Buying and selling luxury real estate comes with its own unique set of challenges. Whether you are looking to buy a luxury home for the first time or you need to sell your oceanfront property, knowing the current market and helpful insider tips will make the transition much smoother.

On Topsail Island, your luxury real estate property is a great investment. As a popular vacation destination on the coast, your home is likely to retain its value throughout the years and can be rented out to tourists during peak seasons for a hefty price.

Since luxury homes typically have a smaller pool of potential buyers, having the right strategy is essential when you’re on the hunt for the perfect property or buyer. If you’re looking to buy or sell your home on or around Topsail Island, we’ll go over helpful tips that you should be aware of in today’s market to get the most out of your property.

About Topsail Island

Topsail Island is located along the North Carolina coast near the town of Wilmington. The twenty-six-mile-long island is composed of three different towns- North Topsail Beach, Surf City, and Topsail Beach. All three of these towns have beautiful coastlines, sandy beaches, gorgeous views, and ample wildlife to observe. If you are looking to buy or sell a home near Topsail Island, there are a few aspects to be aware of in order to make the best financial move possible.

Since location near the ocean is highly desirable, oceanfront Topsail real estate tends to hold its value well over time. If you have a strong understanding of current market conditions and work with an experienced real estate team, buying or selling a home can become easier.

Buying

In today’s market, interest rates are high. Typically, high-interest rates affect regular real estate markets more significantly than the luxury market. Suppose you are on the edge of entering the luxury real estate sector. This may affect your buying power, as high-interest rates mean higher monthly payments (sometimes as much as thousands of dollars), which means lower purchasing power for those looking to enter the luxury real estate sector.

For those who are buying a home at the higher end of the luxury real estate sector, you may have taken out a mortgage when the rates were low in order to invest your cash elsewhere for a higher yield. While this investing strategy worked with lower interest rates in the past, it may not be as effective in today’s market with higher interest rates.

Also, with higher interest rates, there will be a smaller pool of people buying a home. This can be good news for potential buyers, as sellers may need to adjust prices or be more flexible on negotiations like closing costs, amenities, or home improvements.

Tips for Buying Real Estate Near Topsail Island

Topsail real estate is in a prime coastal location with a vibrant local seaside community that is a popular destination for tourists. Even though interest rates are high, it can still be a good time to buy Topsail real estate.

  • Hire a local real estate agent who has experience buying and selling luxury oceanfront homes. They can offer invaluable advice and information that can save you a lot of money.
  • Make sure that your financing is in order before buying a home. With high-interest rates, your borrowing strategy may need to change, or you may need to adjust your expectations on how much you can afford.
  • Be aware of the responsibilities and differences between coastal real estate versus traditional property lots located on land. Specifically, you’ll need to research flooding insurance requirements. This type of insurance can be quite high, so it’s important to get accurate quotes for your area.
  • You’ll need to look into wind and hail insurance, as these are separate from your homeowners’ coverage. Since you’ll be on the Atlantic coast, you’ll need this insurance to protect your home from storms and hurricanes. Often wind can cause the most damage to your home, so you’ll need this kind of insurance or risk paying a lot of money for damages.
  • Depending on the location of the property you may also need to investigate flood insurance.

Selling

As a seller in today’s market, you’ll also have to deal with the effects of high-interest rates. Since high-interest rates may affect the number of qualified buyers, you may feel pressure to negotiate price, amenities, or other costs.

As a seller looking to receive the highest offers possible, you should take into account other selling factors, like location and amenities. If you are selling a home, you should focus on the unique, luxury features that make the home desirable. Beach access, incredible views, a hot tub, high-end appliances, and finishes can all affect the desirability of the home.

Ultimately, you can still receive your desired price for your property if you know the market and its consumers. Working with an experienced real estate professional will help you navigate the selling process as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Tips for Selling Real Estate on Topsail Island

  • You’ll want to work with a real estate agent with experience with the luxury real estate crowd. Luxury real estate is a small niche of people that know what they want and expect the best service. So having a real estate expert in your corner that can cater to this specific group of people is invaluable.
  • Invest in quality photos to display online for prospective buyers, as these will influence who will book an appointment to see your home. Since real estate on Topsail Island is in a prime seaside location, you might want to consider drone photography to get the full picture of the coastal property and its proximity to the beach.
  • Video footage can also be a selling point. Consider videos of an expensive boat pulling up to the private dock or someone diving into the pool. You could even include footage of the wildlife in the water, like turtles or dolphins, to emphasize the coastal experience of living near the water.
  • Another way to positively improve your home’s appearance is to update cosmetic fixes.
  • Most luxury home buyers will want a home that is move-in ready, so be sure to emphasize that aspect in your home’s listing.
  • Hire a professional company to stage your home. Appearances matter when selling a home. They’ll put upscale furnishings and decor around your house that will emphasize its best features. For example, a beautiful painting over the fireplace or setting up your dining room table with gorgeous place settings.
  • Location is incredibly important to buyers. It’s a good idea to emphasize the unique experience of living on a coastal island with a relaxed and tight-knit local community. It’s also important to mention the beautiful water views, proximity to beaches and parks, and any other unique location features.

Whether you are selling or buying a home, it’s helpful to be aware of the current market conditions, no matter your financial situation, in order to make the best possible decision. Buying a home in the luxury real estate market can be difficult if you’re trying to break into the market for the first time and the interest rates are high. It can also be difficult to sell your luxury property with a small pool of buyers. Working with an experienced local real estate team that knows the location and market well is the best solution to save money and time. If you’re interested in Topsail real estate, contact our team to get started on the buying or selling process.