Patrick's Blog

Chowder Cook-off next weekend!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:41:02 -0500

Get out your calendars and mark off April 19th this year for the Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off!!

It'll be a great day at the beach of live music, fun children's activities and most importantly... the best chowder ever. Many of the area's best chef's will be making excellent chowder that you can sample and vote for Best Chowder of the 12th Annual Chowder Cook-off. It is being held at the lake in Carolina Beach this year.

And of course, there will also be delicious funnel cakes, so stop by and say hi!

Come hungry and leave happy and we hope to see you all out there!

For more information call 910-458-8434

and to check out my website please to go:

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

Energy Saving, Environment Friendly Store!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:41:36 -0500

This store would be great to have in Wilmington!! I've been hearing more and more about how much a difference it can make if a home has energy saving appliances.

Sustain Ability has recently opened in Laconia and is exactly what we have been needing for so long! It carries hundreds of energy saving appliances and environmentally safe products. What a great store!

Check out the news paper article about it here: http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080408/GJBUSINESS02/661941045/-1/CITBUSINESS

or see the store's website here: http://www.sustainabilitynh.com/

to contact me for more information please check out my website below:

http://www.hightiderealty.com

Article on Free Online Advertising Tips!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:13:22 -0500

I'm always looking for new ways to advertise online, follow the link below to an article of 8 ways to advertise free online (although I only think about 5 or 6 of them are valid) but some do help, so check it out!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/82435/8_ways_to_advertise_your_online_business.html?page=2

Have a great day and feel free to check out my website at http://www.hightiderealty.com for more info or if you'd like to contact me directly!

Day at the Docks!!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:59:41 -0500

The Day at the Docks is coming up soon - It is always the last weekend of April in Holden Beach, so mark your planners for April 26th and 27th!

It will be a great weekend of fun! - Arts and crafts, live music and of course delicious food (mmmm funnel cakes) They will also be holding the world's only Bobble Race - Throwing apples off the top of the Holden Beach Bridge (below) and seeing which apple makes it to the finish line first (prizes are awarded of course!)

for more info just click on the link below...

http://ncislandguide.com/festivals/default.asp

and if you would like to contact me for any reason, please feel free to check out my website!! at http://www.http//www.hightiderealty.com

NC Azalea Festival Tickets

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:22:58 -0500

I just posted about the 61st Annual NC Azalea Festival but forgot to include the information about tickets.

This event attracts over 300,000 people to Wilmington, so be sure to get your tickets... and find somewhere to park as well!!

Hope to see you all there, and be sure to stop by and say hello - and get a delicious funnel cake!

Azalea Festival ticket office hours:

Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Call 910-794-4650 or stop by today.

NC Azalea Festival!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:17:54 -0500

Spring is here and so are the azaleas!! Wilmington is host to one of the best festivals North Carolina has to offer. April 9th through 13th will be the 61st Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival.

The official Azalea Festival website describes the event as "a celebration of Wilmington's exceptional artwork, gardens, rich history and culture during its five days of entertainment that includes: a parade, street fair, circus, concerts, pageantry, and all that is Southern."

To learn more about the Azalea festival, check out http://www.ncazaleafestival.org/

Hope to see you all there!!

Wing Fling Alternative - St. Patty's Party!!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:42:52 -0500

Couldn't get wing fling tickets... or would you rather have a calmer, relaxed Saturday downtown?

The first annual St. Patrick's day parade and celebration is a great alternative. On Sat. there will be a parade downtown and then an afternoon filled with fun, live music and great food and drinks. As you may have heard on the radio, they are advertising by saying "the Guiness will be flowing faster than the Cape Fear river!"

There will also be lots of awesome music including a U2 coverband! To check out all the other bands and find out more details follow the link below to get all the info. Hope to see you there!!

And get a funnel cake!!

http://www.dbawilmington.com/news/

First Annual St. Patrick's Day - parade and festival!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:42:43 -0500

Check out the link below for more info on Wilmington's St. Patty's day festivities!! Hope to see you all there!

and of course.... be sure to stop by and get a funnel cake!

http://www.dbawilmington.com/news/

And if you'd like more information about other events or local resources in Wilmington, please check out my website at http://www.hightiderealty.com/links_main.shtml

Records today from CNNmoney.com

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:14:08 -0500

There are a couple new records out today for gas, oil, gold and our dollar value as well.

According to CNNmoney.com the national average for unleaded gas is currently $3.267 per gallon. Yesterday it was $3.246. One month ago we were still below the 3 dollar mark at $2.953 and back in the good ol' days (a year ago) the average was only $2.543. These gas prices are at a record high along with the price for a barrel of crude oil costing $110.68.

The U.S. dollar is also the lowest it's been against the Chinese Yen since 1995 and is at less than 100 Yen. It is also a record low against the Euro.

Gold on the other hand is at a record high and for the first time ever one ounce of gold is worth $1000! - keep that old jewelry and those tooth fillings around :)

To learn more follow the link below

http://money.cnn.com/

And to contact me or check out my webpage please visit http://www.hightiderealty.com

Wilmington, NC - housing market still going strong!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:37:08 -0600

According to an article by Wayne Faulkner published today (Feb 26,2008) from http://www.starnewsonline.com/, the Wilmington area housing market is doing good. In January 2008 three and a half times more homes went under contract than had in January 2007.

There were also 214 pending contracts on homes this year in January compared to only 63 homes under contract in January of 2007.

The median home prices also rose up 4.8 percent since last year to $215,900 and the average sale price of homes sold has gone up a whooping 9.5 percent from last year.

the article states that "Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the national Realtors group, said he believed the housing market might be on the verge of bottoming out, with a rebound expected to start towards the end of this year."

Wilmington is a great beach town, and will always be a place where people want to live. Beautiful new neighborhoods are constantly popping up everywhere, and now is a great time to buy here.

For more information, please click on the link below to check out my website which has many useful tools and tip for buying or selling a home!

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

UPDATE:

Star News just corrected their story today - they stated "Because of incorrect information supplied by a source, the number of pending home sales in the Wilmington area reported in Tuesday's Star-News was incorrect."

to read the updated news story, follow the link below:

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080228/NEWS/802280367/1004/NEWS01

Sorry for all the miscommunication!

Wilmington, NC - housing market still going strong!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:37:00 -0600

There were also 214 pending contracts on homes this year in January compared to only 63 homes under contract in January of 2007.

The median home prices also rose up 4.8 percent since last year to $215,900 and the average sale price of homes sold has gone up a whooping 9.5 percent from last year.

Wilmington is a great beach town, and will always be a place where people want to live. Beautiful new neighborhoods are constantly popping up everywhere, and now is a great time to buy here.

For more information, please click on the link below to check out my website which has many useful tools and tip for buying or selling a home!

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

WING FLING 2008!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:42:05 -0600

It's almost that time again.... Wing Fling is just around the corner!

On Saturday, March 15th from 11:00 until 4:00pm, Hugh McRae Park will be filled with thousands of great wings and live music for all. You can bring your own beverages (no glass bottles though) and feel free to bring alcohol if you are 21 or older (ID's will be checked). Along with the delicious wings from Wilmington's best restaurants there will also be other great food vendors serving funnel cakes, fresh squeezed lemonade and North Carolina sweet tea!

Wing Fling is hosted by Pi Sigma Epsilon, which is a co-ed UNCW fraternity that is open to all UNCW business majors. UNCW students can buy tickets on campus in the week or two before the event. Tickets will also be sold at the park, but in the past years, these have sold out extremely quickly.

Hope to see you all there!

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

WING FLING 2008!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:42:00 -0600

It's almost that time again.... Wing Fling is just around the corner!

Hope to see you all there!

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

12th Annual Chowder Cook-Off

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:22:04 -0600

Get out your calendars and mark off April 19th this year for the Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off!!

Come hungry and leave happy!

For more information call 910-458-8434

CNN: First price drop on homes

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:24:44 -0600

In an article by David Goldman on CNN.com, a report has come out stating that "the median price for a home dropped 1.3 percent to $219,000 in 2007, while total home sales plunged by 13 percent for the year".

This article appears just days after Merrill Lynch report that predicted that home sale prices would drop by 15% in 2008. Although the National Association of Realtor's chief economist Lawrence Yun also estimates that home prices will decline this year, he does not think it will be so steep. He calls the Merrill Lynch figures "way too pessimistic" and predicts that the current quarter will only see a 5.3% decline.

HOWEVER.... Although this all sounds pretty gloomy, the Wilmington real estate market is not doing that badly at all! We are a thriving coastal community and the market will continue to do well here. To read an accompying article about this go to:

More information directly from the CNN article:

*The pace of total home sales plunged 12.8 percent for the year, while single family home sales fell by 13 percent for the same period. Both are the biggest drops on record.

*The Realtors have only tracked total home sales, which includes condos and other multifamily units, since 1989, while single family home sales have only been logged since 1982.

*The downturn in home sales has hammered the results of the nation's leading homebuilders. On Thursday Lennar, the nation's biggest homebuilder, reported a $1.25 billion fourth-quarter loss, the largest in the company's history.

*The outlook for the rest of 2008 remains gloomy, said Weiss Research's Mike Larson. "We're looking at a battle royale in the market looking forward: 30-year mortgage rates have come down under 6 percent," he said. "But on the other hand, more borrowers are going to need jumbo financing to purchase a home due to the bad economy." "Hopefully by the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009," he added, "supply levels will come down and we'll see some stabilization."

to read this article in full go to:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/24/news/economy/housing_prices/index.htm?cnn=yes

ALSO CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE!! http://www.hightiderealty.com

4th Annual Special Olympics Polar Plunge!!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:43:06 -0600

In one month the 4th Annual Polar Plunge will take place at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk on February 16th, 2008!!

The plunge is a great way to freeze your buns off in the Atlantic while supporting the Special Olympics! To plunge, you must raise at least $50.00. If your sponsors pledge $500.00 or more you also recieve a free hotel room for the night of the plunge. 100% of the money raised will benifit the Special Olympics of New Hanover County.

Even if the cold water is not for you, you can still pledge and make donations, or just show up for a great day of fun. There will be a variety of vendors at the beach and watching hundreds of people run into freezing cold water will be quite a sight!

My intern, Mira Haig will be taking the plunge for us, so if you would like to contribute to this great cause, please contact us before January 28th with your pledge. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. You can contact her at mch1512@uncw.edu or email me at patrickg@hightiderealty.com

I hope to see you all out there!

for more information check it out at www.PlungeNHC.com

Support the NC Coastal Federation and the Cape Fear Coast!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:05:01 -0500

Yesterday I was at my favorite place, the NCDMV, to renew my license plate and I discovered an opportunity to support the NC Coastal Federation both financially and publicly. Yes Indeed... I do sell Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Holden Beach, Southport and Topsail Island Real Estate and I anxiously await the opportunity to close on an Oceanfront Wrightsville Beach Million Dollar property! However, I believe in protecting our beaches before Real Estate! Having grown up on and around the coast my entire life I believe preservation is essential for our personal enjoyment of the ocean and our children. For more than 25 years, the North Carolina Coastal Federation has worked with citizens to safeguard the coastal rivers, creeks, sounds and beaches of North Carolina. http://www.nccoast.org

My company is High Tide Realty www.hightiderealty.com I gladly took my place in the long line so I could practice what I preach and voice my beliefs! Not such a bad trip after all! If any fellow tarheels are interested in supporting the NC Coastal Federation the DMV info is below!

NCCF's license plates are on the road! If you've ordered a license plate, you will receive it soon. If you'd like to order a plate, please click on the link to order a plate electronically or complete an application found below:

DMV online application

DMV Application (PDF) |

Commonly Asked Questions

Can you put the NCCF plate on all vehicles?
Specialized plates may be purchased for automobiles, trailers and trucks with weight up to 26,000 pounds. Unfortunately, because of plate size, they cannot be purchased for motorcycles.
Can I personalize my plate?
Yes you can, but it is not required. There are four spaces available for personalization. There is an additional $30 charge for personalization. You may request your personalized plate at any time. If you wish to do so with this application, please remit a check for $55 and list your first three choices on the application.
Can I change my mind?
We hope you'll always want to support the coast, but should you change your mind, you may go back to a regular license plate at any time.
How much does it cost each year?
- $25 for the special NC Coastal Federation ($15 goes to NCCF and $10 to state projects, including highway beautification and Visitors Centers support)
- $20 to $25 annual license fee (price varies from county to county)
- $30 for personalization (optional)
How does purchasing a plate help the Coastal Federation?
The NCCF will receive $15 per plate as a contribution, which will be used to support the mission of the NCCF.

Questions?
Please call the NC Coastal Federation at
800-232-6210

Holden Beach Rocks!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:33:38 -0500

The Town of Holden Beach, North Carolina is on the rise! Lately is has recieved some national rankings that are pretty impressive. It is listed in the AAA Beach Vacation Travel Journal as one of the top 30 beaches in the whole country. It also just recently made the list of 38 Best American Beaches in the National Geographic Smart Traveler magazine and is listed as one of the top 9 family beaches in America. Last but not least, Holden Beach has recieved National Healthy Beach status which means that it has passed the environmental and service based criteria of the National Healthy Beaches Campaign.

Holden Beach is also home to 2 of North Carolina's best annual festivals: Days at the Docks and the North Carolina Festival by the Sea. Both festivals include amazing live music, crafts, arts and many different food and drink vendors. There are also plenty of restaurants, shops, beach bikes and kayak rentals, along with golfing and fishing! Holden Beach is a great place to live - but if you can only visit then definitely try to come for the last weekend in April (Days at the Docks) or the last weekend in October (Festival by the Sea).

For more information on great events around coastal Wilmington check out my website at http://www.hightiderealty.com

Southern Coastal Bluegrass Festival - A Great Weekend Activity

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:50:30 -0500

October and November are "Festival Months" in North Carolina. Every weekend you can find great festivals around the state with many different themes, arts and crafts, local vendors and artists, live music and amazing food! In a few weeks, one of the best festivals is happening - the 5th Annual Southern Coastal Bluegrass Festival. Head down to Kure Beach on November 3rd or 4th to enjoy a toe-tapping, thigh-slapping awesome good time!

The festival will feature North Carolina's top bluegrass musicians such as All Batten and the Bluegrass Reunion, Al's Place, Derwin Hinson, The Sandy Bottom Boys, Hagar's Mountain Boys, Blue Horizon, County Farm, Hewletts Creek Boys and Heritage Bluegrass. The fun starts at 9:30am on Saturday and 10:30 am on Sunday and lasts until around 6:00pm each day. Hope to see you there!!

If you would like more information about wonderful North Carolina, please feel free to visit my website or contact me direct. I am a local realtor who would love to help you buy or sell your home in NC!!

Patrick Gahagan 910-288-8448

patrickg@hightiderealty.com

http://www.hightiderealty.com

The outstanding Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:53:00 -0500

Most rave about the 3 wonderful Landfall Courses, Magnolia Greens, Eagle Pointe, Castle Bay, River Landing and Echo farms to name a few..... Newcomers and locals should realize, most locals are aware, our own City Municipal Golf Course happens to be a gem created by the legendary Donald Ross in 1926! Ever heard of Pinehurst #2 where the US Open has been played many times? Locals can play "The Muni" for $14.......Out of towners can Tee Up for $22. cart fees are $12. This blog is over as I just found fourteen bucks in my wallet...Call me if you would like to invest in Wilmington, NC Real Estate!

Fed cuts Rate by 1/2 point to boost economy

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:10:43 -0500

I love good positive news!! For the first time in four years the feds cut rates by a full 1/2 point. Hopefully this will happen again on October 31 at the next fed meeting?? It never does hurt the real estate market for money to be cheap and I applaud the efforts of the federal reserve.

Although is seems to be trendy for analyst's to write about the housing market being down and then others follow along on the bandwagon by writing similar stories for the sake of needing material to write about! Actually.... now is the time to buy!! Prices have stabilized and some have dropped. The bidding wars of 2004-2005 are no more. We can now choose from many homes instead of a few as Wilmington NC Real Estate is rated as one of the top seven best places to buy NOW! Parade Magazine rated Carolina Beach as one of the best value beaches for the dollar!

Hence the phrase "Do not believe what you read in the newspapers" "Only the sports page tells the truth" Now is the time to buy... do not let them fool you!!

http://www.hightiderealty.com/

Carolina Beach rated best beach buy in Parade Mag

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:39:04 -0500

Carolina Beach was just featured in Parade Magazine as one of the best value beaches in the US! Condo's start below 200k! This beach has so many amenities on the island. Aquarium, Athletic facilities, Ft. Fisher Historical site, Beautiful Beaches, a State Park, Cozy Homes and a Ferry! The famous Venus Flytrap is known to grow wild here. You will hear stories and can even watch the movie about the famous Ft. Fisher Hermit. Loggerhead turtles hatch during the Summer Full Moons and are amazing to watch. I love this area and appreciate the opportunity to share it with others.

http://hightiderealty.com/frame.shtml?http://www.carolinabeachgetaway.com/

Wilmington NC Real Estate Broker - 20 year Resident who knows the area!

Patrick Gahagan (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 12:17:48 -0500

One on one customer service insures maximum results and satisfaction for my clients. I am a 20 year resident of Wilmington and a UNCW graduate. Your business is appreciated and your trust will be earned! I will locate the properties you are looking for and represent you as a buyers agent OR help you receive maximum value for your home utilizing cutting edge integrated marketing strategies to sell it fast.

Patrick's Blog

Chowder Cook-off next weekend!

Energy Saving, Environment Friendly Store!

Article on Free Online Advertising Tips!

Day at the Docks!!

NC Azalea Festival Tickets

NC Azalea Festival!

Wing Fling Alternative - St. Patty's Party!!

First Annual St. Patrick's Day - parade and festival!

Records today from CNNmoney.com

Wilmington, NC - housing market still going strong!

Wilmington, NC - housing market still going strong!

WING FLING 2008!

WING FLING 2008!

12th Annual Chowder Cook-Off

CNN: First price drop on homes

4th Annual Special Olympics Polar Plunge!!

Support the NC Coastal Federation and the Cape Fear Coast!

Questions?Please call the NC Coastal Federation at800-232-6210

Holden Beach Rocks!

Southern Coastal Bluegrass Festival - A Great Weekend Activity

The outstanding Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

Fed cuts Rate by 1/2 point to boost economy

Carolina Beach rated best beach buy in Parade Mag

Wilmington NC Real Estate Broker - 20 year Resident who knows the area!

Questions?
Please call the NC Coastal Federation at
800-232-6210