March 2018 Events

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2/15 – 3/30:  UNCW All-Student Art Show – UNCW Boseman Gallery

3/1:  JAZZ series: Light Under the Sun with Serena Wiley – Cameron Art Museum

3/1-4 & 8-11:  Weeki Wachee Mermaids – NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

3/2:  The Midtown Men – 4 Stars from the Original Cast of Jersey Boys – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/2:  First Friday Gallery Walk – Downtown Southport

3/3:  Step Up for Soldiers Back Yard BBQ Cook-off – The Lake in Carolina Beach

3/8-25:  King Lear at McEachern’s Warehouse – 121 South Front Street

3/8:  Henry Cho – Thalian Hall

3/9-10:  Little Explorers: Superhero Science – Cape Fear Museum

3/9-10:  Marching into Spring – Arboretum at New Hanover County Cooperative

3/10:  8th Annual Cape Fear Beer & Wine Festival – Wilmington Convention Center

3/10:  Best Foot Forward 2018 – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/10:  Program for Jazz: Stories | Poems | Percussion – Thalian Hall

3/10:  Battleship Firepower Tour – Battleship North Carolina

3/10:  2018 Wrightsville Beach Biathlon – Blockade Runner Beach Resort

3/14:  2018 Wilmington Theatre Awards – Thalian Hall

3/14:  The Annex Songwriter Session #14 – Brooklyn Arts Center

3/15:  Daughtry – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/16-18:  Badwater Cape Fear – Ultra Marathon Race – Old Baldy Lighthouse, Bald Head Island

3/16:  Playtime! Toy & Game Collection – Cape Fear Museum

3/16:  Tres Bleu Presents: Midnight in Mykonos a Fashion Show Fundraiser – Brooklyn Arts Center

3/16:  The National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba – Thalian Hall

3/16-17:  NHRMC: Wrightsville Beach Marathon Madness

3/17:  The Great Chowder Cook-off – High Tide Lounge on the North End Pier Carolina Beach

3/17:  US Open Fat Bike Championships – Wrightsville Beach

3/17, 18:  Peter Pan – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/17:  St. Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade – Downtown Wilmington

3/17:  The 14th Annual Steve Haydu St. Patrick’s Day Lo Tide Run – Carolina Beach Board Walk

3/18:  4th Annual Oyster Roast & Shrimp Boil Jamboree – Yacht Basin Eatery Southport

3/22 – 4/1:  Becoming Dr. Ruth – Thalian Hall

3/23:  HOU YING: TU TU (traditional Chinese classical dance)  – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/23:  Fourth Fridays Gallery Walk – Downtown Wilmington

3/24, 30, 31:  Alligator Egg Hunt – NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

3/24:  Southport Easter Egg Hunt – Franklin Square Park and Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn, Southport

3/24:  Chick Flicks Festival – Bourgie Nights Downtown Wilmington

3/24:  Bunny Dayz Easter Egg Hunt – Mulberry Park, Shallotte

3/24:  Mac & Cheese Fest – Good Hops Brewing in Carolina Beach

3/24:  Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival – The Shell

3/24:  Spectrum! A Tribute to Motown and R&B – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/24:  Full Belly Feast 2018 – Brooklyn Arts Center

3/26:  Rockin’ Road to Dublin – CFCC / The Wilson Center

3/30-31:  Southport Spring Festival – Franklin Square Park, Southport

3/31 – 4/1:  Made in NC 2018 – Brooklyn Arts Center

Reuben Dip with Dark Rye Toasts

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If you find joy in a Reuben sandwich then you’ll love this month’s Reuben dip! Just in time for the St. Patrick’s Day, add this make ahead recipe to your party to do list. Slainte!

Serves: Approximately 10 appetizer servings | Courtesy of PureWow.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish that has been drained
  • ⅓ cup thousand island dressing
  • 2 tablespoons sweet relish or salad cubes, drained
  • 8 ounces deli sliced corned beef, diced
  • 16 ounces sauerkraut, very well drained
  • 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese (about 2-1/4 cups)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, horseradish, thousand island dressing and relish until mixed well. Stir in corned beef, sauerkraut and shredded cheese.
  3. Transfer to a baking or casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until hot and edges are bubbling.

 

Exquisite Estate in Santa Barbara, Secret City Oasis in New Zealand and a New Jersey Loft at the Jefferson Bank & Trust

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As our partnership with Luxury Portfolio allows, Intracoastal Realty’s listings are often featured on LuxuryPortfolio.com. We often spotlight outstanding listings around the world and become enamored with the many features, outdoor spaces, and interior design and decor of these lavish properties. This month the properties listed showcase stunning architecture and exceptional interior and exterior design in exceptional locations! We hope you enjoy learning more about these three extraordinary homes.

A majestic estate of nearly 20 acres inspired by the Italian countryside, Tuscany Oaks Farm combines magnificent vision with seductive beauty in a setting with sublime coastal and mountain views. This serene residence was designed by Don Nulty, AIA, and constructed with materials hand-selected, custom-made and personally imported from Europe.

A private, tree-lined drive leads to a grand motor court, where an entrance galleria with soaring arches welcome guests. Designed for both intimacy and expansive entertaining, Tuscany Oaks offers a guest house, pool cabana with bedroom, kitchen, and gym, an eighteen-stall barn with office, tack room and two-bedroom apartment. The barn has potential uses for an auto or art collection, offices, or continued equestrian use.

BUILT IN: 2001

APPROXIMATE SQUARE FEET: 8,438 ft.

See it!

Privately positioned in an exclusive waterfront enclave, this home is a secret city oasis nestled in expansive resort like surrounds. Every day is a holiday as iconic NZ vistas unfold from the warm, north facing living spaces of this luxurious grand design. A contemporary masterpiece, this Adrian McNaught design flows effortlessly across multiple living spaces, perfectly zoned for entertaining or the extended family. Inspired finishes and attention to detail add drama to the breathtaking backdrop.

A cantilevered staircase framed by glass draws the outside in and is complimented by a bespoke cable car providing easy access to every level. No expense has been spared in the execution of this six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home. Beautifully crafted slate, marble and glass surfaces shimmer under skylights and recessed halogen lighting.

A vantage home automation system accessed by your iPhone or iPad brings control of every luxury right to your fingertips. Electric shade blinds, CCTV and perimeter security, home audio system, zoned climate control and the professionally designed home theatre are just a start to the impressive technology features of this home. All backed by Cat6 cabling, fibre, a three-phase power generator, two water tanks and a fire evacuation and sprinkler system.

The Master dressing room even doubles as panic room, with steel-lined walls and security system access. Come home to 7 car garaging with enough room for an internal turning circle. Automatic doors will lead you to your choice of living areas and retreats. Complete your day taking in the views from the north facing decks. Or enjoy the 13m heated saltwater pool. When winter arrives enjoy the changing scenery around one of three gas fireplaces or settle in with a book in the snug.

If you are looking to indulge in the absolute best of lifestyle that New Zealand can offer, this dream property is a must see.

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Contemporary

See it!

Stunning, one-of-a-kind corner loft at the Historic Jefferson Trust Bank building. Built in 1909 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, this truly unique space has soaring 21-foot ceilings, 3,180 square feet of living space, two bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, private keyed elevator access into the home and garage parking for one car.

Designed for entertaining, this spectacular home is flooded with sunlight from North and West exposures and has five 9.5-foot-tall by 8-foot-wide windows in the wide-open great room. The original egg and dart plaster moldings and spectacular 400 square foot stained glass backlit skylight are significant examples of the historic architecture of the building and compliment the loft’s scale and opulence.

The open chef’s kitchen has Viking appliances including a 36-inch six-burner gas range, wine refrigerator, custom painted wood cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops, under cabinet lighting and a marble tile backsplash.

This exceptional home offers two large bedrooms with generous closet space and two exquisitely finished full bathrooms featuring natural stone, marble, dual vanities, jetted soaking tubs, and glass enclosed showers with rain-shower heads.

Other features include dark stained wide-plank solid oak hardwood floors, motorized window treatments, smart-lighting system, a laundry room, gas fireplace, and dual HVAC systems. 313 1st Street is located in downtown Hoboken at the corner of Clinton and 1st Streets, only ten minutes from the Hoboken PATH, Ferry, and Train terminal.

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Loft, Pre-War

See it!

Setting the Stage

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When trying to sell your home, you want to make sure its best features are on display without going over-the-top or downplaying anything that could sway a potential buyer. Obviously, the exterior of a house is easier to show off in spring or summer, when the sun is out and your grass is a pleasant shade of green. But even when winter is still keeping the plant life to a minimum, the experts here at Intracoastal Realty have a few ideas to combat any lingering winter chill.

Keep everything accessible

There’s a reason the term is “spring cleaning.” But, in order to put your house’s best foot forward and get it sold, you might have to bust out the gardening gloves a little earlier than planned. The very first impression you can give is of your home’s exterior, so make it a memorable one – and in a good way, too. Clear the walkways, establish comfortable paths between shrubs and other plant life that will be returning in the spring, and in the case of snow or ice, be sure to shovel the sidewalk and steps when a potential buyer is coming over.

Timing is everything

Some homeowners like to spruce up the outdoors with some decorative lighting, even before and after the major holiday season. You can use this to your advantage if you’re trying to sell your house when the branches are more than likely bare. Strands of twinkling lights and strategically placed adornments can fill up the empty space left once the leaves fall, and go a long way in making your home look and feel warm and comforting, even when the temperatures outside say otherwise.   

Play to your strengths

Let’s face it: every house has its flaws. The advantage to selling yours in wintertime, though, is that if it’s a matter of a small yard or otherwise awkward terrain, you can go ahead and address these drawbacks openly with potential buyers while still having plenty of room without encroaching foliage to point out the positives. Take a walk around the property with your real estate agent and take stock of the pros and cons, then discuss the best ways to present them to those that come for a viewing of the house. With the right agent, any interested parties will promptly get both sides of the story, without you truly risking the sale in favor of disclosure.

No matter the time of year, putting a house on the market is always going to be a challenge. With experienced agents like those at Intracoastal Realty, you can be sure that you have someone to walk you through every step of the process. Contact us today to get started!

5 Ways to Fight the Winter Blues

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Even at the beaches in North Carolina, the dead of winter can sometimes feel endless and just a little dry. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything you could do to bring back some color in your home! When it’s too cold to enjoy the outdoors and a touch too dreary to properly dream of summer sunshine, we’ve got a few tricks you can use to rejuvenate your personal environment.

Bring the outside in

It may seem too simple, but try bringing a few houseplants in to make up for the lack of color outside. There are some varieties that are nice and easy to maintain on a daily basis, so you don’t even need to worry about letting them get out of hand or dying before spring makes a reappearance.

Lighten the mood

Use natural lighting and sheer curtains to encourage a transition back into stronger sunlight. Not only does this move make use of the limits of winter days, but it’ll save you a few bucks on your energy bill in the long run.

Brighten things up… literally

Swap out bulbs for when the days do grow dark, and you might even trick yourself into thinking the elongated daylight hours are back! Your home will be well-lit, and you can begin to condition yourself and your housemates to be ready for those drawn-out summer days before daylight savings time.

Swap out darker decor

Use white or light-colored furniture and fabrics to chase away the winter shadows. The paler tones will complement the lighting in other parts of the room (like your new light bulbs and more accessible windows).

Channel your inner artist

Fresh paint can transform a room, and if winter has you down, then perhaps it’s time to reintroduce parts of your home to spring and summer! Take a day (the weather has you inside already, right?) and thoroughly clean everything, paint, then step back and admire. And, when you own your own home, you can always change your mind and remodel the place come summertime.

With these and more, you and your home will be on your way out of the winter blues in no time! Keep up-to-date with our blog for more homeowner tips and news, or contact us if you’re ready to make your move to one of North Carolina’s coastal communities.