Bruiser Plays The Irrigation Sprinkler Game

Donatella and Jay Bennett's German Shepherd Buiser loves to go on early morning walks in Brunswick Forest in Leland, NC. A great part of the appeal for Bruiser is the irrigation system water sprinklers. He doesn't hurt them, but runs from one to another leaping and playing.

Brunswick Forest Floridian Homes by Premier Builders in Leland, NC

Marge and I attended a brokers' event at the Floridian home models in Brunswick Forest in Leland, North Carolina.

These one-story homes have been extremely successful for Premier Builders and the most popular Captiva model was the one in which the event was hosted (Yes, Alfred, you can read that as food, drink, and music.).








Here's the Brunswick Forest Sales Director Jerry Helms:


I would be honored to give you a tour of Brunswick Forest and even more excited to represent you as a Buyer's Agent, showing you all the neighborhoods within Brunswick Forest or other fine neighborhoods in Leland, North Carolina. Just call my cell phone (910) 297-8753 or e-mail me at brucebrown@seacoastrealty.com any time.

Leland New Home Community Tours and Events at Compass Pointe and Brunswick Forest

My good friend and HDTV expert Alfred Poor follows my blog and has exclaimed more than once that it seems I spend a lot of time eating for free at Realtor events. And of course he's right (he generally is) but as a working member of the technology press for nigh on to 30 years (he started young), Alfred works his own way well around a promotional luncheon, I know for a fact.

This week I laid kinda low on the meal circuit, but Thursday and Friday made up for it at events involving Compass Pointe and Brunswick Forest, two of Leland's newest new home communities and, once they get built out, the two largest.

On Thursday we went to the newly-opened sales center at Compass Pointe. As you can see the roads are now paved going into the community. The flora in the neighborhood mixes pines and palm trees.

You do have to pass a security gate to get in, but once you do, the Discovery Center is the first building on the right. You can go in on your own, but if you do and it's as a result of this blog, please mention my name. Otherwise I'd be honored to give you a personal tour of Compass Pointe and other Leland and Wilmington area communities.

Directly across the street from the sales center there are homes being built, some of which are models (with generous lease back deals for investors) and others for immediate occupancy.

When we arrived on Thursday this truck was also delivering golf carts for a huge promotion they're having this weekend.

The building below is the sales center, with a parking lot on the right.

We met with Angela Batchelor, Compass Pointe's excellent REALTOR relations coordinator.

Before we scurried back to get our lunch (yeah, Alfred, you're right) we stopped to look at the large scale topographical table map of the community.

When we met in a conference room a community map on the wall came in handy.

In the main room is a list of recent sales. It looks during March most of the sales came from people from CT, NY, NJ, PA, and NC with a few others. Overall approximately 45 homes are under contract in this brand new community. Eventually the total will be close to 4,000!

Later Thursday afternoon I went to downtown Wilmington for a REALTOR event at the new Brunswick Forest sales office located on Market Street. This sales office is right next door to the Wilmington office for Compass Pointe - maybe they'll rename that block Leland Street.

Inside the Brunswick Forest downtown sales office window you'll see a neat 3-wheeled bicycle. According to the sales folk during Easter weekend they could have sold that bicycle many times over.

Inside the new office were a passle of Brunwick Forest sales agents and staff as well as some pretty fine food.

And that was Thursday.

Friday morning bright and early (10AM!) a group of REALTORS met at the Brunswick Forest Wellness Center for an introduction to three new communities within Brunswick Forest. We boarded a Wilmington Trolley Company trolley car for the tour.

The first neighborhood we visited was Belshaw, with four new models, each an updated version of popular home models Premier Builders has developed based on buyer experience and preferences.

We also toured a new townhome community called Ashwood with two furnished models and 6 models in the unique village-y Shelmore.

Oh yeah, and then we went back to the Wellness Center and had lunch!

If you'd like to see either of these fine Leland new home communities, or other communities in Leland or Wilmington, I'd be honored to assist you.

Cool modern twist on an old-timey style 'hood - Shelmore in Brunswick Forest

There's a cool new village called Shelmore in the gigundo planned development Brunswick Forest in Leland, North Carolina. There are 18 floor plans available with at least 3 possible elevations for each. Right now there are 6 furnished models to tour.

All Shelmore homes will be Craftsman style with front porches with swings, rear entry garages, white picket fences with entry arbors. Very much a turn-of-the-last-century small town look. Prices are in the high $300s to mid $400s. As usual for Brunswick Forest neighborhoods most everything one would want is standard (granite, stainless steel appliances, lots of crown molding and cool woodwork, hardwood in living areas, tile in baths, carpet in bedrooms, tile showers . . . it goes on and on.

I rode out to Shelmore yesterday on my bicycle to see what was happening during the first weekend it was open to the public. Plenty of pleased and interested people were there looking around, drinking lemonade, and dancing the shag under a special tent.

Check out these photos of street views of Shelmore. Looks like it's going to be a very cool place to live and still have access to all the Brunswick Forest amenities.

Of course, if you'd like a personal tour, please give me a call. I'm a REALTOR, after all, and that's what I do. I'm nuts about Leland, North Carolina as a place to live, work, and play.

If you like to know more about Shelmore, give me a call anytime at 910-297-8753, e-mail me at BruceBrown@SeaCoastRealty, or Tweet me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BruceBrownNC .

Why I Think You Should Buy a New Home in Leland, NC

I'll admit right off that I'm passionately biased in favor of living in Leland, North Carolina. North Carolina, specifically the southeastern coastal area, is an increasingly popular U.S. destination address across diverse population segments for obvious reasons:

• year-round temperate climate
• outdoor sports and lifestyle
• 100s of miles of accessible beaches with warm water (especially compared to New England and California)
• incredibly rich marine life
• many historic sites and preserved residential historic districts
• strong higher education opportunities - university, colleges, and community colleges
• cultural depth and diversity
• a long tradition of support for music, theater, and the arts
• culinary delights in 1,100+ restaurants and delicious regional dishes
• a variety of shopping destinations
• many regional museums, parks, exhibits, and other attractions
• a growing job market with emphasis on technology-based industries
• an extensive hospital and health care system
• active environmental, ecological, historic, and preservation interests
• a responsible, foreward-thinking, "can-do" attitude toward future development
• strong citizen participation in local and regional government
• a multitude of local and regional festivals and celebrations
• a tradition of support and encouragement for entrepreneurs and small business owners
• courteous, friendly people

The greater Wilmington area has all the above and more. Residential and commercial development are proceeding regardless of the tempo and development cycles in other part of the United States. It's clear that people want to move here and are moving here in ever-greater numbers.

While our whole region is growing and developing, the northern section of Brunswick County centered around Leland, just across the Cape Fear River from Wilmington, is the fastest-growing and in many ways the most attractive area of southeastern North Carolina.

Why are so many people moving to Leland and adjacent towns in northern Brunswick County? The reasons are many, varied, and clear:

• Great new home selections in many fine new developments as well as super buys on existing homes
• New homes available in a wide range of prices, from the low $100s to over $600,000.
• Leland has a fast-growing commercial and retail corridor with shopping, dining, and entertainment facilities increasing monthly. Four new hotels are currently under construction.
• Close proximity to downtown Wilmington's historic riverfront, restaurants, shopping, theater, and clubs.
• Easy access to major highways
• An enthusiastic populace that welcomes others who want to participate in the excitement of growing a new community - it's a chance to be a pioneer (but with municipal water and sewer already installed, plus quick access to hospitals, shopping, beaches, and golf)
• Because until fairly land in Leland was much less expensive than on the eastern side of the Cape Fear River - your real estate dollar goes much further in Leland.

If you're interested in other areas in and around Wilmington I'm very happy to help you and point you in the right directions. In the five+ years my wife have been here I've developed close relationships with other professional REALTORs from Southport to Jacksonville and as far west as Burgaw - I've worked successfully with those folks to help people find their dream homes for primary residences or second homes in the Cape Fear area.

I have primary contact relationships with REALTORs in Southport, Bolivia, Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Hampstead, Holly Ridge, Surf City, Topsail Island, Jacksonville, Rocky Point, and Burgaw. I'd be delighted to introduce you to my colleagues and help you get started with them.

If you're interested in Leland and the immediately surrounding towns in northern Brunswick County, however, I'd be delighted and honored to work with you to find the very best property to meet your needs.

I realize not everyone looks for a home in the same way. Different people use different processes for making this very important decision. However you prefer to work, I'm ready and able to provide:

• Executive summary-level information so you can make your decision independently based on your parameters
• Hot points and market trend info so you can make the best investment in a home and also have the most fun
• Support and guided touring of local communities and homes, introducing you to people who live in all areas so you can see who your new friends and neighbors will be
• Extensive economic and regional background data for your careful and thorough analysis.

I'm ready, willing, and certainly able to help you find the best house to call your new home.