Spring Lakes. Both races begin and end, at the beautiful Spring Lake Park. The courses are paved asphalt and are mostly flat. No pets, bikes, skateboards or roller blades.

Annual Oak Island Surf Off, Ocean Crest Pier
Saturday September 1, 8am
This contest welcomes surfers of all ages and skill levels. Beach Signup will be held on 8/31 from 6pm-9pm with live entertainment. Awards are given to three places in 14 categories. Proceeds benefit a scholarship for a Brunswick County High School Graduate.

Oak Island Art Guild Arts & Crafts Festival
Saturday September 1, 8am
23rd Annual Labor Day weekend festival is a celebration of local and regional artists and craftspeople who display and sell their handmade goods within sight of the ocean. Proceeds from the festival are used toward scholarships for local high school students, art supplies for teachers and to purchase books and media for the Brunswick County Library system. Food will be sold. The festival is held at Middleton Park Extension Soccer Field 46th SE Street & Dolphin Drive, Oak Island.

Farmer’s Market & Art Show at Carolina Beach Lake 
Saturday September 1, 8am-1pm
Explore the Carolina Beach Farmers Market to find a variety of locally grown and produced plants, vegetables, fruits, eggs, cheese, soaps, dog cookies, baked goods and fine arts & crafts.

FREE Sunday Movies at the Carolina Beach Lake 
Sunday September 2, 2012 – Journey 2 8:45pm
Here’s another free event perfect for families! Bring your chairs and find a spot on the lawn at Carolina Beach Lake where the whole family can enjoy newly released movies. Popcorn, candy, soft drinks, cotton candy, and more are for sales at the movies or you can bring your own food & beverages.

Children’s Crab Derby at Southport’s Historic Waterfront Old Yacht Basin Pier
Monday September 3, 9am-12pm
Registration -8:30am. 16 years old and under only – Free t-shirt while they last. Bring your own crab line & chicken neck.

Battleship North Carolina
USS North Carolina is one of the area’s most popular local attractions. Take a tour of the ship and envision the daily life and fierce combat that her crew faced during World War II.

HAVE FUN!

It’s that time of year, school is back in session! The Teacher’s Fund is getting back in full swing and can use your help. It’s easy to support the Teacher’s Fund with Harris Teeter’s Together in Education.

Link your Harris Teeter VIC card to the Teacher’s Fund- the code is 6477.

Don’t forget ALL VIC cards need to be RE-LINKED for the 2012-2013 school year. Linking is easy to do with one of the following methods and has to be done each school year, starting August 1.

• Link to Your School online form
• Call Customer Service at 1-800-432-6111
• Register at checkout

Below are real estate market statistics for Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Oak Island,Bald Head Island, Figure Eight Island, and Topsail Island.

Below are real estate market statistics for Wilmington NC.  View trends for average selling price (ASP) and number of units sold by zip code.

Below are real estate market statistics for the Leland area (zip 28451), Hampstead (28443), and SouthportNC.  Trends for average selling price (ASP) and units sold for each area are shown.

A recent The Street article lists 10 common projects that bring little return on the investment. Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value survey was used to compare costs of certain home improvements. See why these improvements may not be in your favor:

1. Pools: A $25,000-$50,000 investment and that doesn’t include the yearly maintenance costs and repairs that will undoubtedly be needed down the road.

2. Outdoor kitchens: Steel grills and gourmet pizza ovens outside can be nice in year-round warm climates but in cooler weather climates, many people would prefer the warmth of an indoor kitchen.

3. A Master Suite Addition: It would be great to have a full bathroom and walk-in closet all to yourself but it’s a costly investment that only has a 59% return on investment.

4. A Roof Replacement: It’s best to replace a roof as infrequently as possible. If your roof is in less-than-dire straits, that replacement will recoup only about $12,000 of its cost once the house is sold.

5. Garage addition: The cost of adding a garage spot could be about $58,000, but it only adds about $33,000 extra to your home’s value. It’s also an additional room for your electric bill.

6. Replacing a Fiberglass Entry Door:  A fiberglass door is nearly three times as expensive as steel and it loses 44% of its value when it is installed. The best option is to go with a steel door since it maintains 73% of its cost.

7. A Bathroom Addition: Believe it or not, a $40,000 bathroom addition drops 50% of its value! While itmay be helpful for you, buyers won’t be as charmed since they are looking for the same number ofbathrooms anyway.

8. Backup power generator: A $15,000 expense can be extreme for the main reason to “prevent $30 in groceries from spoiling the next time a transformer blows,” The Street notes.

9. Sunroom addition: This could cost home owners about $74,000 and only offer about $34,000 at resale — and “that’s assuming you built a sunroom in a climate that actually gets sun every so often,” the article notes.

10. Home office remodel: This could cost you around $28,000 but is considered one of the least valuable home improvement projects a home owner can tackle, according to the Cost vs. Value survey. While home owners like the organization home offices offer, many are mobile and prefer to work elsewhere.

If you have any questions, contact an Intracoastal Realty agent for their expert opinion on your particular home before starting any projects.