Developing Neighborhoods

moving IN

By Jenny Callison

With growth in the

Wilmington threecounty market area projected to reach nearly 570,000 by 2040 – an increase of about 34% over the 2020 population – builders and developers are striving to meet current and future demand for housing.

In New Hanover County, where vacant land suitable for large residential developments is scarce, Riverlights is one exception. This 1,400-acre master-planned community bounded by the Cape Fear River offers a mix of housing, from rental apartments to townhomes and single-family homes. It includes a Del Webb neighborhood for residents 55 and older, while also featuring homes whose design and price appeal to young buyers and families.

Charleston, South Carolina-based company New Leaf Builders is new to Wilmington, expanding specifically because of the opportunities available in Riverlights.

“We have two collections at Riverlights: one, The Piedmont, is designed with the retiree demographic in mind,” said Tyler Henrikson, a sales consultant with New Leaf. “The homes are designed with the main living area focused around a covered courtyard, and they offer three bedrooms and two baths with an attached two-car garage.”

Potential buyers who are retired or soon-to-be are looking for a bedroom that can serve as a home office, Henrikson continued. Also high on their list of desired features: hardwood floors throughout the house; one-level living or at least a main-level master; a fireplace; a fully tiled, walk-in shower and a natural gas kitchen.

“The Piedmont Collection homes range from 1,850 to nearly 2,400 square feet. They are built on a standard lot, but it may be smaller than the buyers had previously,” Henrikson said. “There is a shift toward low-maintenance yards.”

Among Riverlights’ attractions for people relocating within the Wilmington market as well as those new to the area is its sense of community, according to Henrikson. Amenities maintained by the homeowners association include a clubhouse, swimming pool and gym as well as walking and biking trails.

Partly because of the growth at Riverlights, the southwestern portion of Wilmington has seen a boom in commercial development nearby, from grocery stores to specialty retail to a wide variety of restaurants and a movie theater.

The eastern portion of Pender County is experiencing significant growth as well, with new housing developments under construction and in the planning stages.

Windsor Homes, based in North Carolina’s Triad area, is building two new communities in Hampstead: The Arbors and The Terraces, with homes ranging from just under 1,700 to 3,000 square feet and price tags

$450k

$400k

$350k

$300k

$250k

$200k

$150k

$100k

$50k Median sale prices in the area – April 2022

new hanover co

singlefamily homes

brunswick co pender co

townhouses + condos

Source: Cape Fear Realtors

photos c/o RIVERLIGHTS

from about $328,000 to $450,000. While many potential homebuyers are military families connected to Camp Lejeune in nearby Jacksonville, Windsor is seeing a number of retirees showing interest in its models and homesites.

“I get phone calls from up north, from retirees,” said Jason Cox, a Realtor who is a new home sales associate for the company. “A lot of them are looking for one-level living or that downstairs master. We have a couple of floor plans that have a downstairs master bedroom. Others are mostly on one level but have a frog (finished room over garage, a local term for a bonus room).”

While open floor plans for the main living areas are in demand, Cox is seeing another trend among would-be buyers: requests to repurpose the dining room space into a study.

“With COVID, everyone is working from home; even some retirees are coming back into the workplace,” he said.

Increased demand along with supply problems caused by COVID have complicated pricing and selling for builders.

“Before COVID, Windsor strived for presales,” Cox said. “The buyer picked a lot, picked a house and we started from the beginning and locked in a price. Now it’s more difficult with labor and materials shortages. A home takes at least a year to build. After the drywall is in, we have to have the right to adjust the price if costs have risen. That’s making presales difficult, so now we’re just specing out and pricing the homes. We try to put as much that people want in our spec homes.”

Backlogs are affecting many new developments in the Wilmington area.

“We order materials as soon as possible so delays cause less of an impact,” said Grae Hawks, on-site broker for The Lakes at Pine Forest, the first neighborhood in Pine Forest of Oak Island, a large development taking shape in Brunswick County.

While there are price uncertainties due to rising materials costs, the price of a home is finalized when the buyer signs the contract, she said. The Lakes homes range in cost from the low-$400,000s to the mid-$500,000s.

Plans call for Pine Forest’s 2,000acre expanse to include a mix of singlefamily, apartment and townhome units, an 80-bed assisted living facility, community facilities, a connected walking trail and dog parks. A medical clinic, Novant Health Family Medicine Pine Forest, is located within Pine Forest and has a contractual agreement with the development, although it serves residents of surrounding communities as well.

“We are not an age-restricted community, but we are senior-targeted,” said David Davis, Pine Forest’s director of marketing and business development.

Demand has been strong for The Lakes, many of whose homes offer one-level, open-concept floorplans and range from 1,650 to 2,600 square feet, Hawks said.

Hawks said that many future homeowners are living in the community’s apartment complex, The Hawthorne at Pine Forest, while their new homes are being built. The Hawthorne’s first phase of upscale one, two and three-bedroom apartments is complete, with more than 150 units. A second phase will bring the total number of apartments to more than 300.

Northern Brunswick County is home to several well-established housing developments such as Brunswick Forest, Waterford, Magnolia Greens and newer Compass Point. Farther south is St. James Plantation, an expansive golf community.

Developments in the pipeline range from those featuring large homes on big lots to mixed-use and multifamily communities. Two new developments are ones that Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. is creating in partnership with private developers.

Not Your Father' s Retirement Plan

Single-family, luxury, townhomes and Del Webb 55+ living along the river. Floorplans by 9 homebuilders from the mid $300s - $1M+

@RiverlightsNC

Home is better with a whole lot of “you” mixed in.

Our diverse home styles capture the colorful spirit of Riverlights and life on the water in a way that gives

you just what you want, where you want it.

New Leaf

1,573 - 2,650 sq. ft. | Gates Model 741 Edgerton Dr

Trusst Builder Group – Duplex

2,317 sq. ft. | Linville Model 837 Wharton Ave

AR Homes

2,715 sq. ft. | Seascape Model 524 Edgerton Dr

Pulte Homes

1,841 - 3,160 sq. ft. | Newberry Model 740 Edgerton Dr

Trusst Builder Group

2,197 - 2,505 sq. ft. | Roanoke Model 730 Edgerton Dr

Del Webb*

1,262 - 3,818 sq. ft. | Dunwoody Way Model 4136 Passerine Ave

*5 additional Del Webb models available to view

Legacy Homes by Bill Clark

1,453 - 2,590 sq. ft. | Cypress II Model 744 Edgerton Dr

Trusst Builder Group – Duplex

2,266 sq. ft. | Plum Island II Model 831 Wharton Ave

Trusst Builder Group

2,697 - 2,924 sq. ft. | Catawba Model 726 Edgerton Dr

Charter Builder Group

2,347 sq. ft. | Devonshire Model 722 Edgerton Dr

AR Homes – Luxury Single Family

Hamp’s Landing and River Row

Contact sales representative for more information.

PBC Design + Build – Luxury Single Family

Hamp’s Landing and River Row

Contact sales representative for more information.

Newland is the largest private developer of mixed-use communities in the United States. With our partner, North America Sekisui House, LLC, we believe it is our responsibility to create enduring, healthier communities for people to live life in ways that matter most to them. newlandco.com | nashcommunities.com

NNP IV-Cape Fear River, LLC (“Fee Owner”) is the owner and developer of the Riverlights Community (“Community”). Fee Owner has retained Newland Real Estate Group, LLC (“Newland”) solely as the property manager for the Community. North America Sekisui House, LLC (“NASH”) has an interest in one of Fee Owner’s members. Homebuilders, una liated with Fee Owner, Newland, NASH, or their a liates (together, the “Released Parties”) are building homes at the Community. The Released Parties are not co-developing, co-building, guarantors of, or otherwise responsible for, nor shall they incur any liability as a result of, any of the obligations or representations made to buyers by any homebuilder or other third party. Fee Owner’s responsibility with respect to the Community is limited to certain infrastructure improvements (e.g., roads, sewer, etc.) and such obligations run solely to persons buying real property directly from Fee Owner. Buyers of homes waive, to the fullest extent allowed under the law, any and all rights, claims, causes of action and other rights whatsoever against the Released Parties arising from their purchase of a home or services, respectively, in the Community from homebuilders or other third party. Not an o ering of the sale or lease of real property to residents of any jurisdiction where prior qualifi cation of out-of-state real property is required unless the Community has been so qualifi ed or an exemption is available. Any prices, sketches, renderings, and specifi cations contained herein are proposed only and subject, without notice, to change or withdrawal at any time. The maps contained herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on current development concepts, which are subject to change without notice. © 2022 NNP IV-Cape Fear River, LLC. All rights reserved. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.