Cover Photos by G. Frank Hart
©
Expert Contributors
BIO HAZARD CLEANING
PuroClean of The Cape Fear 910-477-3800
4819 Port Loop Road SE Southport, NC 28461 bsoots@puroclean.com
HEALTH BENEFITS
Mary Ameling, Advisor
Ganey, Byrd & Dunn Insurance Group 910-550-3142 1110 New Pointe Blvd Unit 110 Leland, NC 28451 gbdinsurancegroup.com
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Elizabeth Leake, Owner
LUXE Home Interiors
(910)371-0464
Waterford Village 2013 Olde Regent Way #270 www.luxewaterford.com
PEST CONTROL SERVICE
Avid Pest Pro
Ryan Lapps, Owner (910) 465-0923
avidpestpro@gmail.com avidpestpro.com
PORCH CONVERSION
Taylor Waddle, Owner/President 6821 Market Street Wilmington, NC 28405 910-777-3363 porchconversion.com
REAL ESTATE
Debby Daigle, CLHMS Mobile 910-443-3199 Choosetheballoon.com
May Ellen Wilson, Owner
Indigo Blooms Kitchen and Bath
Mobile: 240-372-8878 147 Old Fayetteville Rd
MORTGAGE SERVICES
American Security Mortgage
Regional Vice President
pat@patholsten.com pholsten.com
ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST
Dr. Joseph B. Norris, MD Advanced Orthopedics 910-641-8670
509 Olde Waterford Way Suite 102
Leland, NC 28451 crhealthcare.com
ROOFING CONTRACTOR
Weather Shield Roofing For a FREE Quote
Dave Karimi, Owner 630-854-2815
Sonny Karimi, Owner 847-873-2771 Sean Karimi, Owner 630-201-5232 weathershieldroofers.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Deb Pickett, Signature Wealth Strategies, RJFS 910-371-0366 1022 Grandiflora Drive, Suite 110, Leland, NC 28451 signaturewealth.com/leland-ncfinancial-advisors/
910-443-3199
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WILL HOME PRICES DROP?
By Debby Daigle
Peaks and valleys… ebbs and flows… waxes and wanes… The Housing Market has more of them than most, due to economic variables, inventory shortages, and a variety of other home-buying and selling factors. The data you’re looking at today may not be relevant tomorrow.
Although we need to listen to the predictions of our economist and industry experts, we can run into challenges and frustrations if we think that things will be better in six months or a year, instead of focusing on what we have now.
As a real estate Broker with over 30 years experience, I know that we cannot control the market. How many times have I said, “if I had a crystal ball, I'd be a millionaire?”
So how do you know which statistics to pay attention to, and how reliable can they be? You must be intentional about choosing your sources for housing data. While economists and industry experts are effective for overall market conditions, local data should be your focus for understanding the state of the market where you live.
HERE ARE ASSESSMENTS OF THE HOUSING MARKET AS A WHOLE:
REALTOR.COM
Home Prices: Increase Market Crash? No
Lower Rates? A slow retreat Increase in Foreclosures? No
Housing Inventory Forecast: Low With many of the same forces at play heading into 2024, the housing chill will continue, with sales expected to remain essentially unchanged.
FORBES
Home Prices: Increase Market Crash in 2024? No
Lower Rates? It could be a while Increase in Foreclosures in 2024? No
Housing Inventory Forecast: Low Affordability challenges will continue in 2024. Pent-up demand and low inventory will generally bolster prices, and
Photo Provided by Debby Daigle
elevated mortgage rates will remain.
ZILLOW
Home Prices: Increase
Market Crash? No
Lower Rates? No
Increase in Foreclosures? No
Housing Inventory Forecast: Increase Expect more homeowners who locked in long-term payments when rates were near all-time lows to list their homes for sale, as they grow weary of waiting for the low rates to return.
ASSESSMENT OF THE HOUSING MARKET BASED ON LOCAL DATA:
CAPE FEAR REALTORS
Home Prices: Increase
Market Crash? No
Lower Rates? No
LOCATED IN SHELMORE
Designed and built by Kent Homes as their Carot Bay Model in 2016, this lovely home has many upgrades plus complete privacy in the rear yard.
Increase in Foreclosures? No
Housing Inventory Forecast: Low Mortgage rates will stabilize by the second half of 2024. Home prices will continue to rise until low inventory-high demand changes. Sellers who sat on the sidelines in 2023 will come back.
WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
SELLERS:
• This is your market, right now! It has been your market for almost two years. The only change that is inevitable is toward a buyer’s market.
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• Get your home in shape to sell sooner rather than later.
• Work with a real estate agent to get your pricing right, encourage buyer competition and to sell faster.
BUYERS:
• The best time to buy is when you find a home that you like, that meets your family’s current and foreseeable needs, and that you can afford.
• Check prices and listings regularly to beat out the competition.
• Get all your ducks in a row in advance
so you can act fast—review your financial situation, gather required documents, shop multiple lenders, and strengthen your credit score.
• Work with a real estate broker who is knowledgeable and experienced to help navigate the market and area that you are considering. For more information about the real estate market, contact Debby Daigle, CLHMS RE/MAX Essential (910) 443-3199 ddaigle@remax.net
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honestly, I don’t think I’m ever going to move.”
“He has a good designer eye, and I really appreciated that,” Bren says. “I threw a lot of out-of-the-box concepts at him, and he would just take it on and get right into it with us. He was always willing to do that kind of thing.”
The Galaskis’ four-bedroom, four-bathroom home features a Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee exterior accented with natural stone in the front. The company describes the paint color as “an essential white with just the right amount of warmth,” and Bren says this was perfect for the aesthetic they wanted to convey.
“We were looking for something classic that would always go well,” she says. “We like the softness of cream and black together, and the stone makes it.”
Upon entering the front door, there is a large corridor hallway – 7 feet wide and 15 feet long – that leads to the main living area. Bren says this element of anticipation was intentional for both the feel and practicality of the home.
“I like the surprise because you come down the corridor and all of a sudden it opens to the great room and the outdoors,” she says. “It had to be wide to display artwork and a credenza, and there are mirrors to bounce the light. I also like the privacy of having the great room in the back of the house instead of the front.”
Using a Centor multi-pane door, this space opens up to a grand outdoor area that
BY KIM BROWN
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Join us February 23 for a night filled with gourmet delights and picturesque views of the Wilmington waterfront at the Roaring 20’s Charity Gala for Cinderella's Closet, an organization dedicated to making prom dreams come true for young girls.
Your attendance will not only immerse you in an unforgettable evening but will also contribute to a cause that spreads joy and confidence among local youth. Every ticket purchase goes directly to supporting Cinderella's Closet, ensuring that more girls can experience the magic of prom.
Additionally, we welcome and appreciate support and sponsors to further enhance the impact on our community during this holiday season.
Join us and make a difference in a young girl's life – reserve your spot at the Roaring 20’s Gala today! For additional details and ticket information visit: https://gracedowntown.church/cinderellas-closet or contact Alicia Powell on 703-835-1953, alpowell04@gmail.com
For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
“AULD LANG SYNE”
What does it mean, and why do we sing it??
BY DEBBY DAIGLE
Most of us know ‘Auld Lang Syne’ from joyful New Year’s Eve parties, joining friends and family in raising our voices to welcome in a new year, but how many people can truthfully say they know the words beyond the first verse?
The words were written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. Burns disclosed at the time of composing it that he had composed the words after listening to the verse of an old man on his travels, claiming that his version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ marked the first time it had been formally written down.
However, an earlier ballad by James Watson, named ‘Old Long Syne’, dates as far back as 1711, and use of the title phrase can be found in poems from as early as the 17th century.
The phrase “for auld lang syne” essentially means “for (the sake of) old times”, which positions it as an appropriate song to sing at a time when people reflect on the year they have had.
While there are several variations of what’s sung on New Year’s Eve, below is Burns’ original Scots verse followed by a simplified English translation.
FIRST VERSE:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? -chorus
SECOND VERSE:
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup! and surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. -chorus
THIRD VERSE:
We twa hae run about the braes, and pou’d the gowans fine; But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, sin’ auld lang syne. -chorus
FOURTH VERSE:
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar’d
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
FIRST VERSE:
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? -chorus
SECOND VERSE:
And surely, you’ll buy your pint cup! and surely, I’ll buy mine!
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne. -chorus
THIRD VERSE:
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne. -chorus
FOURTH VERSE:
We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne. -chorus
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
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Cioppino,
an Italian Fish Soup
By Debby Daigle
Brimming with fresh seafood in a seasoned tomato and wine broth that tastes like the sea, cioppino (pronounced chuh-pee-noh) is a rustic Italian American fish stew. Its origins can be traced back to Italian immigrant fishermen in San Francisco, prepared using a variety of freshly caught fish and shellfish. My cozy and comforting cioppino recipe is brimming with scallops, mussels, grouper, and shrimp, all simmered in a slightly spicy tomato broth infused with white wine, and garlic - exquisite to dip warm sourdough garlic bread into!
INGREDIENTS:
Good olive oil
1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) yellow onion (1 large) 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, such as San Marzano
4 cups seafood stock, preferably homemade (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds halibut or grouper fillets, 2-inch diced
1 pound large (16 to 20-count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound sea scallops, halved crosswise
24 mussels, scrubbed
1 tablespoon Pernod
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley Garlic Toasts, for serving (recipe follows)
SEAFOOD STOCK:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Shells from 1-pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1/3 cup tomato paste
10 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large (12inch) heavy pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes, until tender. Stir in the garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, stock, wine, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. The stock will be highly seasoned.
by Tom Egan
Photos